Follow Me Foodie to Passion for Pork in Vancouver!
Passion for Pork Restaurant Week in Vancouver is September 10 – September 16!
The time has come! Simba will be King and give me Pumbaa! Well he’s a warthog so I’ll settle for Wilbur… okay no, he’s actually pretty cute so I’ll just take a pig with no name. I’ve been waiting for this week to come and it’s finally arrived! Roll out the red carpets and find me a bib! In the red meat category it’s probably my favourite. It’s just such a versatile meat. The whole thing is edible, it’s inexpensive and freaking delicious when it’s cooked well. So smile and say “bacon” and Follow Me Foodie to Passion for Pork Restaurant Week in Vancouver!
Passion for Pork is a campaign set out by Alberta pork producers to promote pork and all of its glory. Western Canada produces some of the best pork in the world and it is a highly sought over on a global scale. Our pigs are internationally recognized and wanted and that’s something to celebrate! Part of the reason I’m on board is because 1) I love pork (I’ve stressed it many times in my blog posts) and 2) the commitment from Alberta pork producers.
A commitment from Alberta pork producers
We Promise™
We promise that we produce safe and healthy pork
We promise we look after our animals in a safe and humane manner
We promise that we produce our pork in a environmentally sustainable way
We promise to use no growth hormones in the raising of our animals
– Alberta Pork Producers
“Alberta Pork producers follow strict animal care regulations, the most careful biosecurity measures in the world, and best of all, they are right here in Alberta, minimizing the distance from the farm gate to your plate.” – Alberta Pork Producers
The promise is worth my support so bring on the cheeks, butt, shoulder, belly and ears… actually bring out the whole hog! It’s all edible and I don’t like to waste.
Photo by @tangledbones
Passion for Pork Restaurant Week in Vancouver is September 10 – 16. It supports restaurants using local Alberta pork. If you’re in BC you might consider that arguable as a “local product”, but I’ll leave that up to you. Regardless, these talented chefs are showcasing their passion for pork. They have made pork dishes and menus exclusive to Passion for Pork week in Vancouver. See participating Metro Vancouver restaurants here.
Watch Owner Rino Cioffi at Cioffi’s Meat Market & Deli in Burnaby go through pig parts.
Wasn’t that video useful? It’s my kind of biology and it’s a good reference guide for understanding the many parts of the pig. I hope it gave you some ideas or even better made you curious about trying parts that are less common. For great cooking and handling tips see here.
Passion for Pork Restaurant Week in Vancouver Contest!
Croutons for carnivores.
Win a dinner gift certificate to either Hart House Restaurant, LUPO Restaurant, or The Refinery in Vancouver!
Hart House Passion for Pork Menu
Pork Belly – bonito broth braised daikon, bok choy, chili ginger & scallion relish
Natural Pork Tenderloin – roasted shallots, cranberry mustard, tarragon corn bread, spiced jus
Braised Pork Shoulder – fennel, apricots, orange glaze
The Refinery Passion for Pork Menu
Crispy Pork Belly – braised & pan fried, apple puree, summer coleslaw
Roasted Pork Tenderloin – seared and roasted with sweet onion jam & crisp pancetta
LUPO Restaurant Passion for Pork Menu
TBA
See regular menu here.
**Gift certificates are valid even after Passion for Pork Restaurant Week.
How to enter:
1) Comment on this post with which restaurant you want to try and your favourite part of the pig.
or
2) Tweet: I entered @followmefoodie‘s @BCpassion4pork #contest to dine at _________! Details —> http://bit.ly/UwQUqS #PassionForPork
Fill in the blank with ONE of the following: 1) @HartHouseRest 2) @TheRefineryVan 3) @luporestaurant
or
3) “LIKE” the Follow Me Foodie Facebook Fanpage and comment with which restaurant you want to try and and your favourite part of the pig.
CONTEST CLOSES SEPTEMBER 15, 2012
Good luck you oinkers! 
I would like to try
The Refinery Passion for Pork Menu
Crispy Pork Belly – braised & pan fried, apple puree, summer coleslaw
and as you would have guessed my fav parts of the pig would be the pork belly =)
I would like to try The Refinery and my favorite part of the pig is pork leg
Hart House for sure! The Tenderloin! Mmmmmmm Bacon makes everything better! Loves me some pork!
I would like to try the Hart House! My favorite part is the pork belly.
I’d like to go to Lupo. And the shoulder…for pulled pork of course, would have to be my favorite part of Babe 😉
I would love to try The Refinery’s menu! yum!! Love porkbelly or ribs.
Lupo’s has been on my list for some time now – I bet their pork passion menu would rock. I’ve only tried pigs ears once (in Chicago) and I think they’d be awesome deep-fried and crispy. I’m a fan of trotters too…
Mmnn Hart House please 🙂 lol I luv your opening line ‘give me pumbaa!’ lol
The Refinery! Crispy Pork Belly – yummmmm!
Lupo… I haven’t been there in forever! Love all pig but my most recent favourite pig part… pig snout (as in smoked pig snout fried rice from Fat Dragon)! Deeee-lish 😛
I’d like to try Hart House. My favorite part is pork belly… mmmmm
I’d like to try out Cioffi’s Meat Market & Deli, and my favourite part of the pig is pork belly!
I’d like to try the Hart House and my favourite part of the pig is pork ribs.
I’ve love to try The Refinery and omg crispy pork belly of course!
Funny Cafe Regalade isn’t participating, since they have their monthly suckling pig special.
I wanna try The Refinery! And mmm pork belly 😀
The Refinery – Crispy Pork Belly
I would like to try
Lupo or Hart House as I have not had the pleasure of dining at either. In terms of my favourite part of the pig, I can’t even tell you, ribs, tenderloin, bacon… the list goes on. We play this game “if you could only ever eat one animal for the rest of your life it would be ____” and mine is always pig, so versatile!
I am excited for passion for pork week and applaud the Alberta Pork Producers and their commitment to excellence in all facets of production.
Love that menu at the Hart House and who can resist pork belly? Yummm!!!!
I’d love to try Lupo! My favourite is also pork belly.
Lupo would be the restaurant I want to go pig out at. I am a huge pork belly fan but I don’t underestimate the power of guanciale – the best friend a plate of pasta ever had!
I’d like to try The Refinery. My favourite part is pork belly !
The Refinery ~ Crispy Pork Belly …*drool* : )
I’d like to try The Hart House. My favourite part is the pork belly
I would LOVE to try out The Refinery and savour their Crispy Pork Belly, Roasted Pork Tenderloin, or any part of the pig that oinked or not oinked.
The Refinery – pork belly. ftw.
Hello!
I would like to try out the Refinery restaurant and my favourite part is the pork belly =)
I want to try whatever they have to offer at Campagnolo – I’ve heard truly great things about that restaurant.
My favourite part of the pig is probably the shoulder, since it produces one of the most delicious dishes in the world: pulled pork!
I’d like to try Lupo. Favourite part is the head! There are so many delicious bits and dishes for the head. (And the feet… and the kidneys… but it’s the head today!)
I would like to try TheRefineryVan. I like pork ribs.
Would love to try The Refinery and order the crispy pork belly, which is my favorite part and it looks like I’m not the only one 🙂
i certainly want to try The Refinery…
I’ve never been, and it’s on the list.
No better reason to go than Pork fest!
To try my favourite part of the pig, the BELLY!
<3
The Refinery for their crispy pork belly though my all time favourite is ribs!
I want to try Hart House. My fave part of the pig is the crunchy skin!
The braised pork shoulder at Hart House is on my list of must-trys! And even thought I’m a little embarrassed to say, I love eating pig ears! ><
The Refinery for the Crispy Pork Belly, which is my favourite part of the pig.
I would love to try LUPO Restaurant ! One of my favourite parts of the pig is the cheeks.
Refinery… For crispy pork belly
I just tried the Hart House pork tenderloin yesterday and it was great. So I would love to try the pork shoulder as well. Fav part… probably pork belly.
I’d like to try Hart House.
I like pork belly.
Thanks Mijune!
I would like to try the Refinery. My favourite part of the pig is the pork belly.
Wanna try Hart House I’ve never been there!
Fave part is ribs
i’d love to try Lupo, and my favorite part of the pig is the belly!
Hart House’s Pork Belly
Hmm… Hart House Pork Belly. I wonder how it’s different from the Chinese take.
Has the winner been announced ? Passion-for-Pork Week ends today, right ?
Congratulations to Tina comment 24, Adrienne comment 21, and Harley comment 32 – by random number generator you’ve been selected to win dinner GC’s to the restaurant you’ve picked! Thank you all for entering! Hope you all enjoyed Passion for Pork week!