Swine Flu = Pork Obsessed End of Days?

image from the Pork Off tumblr page

Swine flu may be preventing Hugh Jackman from promoting X-Men Origins: Wolverine in Mexico City, but the virus won’t stop Sunday’s Pork Off at the Loki Lounge in Brooklyn from happening. Although Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack has released a statement stating “you cannot get H1N1 flu from eating pork or pork products,” the pork industry is nonetheless taking a beating. On the restaurant front, Grub Street reports that Zarela Martinez of the Mexican restaurant Zarela has experienced a steep drop in business, and elsewhere, pork belly stock is down.

Regarding this Sunday’s Pork Off—a benefit event for survivors of toxic waste in the Philippines—organizer Laurel Fantauzzo told us that “it’s unfortunate that an ominously-themed disease struck just days before this charity event, but I hope people's love for the well-cooked hog will win out in the end. I hope carnivorous folks will still come out to support the charity and eat some good food.”

It’s too soon to tell whether swine flu will affect the city’s largest, extremely busy pork-themed event, the Big Apple Barbecue, scheduled June 13-14. Robert Sietsema at the Village Voice has handicapped the just-announced roster of this year’s fourteen barbecue contestants.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Hugh Merwin in Food on April 29, 2009 4:19 PM

Comments [rss]

Mike Licht

This Flu Fact is interpreted for visual learners at:

http://notionscapital.wordpress.com/2009/05/03/flu-facts-no-6/

Mike Licht

This Flu Fact is interpreted for visual learners at:

http://notionscapital.wordpress.com/2009/05/03/flu-facts-no-6/

The Edge

Judging by certain commenters, the myth that vegans/vegetarians are supposed to be "smarter" than the rest of us omnivores is certainly proving false.

ides_of_march

Wait till it breaks out in Saudi Arabia. Now wouldn't that be a riot.

felixthecat2

A monument

Prodigious in gluttonies as that hog whose want

Made lean Lent

(from Slyvia Plath-Sow)

felixthecat2

finally the swine struck back after decades and decades of cruelty, good for them.

SP

It kills them too stupid.

felixthecat2

Einstein, they would have been slaughtered anyhow

NannyState

Just go about your normal everyday business eating pigmeat everywhere you go.

Mr Mel

I once visited a pig farm in Iowa where I saw a 3000 pound porker. Those old rabbis knew what they were talking about.

JacqueMehoff

every time I hear the media mention "pandemic" I think of "the wire".

Dirk

I love how the government is now trying to get people to call it "H1N1 flu" when "swine flu" is so much catchier. It just rolls off the tongue.

citizenerased

Anyone not eating pork because of this is a fucking idiot

nomnomnom

But it's more pork for the rest of us!

meowster

That graphic just made me dry heave.

dwayno

ugh! stop eating meat, period. how would you like it if animals mass farmed and ate YOU?!

fuboy

I'd be really impressed, actually. If animals ever comprehend and put in place selective breeding for enhanced and sustainable meat production, I'll stop eating meat and become part of their herd.