"Any month of the year is good for a pig pickin' in North Carolina. The barbecue style will vary according to what area you're in: In the eastern part of the state, the entire pig (split down the middle) is cooked, and the sauce is made with vinegar and pepper. In the western part, only pig shoulders are cooked, and a tomato-based finishing sauce is used. Unlike other food preparation in the South, which is usually dominated by women, barbecue is a male domain."That's the official definition of a pig pickin'. We're hosting one in honor of our son-in-law's 30th birthday tomorrow. The pig and the cooker are arriving this evening. The guests are arriving tomorrow, somewere between 50 and 60 people. This is our daughter's gift to her husband, he went to school in the Eastern part of the state where these affairs are commonplace and the vinegar-pepper sauce is the preference. My only job is to have the house ready! Naturally, it's raining today(!), after an incredibly beautiful stretch of spring-like weather. It's supposed to clear by tomorrow though; but it will be cooler, much cooler than it has been. I should have figured this would happen... why does anyone ever plan anything to take place outdoors? It's such a challenge to tempt fate; and after all, there's only so much we can control. I imagine, as always, the women will stay in the house and the men will congregate around the cooker... (or the NCAA playoffs on TV)! I'll post photos after the party, in the meantime I need to vacuum, dust, clean and work on the centerpieces for the tables. Oink.
Life is Good!
(Maybe not for the pig.)
12 comments:
My invitation must have been lost in the mail! Drat!
Hahahaha! The poor piggie! Sorry to hear about your change of weather. Today is Hubby’s birthday and he’s getting ten inches of snow to celebrate! If I were doing a pig pickin’ for his birthday, he’d be getting pigs in a blanket (of snow)! ;-) Instead it will just be the two of us tonight with a fire, a bottle of wine, a snowstorm and a Chocolate Chambord Torte....doesn’t sound bad.
Hugs!!!
I had never heard of a pig pickin'. I know our South Carolina cousins call their barbecue a pig cooker. See, we here in Texas usually barbecue beef rather than pork. I love the pork, but often you can't get it here. We will be in East Tennessee the end of next month, and I a looking forward to that good barbecue.
I had almost forgotten about the pig pickin'. Being from the west coast, we barbecue quite differently - beef. And the area I grew up in features a style that uses no barbecue sauce. But we lived in North Carolina in the 80's. Imagine our dismay when we went to our first barbecue - nothing like what we were used to 'at home' *s* Talk about culture shock.
Sounds like a fun times at your house. Happy birthday to your Son-In-Law. Have a great time!
I hope you enjoy your party, and don't get too worn out from the cleaning.
Hi Ms.G ,Hopefully the rain will be gone by tomorrow, I don't function well in rainy weather.
Happy Birthday to your son-in-law. OH, to be 30, that was sooooo long ago. But life for an old lady "ain't"bad either. I will do my sunshine dance for you guys!!!!!!!
Yummm...barbecue sounds so good! I hope your weather was pleasant for you. :D
Yummm...barbecue sounds so good! I hope your weather was pleasant for you. :D
Here's to your SIL for his birthday!
And the pig pickin' is somethig I have never heard of.
My brother had a Pig on a Spit for his birthday, & I guess it must be similar. It is cooked in a huge stainless steel spit, & then carved up & shared around, with lots of other goodies.
I do like pork, but confess to NEVER going to view the pig- I would be too upset for it!
What to do with those leftovers?...a little Carolina barbecue in a ziplock bag stored in the dark of your freezer and next trip home I will be over for the microwave event. Knowing the hosts the weather does not matter the celebration will SHINE!
Happy birthday to your Son-in-love.
Happy barbecue. ciao ciao
Post a Comment