There is a monument in Segovia almost as famous as its two-thousand-year-old aqueduct. We are talking about neither more nor less than roast suckling pig, a dish that everyone who visits this province must try before leaving. In a silver platter and paired—normally—with a Rueda or a Ribera del Duero, in the temples of the suckling pig there is a ritual that accompanies each service and is surprising for tourists. It consists of cutting the suckling pig with a plate instead of a knife and then dropping it on the ground so that it breaks. Wait to?
For the most curious, let’s reveal the secret. The way of carving the suckling pig does not go unnoticed and is almost as famous as the Segovian suckling pig itself, which enjoys its own Guarantee Mark. Although there are several theories about its origin, they are all attributed to Mesón de Cándido, the mythical restaurant in Plaza del Azoguejo.
The official story says that on one occasion Don Cándido López, manager of this grill at the foot of the aqueduct, did not have any knife nearby when he cut the meat for his customers. This urgency forced him to use his wits and grab a plate and use its edge to break the suckling pig.
Another version of the story claims that it was one of the waiters who, faced with this situation, mockingly challenged the innkeeper to use a plate to carve the pig, lacking a knife. Without hesitation, Don Cándido agreed with such good results that it ended up becoming a local tradition.
On one of the days, Cándido’s plate slipped from his hands after cutting the piglet and it broke on the floor. We have already finished the job! -exclaimed the hotelier-, without contemplating at that moment that this gesture would complete the particular ritual.
This solution achieved such a degree of popularity that it remains in force today. Furthermore, the suckling pig that can be split with the plate has become a sign of good quality. A well-cooked piece is one whose toasted skin crunches when hit by the plate, while inside the meat remains so tender and juicy that a knife is not necessary to separate it.
If you want to eat a good suckling pig as you pass through the city of Segovia, remember to go to Mesón Cándido, the origin of this peculiar tradition that its descendants honor with pride. And don’t forget to break the plate when you’re done!
