Well, I've found a source for pig's feet, but I'm still a little uneasy. Western Beef, the bargain basement supermarket cum walk-in meat locker chain, has two cases of fresh-frozen forequarter trotters in stock at their store on 63rd and West End. But a forequarter trotter just doesn't have that much meat on it, and I don't know if it'll be enough to stuff. I worry about the effect of this short-changing on my guests; an old Irish legend suggests that serving pig's feet from the front legs can only lead to bloodshed.

There is another option, and that's Chinatown. There are meat markets on Bayard, Elizabeth, and Grand that cater to Chinese tastes, and pig's feet are a Chinese delicacy. I called these places up, but nobody spoke English, so I guess I'll just have to trudge on down there. Meanwhile, I've got to start thinking about my cassoulet. This French meat and bean dish takes a good 2-3 days to make, and I don't even have the ingredients yet. Time to get in gear. Tonight I'm going meat shopping.