pig pickin
It was a cold night in mid November when a group of friends and coworkers came together at the house of Angie & Mark to pay homage to the harvest festivals of old and gathered around the fire you see below.
Often symbolic, on this night the fire invited huddling due to the chill in the air. Brrrrr!
We talked for a while, eating snacks rich in heritage--or at least ones that tasted good--and talked of cultural issues like how UNC totally *ucked up against Maryland that afternoon.
Then came time for the main meal and the pig made it's first--and last--appearance before us. A sacrifice for better harvest next year, perhaps, or maybe just so that UNC can win against Duke on the 19th.
Can you say "Babe"?
This is how a Carolina Pig Pickin' usually comes packaged. You get a pig, you cut it in half, then you slow cook it all day in a cylindrical container. Often just a cut up oil barrel is used but in this case it's a cooker designed specifically for slow cooking meat.
The only time I've ever been to a pig pickin is in NC so I don't know if they do them elsewhere...
This is a blurry picture. Sorry, I didn't want to use the flash on the camera since it might have scared the pig. LOL
This blurry picture of the pig is just before we began picking the meat off of the bones.
It was a very yummy pig. Sorry, PETA!
We also had baked beans, slaw, cake, brunswick stew and some green stuff that made me nervous--as most green things other than Bell peppers and M&Ms do. I avoid green food. :-)
===please click on the pictures below to see them in a larger size===
Often symbolic, on this night the fire invited huddling due to the chill in the air. Brrrrr!We talked for a while, eating snacks rich in heritage--or at least ones that tasted good--and talked of cultural issues like how UNC totally *ucked up against Maryland that afternoon.
Then came time for the main meal and the pig made it's first--and last--appearance before us. A sacrifice for better harvest next year, perhaps, or maybe just so that UNC can win against Duke on the 19th.
Can you say "Babe"?This is how a Carolina Pig Pickin' usually comes packaged. You get a pig, you cut it in half, then you slow cook it all day in a cylindrical container. Often just a cut up oil barrel is used but in this case it's a cooker designed specifically for slow cooking meat.
The only time I've ever been to a pig pickin is in NC so I don't know if they do them elsewhere...
This is a blurry picture. Sorry, I didn't want to use the flash on the camera since it might have scared the pig. LOLThis blurry picture of the pig is just before we began picking the meat off of the bones.
It was a very yummy pig. Sorry, PETA!
We also had baked beans, slaw, cake, brunswick stew and some green stuff that made me nervous--as most green things other than Bell peppers and M&Ms do. I avoid green food. :-)
Comments
Green food is good! That is, if it's meant to be green.
Anyway, your post amused me. Thanks for sharing!
I think I would have stuck with beans, slaw and green stuff - and hid out of piggy's view.. :-(
Glad you had a good time :-)
cq
Glad you visit Oreo as well, we can't discriminate :-)
cq
michele sent me today.
But strangely attractive. Don't tell my vegetarian friends that the pork looked YUMMY...
thanks for all your encouragement helpin me heal.. and i'm honored to see i've made yer blogroll list! you ARE cool my friend, dont ever think different, and how's the Na-Noveling coming along?
Visiting from Michele's again.
Utenzi - it looks delicious!
If you knew the value of giving (dana), you would not let a single meal go by without sharing it. - Buddha
Here via Michele.
May I say, it sort of freaked me out to see this poor pig all splayed out! I am not a vegerian, but...this is a bit much for me...I admire the will it takes to cook this and watch this poor soul burn up, but...thank you very much, it's not for me. Happy you all had such a terrific time, I hope....Poor "Babe".....!
No "other white meat" for me, thanks! I don't like food with a face. The closest I'll get is fish!
Michele sent me, unaware that she was sending me to a pig feast! ;)
OO of the Hills, I agree--poor Babe. I love ham but facing a dead pig does remind me a bit too much of where that ham started. At least at this pig pickin' they didn't have the head on. They often do.
Barbara, thanks! It was delicious--far more so that I thought it would be.
Zephra, that does sound good! I've read that they do that in Hawaii.
My parents went to a roast once - full pig on the spigot with an apple in its mouth. Mom had a terrible time reconiling dinner... until she tasted it.
Here via Michele tonight.