Our terracotta pigs are made with clay dug from the mountainside near the village of Pomaire, Chile. This clay is traditionally used to create earthenware cookware used over an open fire. However, in this instance it is transformed into "chanchitos," a little three legged pig. These are given to friends as tokens of love and good fortune.
They have an inspiring tale to go with their adorable character. Two versions of the story have become legend in our store. Both versions end with our hero escaping the butcher's knife with his life intact. In one, our four-hoofed friend loses one limb but skillfully escapes slaughter. In the other, the butcher rejects the chanchito because he was born with only three legs. Whatever the truth might be, these three-legged friends remind us that good fortune can sometimes be found after seemingly tragic adversity. A pig with the ability to stand with only three legs - you'd have to say he's lucky, right?