Before you feast this Thanksgiving, give thanks.
Another feast awaits. And it’s pork-centric.
Dubbed Cochon555, this traveling swine-fest promises 50,000 pounds of heritage pork (and more drinks than we care to count) for 16,000 guests, and tickets are on sale now for their 2016 edition.
Your menu lies ahead.
Now in its eighth year, the annual culinary epic features five all-star chefs (different for each locale) cooking five heritage breed pigs snout-to-tail to try to earn the title of “Princess or Prince of Porc.”
Best of all, you (and 500 other guests) get to decide the winner.
Now, it’s a friendly competition: a portion of the proceeds benefits Piggy Bank, a “genetic sanctuary” attempting to create an open-source genetics model for family farming.
It’s not just pork, though. Each ticket includes culinary “pop-up” experiences every 20 minutes throughout the evening, including a Ramen Shop paired with Wines of Germany, a bar called TIKI Isle (Caribbean-inspired libations), a Luxury Butter Bar (milk butters, truffle salt and artisan bread), a Pop-Up Butcher Shop and a pork-friendly dessert course called Swine & Sweets.
Plus, winemaker spotlights, a welcome punch, artisanal cheese stations, a “Vermouth experience” and a seafood shelf (with oysters and shrimp).
As if that’s not enough: cocktail programs devoted to margaritas, Manhattans, mezcal and Smoked Old Fashioneds.
At most stops, additional Friday and Saturday dinner series will be held for a limited number of guests, one an Asian speakeasy and the other an intimate chef’s course.
After the tour, 10 regional winners will duke it out at the Grand Cochon in Snowmass, with additional spin-off events like the global BBQ exhibition Heritage BBQ and a fire-cooking event dubbed Heritage Fire.
2016 already has a lot to be thankful for.
Photos courtesy Cochon555
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