January is pig season in Calabria. All too frequently, I've heard people say "facciamo il maiale" (we're making the pig) when asked what their plans for the weekend were.
Our family, too, made the pig.
This Little Piggy...
In past years, Fra's family has ordered a pig to be slaughtered this time of year, but a year ago, his brother decided to buy a piglet and raise it on a cousin's farm.
Much as I love animals, I stayed away from visiting the pig (who his brother named Fraca), because I knew it would be hard to have an emotional attachment to an animal I'd be eating later.
Little Fraca became big Fraca, and he/she met with her untimely end recently.
It's Salsiccia Time
Just like last year, I joined the women of this fine family in squeezing ground pork into intestines to become sausage. I was more comfortable in my role, both as the machine-turner and as the daughter-in-law/niece, and I felt right at home. Every tradition I learn, I fully embrace, and his family knows this about me by now!
After our hard work all morning, I was beat. The work wasn't physically exhausting, but the repetitiveness of feeding meat into the grinder, combined with listening to hours of dialect that I didn't fully understand, and the fact that I was catching a cold meant I was ready for a nap!
Let's Celebrate Pork!
Two days later, I was still feeling puny but was not about to miss the ensuing feast at the house. Twenty-five of us gathered: those who had participated in the slaughter and prep of the meat, as well as a few other lucky friends and cousins.
We chatted and joked over slices of capicollo and prosciutto from last year's pig, as well as locally-made cheese, olives that I helped harvest, and homemade bread. Oh yes, and copious amounts of Papa's wine!
We followed that up with large platters of pig. I tried meat from the head, but it grossed me out, so I opted for meat from less foreign parts. I laughed when I saw our cousin gnawing on what looked like a dinosaur bone!
The meal was simple; Mamma didn't make any over-the-top dishes. The glasses didn't match. No one wore their finest clothes. But it was fantastic. It epitomized the feeling of community that has me in love with this country and its people.
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