What I've been cooking - Pork Roast

As far as I'm concerned, pork roast is usually bland, sort of tough and not particularly interesting unless it is served by my grandmother, in which case it is the best stuff on earth just because she made it. A few days ago I found a really good deal on pork, and since that's one of the things I know Liza can eat with little or no doctoring on my part, I decided to give it a try. Rather than use my mother's basic pork roast recipe, I used the recipe for Roast Pork with Garlic and Rosemary in Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything. Let me tell you, it ROCKED. I shared some with an older neighbor who's been having some health problems and can't get out to the grocery too often, and she declared it the best pork roast she had ever had. In the interest of improving everyone's mealtime choices, here's the recipe:

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 2 Tablespoons minced fresh rosemary leaves or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 (3- to 4-pound) pork loin roast, bone-in, or 1 (2- to 3-pound) boneless roast, or a similar-size portion of fresh ham
• 1 1/2 cups dry white wine or stock, approximately
• 1 Tablespoon butter (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 450 F. Mix a liberal amount of salt and pepper together with the rosemary, cayenne, sugar, and garlic, and rub it all over the roast. Place the meat in a roasting pan (use a rack if the roast is boneless, but don't bother if the bone is still in) and put in the oven. Roast, undisturbed, for 15 minutes.
2. Open the oven and pour about 1/2 cup of wine or stock over the roast; lower the heat to 325 F. Continue to roast, adding about 1/4 cup of liquid every 15 minutes or so. If the liquid accumulates on the bottom of the pan, use it to baste; if not, add more.
3. Start checking the roast after 1 1/4 hours of total cooking time (it's likely to take about 1 1/2 hours). When it is done - an instant-read thermometer will register 145 F to 150 F - remove it to a warm platter. Put the roasting pan on the stove over one or two burners set to medium-high. If there is a great deal of liquid in it, reduce it to about 3/4 cup, scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release any brown bits that have accumulated. If the pan is dry, add 1 cup of liquid and follow the same process. When the sauce has reduced some, stir in the butter if you like, slice the roast, and serve it with the sauce.