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Varmint's Pig Pickin'


Varmint

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I promise to post some pictures tomorrow. However, after two crappy hours of sleep last night, I need to get some sleep. However, what I really need to do is brush my teeth -- they feel as if they're wearing sweaters.

Good night. Varmint's Pig Pickin' has left the building.

Dean McCord

VarmintBites

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Given the enormity of this event, I think it would be great if the group agreed on a spokesperson to write up an account of the before, during, and after for our Webzine. I think it would be a nice thing for newbies to read, to help them see one important aspect of the site's personality.

Steven A. Shaw aka "Fat Guy"
Co-founder, Society for Culinary Arts & Letters, sshaw@egstaff.org
Proud signatory to the eG Ethics code
Director, New Media Studies, International Culinary Center (take my food-blogging course)

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[schoolmarm mode]Um, Steven, I don't think enormity is quite the right word here. ("an outrageous, improper, vicious, or immoral act" Webster 10). :shock: Even though eventually they acknowledge it as "A quality of momentous importance."

And while I'm being a fussbudget, much as I hate to mention it there is a misspelling on the commemorative gear: should be "mangez" not "manger."

[/schoolmarm]

Party on, y'all! :biggrin:

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AAh, hell, to think we in the South really know French is comical indeed!!!

I got 7 hours of sleep. Good thing we still have more of Guajolote's coffee left!

Lunch today will be barbecue sandwiches with slaw and some most excellent VD Stew. I have never, ever had a Brunswick Stew that ever came close to being as good as this one. And even better, if I fed this to 20 NC barbecue afficionados, 19 of them would easily say that it's Brunswick Stew. Fucking awesome Brunswick Stew at that!

Oh, and we have a bit of dessert left, too!

Dean McCord

VarmintBites

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I was fairly busy yesterday, so I didn't get as many different shots as I would have liked. Hopefully, others can add some. Plus, the quality of the shots suffered yesterday, as I wasn't as focused (pun intended) as I would have liked to have been.

I'll post some photos now and if I have time later today, I'll add some descriptions.

I do want everyone to know that the group of eGullet people that converged on the Varmint household was the absolute best. We've had a great time, and y'all are welcome here anytime!!!

AuroraPotatoes.jpg

Aurora peeling potato after potato after potato after . . .

CollardsScott.jpg

sashorter and a mound o' collards.

PhillyDuo.jpg

The Dangerous Duo from Philly.

BunnyForStew.jpg

Joler not sure she knows what to do with the bunny.

DeanHangarSteakPrep.jpg

Prep for Guajolote's awesome hanger steak with basil, candied tomatoes, and other stuff.

Dessert%20Row.jpg

CharlieAndClara.jpg

Mummer and Clara. Better than Steve and Edie any day.

SpatchcockChickensandShoulders.jpg

That's SPATCHCOCK to you!!!

WadeCole.jpg

Guests of Honor: Wade Cole and his friend Margaret. Raiser of pig.

HungryChris.jpg

Hungry Chris

PigFatPan.jpg

Fat back and bacon. Mmmmmmm.

collards.jpg

Collards with fat back and bacon.

Tarka.jpg

Tarka and friend!!!!!!

PickinThePig.jpg

Starting to pick the pig.

TenderloinReady.jpg

Tenderloin ready for chopping.

EasternStyleQ.jpg

Eastern style barbecue

WesternStyleQ.jpg

Western style barbecue

Portobellas.jpg

=Mark's most excellent 'shrooms, dude.

FoodLine.jpg

MalawryHushPuppiesAlDenteStares.jpg

Al Dente really, really wants some of Malawry's hush puppies. They were kick ass pups!

Pickles.jpg

SomeDesserts.jpg

TommyDumbAss.jpg

Tommy is such a dumb ass.

PigRemnants.jpg

This pig is done.

Dean McCord

VarmintBites

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Great shots! Wow, did that food look good. What was the total turnout?

John Sconzo, M.D. aka "docsconz"

"Remember that a very good sardine is always preferable to a not that good lobster."

- Ferran Adria on eGullet 12/16/2004.

Docsconz - Musings on Food and Life

Slow Food Saratoga Region - Co-Founder

Twitter - @docsconz

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The turnout was something like 90 to 100, including children. From eGullet, including their guests, we had about 35.

The threat of rain kept people away, and we did have a fair number of last minute cancellations. Hey, it just means I get to eat some barbecue for a few days!

Dean McCord

VarmintBites

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The turnout was something like 90 to 100, including children.  From eGullet, including their guests, we had about 35.

How come the others aren't from eGullet :raz: ?

Sign em up :wink: !

John Sconzo, M.D. aka "docsconz"

"Remember that a very good sardine is always preferable to a not that good lobster."

- Ferran Adria on eGullet 12/16/2004.

Docsconz - Musings on Food and Life

Slow Food Saratoga Region - Co-Founder

Twitter - @docsconz

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I don't think enormity is quite the right word here.

See usage #3 here. (Also note the excellent use of the word "pedantic.")

Did the 35 eGulleters eat twice as much as the 70 non-eGulleters?

Steven A. Shaw aka "Fat Guy"
Co-founder, Society for Culinary Arts & Letters, sshaw@egstaff.org
Proud signatory to the eG Ethics code
Director, New Media Studies, International Culinary Center (take my food-blogging course)

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I don't think enormity is quite the right word here.

See usage #3 here. (Also note the excellent use of the word "pedantic.")

Did the 35 eGulleters eat twice as much as the 70 non-eGulleters?

Suzanne's post got me to dig out Webster's New Collegiate (1977) which I'd put away while getting the house finished.

"Enormity - 3. the quality or state of being huge: IMMENSITY"

Since enormity must come from enormous, which follows enormity -

"Enormous - 2. marked by extraordinarily great size, number, or degree: esp : exceeding usual bounds...."

Since, by egullet standards, Varmint's pig picking has exceeded "usual bounds" I think enormity is entirely appropriate. And I hope someone does an egullet article. How about Dave the Cook?

.....................

Now we take you back to the program in progress. :biggrin:

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Impossible for me to say, Varmint, how absolutely stellar I think it is that you hosted this fabulous event.

Just truly remarkable.

What a day, what a guy, what a pig.

Even though I couldn't make it, I really want to thank you. Just reading along and enjoying the pictures has lifted my spirit immeasurably.

:rolleyes:

I don't understand why rappers have to hunch over while they stomp around the stage hollering.  It hurts my back to watch them. On the other hand, I've been thinking that perhaps I should start a rap group here at the Old Folks' Home.  Most of us already walk like that.

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I'm hanging out now after a post-picking biscuit chez Varmint. His two eldest are flanking me, reminiscing about yesterday's pleasures and checking out the pictures. Everett wanted to know if I ever use the smileys on the left. Everett is so dreamy. :wub:

We all had such an excellent time yesterday. Some of my favorite moments:

* long hours in the kitchen with Maggiethecat and Dave the Cook, cooking and tasting and talking together

* Guajolote's jewel-like pickled things, glistening and full of tart-sweet crispness, and the Special Secret Appetizer which was snapped up as quickly as free money

* The rich, sweet barbecue meat, smoky and scrumptious. My morning started with Sashorter giving me a nibble off of the rib he was enjoying in that picture posted yesterday.

* Weka kindly taking over for me on hush puppy duty, and spending a few minutes joking with her British husband about the idea of a hush puppy stand. (Hush puppy butties, anybody?)

* Sous-chef assistance with the banana pudding. Them kids larned me good.

* That caramel cake. Ohmy.

* Al Dente recounting his babboon tale. Hilarity ensued.

* Talking shop about Greensboro food with Joler, who was wearing spoon and fork earrings!

Dr. Mrs. Varmint kicked me out of the kitchen when I was trying to do dishes this morning. I can't believe how cheerful she has remained all weekend. Varmint's whole family, not to mention his friends and neighbors, are just as delightful as the folk from eGullet. (You already knew THEY were fabulous, right?)

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I second Jaymes. This has been excellent even for those of us who couldn't make it. BTW, who won the award for distance most traveled to get there?  :smile:

The lovely Tarka and her husband came from the UK. I'm pretty sure nobody came from a greater distance.

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Suzanne's post got me to dig out Webster's New Collegiate (1977) which I'd put away while getting the house finished.

It's not really an issue for the dictionaries: you'll find both definitions in any dictionary. It's an issue of usage, and currently among writers one of the firmly accepted (and I think worthy) usages is the intentionally ambiguous double meaning: "Is he saying it's enormously evil, or is he saying it's just really big, or that it's evil in its bigness -- haha, it could be any of those!" Most any good style guide, such as the one I linked to above, will explain this.

So, given the enormity of the Pig Pickin', and given that we now all understand the term "enormity" in all its ambiguous glory, who is going to volunteer to write the ultimate Pig Pickin' post-mortem for distribution to the world?

Steven A. Shaw aka "Fat Guy"
Co-founder, Society for Culinary Arts & Letters, sshaw@egstaff.org
Proud signatory to the eG Ethics code
Director, New Media Studies, International Culinary Center (take my food-blogging course)

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When one considers the cumulative distance travelled by the attendees, this was indeed an enormous event. It was covered by the local press, and the photographer told me that he hasn't had an assignment this enjoyable in years. He even took home a bone for his dog.

We did have an attendee from Scotland and one from California, but Tarka travelled here solely for this event. Tarka is indeed, quite dreamy.

Off to the in-laws for barbecue sandwiches, VD stew, and lotsa desserts.

Dean McCord

VarmintBites

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