I don't know, I've brought some weird stuff. Venison sausage, homemade liver pate with crackers, spinach dip, whatever I can find in the freezer if it's a "last minute" thing.

Right now pork belly isn't weird, it's very fashionable, and pie is always good, so I don't think it's weird at all.

Annie

For my 40th birthday a million years ago, my friends threw me a surprise party. One of the gifts was the White Trash Cookbook, along with a piece of alligator to cook. That has to be the weirdest food brought to a party, although we didn't cook it that night. Not sure where they purchased alligator in the PNW that many years ago ( pretty much before online shopping).

Here I am. On the one hand, my pork belly is devastating. On the other hand, almost everyone here is Persian. I can't remember if you're not supposed to bring pork to Muslims? None of them are devout, we're all drinking wine and they are chowing on the belly, but I wonder if this was quite appropriate.

Great serving dish!

If they're eating it I say you lucked out! I second Annie's comment about pork belly being fashionable, and Iris' about the great serving dish. Is that one of your wife's creations? Have fun!

Such a gorgeous pork belly creation!

Definitely it can change someone's religion.

dcarch

I, too, want to know if swmbo made that gorgeous dish. I would have told the host that the contribution request was so last minute, that this pie was all I could pull together.

I don't know that all Persians are Muslim but do know that pork is a no for Muslims. Pork belly, while of the moment, would be forbidden and could be thought of as insensitive. My two cents. Seems like a hit, anyway.

I think if they're eating it, you're good. That is a gorgeous dish, I agree.

I also think that pork is a "no" for Muslims but intoxicants are also forbidden according to Islam and if the wine isn't a problem then I guess the pork isn't either.

Annie

Most Iranians are Shia Muslim. Pork is taboo. Even Muslims who drink wine may balk at pork. Just like Jews (I'm a Jew, I'm writing from Israel) who would drive on Saturday but wouldn't touch pork with a bargepole. Many Jews and Muslims who disregard some of the tenets of their religion don't manage to free themselves from the pork taboo. We do have that in common. You have no idea how deep this taboo goes and how difficult it is to shake it off.

Since "all" were chowing on the pork belly (it looks scrumptious BTW. I for one don't keep kosher), my guess is they didn't realize it was pork. If they were told it was pork there would have been at least one or two who wouldn't - unless you happened on a group of Iranians who were completely non-observant.

What's done is done. If they didn't know it was pork - better not breath a word about it. It would serve no purpose except perhaps make one or more of the Iranians want to jump out of their skin.

Oh, they definitely knew it was pork belly. We talked about what it was and how it was prepared. I guess I just stumbled on a group of Iranians who are not at all observant, food-wise. (I'm making it sound like I had no idea who these people are, but that's not so - I've known some of them for years, but we've never discussed religious or dietary creed.)

There was also a Jewish couple there, I don't recall if the husband tried the belly but we had a nice chat about using the same preparation method for brisket.

The host and his wife made rice in the most interesting manner. Apparently it is first cooked, then cooked again with a puffy fabric wrap around the pot lid. I was told the fabric helps moisture escape. The second cooking creates a crusty layer at the bottom of the pot, like the soccarat in a paella, that is served separately. The rice is light, fluffy, well separated. It was larded with dried fruit. There was also chicken grilled on long flat skewers, grilled strips of pressed lamb, a dark sweet-savory sauce, a spinach and fruit salad, some pies including a caramel-pecan, and a few baked dishes that I am having trouble describing.

Middle Eastern cooking is so unfamiliar to me that I don't have the right vocabulary to identify some of the food.

After dinner there were snifters of cognac briefly heated in the microwave, a trick I'd not seen before, and small glasses of grappa.

The host had his hookah set up on the back deck, and SWMBO, among others, enjoyed that. He smokes fruit, as he is allergic to tobacco. The house is a mile down a gravel road, in the woods, about 15 miles west of Portland. They have grapevines and are starting a small winery, though I'm not clear to me if it is a part-time lifestyle thing or a serious commercial effort or both.

It was fun. Looks like some great bike riding potential out there.

What a relief!

I occasionally do persian rice according to Claudia Roden's recipe. I use a clothes peg to keep the kitchen towel from drooping and setting the whole thing on fire. It's the most labour intensive rice I know, but also the more refined sophisticated rice - much like Persian cuisine itself.

I also love the meat-fruit combinations as they produce a lovely play of flabours.

I've never had pork belly, but I'm not above trying it. Growing up very poor that along with fatback and hog jowls were considered poor man's food and even my mom wouldn't go there. Funny how things turn around over the years, I've been seeing pork belly a lot on the cooking shows. I also remember when the meat department could hardly give away the soup bones, short ribs, flank steak and oxtails, now it's priced out of sight.

A difficult situation, but you handled it well. I still remember one cookbook I was reading that had a narrative style.

In it, the author gave his mom's recipe for a special roast pork. He said he had an uncle by marriage who was Jewish, who could never resist eating the pork whenever it was offered. His explanation was, "God will forgive me for this one transgression for something so delicious."

LOL! I've always remembered that story, long after I've forgotten where I read it.

I'm way late to the party, Johnliu, but my first thought when reading your original post was "I'd rather have anything and an old pie from Johnliu than the standard fare most folks bring" Your food is always so interesting!

:-)

Cj

My first reaction was to head to the deli section of your local grocery store and stock up on olives, roasted peppers, stuffed grape leaves, a few great cheeses and a loaf of crusty bread. Maybe some grapes and a nice pear or two so it could do double duty as an appetizer and a cheese course.

And I wouldn't think they would have asked for both an appetizer AND a dessert, I think you would have been fine with either.

But, I am glad the pork belly went over well... and the serving dish is gorgeous.

Alexa

Rice cooking, Persian-style.

Dietary joke, Jewish-style:

A priest and a rabbi were, by coincidence, sitting next to each other on a long flight.
About an hour passes and not a single word was exchanged by the two men. Finally, the priest turns to the rabbi and says, âÂÂRabbi, do you mind if I ask you a personal questionâÂÂ? The rabbi said, âÂÂOf course you may.âÂÂ

âÂÂI understand that many of you Jewish people, especially rabbis, keep kosher and, as such, donâÂÂt eat things like bacon or hamâÂÂ. The rabbi acknowledged that. âÂÂHavenâÂÂt you ever even tasted bacon or ham?âÂÂ, asked the priest.

The Rabbi explained, âÂÂMany years ago, I was a visiting rabbi in a small town in the middle of nowhere and found myself in a diner one Sunday morning. There was no one around so I ordered bacon and eggs. It was quite good but that was the only time that ever happened.âÂÂ

After some time, the rabbi turned to the priest and said, âÂÂFather, do you mind if you ask you a very personal questionâÂÂ? The Priest said, âÂÂokay.âÂÂ

âÂÂYou priests take an oath of celibacy, rightâÂÂ?, asked the Rabbi. âÂÂWhy, yesâÂÂ, answered the priest, wondering where this was going.

âÂÂWell, havenâÂÂt you ever had sex since youâÂÂve become as priestâÂÂ?, asked the rabbi. The priest looked about nervously, leaned toward the rabbi and answered very softly, âÂÂWell, as a young parishioner I once met a lovely woman who was much taken with me. One thing led to another and, well, I wound up having sex with her. But thatâÂÂs the only time it ever happened.âÂÂ

A few moments pass and the rabbi leans over to the priest and says, âÂÂA lot better than pork, isnâÂÂt it?âÂÂ

Oh, and as for the photo of rice cooking Persian style, I might add: a lot better than a clothes peg!