The fourth edition of the Jornadas Gastronómicas del Cerdo or Pork Gastro Days has been launched in Santa Eulalia. The mini-festival that runs until 18 December will see a selection of restaurants offering some of the most celebrated pork-based dishes of the island in an offering called Menu de Matanzas for just €15.
Organised by the Restaurant Association of Santa Eulalia and the Town Council, the event kicked off last week on Friday with a demonstration of a traditional slaughter to show the commitment to old traditions and the eye for making top-quality products.
Just to ease your fears, the pig had already been dispatched that morning and the event showed how the animal would be used with a live preparation of the local spicy sobrasada sausage and butifarra black pudding. Some of the animal was reserved to make a traditional Arroz de Matanza and was sold for €1 a portion including a glass of wine or cup of coffee.
The porcine plates are offered in a special menu by participating restaurants at lunchtimes and evenings in a special set menu. Santa Eulalia restaurants taking part include: El Naranjo, Can Cosmi, Can Pep Salvador, Uttopia, Can Xarc, Sal Marina, Celleret, El Nido, Es Terral, Skuma and Celler de Can Pere.
In total 60 kilos of sobrasada and 30 kilos of butifarra was produced from the first day's event and the bounty is to be shared by all the above restaurants to include in their special menus.
This initiative is aimed at promoting the quality and variety of cuisine in the town as well as endorsing those establishments that are open all year round. Some will be offering more traditional preparations of the local specialities and some will be adding their own unique twist – the key is that pork is the menu star: front, right and centre.
If you have a particular passion for pig then this is the food event for you, so get on over to the (currently) porkiest part of Ibiza.
WORDS: Julian Heathcote
