PIG PICKIN’

Tradition-minded Carolinians refer to a celebratory barbecue as a pig pickin’, the implication being that those who attend will have the entire hog from which to choose, meaning ham and shoulder meat, ribs, crunchy pieces of skin, snoots and ears and assorted gravies made from less desirable parts, maybe some sausages and trotters, plus corn bread dotted with cracklin’s. Outdoors at a community picnic or indoors at a public eatery, pig pickin’s are almost always presented buffet-style, and many of the region’s most beloved barbecue restaurants continue the custom of serving them as a TGIF kind of meal, weekends only. Therefore, travelers be advised: If you are planning to visit a barbecue, especially in South Carolina, and most especially any day other than Friday or Saturday, be sure to call ahead to make sure the place is open.