I don't think a request has gone out for these yet, but looking through some family stuff my sister ran across this 1889 recipe that my Great-Great-Great-Grandma Bullard had apparantly passed on to my Great-Grandmother Price, her grand-daughter. I know there's been discussion about posting old recipes so, since it's quiet in Cyberland I thought I'd start the contributions with this one for roast little pig. I don't remember EVER having pork at Christmas, but I guess tradition starts somewhere. Enjoy.... ROAST LITTLE PIG (1889) The little pig should be about three weeks old. Draw and scrape it, clean well. Cover the point of a skewer with a piece of soft cloth, and work the wooden skewer in the ears to clean them. Clean the nostrils in the same way, also the vent of the tail. (If squeamish have the man of the house do it!) Scrape the tongue, lips and gums with a sharp knife, wipe them with a soft cloth and take out the eyes. Wash the pig well with plenty of cold water, wipe dry, and rub a tablespoon of salt inside the pig. Make a nice stuffing of three pints soft bread crumbs, three tablespoons of salt, one-half teaspoon of pepper, one tablespoon of powdered sage, three tablespoons of fresh sweet butter and three tablespoons of finely chopped onion. Mix all together, first rubbing the butter into the crumbs, then adding the seasoning. Fill the body with the stuffing. Press the fore feet forward and hind feet backward, and skewer them to position. Force the mouth open and place a small flock of wood between the teeth. Butter two sheets of paper and pin them about the ears. Sprinkle the pig with salt, rub all over with soft butter, and dredge with flour. Then place it in a roasting pan and cook at least three-and-a-half hours. Baste every fifteen minutes with butter or salad oil, sprinkle with salt and flour after each basting. Water should not be used if the surface of the meat is desired crisp. Remove the paper from the ears the last half hour. When ready to serve, remove the block of wood from the mouth, inserting a small ear of corn or a small lemon. Serve apple sauce with this dish. In carving the roast pig, the head is cut off first, the meat split down the back, the hams and shoulders taken off and the ribs separated. A portion of dressing is served each person. Apple Dressing for Roast Little Pig: Pare and cut into quarters about eight large, greening apples, remove the core; place the apples in a large kettle over the fire; add one cupful of water and cook till tender, but not broken. Then remove; when cold, add flour, four ounces of bakers white bread picked into small pieces, without the brown crust; dry five minutes in the stove; add one-and-one-half tablespoons powdered loaf sugar, one-half ounce sweet butter, a little lemon juice and two eggs. Mix well together. Heat until thickened. Use as a dressing or sauce. Sherry Balow balowmsg@earthlink.net