Happy Suckling Pig Day Everyone!
This Food Holiday celebrates the world famous dish called suckling pig. Our research suggest that this holiday is a U.S. holiday but it seems not to many Americans actually buy and cook suckling pigs on December 18. However, suckling pigs are popular in Chinese, Filipino & European cuisine- so this little holiday is gaining popularity with cultures who love suckling pig. Wikipedia tells us "The suckling pig's popularity has declined in the United States and the United Kingdom." "However, it retains a place in Cajun cuisine in the southern U.S., where the Cochon de Lait festival is held annually in the small town of Mansura, Louisiana." "As its name implies, during this festival, suckling pigs are roasted and made into items such as cracklin and boudin."
Note: Americans love to BBQ adult pigs with their heads on but tend to stay away from baby suckling pigs on the grill-
Well ---- I have to say, I do love pork but I just can't imagine myself cooking up a baby pig. So yes, I admit it, I fall in the category of someone who just can't bring themselves to cook a baby anything with it's head still on. Oh yeah - then eat it! Pam Svoboda
It must be said that suckling pigs are a traditional food for many holiday celebrations.
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Definition of a Suckling Pig
Suckling pig (or sucking pig) is a young pig that has only fed on its mother's milk. The piglet is killed between the ages of two to six weeks, and traditionally it is roasted. The dish is usually reserved for special occasions.
The flesh of the suckling pig is pale and tender and the skin is crispy and highly valued as pork rinds. The texture of the meat is somewhat gelatinous due to the amount of collagen in the young pig.
Roasted pig: is a variety of siu mei, or roasted meat dishes, within Cantonese cuisine. It is made by roasting an entire pig with seasoning in a charcoal furnace at high temperature. Roasted pigs of high quality have crisp skin and juicy and tender meat. Usually the meat is served plain, but it is sometimes served with soy sauce or hoisin sauce.
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Origin of this Holiday
Our research did not find the creator, or the origin of this day.
Some resources say this holiday is called National Roasting Suckling Pig Day instead of just "suckling pig day." This holiday is referred to as a "National" day, as all food holidays are- However, we did not find any congressional records or presidential proclamations for this day. Even though we didn't, this is still a holiday that is publicized to celebrate. So enjoy the day and have fun with it.
We found recognition about this holiday from:
calendar sites and personal Internet sites that blog and share information about this holiday. Many sites blog about different recipes for suckling pigs and which holidays are traditional for serving suckling pigs. Research tells us "There are many recipes found for suckling pig from as far back as ancient Rome and China."
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Regional Dishes
• Chinese: Within Chinese cuisine, the pig is usually consumed in small quantities via siu meat within the siu mei category of Cantonese cuisine. When served as a whole, it is known as 乳猪, ru3 zhu1.
• Filipino: It is popular in Filipino cuisine, where it is referred to as lechón.
• European: The European cuisines of Romania, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Croatia and Georgia favor it highly as well. It also accompanies goose as the traditional Christmas feast of families in Russia and Serbia.
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Other Food Related Holidays around the world
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