Here’s a heads-up to plan for an upcoming weekend of pigging out. Pork and related products are on the menu for April 29-30 as the Cheese and Meat Festival and Cochon555 come to Seattle.
First up is the Cheese and Meat Festival, happening at McCaw Hall on Saturday, April 29. The afternoon session is sold out, so hurry to get in on the limited number of tickets available for the evening (7pm) session. Entry earns you a charcuterie board and an empty glass so you can sample meats, cheeses, pickled products and condiments, chocolate and more. The glass gets you beer, wine and cider samples—though don’t overlook the terrific chocolate milk from Smith Brothers Farms. I’m especially looking forward to charcuterie from Salumi, sauerkraut from Firefly Kitchens, and beer from Mollusk. If you find some favorites, you can make purchases to take home.
If you’re doing the doubleheader, you’ll have less than 24 hours to recover before the start of Cochon555. The tour returns to Seattle, and remains one of my favorite food events of the year. The “555” refers to five chefs cooking five whole pigs with pairings from five local wineries. In addition to the fantastic food from the five featured chefs (and as if this isn’t enough food), there will also be a Tomahawk ribeye bar, a ramen pop-up bar, cured meats, cheese, breads, and desserts. On the drink side, in addition to the wine, expect artisanal beer, craft cocktails, cider tastings, and much more. If you can spring for it, VIP entry is worthwhile for a more relaxed experience with entry an hour early. Regardless, with 1,500 pounds of heritage pig, Cochon555 is a pork-filled party, with part of the proceeds benefiting the Piggy Bank charity—whose mission is “to create a heritage breed pig sanctuary that provides free genetics and business plans to emerging family farms” and is “dedicated to making our foodways more safe, honest, and delicious.”