The smoking process involves meats that are hung in a warm chamber and strung over a “smoking pit.” Inside this pit, fire from wood chips generate smoke that penetrates the meat, creating an aromatic flavor that varies depending on the type of wood you use to create the smoke. Thus, this bring us to the question, why is the South famous for using hickory to smoke it’s meats? Continue reading →

August 15th is the 100th birthday of acclaimed American chef, author and television personality, Julia Child. World-renowned in the food industry, Julia starred in numerous television cooking shows including Julia Child & Company, Julia Child & More Company and Dinner at Julia’s. In 1996, Julia Child was ranked #46 on TV Guide’s 50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time. She also authored several culinary novels such as Mastering the Art of French Cooking, which is considered “one of the most influential works in American cookbook history.” Continue reading →

“Ham” up your PC/Mac, iOS and Android Devices with our new HD wallpapers! We have two designs, Smokehouse and Surryano. Take a look: “Smokehouse” Right click link, press “Save Link As”: PC/Mac (1920×1200) iPhone 4/4S (640×960) iPad 3 (2048 × 2048) … Continue reading →

One day I came across something called “guanciale” in a specialty food store charcuterie (or cured meat) department. It looked familiar in shape, so I started asking some questions. Turns out it’s the Italian version of, you guessed it, a good old fashioned hog jowl. The process was a little different, and I discovered that chefs and foodies around the globe use it like they would pancetta or great quality bacon. At that moment, the challenge was on! How could I take this culinary classic and put my own special Surry County twist on it? The end result is our Surry Farms Jowciale, and yes the pun is intended. Continue reading →