ANNA MONICA / L’Observateur / August 2, 2000

There are two main dishes Sam Jacob cooks: hogshead cheese and spaghetti and meatballs for about 25 people. His hogshead cheese is well known andcoveted by many so when the weather cools off Sam will cook up a batch (the ingredients are already prepared) and pass it out as usual. He makesthis delicacy about 20 times a year.

His interest in hogshead cheese began when he got a recipe from Albert Bailey and started trying it. Then Sam revised the recipe and got it to wherehe liked it. He admits that people “don’t turn it down” when he gives it tothem. Sam likes to pour the mixture into 1- and 3-pound molds from which itcan be sliced to preference and eaten. Having tried using a real hogs headonce, Sam says never again.

“You need too much of a big pot,” he said.

At one time he cooked over 3,000 pounds a year for his brother-in-law at Don’s Country Store, but he said he finally wore out.

“That’s where cooking is at, in the preparation,” Sam said. “Then you justhave to throw it in the pot.”When Sam first began cooking in his adult years, he said he “just started throwing things in a pot” and came to realize that it wasn’t bad. At one timehe did cook for groups like Allovus (in which ball he was a duke) and for his family. When he cooked hogshead cheese for weddings he would only chargefor cost of the ingredients.

He does cook his specialty for the Knights of Columbus on its once-a-year social Hog Day, when for about $20 the men can eat and drink all day at the KC Hall in LaPlace.

A serious accident at the workplace sent Sam into an early retirement, but even when not cooking he has no problem filling his days. This LaPlaceresident, originally from Reserve, is very much a handyman.

“If it breaks, I will try to fix it,” he said.

He keeps up his own yard and has a regular set schedule to meet with friends at least twice a day. Two sons, Scott and Mark, have their own families inLaPlace. The grandchildren are Brittany and Mark Jr.Sam really believes “for some reason, people must smell it,” when he makes his hogshead cheese. He gets a lot of requests for it, and since he gives it topeople every year, “they are waiting for it; they know it is coming.”There is a measuring stick Sam uses, and once the mixture gets to that level he knows it is cooked.

This is his recipe he generously shares:

HOGSHEAD CHEESE

1. Boil five quarts water in a 20-quart pot2. Cut skin in strips to grind in 3 lb. batches. Boil until soft3. Grind skins (fine grind)4. Place skins in pot with 16 lbs. of pork meat from Boston butts and 1/2cup vinegar. Boil (boil bones as well).5. Approximately 1 hour after starting to boil (remove any trash in boil), addthe following: 5 tbls. salt4 tsp. red pepper4 tbls. black pepper1 tbls. paprika1 head garlic (cleaned)

Need 1 lb. cut shallots

Note: If pre-ground skins are frozen place in colander in sink and run hot water over to remove some fat then place in pot.

6. Approximately 15 minutes before cooking is completed, add about 1 lb.cut shallots.

7. When measuring stick says batch is ready, dip one cup at a time into eachof the pans being used until entire batch is distributed (seven bread pans).

(From water level to top of pot, boil down 4-3/4 inches for the right gel)

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