Good morning Elizabeth. I don't recall flu outbreaks in May, but this goofy weather has me all mixed up.

I also think the Egyptians destroying all of the pigs in the country might have been a little, um, overkill.

I'm continuing to buy and eat pork. The lower prices are very much appreciated and if I had a chest freezer, it'd be filled with pork right now.

I think the panic is somewhat reasonable owing to the amount of deaths from this illness but it's been pointed out numerous times that eating pork has nothing to do with it.

I remember snow in May but never flu. But, this could be the year.

Pork week sounds good to me. I bet we could get a whole month out it!

I agree with Mary in York and Joyce W., but it does gives me pause when I read that swine in Canada have been diagnosed with this flu.

The Egyptians are killing all the pigs?

Well, with this kind of over reaction, it is a good thing that the other suggested name for the virus, Mexican Flu, didn't take hold.

Pork week sounds good.

The Egyptian thing is more an opportunity to screw Coptic Christians than a public health measure. Shame.

I really need a chest freezer. Commercial pork is so dry, though. They've bred all the good stuff (i.e. fat) out. Pork shouldn't taste like sawdust.

I had spareribs at a Mexican restaurant last night. Now that's living on the edge.

Mmmm, pork!

Yes I was suspicious about the Egyptian pig thing. Oh no, they're killing all the pigs in a Muslim country.

NotSmall Boy and his mother were at Mars late afternoon/early evening on Saturday where they came to the meat display that was just piled high with mainly pork at practically giveaway prices. The beef was also at what she called "What the hell is this about?" prices. Since we've all but given up meat at our house, she bought a cart full. The dog was stunned by the smell.

I t seem to me that flu season used to be over by mid-March.

People are idiots. That is why there is a lottery, it is like a tax for them.

We were joking about the price/sales of pork going down before the reports of it. It is kind of like when people didnt buy beef because of the Mad Cow disease in England. I don't understand them.

Flu season is over. Hyped news phony fact season runs all year.

Dahlink, at least some of the pigs with flu in Canada got it from humans.

This guy, I don't eat commercial US beef because of Mad Cow (among other things - I don't like feedlots, commercial farming is cruel, etc.). If you read the BBC at the time of the outbreak there, it was pretty horrifying. Add that our USDA inspectors (all 3 of them left after Dubya) are paid by the meatpackers and don't actually inspect meat, especially not for BSE, and it isn't totally irrational to become a tad paranoid.

I noticed it on Saturday, too. I mentioned in a post late Saturday night that I bought 14+ pounds of boneless pork shoulder at $1.49 lb -- an amazingly low price for a gorgeous cut. There were stacks of tenderloins, racks of ribs, chops, country ribs, and other pork products at huge discounts.

To cheer myself up yesterday I made porchetta. The aroma perfumed the entire house as it slow-roasted for hours. It was insanely delicious -- moist, tender, flavorful.

I am all for Pork Week!

I am all for Pork Week!

In addition to, not instead of beach Week. I've already designed the D@L Beach Week t-shirt.

Don't mean to cause you extra work, Bucky, but I'd rather have a pork week t-shirt than a beach week t-shirt.

Lissa and Bucky, so would I (I know you are shocked, just shocked).

Nuh-uh. I'm not doing a second t-shirt.

Pork Week, finally an idea we can all get behind.

I want a Pork Week t-shirt. It can mean so many wonderful things. Can I suggest that we exclude bacon from pork week? Seriously, bacon is totally overexposed and franky a bit of whore.

Yes, bacon may make for a crazy weekend, but it may get tiresome for a whole week. Anyway, I hoping we can explore some of the more unique pig products, like Hog Maw.

If anyone would like a pork recipe translated into Coptic, I will dust off my grammar books and lexicons and see what I can do.

(A former Dean of the Ecumenical Institute at St. Mary's Seminary was a Coptic scholar, and I am a sucker for dead languages!)

Good one RoCK. Hog maw is awesome as I remember it from my relatives in Silesia when I was young.

MD Canon, that would be one heck of a Pork Week t-shirt. Bit political, but I don't know how many people read Coptic around here.

I've never had them, but will pigs' feet be included in Pork Week?

Give me a pig foot, and a bottle of beer.

Fl Rob, I'm not sure if I've had pigs feet or not. If the part referred to as a "hock" is a foot than, yes, I've had greens cooked with a hock at friend's homes and some other places.

If it's just those pink gelatinous looking things in big glass bottles on the bar, nope, never had one! But would love to hear what the heck they taste like (if there's anything comparable).

Joyce,
I looked up ham hocks and they come from the ankle. Wisegeek says the most common use is in seasoning greens, and they pack a lot of flavor. So how you had them makes sense.

I put some red wine vinegar on my turnip greens, it tastes great that way.

Ham hocks are great for cooking black-eyed peas and other legumes.

Do not be dissin' bacon! Bacon is the Star of Mom's-Gone-Out-and-It's-Dinner-With-Granny evenings!

Jopyce - you'd know if you've had pig's feet. They come with hoof.

Hog Maw!

Says its a good Pennsylvania dish.

Eve, I thought so but I thought maybe it was trimmed up for cooking. LOL.

Fl Rob, I'd try that. I don't know if I'd like it, but I'd try it.

It is interesting that Hog Maw is usually associated with the PA Dutch, but in Baltimore, at least in Lexington Market, it seems to be sold as Soul Food.

My son's grandparents-in-law from The York PA area often have stuffed Hog Maw for special meals. He brought me some leftovers onetime and even heated over was pretty tasty.

I used to think of Hog Maw as something from the culture of the Beverly Hill Billies until my son married a PA lass.

Across the river from here, in Cincinnati, the pork markets sell split pork feet, I know not for what fore. My Irish grandmother and my mother used to relish their "Trotters". I have never tried them.

Sounds like a delightful local take on haggis.

Is there anyplace around here that serves it?

Lissa, I've seen stuffed pig stomach on the specials board at the Quarryville Family Restaurant in (you guessed it) Quarryville, PA. It's off of US-222 a bit south of Lancaster.

It's a great place to eat if you're traveling through that area around meal time (including breakfast). We discovered it by accident while driving home from Lancaster once, and actually have been known to do slight detours to eat there on other trips.

Hal, that is good to know. I do occasionally rent a car, and have been known to haunt PA. Ok, usually NW PA, but what the hey.

LEC ... I have a couple of good recipes for red beans and rice which call for "pickled pork" and apparently the best comes from split pigs trotters. I have pork hocks pickling in my fridge this very moment.

MD Canon, St. Louis now? You couldn't get a good beer in Baltimore? Or, are you just trying to outdo the Flying Nun in frequent flier miles?

MD Canon - do you get frequent flyer mileage?

Lissa & Bucky - I'm guessing that since "She" Canon is also on this trip, it's not business. (If you go to the Cathedral's reception desk and ask for "the Canon", the response pertains to "She".)

Maybe he's just trying to be a hang loose Canon?

Well, here is some proof that falling pork prices might be too good for chefs to pass up. I was at Middle Eastern restaurant in West Virginia (yes there is one there) last week, and pork medallions were the special.

Now, I realize that some people in the Middle East eat pork; however, when was the last time anyone saw pork on the menu of Middle Eastern restaurant?

RoCK, I've never seen pork on a Middle Eastern restaurant menu.

The Lebanese Christians I knew back in Detroit would cheerfully eat pork when out, but wouldn't dream of having it inside their homes.

Perhaps MD Canon is trying to bring the Good News to the apostates of the Lutheran Church -- Missouri Synod? ;-)

Fantasy food flight of fancy ...

Think of all the amazing dishes you could make with Indian spices and techniques. Pulled pork vindaloo. Mmmm.....

Every once in a while I tell people that I had great beef dish at an Indian restaurant just to see if they are paying attention.

I know about cows, but you never see pork on Indian menus. If that forbidden for religious reasons too?

Owl Meat Gandhi,

Indian restaurants tread a fine line in an attempt to please both their Hindu and Muslim customers as well as appeal to others without such dietary restrictions. Thus, lots of chicken and fish. But really, the vegetarian dishes are the highest accomplishment of the cuisine.

Owlie, I did have beef done Indian style, in Goa. The Goans were colonized so hard by the Portuguese that many Goans will eat beef. It might be the only state you can buy beef in.

Owlie, I did have beef done Indian style, in Goa. The Goans were colonized so hard by the Portuguese that many Goans will eat beef. It might be the only state you can buy beef in.

There are more Muslims in India than in Pakistan. I never saw pork for sale anywhere in India.

I will say the pork was very good. It was very spicy, but very juicy. It was actually cooked medium. Places that feature pork all the time seldom serve pork this well prepared.