So…how’s that for a blog title?
It’s actually pretty apt for what turned out to be a hilarious weekend!
On Friday, my friend and neighbour El rang and said…”I ordered a mountain of paper pom poms but the whole lot arrived in this tiny flat box. Help!” Three hours and several cups of herbal tea later, there were enough huge pink paper balls to cover a double bed. We (cough cough) may have said a few bad words along the way…
On Saturday night, Pete and I headed over for her 50th birthday party. The theme was simple and very doable – wear a fancy hat. I wore my Anatolian (Turkish) bride fez that I’d bought years ago for no reason at all…
The matching fez was too small for Pete, so he wore a captain’s hat that I’d found at Hat World instead. I think his naked lady shirt (look closely) complemented it perfectly…
A happy selfie from later in the evening, taken by lovely Ray. The birthday girl was glamorous in her diamond tiara, Ray was at his handsome best, and I was red-faced after my sixth glass of champagne…
Dinner was an incredibly scrumptious roasted free range pig on a spit, provided by Feather and Bone. Earlier in the evening, I’d sidled up to Chris the chef and said…”You know at the end of the night when the pig’s head gets thrown away because no-one will eat it? I know for a fact that the Asian up the road will take it!” (putting up my hand). He roared with laughter, but was delighted not to have to waste it and asked me to bring him a baking tray.
So at 1am on Sunday morning, and ever so slightly inebriated, I found myself trying to jostle this into my fridge…
The following morning, I got to work separating the head into rind, fat, meat and bone. Chris had generously thrown in the trotters as well, so I had a lot to work with…
I rendered down the fat in a saucepan over low heat and ended up with half a jar of delicious roasted lard for the fridge. I saved the crispy bits too, possibly to go into a loaf of bread at a later date…
The bones were enough to flavour eight litres of pressure cooker stock for the freezer – the second batch with the trotters produced a darker broth…
I crisped up all the rind under the griller (broiler), then salted it…
There was an enormous amount of strongly flavoured meat on the head. Half of it went into the freezer and the other half into a mountain of tray baked nachos for Sunday night dinner…
As we were sitting down to eat, El’s son dropped back the Christmas lights they’d borrowed for the party. Have I ever mentioned that my neighbours are hilarious? It was the perfect ending to an awesome weekend! ♥
Fig Jam and Lime Cordial 
The pictures are great and this post has me laughing so hard, it almost hurts. Thanks for sharing.
What a wonderful time for you all. xo
waste not, that was what we grew up, my Dad would have loved all your dishes. growing up in Canada, I’m a tad more selective.. but if you don’t tell me what I’m eating.. YUM
Very industrious of you, Celia – so, no hangover then?
Well, nothing that a bowl of chilli noodles and little hair of the dog couldn’t fix. :D
Ooh, the BEST kind of party goody bag!
I buy pig fat from a friend and render it down for cooking and to use in soap. It is great stuff!
:) :) :) Love the label on the lights! I have a vision of you turning the wrong way on your route home and happily trotting down the road, singing, bride’s fez slightly askew, clutching your prized pig’s head and trotters – might have taken a bit of explaining to the “Ossifer”.
At six glasses . . . good on you . . . I AM jealous of the stock: and whose damn fault is that . . .
You’re so resourceful. And funny too xx
I have to say,… “my Anatolian (Turkish) bride fez that I’d bought years ago for no reason at all…” is the best blog post line in the history of the internet.
You all look fabulous.
And this is exactly why I look forward to your posts so much.
Farking hilarious! I believe the cheek meat is quite substantial and flavoursome. I bought a hat similar to that in Turkey, didn’t know it was a bride fez! Wow, that will come in handy one day. :)
Absolutely classic! Would have loved to have been around for that whole weekend from the pom poms, the hats and the pig’s head and trotters!
I like the idea of just ‘wearing A hat’. Leaves plenty of time to get one spruced up for better things! Lovely to see you enjoying yourself (without dancing on tables) Celia!
Pity the Pig didn’t have a hat though….. :)
Hahaha! I can just picture you finding room in the fridge in the early hours of the morning. Lots of meals from the pig head.
I love that you used the pig head, it’s a bit more creepy than I have the stomach for. You look adorable in your fez.
Looks like great fun, Celia. Loving that fez on you xx