The National Pork Board was a Gold Sponsor of the MEG Spring 2011 Conference. Not only did representatives from NPB attend the conference but they also sponsored a sweepstakes for an Apple iPad2. In order to be eligible to win, MEG members had to read the Why Pork Presentation on www.porkfoodservice.org and then enter to win. Corey Will, Director of Field Marketing for Boston Pizza Restaurants, was the lucky winner.
Friday, April 22 was Earth Day. This year, Earth Day's theme was "A Billion Acts of Green," a people-powered campaign to generate a billion acts of environmental service and advocacy, something pork farmers across the nation practice instinctively every day. Still, producers continue to seek ways to improve their overall sustainability to benefit their animals, their neighbors, their local community and consumers worldwide.
Randy Spronk, a pork farmer from Edgerton, Minnesota, who serves on the National Pork Board's Environmental Committee, points out that, according to the Environmental Protection Agency - pork production contributes only one-third of one percent of total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, every pound of pork produced in the United States today has a smaller carbon footprint than it used to have 20 years ago. This is due to improved production methods.
As the pork industry plays its part to feed an ever-growing world population, the Pork Checkoff is developing new tools to help producers become more sustainable. A new carbon footprint calculator is in final stages of development that will help producers identify areas on their farms where they can become more efficient and potentially reduce their carbon footprint. This tool is expected to launch at World Pork Expo in Des Moines, Iowa in June.
Roasted pork is a popular item at El Nuevo Bohío, a Puerto Rican restaurant in the West Tremont neighborhood of the Bronx. The restaurant, owned by Ramon Fernandez, offers many Puerto Rican specialties but devotees go for the lechón, roasted pork. The difference is quality ingredients simply roasted and the payoff is crisp skin and succulent meat.
For the recent New York Times review of El Nuevo Bohío and for pictures of their lechón click here.
Just in time for Easter, The Ohio Pork Producers Council gave more than 12,000 pounds of pork to the State of Ohio’s emergency hunger network. One of the largest one-time donations of pork in the state, the donation was used to help struggling families put food on the table.
The donation will provide nearly 60,000 servings of food to those in need. "The pork that we're receiving through this donation is actually some of the most wholesome, highly nutritious and high-protein-valued donations that we receive," said Charles Barber, communications manager for the Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks.
To make Baconalia! even better, Denny’s partnered with J&D’s Foods to provide Hickory Bacon Salt as a tabletop condiment. With a sprinkle of this specialty salt, Denny’s customers can make everything from eggs to hash browns to fries taste deliciously bacon-y.
J&D’s Foods is known for “bacon-o-vation” – their bacon-centric product line features Bacon Salt in 9 different flavors, BaconPOP, Bacon Ranch and Bacon Gravy. Find out more at www.jdfoods.net/
Doc Crow's Southern Smokehouse and Raw Bar in Louisville, KY serves up all kinds of traditional Southern food. The menu includes seasoned pork rinds, po’boys, pulled pork and a to-die-for fried pork chop. But what people are really talking about is the Wilbur Sundae featuring brown butter praline ice cream with bourbon caramel ribbon atop cinnamon pork rinds sprinkled with candied bacon – all topped with a Bourbon cherry. A dessert every pork lover should try!
Check out the rest of Doc Crow’s menu here.
For a review of Doc Crow’s in the Louisville Courier-Journal click here.
In February of 2011, Famous Dave’s of America launched a line of six Citrus Grill BBQ platters with fewer than 600 calories each. Included in the line are two pork offerings, sauceless pork ribs and pork tenderloin.