The Whole Hog
Bacon, bratwurst, bangers, barbecue: these are just a few of the many ways people around\xa0the world enjoy feasting on pigs. Of all the domesticated animals humans consume, Sus scrofa domesticus is the most fascinating, the most divisive, and, arguably, the most delicious.\n\nIn this in-depth conversation with author and historian Mark Essig, author of the book Lesser Beasts: A Snout-to-Tail History of the Humble Pig, Gastropod discovers the evolutionary source of the pigs\u2019 intelligence (scientists have judged them the cognitive equal of a human three-year-old), and why the animals\u2019 physiology so closely resembles our own. We also uncover the real reason Jews originally eschewed pork, and how pigs were the essential but forgotten weapon, alongside guns and germs, that allowed the Spanish and English to conquer and colonize the Americas. Plus, we read and review Barry Estabrook\u2019s book, Pig Tales: An Omnivore\u2019s Quest for Sustainable Meat, which picks up the porcine tale in the present, where Mark Essig leaves off. From helicopter hunting to manure spraying and more, join us and pig out!\nLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices