SOME PIG Blogging Weekend

J will be for Jambon later--a tribute to le prince de Janvier.

Once upon a time… there was a Diva living in Italy and a Barge Queen afloat on the French canals who, thanks to the sometimes miracle of rural internet connectivity, shout, pout and raise some delicious ideas—separately and together. The latest idea launched was to submit a seminar on a subject near and dear to their hearts- the preserving of artisan food traditions, especially those that preserve food while preserving culture. Thus was born “Saints Preserve us!-a pig’s tale of three cultures” to be presented on March 30 at the 2006 IACP conference in Seattle.

Judy collects holy cards and breaks butcher’s hearts like nobody’s business; Kate kills pigs down on the Gascon farm every winter. They asked Fergus Henderson of St. John’s Restaurant in London to complete their European trio of pig-loving cooks and share his ‘nose to tail’ ever-so-wry take on British cookery: from Farm to Butcher shop to the Table. Fergus said yes, “my love of things cured and porky” so the Slow Pig race is off and running.

March 30 is a not far off and to booster the events to take place (including the conference presentation with tastings, an auction package of Pigs-in-a-Basket, lunch at Salumi’s, and a ferry ride with pig snacks- a barge queen’s tradition) we decided to launch a virtual Blessing of the Pig in honor of the Patron Saint of farmyard animals—San Antonio Abate whose feast day is on January 17th.

You, too, can participate! In anticipation of celebrating le prince de Janvier a SOME PIG Blogging Weekend is dedicated to the bacon loving, sausage making, boudin nibbling, charcuterie mavens amongst you. Devote some or all of the weekend of Jan 14-15 to preserving, preparing, photographing or just writing about a favorite dish featuring the other white meat, send us the link to your porky post by Sunday night the 15th and we’ll post the participants on Jan 17th in honor of San Antonio Abate day. Since we all like getting presents, we’ll offer our favorite post (meaning there will be two at least!) a fabulous basket of Italian and French pork doctoring products: fennel pollen, épice rabelais, prune salt, etc…

With the flush of new books on charcuterie, salumi, and artisan butchery let alone all the great pig-prone blogs out there…there should be no shortage of good food being cooked. Of course, we’ll be talking about Piggy things from here out and Judy has proposed Fridays with Fergus on the new www.goingwholehog.blogspot.com site while preparing one of his succulent and homespun meals from “Nose-to-Tail” just to get you in the mood.

Don't forget January 14-15- SLOW PIG Blogging Weekend celebrating the bounty of the barnyard! Encouraging bloggers everywhere to eat their favorite pigs, one piece at a time.

Charcuterie Photograph by Tim Clinch