Holiday Meats

In my country basically any holiday includes a big barbeque. Christmas, birthdays, independence day, or what have you, we’ll have a combination of meats that can include steak, pork, lamb, and chicken. When we’re outside the city and in or near a farm for a holiday or occasion we’ll slaughter an animal (usually a lamb) and eat fresh meat. This gives the occasion a special touch because it’s very rare to eat meat that hasn’t been handled by a supermarket or meat market. In these occasions we’ll be outside and the meal grammar is constituted mainly by meat. Meat is the main food and the one you eat in the highest quantity in relation to the other foods. Potatoes wrapped in tinfoil that are put on the barbeque accompany the meat. Along with potatoes we’ll also have salad. The meat, potatoes, and salad are eating in relatively proportionate quantities, but as mentioned before, most of what is eaten is meat. Eating meat of high quality that’s put on the barbeque outdoors is a rare event because of how expensive it is and how much we eat when we do so. This gives these occasions the feeling of being special and rare moments that are supposed to be enjoyed more than other meals. Interestingly enough, this does not just affect the enjoyment of the food, but the enjoyment of the people we’re with and the moment in general. Big barbeques are like a signal in our culture for moments meant for relaxing, letting go, and having fun.

            This tradition seems somewhat similar to the one held in Todos Santos for the Dia de Todos Santos. On this special day people have a very festive attitude and this includes slaughtering and eating sheep and turkey. It’s rare for the people of Todos Santos to eat meat, so this emphasizes how special of a day it is. According to the book What The World Eats it would seem that meat is also the center of the food eaten on this occasion.