This and That

First, the Heavenly Cake Bakers (Cont.) are making Mud Turtle Cupcakes. Here's the link to mine. Incidentally, I realize I never posted the Lisbon updates to which the post refers. Been a busy spring.


Secondly, a query--I just made some carnitas and allowed the (very charming) butcher to sell me a piece of pork butt with several inches of thick fat on it, which then had to be trimmed off. I now have several pieces of thick, expensive (raw) pork fat in my freezer...any ideas? Render for lard?

Turkey & Bones

Warning, this post contains pictures that may be disturbing to vegetarians. Read on at your own risk.

Ok, so the pictures weren't that risky, but some people just don't like turkey neck, and what I had the other day was a serious amount of just that.
We bought a package of turkey necks from our favorite farmers market vendor, DiPaola Turkey Farm. In attempting to find a picture or a website to link to, I just discovered that they're a pretty popular operation, endorsed by the likes of Ed Levine, but that they have no website so you'll have to make it out to the market to see them yourself. They're usually frying fantastic sausage, so they shouldn't be hard to locate.

In an attempt to wean myself off all sausage all the time, I wanted the necks to make soup. Simmering for several hours with onion, celery, carrots, and bay, I got a couple of quarts of a nice stock (not too rich, should have used less water), and found myself the next morning at 9am contemplating a bowl of boiled necks. Like a good Jewish cook, I can't leave a carcass alone until I've stripped it down, so 45 minutes later I had this:
Now what shall I make? Tacos?