This week, we’ve had a whole pig delivered to the East Village Meat Market from Raven and Boar Farm (Columbia County). The East Village Meat Market is the last remaining of the traditional Eastern European butcheries. Butcher Julian Baczynsky has ” old world” skills, a full licensed kitchen, and an old wood smoker. The market’s specialties include hams, kielbasa, sausages.

For a while we have wanted to bring some farm pork to the Market. (Last year we brought beef farmer Ken Jaffe to visit them.) So, we asked Andrew (the manager of the shop) if he would welcome the Raven and Boar pig. His eyes lit up! These days they only work with pre-cut wholesale meat!

Today, we will consult with Andrew as he cuts up the pig. We’ll decide which cuts to cure and smoke, roast, leave raw (pork chops), and maybe share with a chef friend (head!). Of course much of it will end up on the Jimmy’s No. 43 menu for our patrons to eat.

This could be the start of a special relationship-for a small fee, Andrew will store/cut/cure whole animals! It just might be the return to his traditional butcher roots that may save the butcher shop!