LECHON!

Alyssa Kondracki

When your aunt presents her famous chocolate layer cake that she baked from scratch, or your father-in-law uncorks that rare vintage he’s been saving for the right occasion, my family will most likely be clearing a spot on the table large enough for the lechon.

Lechon is Filipino style whole roasted pig, and like the chocolate cake and the wine it’s likely to appear at a special event – very often the main attraction.

Flashback: my grandmother (center) and grandfather (far left) with one of their pigs, 1979, Ilocos Sur, Philippines

Over the years, I’ve come to recognize and appreciate lechon as the gold standard of offerings at Filipino parties where eating can sometimes feel like an Olympic sport – synonymous with crowd pleasing and signifying abundance.

Flashback: my mom with me in tow at a party, 1983, Long Island, NY

The amount of time it takes to prepare and slow cook a whole pig this way – roasted on a spit over hot coals for hours (sometimes manually) – adds significance to the feast. The result: sublimely tender meat just beneath a crust of skin that has turned a deep caramel brown to almost brick red hue, until it glistens and crackles in your mouth like a thin sheet of rich, savory brittle.

Flashback: family reunion in the backyard of my uncle’s house, 1985, Houston, TX

Now, when I see lechon served at a party I immediately get a sense of what the host is feeling: pride, happiness and the warmth of generosity. I know they are grateful for the reason to celebrate as much as the celebration itself.