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Tuesday 25 September 2012

A Story of Pork

I don't buy pork. I don't order it in restaurants, I don't  cook it, I don't eat it, pork just ain't my thing. (Although strangely enough in my own special contrary way, I'm excluding bacon or sausages from the previous statement. Because I'm actually rather partial to a slice of well done smoked bacon in a slice of bread, or a good quality sausage in a fry up.)
No, I'm referring to all the other things pork- the pork bellies, the pork chops,  roast pork, pork pieces, even the humble pork scratching. It's clearly not because I'm kosher,( given my appetite for crispy bacon) and it's not even so much  the taste because honestly I can barely remember what that's like. Nope, my personal  pork ban originated many moons ago from the silliest most ridiculous reason that I'm almost too embarassed to tell you...but I've started so I'll finish.,so here goes.
 When I did Home Economics in school (which incidentally I was so unremittingly bad at, the teacher labelled me senile) we learned ALL about under cooked pork and it's evil sidekick- the tape worm. At that moment ,It's no exaggeration to say that I was a mere whisper from revisiting my egg and onion sandwiches all over the marble effect Lino. To my shame, I do also remember, briefly forcing my revulsion aside as I calmly considered the entire concept as a weight loss aid (the singer Maria Callas apparently did-the tape worm inside chows down on all the grub you consume and you get thinner-genius, in a disgusting kind of way), but alas  I decided it was too drastic even for me, so instead, I turned against all forms of pork (except the aforementioned sausages'& bacon) from that day to this.
Pork a la Emma!
Until... I bought the spring meat hamper on Groupon back in May from a fancy schmancy butchers and in among  other everything else were pork chops and pork steak pieces. The pork chops BBQ stylee were a big hit during the summer, and then last night  I finally made a pork casserole from a recipe I'd gleaned from my action cancer cookbook.
Unbelievably, my first ever pork recipe was a major hit. I didnt eat it myself, but it smelt pretty good- white wine,onions, mushrooms, all served up with crunchy baked potatoes done in the AGA. So then I got to thinking, maybe it's finally time to give these born again pork converts what they want. To help them embrace the porcine.  Maybe I need to try and feel the love for all things pork-yes, it may be too late for me, but is it really fair to deny the next generation of a perfectly good protein rich food? Any thoughts on the subject? Or quick and easy recipes (that involve minimal handling of the actual meat itself) would be mucho appreciated....

6 comments:

  1. Sorry Emma I have to agree- I don't do pork either but thoroughly enjoyed your blog.x

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  2. I'm with you and Anne - hate pork & enjoyed the blog!! I'm ok with bacon occasionally and partial to a bit of cooked chorizo now and again on a salad but pork and ham turn me. Jan de Vries says it's indigestible and you should avoid, especially if you've any digestion issues. I could quite happily live without it - even if it meant no more bacon and sausage! Just try telling the husband that...:) Avril x

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    1. Thanks Avril- I love a bit of chorizo myself but will continue to give the pork bellies a miss!

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  3. I was put off by that too as a child, I had lots of disgusting thoughts about tapeworm going on. Yuk! Also remember hearing about liver-fluke in cows, and being wary of paddling in streams where THEY had been as we might catch it. Doesn't bacon have the same tendencies as it is from the same animal? I used to nibble at raw bacon. All a long time ago now as I've been vegetarian half my life now. On the tape worm theme though cats get them. It isn't nice!

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  4. Oh my goodness- so glad I'm not alone on this one!

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