This is either spectacular news for me and my fellow neighborhood foodies, or a harbinger of the end of the world: It is now possible to buy juniper berries in Fort Greene, Brooklyn.

It also is now possible in these parts to speak with a real, live butcher as opposed to a shrink-wrapper/shelf-stocker—a butcher well under the age of 70 who knows about cooking—and to buy from him a gorgeous pork loin roast that still has fat on it. You know, for flavor. Thanks, Bryan and Greene Grape Provisions. You rock. (Incidentally, so do you, Choice Market and Choice Greene—two other gourmet providers selling fresh deliciousness here in my grocery-starved ’hood.)

This all came together at dinnertime last night, when I put to use one of my favorite Christmas presents from Barry this year—yon cookbook, over there to the left. “The Silver Spoon” has been the top-selling cookbook in Italy for 50 years, or so Phaidon claims. I can understand why. It’s my favorite kind of cookbook: more than 2,000 recipes, meaning it’s comprehensive enough that you can start with the ingredient of interest and count on finding lots of ideas. It has not one place-marking ribbon, but two. The writing is concise, and presumes the right level of culinary knowledge. And the pictures are beautiful.

For my inaugural spin, naturally, it had to be pig. It had to involve my Staub 5-quart dutch oveny pot. And, because it’s cold outside, it needed to be a braise. I liked the sound of a simple braised loin with white wine, rosemary and a little garlic. But, then, I also liked the sound of cooking pork with juniper berries, which I found in a roasting recipe. Juniper has a beautiful piney aroma familiar to anyone who’s sniffed gin, or whose parents landscaped with that variety of shrubs (as mine did). So I kinda merged the two ideas.

The question: Would the essence of juniper permeate the cooking liquid, the roast, and the subsequent sauce?

Braised pork loin with juniper

Rosemary needles from one sprig
2-pound boneless pork loin roast
2 tablespoons butter
2 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic gloves, crushed
1/2 onion, chopped
15 juniper berries, crushed
1 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

Salt and pepper the roast liberally, and push half of the rosemary needles into the meat. Heat the butter and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a dutch oven and brown the roast thoroughly on all sides. Add the garlic, onion, juniper, remaining rosemary, and wine, bring to a boil, and simmer uncovered for a couple of minutes. Then, cover and simmer for about 90 minutes.

Remove pork to a warm plate, tent with foil, and let rest at least 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, de-fat and strain the braising liquid, discarding solids, and return to the pan or place in small saucepot and bring to a simmer. Whisk in the Dijon and the vinegar, and add a grind or two of black pepper.

Carve the roast in thick slices and serve with the pan sauce.

I plated this with mushy black-eyed peas with hot smoked paprika, roasted cauliflower, and a sautéed shred of zucchini with little tomatoes. Simple. Rustic. And good.

I will say that the juniper flavor/aroma was subtle. Would you get more by roasting? Using more berries? That’s a test for another night.

Cheers,
Ted

P.S.: Don’t miss the premiere of “Chopped,” my new Food Network show, at 10 p.m. ET/PT Tuesday, Jan. 13! And the very next week, season two of “Food Detectives” bows at 9 p.m. ET Tuesday, Jan. 20.

What’s on your mind?
E-mail Ted and he’ll answer you in his blog.