Crispy Pork Cracklings for Saint Dimitrius Day

In spite of being one of the tastiests appetizers which match perfect with a glass of ice-cold beer, pork cracklings are not a type of food poets dedicate poems to.

Most of the women I know think that eating pork skin no matter how prepared, is disgusting. But I love to eat most of the things declinded by 'sophisticated people' - I prepare myself and order in restaurants where offered such things like crispy chicken cracklings (you can not imagine how crunchy they are), trippa alla fiorentina, pacha, the typical Bulgarian Shkembe chorba, pig trotter's soup...But let's go back to the pork cracklings. They are crunchy and dry on top and melting soft inside.  And something also important - they do not need much time to be prepared. My husband loves them and today I make them for him - he has a nameday. Today is Saint Dimitrius day - one of the most important Orthodox saints who is celebrated every year on October 26. Happy nameday, Dimiter! Wish you all the best!

Deep Fried pork belly - the crunchy winter relish

Do you like fatty food? Probably not. But if you take the fattiest part of the pig - its belly, and fry it in even more fat, you will get a crispy delish which is enjoyed in many countries placed thousand of miles away from each other. In Bulgaria the fatty chunks are called 'prujki', in Spain and Colombia - 'chicharrón', in Portugal - 'Torresmo'. 'Pork rind' in England or 'шкварки' in Russia, it is all the same. Here is the way I prepare this appetizer. And do not worry about calories - there is a whole stream into the diet science which calls for eating fat if you want to loose weight. So take a glas of wine or beer and enjoy it. 

Pork and leek stew (Kavarma)

If you sit in a restaurant in Bulgaria and ask for something typical for the country, Kavarma will be most probably one of the dishes offered. It is a rustic stew for meat lovers which pairs soft pork and leek.