By John Cox, executive chef at Sierra Mar in Big Sur
- 4 cups brown sugar
- 3 cups sea salt
- 1 cup guajillo chile powder
- 1 cup Meyer lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons ground wild fennel seed
- 1 cup Meyer lemon Agrumato oil
LINDA’S TASTY PORK
Finding a local source for naturally raised pigs is not easy as there aren’t many local ranches that offer them. The ranch that I’ve come to rely on for consistent high quality is Linda’s Tasty Pork.
Linda is a ninth-generation rancher in Carmel Valley. She has been raising pigs since the age of seven and is a graduate of California Polytechnic University with a degree in animal science. The 2,000-acre ranch where she works and lives has been in her family since 1878. Today, Linda specializes in Berkshire and other heritage breeds.
Linda’s pork is sometimes available through the Mariquita Farm CSA program; you can also contact her directly and she can help you pick out a pig and have it butchered and packaged to your specifications at a local butcher shop. If you have lots of hungry friends, or room in a chest freezer, this is an incredible way to get naturally raised local pork at a reasonable price.
About the author
At Edible Monterey Bay, our mission is to celebrate the local food culture of Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey Counties, season by season. We believe in sustainability, and we believe everyone has a right to healthful, clean and affordable food. We think knowing where our food comes from is powerful, and we hope our magazine, website and newsletters inspire readers to get to know and support our local growers, fishers, chefs, vintners and food artisans.
