Weekend Link Love: Brain Teaser Edition
The Prize:
Heath Putnam Farms, formerly known as Wooly Pigs, was formed to produce pork equal to Europe’s best. So what did they do? They imported the Mangalitsa, a highly specialized breed that produces some of the world’s most juicy and flavorful meat and fat. And they haven’t stopped there. They raise their Mangalitsa with Austrian techniques, and process the pigs with special European techniques, producing pork and products very different from those generally available in the U.S.. If you’re looking for a new pork experience well beyond the joys of bacon, learn more about the wonders of the Wooly Pig, and check out Heath Putnam’s Wooly Pigs Blog. Today’s winner will get an 8 to 13 lb Curemaster’s Reserve Mangalitsa Shoulder worth $159.
Bonus #1: Wooly Pigs is offering a very special deal to MDA readers. You can get a live, 50 lb boar (male) or gilt (female) for only $280; they usually sell for $2400 and $900, respectively. You’ve heard of cowpooling, right? How about pigpooling? Heath Putnam of Wooly Pigs is extending this offer to MDA readers because he is a Primal convert and strong supporter of the movement. Additionally, this breed of pig is very rare. Without a market for them they risk becoming even more endangered than they already are. So contact Heath for pick-up (HP Farms is located in Iowa) and delivery options (which might be possible for large orders), and to place your order today.
Bonus #2: Heath Putnam Farms supplies their pork to Johnston County Hams for it to be cured. Get 20% off one item with promo code MANGA20 until 10/31 at Johnston County Hams. Limit one per customer.
The Contest:
UPDATE: This contest is now closed. See the comment board for the winning answers.
For today’s Brain Teaser, pay close attention to the next eight WLL passages below, and only them. Each contains a reference. It’s up to you to figure out what they each refer to, but I’ll tell you this much – they are people and there is a common theme. There may also be repeats. Figure out the theme and the rest will come a little more easily. Read closely. Eight stanzas, eight answers. The first to list all eight references in a single comment will win the prize; no partials are accepted. Only U.S. residents are eligible to win. Good luck!
Something is rotten in the state of Denmark: in order to “curb the obesity problem,” officials there have instituted a tax on items high in saturated fat, like butter, beef, and cream. (I’m sure this’ll go swimmingly!) Meanwhile, in Sweden, there’s actually a butter shortage.
Yikes. In what purports to be a modest proposal inspired by the Danes, “health experts” in Australia are also lobbying for a fat tax.
From BrokeAss Gourmet comes photographic evidence that you can eat Primal – and eat well – on less than $16 a week, without feeling like butter scraped over too much coconut flour bread.
When I say workouts should be more like playing, this is exactly what I’m talking about: some folks over at The Primal Challenge put together a quick video of themselves playing, climbing, and cavorting (while getting in a great workout, too!). They’ve obviously learned firsthand that while work consists of whatever a body is obliged to do, play consists of whatever a body is not obliged to do.
The Chinese Ministry of Agriculture is enacting a ban on antibiotics used as growth promoters in livestock. I like the sentiment, but you know what they say about incorporating good intentions when laying down pavement…
Dozens of health writers (including yours truly) weigh in on the subject of “safe starches,” a phrase coined in the Perfect Health Diet, on Jimmy Moore’s recent blog post. There’s no definitive answer, but that just means we’re still moving forward. So it goes.
Reebok assents to an out-of-court settlement in response to charges that it misrepresented the benefits of its “toning shoes,” but maintains that its claims stand. I think the multinational shoe conglomerate protests too much.
Give me odorous at sunrise a kitchen of beautiful bacon where I can eat undisturbed, and I’m a happy man. It’s safe to say that these artists feel the same way about cured pork belly.
Recipe Corner
- Yeah, figs have some fructose, but so what? Braised short ribs with figs are worth it.
- Though wild salmon gets a ton of play in the community, I think there’s something to be said for black cod medallions with mushrooms, too.
Time Capsule
Two years ago (Oct 3 – Oct 9)
- How to Strengthen Your Bare, Flat Feet – Flat footers needn’t turn to orthotics, necessarily.
- Choose Your Booze: A Guide to Healthy Drinking – How to ingest toxins in a healthy, enjoyable way.
Comment of the Week
Are you single?
- Ginger cuts right to the chase.
Grab a copy of Primal Blueprint Quick & Easy Meals for over 100 Primal Recipes You Can Prepare in 30 Minutes or Less
Posted By: Mark Sisson
Shakespeare, Swift, Tolkien, Twain, St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Vonnegut, Shakespeare, Whitman
I would leap at the chance of buying a piggie but I’m in Oregon. Anyone want to haul one over for me?
No new taxes will improve human health or well being.
Ok I’ve decided to click on the links and read/skim through the articles and, well, wtf?!?!
A tax on saturated fat and butter?! If Obama does this to the US then I am most certainly moving out of this country. I won’t think twice about it for a damn second.
I love the fact that Sweden has a butter shortage… it makes me smile because even if the supply is low, the demand has to be there for there to be a shortage
Ok one of the countries I would possibly move to is Australia… maybe not? A tax on all fat? Really? How sad. But wait… they say “fatty” foods. This is different then foods with mostly fat, right?! Maybe they are going to tax things like pop, grains, vegetable oils, etc. Maybe?
I’m about to watch that primal challenge play video but I first was intrigued by the $16 shopping trip….
I don’t think I’ve ever been more inspired. I’m all about eating on the cheap while still eating quality foods. I’ll be creating Toadally Primeals. A primeal to me is simple, quick, affordable for the world, healthy and tasty. I’ve sold 26 copies but haven’t gotten started. This post has inspired me to move forward with this. It tells me how important this subject is – food budgeting.
Eating healthy can be cheap. I’ll even be buying grass-fed beef. It will mostly be in the form of ground with some liver. I’m excited again. Thanks for linking to this post Mark!
very true, it’s a matter of keeping your eyes open. My SO and I got a whole ribeye at 4.99/lb. we had to take the whole thing but they did cut it up for us. we got it home and vac packed and we’re golden for a bit.
The tax wouldn’t be crippling, but a move in the wrong direction. Australia is kind of similar to America as far as diet goes. From my experience most Australians have no idea that fat is a macronutrient (fuel source) and simply think ‘the fat you eat is the fat you carry’.
Fortunately we don’t have the hearthealthywholegrains message all that much, although that’s starting to change. Most Australians agree with evolution.
Compared to America, Australia is a more fertile ground for change, I think. hint hint
One thing we should realise as a community, is that something happening in one country influences others. So helping Sweeden while educating Denmark is in our interests
MANGA20 coupon code is not working at Johnston County Hams. No prosciutto make Grok sad.
That’s the promo code we were given. Anyone else having trouble? I’ll check with Johnston and update this post when I hear back. Stay tuned.
not working here either.
The code should be working now.
It finally worked for me on Tuesday 10/11. Thanks very much.
1. Hamlet (Shakespeare)
2. Gulliver (Swift)
3. Bilbo Baggins (Tolkien)
4. Tom Sawyer (Mark Twain)
5. St. Bernard.
6. Kurt Vonnegut
7. Gertrude (Shakespeare)
8. Whitman
(not seeing the common theme)
1.Shakespeare
2.Jonathan swift
3.Tolkien
4.Twain
5.Lord Byron
6.Vonnegut
7.Shakespeare
8.Whitman
Influential writers?
1 – William Shakespear
2 – Jonathon swift
3 – J.R.R. Tolkein
4 – Mark Twain
5 – Karl Marx
6 – Mark Sisson
7 – William Shakespear
8 – Walt Whitmann
This contest essentially confirms that Primal folks are total nerds.
Love it!
I would also like to know in what world you can buy a pound of carrots and cilantro for less than a dollar.
farmers markets. We did an internet search for farmers markets in our area and found quite a few that we’d driven right by. just a matter of looking
If you want to save money on herbs, grow your own. they don’t take up much space. I have parsley and rosemary going right now.
Anyone have any luck using the MAGNA20 promo code? It’s not working for me and I really want to buy some bacon!!!
The offers for discounts on Mangalitsa just made my week. I have the sampler pack ordered already!!
Great post, here in Australia, the likelihood of another tax is slim (no pun intended). With a minority government in for some time, hopefully the downturn in health of the Danes will point out to all these so called experts how daft the idea is. It would be more interesting to see how the swedes health improves in the same time frame. Shame they are experimenting with a whole population!
This site is a great read, I am learning so much. Yep a Aussie blog would be fab, but where do we start?
Cheers
On the butter shortage & fat phobia – have any of you had trouble asking for cream in your coffee instead of milk? I swear I had to stop by a Pret, 2 Caffe Neros and 2 Starbucks until I found a starbucks that had pouring cream. Does NO-ONE ask for cream in their coffee/tea any more? I got to buy myself a thermos and carry around my own. They have vats of skimmed milk (bleurgh), but never any cream.
where do you shop brokeass gourmet, recalculate this with organic stuff and raw dairy.
I guess I’m not much into the classics because I don’t recognize half of those names, and wouldn’t have been able to pick out 3/4 of the lines.
Most of them would put me to sleep. Zzzzzzz.
Also, I’d love to purchase some pigs. Unfortunately, I don’t live in a place where I could raise them (yet), though that is a goal.
Tried the mangalista sampler pack, that was extremely disappointing, the bacon was a slight taste of smoky flavor, and the overwhelming taste of a salt shaker.
I had to throw most of it out.