Leitão assado a lenha: suckling pig, popular by locals, tourists & Praça da Figueira Lisbon
Suckling pig has been a delicacy since ancient times. In many European countries it’s a traditional Christmas entrée; the dish is usually reserved for special occasions. Traditionally it is roasted. A real speciality in Portugal, known as leitão assado a lenha.
Suckling pig is a young pig that has only fed on its mother’s milk. The piglets are slaughtered between the ages of 2 and 4 weeks… For me, it looks so pitiful!
Roasted pig ‘Siumei’ is served whole at Chinese weddings as a symbol of the bride’s virginity, although the same pig is said to symbolize both virility and prosperity.
Window dressing Pasteleria ‘A Merendinha’ Lisbon: suckling pig with sunglasses 
Suckling pig is also a special occasion dish in the Philippines, a custom brought with the Spanish. In Cuba, the dish is traditionally served on New Year’s Day and it’s served for the Hawaiian lu’au, covered with banana leaves and cooked in a pit.
It seems to be gorgeous. Pasteleria ‘A Merendinha’ (The snack) in Lisbon, Rua Condes de Monsanto 4-a, close to Praça da Figueira.
The European cuisines of Romania, Spain, Germany, Croatia and Georgia favor it highly as well. It also accompanies goose as the traditional Christmas feast of families in Russia and Serbia. There are many recipes found from as far back as ancient Rome.
Beautiful azulejos (tiles)!
The suckling pig’s popularity has declined in the United States and the United Kingdom. However, it retains a place in Cajun cuisine in the southern U.S., where the Cochon de Lait festival is held annually in the small town of Mansura, Louisiana.
