Meat Treats
tart with the meat: Order which Thompson makes with sweet chile flakes, white pepper, garlic, and white wine. Though, which Thompson smears onto a crisp and tops with grainy mustard — and a pour of smoky, bittersweet to balance the porkiness — along with , which he dubs “basically truffled pork butter.” He marinates salt-cured pork fat with red wine vinegar, garlic, rosemary, and black truffle shavings, then whips it. To make spicy, spreadable , he uses pork belly, Calabrian chiles, smoked and sweet paprika, and salt. Load it onto from West Town’s Aya Pastry, and accent with honey. His is inspired by Calabrian versions but has a Midwest touch. “I dry chiles from Michigan’s Seedling Fruit and make chile powder and paste,” Thompson says. Onto the cheese: is aged in Minnesota caves and loaded with crunchy salt crystals. The stewed fruit flavors of , a Spanish wine, are the ideal match for , a goat’s and sheep’s milk cheese from Wisconsin’s Carr Valley. And for a universal pairing: , a Chilean orange wine. Its bright acidity zips through the rich flavors.
