Madison

Kopp - thank you for replying but my question was for Chestnut, not you. It's bad enough most people eat meat (myself included on a rare occasion) but to kill a pig that is under 10 days old is disgusting and sad, taken from its mother while still nursing. Think about it.

The bull minus his testicals lives and has had a life.

Patrick

Madison, I hope you've never eaten an omelette or an egg salad sandwich. Those poor unborn baby chicks taken from their mothers even before they're allowed to see the light of day. Think about it.

alan64

I also wonder how people can eat baby carrots. Their just BABIES, for goodness sake!

LadyOLeisure

Actually, they aren't -- they are a dwarf carrot that has been specially created to meet the demand....

StCirq

I had roast suckling pig in a restaurant in Madrid right on the Plaza Mayor. They advertised it as their specialty, but I don't remember the name of the restaurant. It was OK, a bit too salty for my taste, but not really ham-like at all - more like a barbecued pig but mellower and sweeter tasting. The crispy skin was good. I've never had the urge to seek one out again, though.

Is it worse to kill a 10-day-old piglet than a 5-year-old pig? Should it be left to mature before sending it to the abattoir? I'm not bothered one whit by the concept of killing animals for food, but even if I were I don't think I'd make such arbitrary distinctions.

I'm heading into the kitchen now to kill some baby spinach for a wilted salad with bacon from a dead middle-aged pig.

CatFancier

I'm with you, Madison. I do eat meat (some), but there's something less-than-sensitive to me about digging with relish into a baby animal. Also, I can't eat ANYTHING that's lying there in all its pre-death glory, especially a little pig, and that includes whole fish with eyes! Quick way to lose an appetite!

indytravel

I have no qualms about eating almost anything. Just read some of my trip reports: foie gras, veal kidneys, tripe? You bet.

However I did not like the suckling pig at Botin in Madrid. It reminded me too much of the fetal pig I dissected in high school. The one that reeked of formaldehyde. amp;

Madison

Cat Fancier - I knew we had some snobs on Foders just didn't realize some were so insensitive and make jokes out of something that bothers someone. Maybe insensitive and extremely childish, wouldn't you say? Some of you need to grow up

crefloors

I would not like to see the whole little piggy resting on the plater. But then it's no different that veal. I would be a horrible farmer, not liking to be on a first name basis with my steak. I respect peoples choices about eating meat or not..it's up to you, but if someone made a law against eating meat, you would not see fields of happey cows frolicking in the grass, they would become extinct. Their sole purpose for being here is for food. Having said that, I really would like to see more 'free range" meat and poultry. When it is done for real and done properly, at least these creatures very short lives are happier. I try to buy free range meat whenever possible to hopefully keep promoting the practice, but we have a very long way to go. I have chickens, never to eat, but for eggs only. They are kind of like pets and I really like having them. When they die they get buried with a little marker..I'm NOT kidding..I lost my Edith Ann, a French Hen, last year..boo hoo. These guys have the life believe me. Corn and table scraps every day along with their feed, a nice toasty coop with lots of fresh straw, and they can lay or not as they choose and usually stop in the winter, not enough daylight. I don't keep lights in the coop to keep them laying..what ever they want to do is fine with me. There are some that would say that I'm exploiting my chickens, but again, there is no reason for them being here if not for eggs and meat. So, now that you know what suckling pig is..the name makes it pretty obvious, those of you who find such things "difficult" can just not order it.

Patrick

OK, Madison, I get it. It's OK for YOU to slam people for eating something you don't believe in, but it's not OK for THEM to kid you about not eating something they like. Now I get it.

francophile03

Madison, you have to accept that other cultures eat things you may not like and vice versa.

NEDSIRELAND

alan64 writes: <<When I had cochinillo asado at Meson del Duque in Segovia ... And yes, it was delicious - very tender and flavorful, but you have to like pork in the first place.>>
Did you see how El Duque cuts the cochinillo with the side of a plate?? That's how tender they are! He brings the whole piglet out of the oven to a cutting table and does that ritual in view of the Diners. My last visit there I opted for the lamb rather than roast suckling pig because I had discovered the best suckling pig in the Mealhada region of Portugal and didn't want to spoil that memory.