In the words of Homer Simpson, the pig is a wonderful, magical animal. Anthony Bourdain agrees with this statement. I live in the Mission District of San Francisco, a working class neighborhood heavily populated by Latin Americans, and I can walk a few blocks down from my house and pick up a 6-inch long, 3-inch wide slab of hot, crispy, buttery, fatty, piggy crackgoodness known as chicharrón. If you like pork rinds, you'll love this. Are you salivating yet?

Besides just scarfing it down on the sidewalk right out of the paper bag drizzled with fresh lime juice and hot sauce, chicharrón is also used in stews and soups, and as a stuffing in pupusas. Emeril Lagasse has a recipe for pork chops with chicharrónes and mashed plantains.

No chicharrón stands near you? Have no fear, click on this link for a recipe to make your own at home and you, too, can revel in the porcine decadence.

Pass the Lipitor. And Anthony, you should have called me when you were filming the San Francisco episode of "No Reservations;" you missed out.

Related:
Word of Mouth: Porchetta
Have You Ever Made Your Own Bacon?
Food News: Jamón Ibérico Arriving Soon!
Have You Ever Bought a Whole Pig? (Or Lamb, or Cow...)
Reader Input Needed: How to Use Porkback
Ingredient Spotlight: Lardons

(Image: Kathryn Hill)