The Title Says it All

Chinese New Year was approaching -- what's a food-and-culture girl to do? Pork belly! It seems to be the new short rib as far as high-end restaurants are concerned -- cheap, fatty and delicious. And you really trick it out, you can charge a bundle for it. (Yes, I've paid that bundle -- but Michael Schwartz really , really has a way with pork belly.)

George said that he has seen pork belly at the Asian market, so that's where we headed. Fattiest piece of meat I've seen in ages. Scary fatty -- I bought two pounds.

I cut it into 2-inch cubes and marinated them in soy sauce, brown sugar, sea salt and sherry.

Next morning, I quick-browned the pork belly -- in lard (can you believe?) Added cinnamon, ginger, chiles, star anise and the remaining marinade -- threw in some orange peel, too, just like the cookbook said. A couple of cups of water and it simmered for about an hour.

The sauce thickened, the flavors were dead-on traditionally Chinese -- rich, a bit salty, spicy, gingery and unctuous.

This cookbook was more than justified. The title? Jennifer McLagan's tribute to common sense, flavor and moderation -- Fat.

-- Nancy