When we were in Austria a few months ago, Gary was in his element. If he could have had schnitzel every day, he would have done it. Including for breakfast. It was one of the dishes his mother used to make for him back in Peoria.

I’m not much of a pork eater, so I haven’t cooked ham, sausage or pork chops very often. But Gary had a craving for schnitzel, and just by chance, I received a copy of Milk Street magazine (177milkstreet.com). And it had a recipe for schnitzel. Just like his mother’s.

Of course, I had to cook up a batch. And it was easier than I thought. I didn’t have anything to make traditional mashed potatoes, so we used potato gnocchi and tossed them with herbed sour cream. Delicious! I’ve included the recipe below.

I had no idea that pork is one of the world’s most popular meats because of its versatility and nutrition. It has plenty of protein, zinc, phosphorus, thiamine, niacin, iron and vitamins B6, B12 and other nutrients. All are good for muscle growth, immune function, red blood cell production and metabolic health. In fact, its heme iron is more easily absorbed than plant-based iron.

If you’re looking for versions lower in fat, go for pork tenderloin or sirloin roast. Lower fat means a greater percentage of protein, by weight.

Pork offers versatility

Make pulled pork by slow cooking it with barbecue sauces. Various regions of the U.S. have their own styles, such as Texas, Kansas City and the vinegar-based sauce from North Carolina. Once cooked, it can be pulled apart and shredded for sandwiches, over potatoes or in tacos.

Breaded and fried pork cutlets become schnitzel served with mushroom gravy and mashed or scalloped potatoes. These are quite popular in northern Europe, where they likely originated.

Leftover pork can be chopped and stir-fried with a variety of vegetables such as sugar snap peas, diced carrots, spring onions, mushrooms, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots and more. Use soy-based sauces and serve with rice.

Grilled pork chops are quick and flavorful. Always cook until the meat just turns white in the center. Undercooking can make you sick (although not as easily or frequently as in the past), but overcooking can make the meat chewy rather than tender.

Mix ground pork with shredded apple, herbs and spices to make tasty meatballs that can be sauced and served with your choice of side dishes.

Of course, if you’re really ambitious, you can roast a whole pig like they do in Hawaii. Your oven will probably hold a 20-pound pig placed across two baking sheets. Roast for an hour per 10 pounds of meat. Roast pig is especially treasured in the U.K., Cuba, the Philippines and other places.

But there’s more!

Many people avoid pork because of its reputation as a fatty meat. That can be true for cuts like pork belly, bacon, ham and pork shoulder, or for processed versions such as salami and sausage. But loin chops, pork loin and other lean cuts can be much lower in fat. In any case, remove as much visible fat as possible before cooking.

You can also drain the fat after cooking. For example, if making pulled pork, pour off any excess fat before shredding and serving. Also pick off any fatty pieces by hand. If cooking pork in any liquid, cool it and skim off the fat.

Also, serve smaller portions of pork while increasing the amount of vegetable sides. That puts more emphasis on the plant foods while still keeping the pork flavor.

Did you know that pork is often served on New Year’s Day to bring good luck and prosperity? My former mother-in-law, a Louisiana native, would serve ham hocks (for luck), black-eyed peas (for coins) and collard greens (for greenbacks).

In Eastern Europe, pork is served because pigs root forward while searching for food. This represents forward progress for the coming year. Of course, the exceptions are people of the Muslim and Jewish faiths, who believe that pork is unclean.

Pork has a mild flavor, but you can punch it up with spices (smoked paprika, cumin, chili, garlic, etc.) or herbs (thyme, rosemary, parsley, etc.). Marinate the meat in orange juice, vinegar, soy sauce or mustard to tenderize it.

Serve pork with apples, pears, pineapple, chutney or fruit salsas. Make sauces with low-sodium soy sauce, citrus juice and rice or wine vinegar. Add a bit of honey for natural sweetness. The acidity cuts the heaviness of fat in the pork.However you cook it, lean pork can become a frequent focus of your meals.

Mycology for all!

The Santa Cruz Mushroom Festival will be attracting crowds of mushroom lovers again this weekend, May 3-4, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. It all happens at Roaring Camp in Felton, where you’ll find cooking demos, cultivation workshops, live music, medicinal mushrooms, kids’ activities, art projects and a lot more.

A long list of presenters and vendors will be on site. Talented chefs from Santa Cruz and Monterey counties will show how easy it is to incorporate mushrooms into many recipes. Mushroom experts will dispense their valuable knowledge and insights, including how to grow your own mushrooms. Food vendors abound!

Single-day tickets are $50 each, with children 12 and under at no charge. There is also a $15 parking pass. For two-day admission to premium events (train ride, mixer and more), tickets are $200.

For information on all this wonderful stuff, go to scmmfest.com.

Personal note

If you’re near downtown Santa Cruz from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, I’m having a First Friday photography reception at Big Basin Vineyards Tasting Room, 525 Pacific Ave. It’s down at the end of the street, a block from the Kaiser Permanente Arena. My photos, mostly European images plus other subjects, will be shown all through May. Visit tinyurl.com/2fwsrchr.

Tip of the week

Keep your kitchen sink filled with hot sudsy water while you cook. As you use them, toss your utensils, bowls, measuring cups and other tools into the water to soak. It will give a head start on clean-up, and the ingredients won’t have a chance to harden and stick.

Recipe of the week

This recipe, featured in Milk Street magazine, comes directly from the Wirtshaus Zwettler restaurant in Salzburg, Austria. Chef Thomas Partl recommends serving it with fresh lemon wedges and lingonberry sauce or fresh cranberry sauce.

Austrian Pork Schnitzel

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

1 pound plain non-seeded Kaiser rolls (6-8 rolls), torn or cut into 1-inch pieces

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 large eggs

4 boneless pork loin chops, ½- to ¼-inch thick (about 1 pound), trimmed of silver skin

Kosher salt and ground black pepper

1 cup neutral oil, such as canola

1 cup ghee or clarified butter

Lemon wedges to serve

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 300 F with a rack in the middle position. Distribute the torn kaiser rolls evenly on a rimmed baking sheet. Toast until completely dry but not browned, about 45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Cool. In a food processor, whirl the bread into fine, even crumbs, about 2 minutes. It should make 2-3 cups. Transfer to a wide, shallow bowl. Add flour to a similar dish. In a third dish, beat the eggs with 1 tablespoon of water.

2. Place a pork chop between two sheets of plastic wrap. (I put mine on a silicone cutting board instead.) Using a flat meat pounder, pound the chop to an even 1/8-inch thickness. Repeat with the remaining chops. Season on both sides with salt and pepper.

3. One at a time, coat the cutlets on both sides with flour, shaking off the excess. Dip into the egg, coating it and letting the excess drip off. Then coat both sides with the breadcrumbs. Place the cutlets on a large plate. Can be covered with foil and refrigerated for up to 12 hours.

4. Set a wire rack on a rimmed baking sheet and set near the stove. In an 11-inch Dutch oven, over medium-high heat, heat the oil and ghee to 325 F. (A pinch of breadcrumbs dropped into the oil should sizzle slowly.) Carefully place one cutlet in the pan. Grip one handle of the pot, then gently tilt it back and forth so the fat flows over the cutlet.

Cook, bathing the cutlet with the hot oil, until deep golden brown, 3-5 minutes. Using tongs, transfer to the wire rack.

5. Let the oil heat back to 325 F. Cook the remaining cutlets the same way. Reduce heat if the cutlets cook too quickly. Serve with lemon wedges.

Note: I used less oil and cooked these in a wide frying pan, turning them as they browned.