Cochon 555..A farmer, a chef and a Red Wattle hog walk into a pub...

Cochun 555  Red Wattle wannabees. Summer 2010

Yesterday I sprung the news that was sprung on us. We've been chosen (again thank you to Marty Travis Kim Snyder and Michael Sullivan ) as one of the farmers who will pair up with one of the chefs in the Cochon 555 chef and wine competition. I'm still putting all the pieces together in my Abby Normal head so bear with me as I work to get all the facts straight. Oh wait ! Someone with ALL their faculties already did that and created this fanTABulous ** website. You may leave for a moment and check it out. Be sure to come back.
http://www.cochon555.com/

Today we found out who OUR chef was to be, the man of the hour who will take our Red Wattle to fame and fortune or at least into a few hot ovens of high quality. His name is...Mike Sherrin of Trenchermen Restaurant in Munster, Indiana. Prior to  that he worked at Blackbird in Chicago. Rather than totally butcher up his resume you can read about him here http://www.starchefs.com/chefs/rising_stars/2008/chicago/bio_mike_sheerin.shtml

And if you would like to see him in action then check this out
http://www.casttv.com/video/61txd71/blackbird-chicgo-executive-chef-mike-sheerin-s-inside-out-re-video

Tomorrow we pick up our Red Wattle who is just patiently hanging around Chenoa Locker sans hair. Other than that he is pretty intact. The contest requires that the chef work with the WHOLE hog, unsplit with head and feet in place.  This is a very good thing as those of you who know us from long ago (last year) know that Keith and I have a habit of misplacing our pig heads. Its like me mother always said,  "Donna Marie, you'd lose your head if it wasn't attached to you ! " Thelma O'Shaughnessy, the profit. Who knew ?

We'll leave very early in the morning to head west to get Mr Wattle and then travel north up Rt 55 and over east on Rt 80 and into Hoosierville a suburb of Whoville, and then place him in the capable hands of Chef Sheerin. After that we hustle back to begin our weekend job of grand parenting. But first has anyone else noticed how familiar Chef Sheerin looks or is it just me ? Did I go to high school with him ? Naaaa, he's about 22 and I'm...not. Oh well, I'll figure it out or I'll forget about  it. Its a 50/50  kind of thing.

Stay tuned for more about Cochun 555.

Now about that annoying * mark. The word fanTABulous is in honor of my daughter-in-law TAB who has a birthday this month and by the way starts culinary school in May