Re: Country names

Yitzik writes:

>Jeffrey Henning cazdy:
>
>>  Cuba = pig (because of Bay of Pigs)
>
>Oh, no! <humor> Pig = Ukraine! 'Salo' (lard) is a national food here! If you
>want to taste smth specificly Ukrainian, you'll be served with salo
>and horilka
>(Ukr. for vodka). </humor>
I daresay (mainland) China trumps that. The character for
"house/home" is the "roof" radical with a pig under it. Pork is
clearly the staple flesh, 'cause "beef" = water buffalo which means
you might as well be gnawing on a hiking boot, chicken is more
expensive and has to be killed, plucked usw. when you get it home,
and duck, though cheaper, seems to be reserved for more festive
occasions.

Lard is the frying medium of choice; cooked dishes begin to congeal
as they cool (no one smeared lard on toast points or anything, but I
marveled at the longevity of folks with that much animal fat in their
diet). Similar to the horilka custom you mention, this is why maotai
and other noxious 90+ proof, dare I risk saying it, beverages are
served at Chinese banquets. Beyond the drinking games that ensue, it
supposed to "cleanse" your palate between mouthfuls (read: cutting
the grease).

And then there's the appetizer I affectionately called "smashed pig
face". Pig ear and snout (well, half the face anyway) run over by a
steam roller and then apparently sun-cured with salt. You mince
slices of it and serve cold or at room temperture with a dash of soy
sauce, chives, and red pepper for the more daring. Really quite yummy
if you can get past watching someone whack away at a pig face with a
cleaver.

Kou

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