Pigging Out

Last week, Head Chef and his friend M went to work on a pig's head. The story goes that their friends bought a pig from the farm that supplies Chez Panisse in Berkeley, and no one wanted the head (although it arrived without the ears and was missing one cheek, which apparently were prized facial parts).

These two Bill Buford-inspired peeps then proceeded to skin off the pig face (like the way I've seen it done on Discovery Health when someone gets a face lift) and roll it up with herbs stuffed in the middle. I got to see the finished product on Monday, and it was pretty uncomfortable seeing the pig's giant snout on one end (imagine this, if you will). 

They also made head cheese. The name itself sounds a bit....well, gross.

And did I mention that it took them a couple hours of hammering the skull to get the brain out?

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I saw photos of the pig's head in the clear plastic bag and almost hurled. This, I realize, is pretty pathetic. The pig was treated humanely (supposedly) and it's just the way things go. Also, I grew up eating more weird food than most people can brag about.

My parents came from the Philippines and were extremely thrifty, thanks to their not-so fancy upbringings. They were raising three kids after all. So my mom always took home the animal parts no one wanted from the grocery store (as well as all the dented cans on the special rack--dented Hi-C, Hawaiian Punch and No Frills brand chili).

I grew up eating tripe, oxtail and pig's blood (although the pig's blood was usually at a party). I have picked from entire pigs whole-roasted, sitting in the middle of kitchen tables (including my family's), and yes, have picked off the crispy skin and meat straight from the face. I have opened up the refrigerator to see in a small plastic tub SURPRISE! a little ball of brains. 

And then I was in AP Bio in high school, where we got to dissect cats and pigs, among other things. This led to being Pre-Med in college, where I got to dissect pregnant sharks and pigeons, also among other things.

So I truly think it's sort of sad that I'm so grossed out by all this. Maybe it was just seeing the (uncooked) blood in the photos. Let me say this right now--cooked pig's blood is delicious. I don't know what the heck Filipinos put in it, but it was one of my favorite dishes growing up. But uncooked pig's blood? I still get grossed out just thinking about it.