Today is a very important holiday, that’s right it’s the Chinese New Year! Bet you were thinking Valentine’s Day, but no worries, this post is all about love – of pork of course. This time of new beginnings and fresh starts is celebrated by the Chinese and pork lovers all over the world.

Why are pork lovers celebrating? Because China is the place where pigs were first domesticated of course! Around 4000 B.C. the emperor of China made a royal decree ordering the Chinese people to raise and breed hogs. We owe him so much. The ancient Chinese loved pork with a passion that could rival our own. They hated to be separated from fresh pork so much that when they died, they were sometimes accompanied to the grave with their pigs. This Porktastic infatuation hasn’t gone away, and today China is the #1 producer and consumer of fresh pork in the world.

So get the whole family together to commemorate our pork-loving friends with Chinese Pork Dumplings and Chinese-Style Spareribs, two dishes full of Asian flavors and of course pork. Don’t forget the fortune cookies!

At Porktastic we’re usually so consumed with our favorite form of sustenance that we often fall behind on what’s hip and now. So when we took a giant leap for Porktastic kind and checked out The Food Channel’s Top Ten Food Trends for 2010 we were shocked and pretty proud to find out that we were already doing them all!

1.  Keeping It Real

Scientists may be making meat in test tubes, but around here we’re all about the real thing. Recipes like Pepper Pork Chops turn simple everyday ingredients into delicious homemade meals in minutes.

2.  Experimentation Nation

It’s all about trying new things and what’s more Porktastic than that? In the past eight months we’ve introduced you to new ways to have your pork on the go, bacon gumballs and jelly beans, and the Porktastic Nine. If you haven’t tried all of these yet, what are you waiting for? Get out there and experiment!

3.  More in Store

Porktastic is when every grocery store has every ingredient you need, for every recipe, right where you expect it to be. And what about those recipes that call for special cuts of meat no one knows? What is a paillard anyway? Well many grocery stores are bringing back the butcher who can help put these meat mysteries to rest and package pork to your exact specifications.

4.  American, the New Ethnic

You’ve always heard that America is one big melting pot of cultures, well now so is our food! We’re taking food ideas, flavors, and techniques and combining them to make something that is totally American like this Crispy Oriental Pizza.

5.  Food Vetting

In case you haven’t noticed, more people are getting their food from the grocery store and less are growing it themselves. This has led to wanting to know where your food comes from, which contrary to popular belief, isn’t just from the grocery store. Pork today is safer and healthier than ever. Thanks to new technologies farmers can raise pigs indoors, protecting them from disease spread by birds, rodents and bugs. The barns provide a stable environment so the animals don’t have to deal with weather extremes – would you want to stand outside during snow storms, scorching heat or thunder storms? Didn’t think so. Pigs are also getting more individual attention and diets designed for the highest level of nutrition at each stage of their life on farms that are owned and operated by families. With all these improvements, today’s pig farms may not look like Old MacDonald’s, but they are making it possible for you to enjoy food that is among the safest in the world.

6.  Mainstreaming Sustainability

Sustainability is the buzzword of the year, but farmers have been focusing on sustainability from day one. They grow the crops that feed the pigs that make the poop that feed the crops – it’s all a big cycle. A healthy environment is key for productive land to grow the crops that feed the pigs that feed us. Why would farmers want to mess that up when they’re living on the same land and eating the same food?

7.  Food With Benefits

I don’t know a food that has more benefits than pork! Six of the most common cuts of pork are 16% leaner and have 27% less fat than they did 20 years ago. And ounce for ounce, pork tenderloin is just as lean as skinless chicken breast. Pork is also full of protein and a great source of B-vitamins, phosphorus, zinc and potassium. In fact, cutting calories but including more protein (like six delicious ounces of lean pork a day) let you keep more muscle mass than just cutting calories alone. Plus higher-protein diets also help you feel fuller after meals so you’re not raiding the cupboard for sweets an hour later. Seems pretty beneficial to me.

8.  I Want My Umami

Umami is that elusive fifth basic taste that makes our food delicious. Ok, so I still don’t get what it is, but this trend is basically mixing flavors and putting formal and relaxed together. And what is the king of this trend? Bacon! This meat candy has made its way into actual candy and desserts, like bacon baklava at Brown Hotel in Louisville, bacon flavored cupcakes in Chi-Town, bacon chocolate crunch bars in LA, and bacon brittle in NYC. We always knew bacon was special, it just took the rest of the world a little while to catch up.

9.  Will Trade for Food

In a time where money is tight, people have brought back the ways of the early days of the old frontier. That’s right my friends bartering. People are using websites like Craig’s List to trade and sell everything, even pork. You heard right, pork. In fact, we just came across a Craig’s List ad where a guy was willing to trade a big ol’ hog roast shindig for a covered trailer. Hog farmers are taking the same cue and are looking to international trade as another market to sell their product. I guess you could say it’s working pretty well, since trade is one of the biggest things that has helped keep the industry alive amid all its economic hardships.

10.  I, Me, Mine

It’s all about you. What you want – the size, the flavors, the ingredients. With pork it’s amazingly easy to get what you want. Pork goes well with most flavors so it can be a part of practically any dish and can be substituted into your favorite beef and chicken dishes almost seamlessly. The possibilities are bordering on endless.