Do Happy Pigs Taste Better?

Something to Chew On... Yummy bites from one of America's most innovative chefs

Your mother always told you to eat your vegetables, but did you ever think it would be healthy to eat pigs that are fed vegetables?

Here's a tip from Chef Edward Lee's kitchen at 610 Magnolia in Louisville. Chef Lee's been collaborating with Stone Cross Farm to take his eco-friendly farming ideas to the next level. The result is some happy, healthy pigs and some pork dishes that are super rich in flavor and healthy to eat. Here's how it works.

Step One: He feed the pigs unused vegetable scraps from his kitchen at 610 Magnolia contracting with nearby Stone Cross Farm in Taylorsville, Kentucky. So instead of dumping the carrot shavings, leek tops, mushroom stems, beet greens, and other perfectly tasty bits, he collects everything and takes it all to the farm. The pigs are happy. Chef Lee minimizes the waste from his restaurant. And the pork has a more robust flavor.

Step Two: Chef Lee has also contracted with local orchards for his peaches and apples. While he gets the best of the crop for the restaurant, at least 10% of the yield ends up on the ground to bruise. He minimizes waste and adds the fruit to the pig feed. The pigs are even happier, and the farms maximize their crop.

Step Three: The farms that supply 610 are surrounded by great oaks trees, which drop an abundance of acorns each fall. The chef gathers bushels of them for the pigs' feed, too - and there's still plenty left for the squirrels to enjoy!

The Result: Nothing is wasted. The farms and restaurants support each other. The pigs eat a more flavorful and healthy diet. The pork has a better flavor then it would have if the animals ate only corn and soy feed. And it's healthier.

Want to know more about Chef Lee's innovative ideas for an eco-friendly food system? Just give me a call at 215.669.1125 and I'll put you in touch with him.

"Something to Chew On" is the online tip sheet from Edward Lee, executive chef of 610 Magnolia, a Louisville restaurant that blends Southern hospitality with urban sophistication. Korean-born, Brooklyn-bred, NYU-educated and globally trained in the culinary arts (via Asia, France, and Belgium), Edward is dedicated to contract farming and the use of the local ingredients that have defined Kentucky's landscape for generations. Think bourbon, sorghum, wildflower honey, okra, sweet potatoes, bison passed through an international lens, and you'll get the idea. Chef Lee has some unique thoughts about food, many of which apply to the home cook. They not only relate to fine cuisine, but to practical matters of concern to all of us in an age of rising food prices. Watch for these e-mails every three weeks for ideas that will inspire and delight your audience.