Oregon’s Nicky USA Becomes Exclusive Distributor for Tails & Trotters Hazelnut Finished Pork
February 11, 2010
Tails & Trotters Oregon Hazelnut Finished Pork uses whole animal – from Belly Ribs and Cheeks to Brisket and Trotters
Portland, OR (February 10, 2010) — Nicky USA, the Pacific Northwest’s leading distributor and processor of game birds and meats recently announced it is the exclusive distributor for the new Tails & Trotters Hazelnut Finished Pork. In partnership with Tails & Trotters founders Aaron Silverman and Morgan Brownlow, Nicky USA’s president and founder Geoff Latham provides the company with a USDA inspected butchering facility, as well as delivery and distribution services. The pigs are raised on a family farm in Washington and are fed local hazelnuts during the last 10-12 weeks of their life. There are no added antibiotics, hormones, growth stimulants or animal by-products. The hazelnut finishing provides an increased flavor to the fat and meat, as well as produces the necessary fat coverage for prosciutto, which is the long-term objective for Tails & Trotters. Over the past eight months Tails & Trotters has grown from processing 4-5 pigs per week, to 9-12, supplying over a dozen restaurants and retail stores from Eugene to Seattle.
“The concept for Tails & Trotters came from a trip I took in 2004 to Slow Food’s Salone de Gusto in Turino, Italy,” said co-owner Aaron Silverman. “I tasted prosciutto from various regions in Europe, made from a variety of pig breeds fed on nuts (mainly acorns) from different tree species.” Silverman noticed the distinct differences between them and was inspired to return to Oregon and develop a true NW prosciutto, made from pigs finished on hazelnuts, especially since Oregon grows over 90% of the domestic supply.
“I love sharing my facility with Morgan and Aaron as they develop their new company Tails & Trotters,” said Latham. “Their attention to detail is evident in both their butchery skills and their commitment to sustainably raised pigs.”
About Tails & Trotters
Tails & Trotters was founded in 2009 as a collaboration between Aaron Silverman with 15 years farming experience with Creative Growers and Greener Pastures Poultry; and Morgan Brownlow, who in addition to his renowned cooking studied charcuterie with Paul Bertolli of Fra’ Mani Salume. Butchering the pigs themselves, Tails & Trotters provides a variety of standard and specialty cuts of hazelnut-finished pork using the entire animal– from cheeks and jowls to the whole loin and belly ribs, to coppa and brisket. The pigs are mixes of Duroc, Berkshire, Yorkshire, and Landrace and are raised on a family farm in Yakima, WA that is certified by the Food Alliance for its sustainable agricultural practices. Currently, Tails & Trotters are processing 9-12 hogs at week at Nicky USA and hope to increase their production to 1,500-2,000 pigs a year. Tails & Trotters hazelnut finished pork can be found at local Portland restaurants including Alba Osteria, Beast, Nostrana, Park Kitchen and Tabla. The goal of the collaboration is a quality Northwest produced prosciutto. For more information, please visit www.tailsandtrotters.com or call 503-680-7697.
About Nicky USA
Founded in 1990, Nicky USA is the Northwest’s leading distributor and processor of game birds and meats. The Portland-based company has forged relationships with local and international ranchers, as well as James Beard Award-winning chefs in an effort to make wild and farm-raised game a mainstay of specialty markets and fine restaurants. Nicky USA recently launched a specialty line of products called Nicky Farms, featuring Northwest raised rabbit, quail, elk, fallow venison, and American bison. Nicky Farms also has a line of specialty sausages that combine Northwest ingredients such as an elk sausage with wild huckleberries and Pinot Noir. Nicky USA hosts Wild About Game: an annual Iron Chef-style cooking competition and festival promoting sustainably raised game birds and meats. This year, the festival will celebrate its 10th anniversary on September 19, 2010 at the Resort at the Mountain in Welches, Oregon. For more information, call Nicky USA at 503-234-4263 or visit www.nickyusa.com.