“A big Russian lady, who seemed to be the household cook, supervised the making of zakuski — Russian hors d’oeuvres, which unfortunately didn’t include Pigs In A Blanket. What kind of party is this?” ― Nelson DeMille What kind of party indeed! If you aren’t familiar with Pigs In A Blanket, ten this is going to become your favorite celebration ever. They’ve been a mainstay of children’s cuisine in America for generations and can be found in local variations all over the world. While the concept is simple, the execution can be surprisingly complex, and with such delicious variety, you’ll never get tired of what seems a basic treat! History of Pigs In A Blanket Day Pigs In A Blanket are a simple concept and have been found throughout the world in many variations since time out of mind. You simply take a sausage and wrap it! Usually, you’ll find them wrapped in some form of pastry, with puff pastry being one of the most universally popular. Unsurprising given that the rich meaty flavor and texture of the sausage plays beautifully with the flaky delicate flavor of the puff pastry! But that’s hardly the only thing it’s wrapped in, in Mexico, they are known as Salchitaco’s, a portmanteau of salchica (which means sausage) and the almost universally recognizable taco, and are wrapped in tortillas before being dunked into sizzling hot vegetable oil. One of the most unique varieties can be found in China, where the meat is wrapped in a pastry that is steamed instead of being fried or baked. There it’s known as “Lap Cheong Bao”. Perhaps our favorite international variation is the nakkipiilo, which is the Finnish word for what we know as Pigs In A Blanket, and means, cleverly enough “hidden sausage”. Needless to say in each of these areas there are local variations that make them stand out as a dish all their own!
I'm in shock at the sweet little pig curled up in a blanket being reduced to a snack with a cocktail stick through it!
