Head Cheese Terrine at Chef Shack

Maja Ingeman / Heavy Table

Meat is in. The farm-to-table movement took care of that, and between Craftsman, HauteDish, and Travail, cured meats — charcuterie — are all the rage. But who cares about what’s popular, as long as it’s good? Chef Shack’s head cheese terrine, at $5 a plate, is arguably the best charcuterie deal in town.

The toothsome — the grain and chew of the pork prevail over the fat and glycerin that overwhelm the one inevitable lowlight on your average charcuterie plate — two large slices of meat sparkle with the zip of lemon zest and herbs. A butternut squash mostarda features the sweetly earthy taste of squash, brightened with the spice and crunch of mustard seeds. Fresh-baked bread from Solveig Tofte’s Sun Street Breads and a soft, pickled ramp (for sale by the jar) round out the flavor palette, hitting sweet, sour, spicy, and salty notes in rapid succession.

Pair your plate with a flavored kombucha from the neighboring Foxy Falafel stand ($3 — and worth every penny), and you’ve got yourself a delightfully flavorful, well-balanced breakfast for $10 including tip.

Chef Shack’s head cheese terrine has been a recent feature at Kingfield Farmers Market, open Sundays through Oct. 31st at 43rd and Nicollet Ave. S from 8:30am – 1pm.

Learn more about this business in Heavy Table’s Atlas of Ethical Eating and Drinking.