Saturday, December 28, 2013

Reserve Your Haggis

Among the changes transpired since my six-month absence from blogging about Philadelphia's public and farmers' markets is switch of chefs at Border Springs Farm, the fresh and prepared lamb purveyor at the Reading Terminal Market.

In the fall Nick Macri moved over from executive chef at Southwark to run the cooking operation at Border Springs. (Opening chef Aaron Gottesman is how chef de cuisine at Kevin Sbraga's new The Fat Ham.)

In honor of poet Robert Burns birthday Jan. 25, Macri will be preparing a near-authentic haggis. All that will be missing in the offal-stuffed offering will be the traditional lights (lungs) which, to the best of my knowledge, remain off-limits for human consumption under USDA rules. Nick also told me he will be using manufactured casing rather than sheep stomach, the traditional containing vessel for the oat-extended offal-loaf. If you want it, make a reservation: it won't be available unless you make a prior commitment to purchase one.

In the meantime, Border Springs has had to cope with a non-functioning refrigerated display case. They expect to get a replacement compressor installed Monday.