In Italian, it’s testa. In French, fromage de tete. In German it’s sulze. In English, it’s headcheese. No matter the language, it doesn’t have a very pretty name.
But take a look.
Can you imagine a slice of deli meat that’s more beautiful that that? A lacy, shimmering mosaic just waiting to be popped into my mouth, wobbly with gelatin, meaty with cheeks.
Rest assured that within seconds of the photo being snapped, that lovely slice was melting on my tongue. I bought the headcheese at Eataly, and ate it with my fingers, pretty much by myself (okay, Dahlia helped a little). It was gone all too soon.
Photos by Olga Massov
I think I fell in love with headcheese after reading Laura Ingalls Wilder’s books. I don’t remember which book, but Pa must have killed a pig and Ma made headcheese out of the scraps. I liked tongue sandwiches as a kid, and was intrigued by the idea of added cheek and jowl. Obviously I wasn’t the squeamish type.
Anyway, I’m not offering any headcheese recipes here. I think it’s the kind of thing better left to folks who know what they are doing and have access to plenty of fresh pig heads.
I’m just posting a little reminder to other headcheese-lovers to go seek some out. It’s the kind of thing one can easily forget about, until you see it and remember.
I love headcheese, but have never thought about it being beautiful. Which of course it is! I'll gaze at it a little longer next time.
Posted by: Slgunter | 04/02/2011 at 12:33 PM
I would like to know more about it. What does it taste like? I think the name of it throws me off a bit. :)
Posted by: Karen | 04/02/2011 at 10:38 PM
Karen- It's mild and meaty, a little like boiled ham but softer, or maybe a bit like mortadella. The texture is really nice, very silky. The name isn't tempting it it?!
Posted by: Melissa | 04/03/2011 at 02:17 PM
Gorgeous photos, Melissa. I love headcheese, and hope to make it at some point during the year (Charcutepalooza!) but my vegetarian husband balks at the idea of a pig head in brine for a week, staring at him from the refrigerator. Can I borrow your fridge? :)- Cathy
Posted by: MrsWheelbarrow | 04/04/2011 at 09:05 AM
There is a good recipe at www.TheRooterToTheTooter.com
Check it out!
Posted by: Dave Bridges | 04/04/2011 at 09:22 AM
Hi Cathy! You can absolutely borrow my fridge! As long as I can have a slice of headcheese for payment. Maybe one day we could make it together.
Dave - great site! thanks for the link!
Posted by: Melissa | 04/05/2011 at 03:21 PM
Go figure...just talked headcheese with my husband this week! We're getting a food cart "courtyard" here in Ann Arbor this spring. All carts are local except one, Humble Hogs from Austin, which will be serving, you guessed it, headcheese hoagies.
Will line up to try it (husband has already taken a pass) thanks to your post.
http://www.kimsculinarydiary.com/
Posted by: Kimberly Nichols | 04/06/2011 at 11:47 AM