October turned out to be a fairly busy month for us here at El Carligto with visits including the first blessing ceremony we’ve hosted for newlyweds at the property and a visit from a journalist to sample our new “Iberian Pork Project”, a culinary package culminating in a full butchering course that begins with a whole Iberian pig and ends with freezers full of meat and sausages, plus more than a few fine meals. With what would normally be a weeklong package condensed into just four days, the itinerary was fairly packed and plenty tiring for me as the host. But it was great to be able to run la matanza (the slaughter) as a trial run for Hannah Scott of the Sunday Times in the UK, and in the meantime, hopefully get some great press out of it.

The new culinary package focuses on all things to do with Spanish pork, with cooking courses and tastings of jamon, cultural explorations of the historical factors influencing the rise in prominence of pork in Spanish cuisine and, of course, the butchering course which also delves into all of the traditions behind the event. In our area, the locals still routinely butcher at least one pig a year as they have done for centuries, so there’s a good deal of hype, tradition and excitement behind the event.

I’m still waiting to read what Hannah thought of the whole package, but I can say that I myself learned quite a bit and enjoyed the few days showing off our region and its culture, as well as the everyday feasting. It’s all way to much to pack into one condensed post and I wouldn’t be doing each event its justice; so I’ll be posting related pieces over the coming days and weeks... In the meantime, for more information on the full culinary package, available now, do check the information on our website: “The Iberian Pork Project”.