Pig in a bay

The last few days have been busy here in the bay, and it all started in February.

Kathryn and I braved the farmers sales in February.  Her husband, being a sheep farmer, was after lambs.  We were after something a little different.  It was our first time bidding against farmers at auctions but we were please to come home with two 8 week old saddleback weaner piglets at my feet in the back of the car.  Since then they have been enjoying the good life at Kathryns.  Scrapes, acorns, whey (left over from making cheese) and a good scratch has seen them grow into happy good sized animals.

They also provided Kathryn with a great service.  They were put out to pasture on an area that is planned to be the new veggy patch but was covered in long grass and prickles.  Now its a beautiful well turned area of healthy soil ready for planting.

Friday night was a little sad, we had grown attached to our piggies and saying goodbye wasn't easy but its important to remember whether  you buy from the shop or raise meat that there is no meat with out the taking of a life. The next day both were 'dispatched' in the field as they grazed without even knowing what had happened.  It was decided that we would skin the pigs as we intended to use them mostly for salamis and bacon, all the fat was left on.

The pigs were butchered in the kitchen into bellies for making pancetta, loins for wet cured bacon, back legs for hams and prosciutto and the rest for sausages and salami.  We already have our hams and bacon's curing and the handle of the mincer has been turning, and turning and turning to give us some lovely lean mince.  This evening we will be stuffing our salamis ready for smoking and hanging.  We will get together and make it a social event and no doubt make a few sausages to enjoy at the end of the work with a well earned cider.  Its a wonderful skill to learn.  You don't need to be a farmer or a butcher to learn these simple time proven skills as many people on our pig in a day workshops from all over NZ find out (visit http://www.peserved.co.nz/ to learn more)

I plan to make mini salamis this time for the children to enjoy in their lunch boxes as well as larger nice and spicy ones for the grown ups.  I like to make some spicy peppery ones as my children don't like food too spicy and it makes sure they don't devour all the salami the moment its finished curing.

It has been an interesting journey.  I have raised pigs before but for Kathryn it was her first experience of pork that has gone from her own plot to plate.  For the children it has been an opportunity to see where their food comes from and enjoy the company of happy go lucky piglets.  One of my favorite memories is being up the pear tree in the pig paddock.  The kids were all up the tree with me, along with our little dog muffin who proved to be quite the climber.  We had spread blankets out below to catch the pears ready for making pickles.  The pigs where providing the children with amusement as the scooted around the falling pears picking them up, taking one bite and moving on to the next.  I think they were staking their claim and making sure we would leave some for them.  I still have a line of spicy pear pickle jars in my kitchen to remind me of the day.

I've also still been busy with cheese making.  Our clotted cream turned out wonderful and went perfectly with some stewed rhubarb that I had added a little spiced muled wine too.  Our brie is maturing and is know proudly wearing a smooth coat of white mold just like brie we had in France and I cant wait till its ready.  Today I will be bottling feta in brine.  Some I will add spices like coriander and pepper to and others herbs such as rosemary and thyme.  Ive also made a cheesy spread by reducing the left over whey down to a thin porridge consistency and then putting into to jars where it cools and sets.

Next week the children start their school holidays and so I shall be taking on a different take in the kitchen.  We plan to be making a lot of biscuits, cakes and sweets and I'm sure we will share the best of them here with you.  I will also be starting to plan my small market garden which I'm hoping my yield me some produce to take to our local market.  Is been quite wet lately and I'm looking forward to getting back outdoors.

I would also like to thank all my readers who send me lovely messages about the blog its great to hear from you all.  You can also leave comments here by clicking on "comments" below.

Have a great week and let me know how it goes in your kitchen

Have a good week

Anna