Culinary Communion: Class Photos

	The kitchen is the room that nurtures our souls and our bodies. It's the hearth of the 21st-century house, and everybody naturally congregates there.
—Regina Leeds, author of The Zen of Organizing

Series Classes Individual Classes Wine Education Class Photos

Individual Class: Roasted Suckling Pig, September 21, 2002

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Many cultures around the world have pig-roasting traditions which involve community gathering, festivities, and celebration. From the Hawaiian kalua pig of the luau to Chinese banquet roast pig to Mississippi BBQ "hawg," all of these traditions are about people coming together to cook and enjoy life. Since that's what Culinary Communion is about, too, we decided to do a Roasted Suckling Pig class and see what it's all about.

On Saturday, September 21, we gathered at CC House to enjoy the sunshine. We'd ordered a 15-pound certified organic suckling pig from Sara-Joe's Pork Products in St. John, Washington (sarajoes@stjohncable.com). We'd decided to go with a Cuban theme, so after first basting the pig in the sour orange mojo in which it had been marinating for 24 hours, we popped it in the oven and began working on the rest of them meal: black beans and rice, tostones, collard greens, and flan. When the pig was done we sat out on the deck and toasted life, the equinox, and pig roasts.

The Great Pig Naming Commitee of 2002, "Wilbur" was rejected outright, as was "Mrs. Piggy". The final name? "Fidel" in honor of the Cuban style.

We all share a laugh at little Fidel's resemblance to a spaceman! Gabriel was quickly told to shush for saying, "Pigs innnnnn encloseddddd spaceeeee".

Basting the pig in the acumulated juices. It was marinated in a mixture of orange juice, lime juice oregano, garlic, and salt.

We had all sorts of chopping to do to make the black beans for dinner. We even got to use some of Culinary Communion's own homemade bacon. It was awesome.

Possibly not particularly Cuban, but collard greens taste oh so good. We used one of Gabriel's most treasured family recipes.

It's a team effort to make the flans for tonight's dessert.

Fidel, in all of his glory...

Enjoying the fruits of our labor, and the equinox, with friends.

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