A Cuban Pig Roast

Every year my cousins graciously host a Cuban Pig Roast at the Allendale Barn in Kingsport, Tennessee.  Family and friends - both local and out of state - are invited to join in on the festivities, which include boatloads of appetizers, unlimited alcohol, the unveiling of a pig that has been roasted all day, more food, more desserts, and live music, all at a gorgeous location. This year we also happened to be celebrating two very special birthdays, which resulted in even more cake than usual.

 

The scenery is gorgeous - rolling hills, fall leaves, quaint bridges, a large pond, and of course, Allendale Mansion and Barn.

 

 

Hubby and Caleb just happened to be dressed alike. The puffy vest that Caleb is wearing was a gift from his Aunt Kathy - and it just so happens to be one of my favorites.

Did I mention that Caleb gives the best hugs on Earth? The sweetness of these hugs is magnified when he is kept up past his bedtime. His Mimi especially is a fan of them.

And here is the unveiling of the pig. After a bit of alcohol has set in, we all realize how hungry we are and we gather round the roasting pig for about 10 minutes of salivating and staring.

 Then a group of manly men sit around a table dissecting the pig limb to limb.

 And the rest of us sit around watching in awe. Unless of course a cute little boy catches our attention.

After a hefty meal, we continue to enjoy one another's company while my Uncle Sam takes a saw to the pig's final organs. He claims that the brain and tongue are the tastiest parts of the pig. According to my hubby, a pig brain when prepared correctly tastes like paté. I think I'll just stick to the basics.