Yesterday’s Guest of Honor

It’s not every day (or even every year) that we are invited to a pig roast.  Perhaps if we lived in Hawaii or in some other area with a pig-roasting tradition, it would be different but here in Oysterville, pig roasts are few and far between.  Even so, we’ve been to four in the last twenty-six years and only one of those was in that far-off paradise of pineapples and coconuts.

The other three were right here on the heavenly “north end” of the Peninsula – two hosted by us during the Annual Oysterville Croquet and Champagne Gala days – and the pig roast to end all pig roasts yesterday at a down-the-road-not-quite-to-Nahcotta neighbors.  Every single one was different and each pig was delicious!

Tony and The Pig, 1986

On the first occasion, in 1986, we convinced my Uncle Willard to let us dig a pit behind the Red Cottage and roast a pig there.  Carlos Welsh supervised the digging part, lined the hole with big rocks, and tended the fire until there was a big bed of coals.  Tony Kischner had ordered the pig, wrapped it in layers of wet burlap and saw to its burial and eventual carving.  It was delicious!

Another time – it was in 2000 at the final Gala – we ‘roasted’ the pig in the kitchen garden within sight of the registration table where Nyel and I were working, but out of sight of most of the guests.  Thank goodness!  Late in the afternoon, I happened to glance over and saw flames leaping forth from the 55-gallon drum barbecue that we had borrowed from Bob Kelim.  Nyel to the rescue!  The pig was delicious!  (Though I do seem to remember that my friend Pat couldn’t bear to have a bite because she had seen its face.)

In between those events we were vacationing in Kona happened to be given tickets to one of those “traditional beachfront festivals” which was probably more about the entertainment than the pig.  I think they provided an opportunity to see the actual roasting process, but we only saw the finished product, sliced and chunked and plattered to serve.   Even so, the pig was delicious!

Yesterday’s Perfect Setting!

And then there was yesterday’s event at Ken and Rita’s and hostessed (I don’t think that’s a word, but it should be) by Rita and friends Shelly and Lesley.  This time the pig, which I think of as “the guest of honor,” was spinning slowly on a spit.  It looked fabulous… until its spine broke and the front half was spinning nicely but the back half was more-or-less paralyzed.  Now that was weird.

Nevertheless, when it came time to eat, people were lined up for first dibs even before they had located the plates.  And, though I had dutifully found a plate and loaded it up with a variety of salads and portions of other side dishes, when I went for the pork (and there was salmon, too!) I was told “No cuts!”  Again, the pig was delicious!

In fact, I think it was the Best Pig Roast Ever.  Perfect setting!  Great guests!  Food to die for!  And the sun came out just when we all arrived.  Thanks Rita, Shelly and Lesley!  Did I hear you say something about “annual tradition” or did I make that up?