Snout to tail: Use the whole hog tonight at Jasper’s

The slow food movement claims more than 16,000 believers nationwide. It was created to counteract fast food’s run-and-gun attitude towards meals, so it promotes the opposite. It’s now also about keeping food local, using sustainable grains and produce, and attacking industrial agribusiness. 

It’s still about getting the most out of food and tonight’s event at Jasper’s Ristorante is specifically about getting the most out of pig. Hosted by Slow Food Kansas City, the purpose of the event is to teach the home cook or grillmaster how to use every single part of the hog. Sure, anybody can turn out a good pork loin but it takes true skill to turn raw pork belly into delicious pancetta or jowl into guanciale.

Teaching the class are Kay Tucker and Jasper’s gregarious owner Jasper Mirabile. In addition to the small plates dinner, Kansas winery Somerset Ridge owners Dennis and Cindy Reynolds will be on hand to introduce a vintage of their cabernet Franc and to present several of their other wines.

The event begins at 6:30 p.m. and costs $35 per person, including drinks; $5 from each purchase goes towards Kansas City’s Slow Food chapter. This is a great opportunity to learn about what Slow Food Kansas City is doing and how to become a part of the movement. Sign up for the dinner at Slow Food Kansas City’s Web site or by calling Jasper’s at 816-941-6600.