Pork and other livestock coming to the slaughter in the autumn after growing in the spring and fattening during the summer. Due to the seasonal nature of the meat in Western culinary history, apples (harvested in late summer and autumn) have been a staple pairing to fresh pork. The year-round availability of meat and fruits has not diminished the popularity of this combination on Western plates. Pigs are the most widely eaten animal in the world, accounting for about 38% of meat production worldwide. Consumption varies widely from place to place. The meat is taboo to eat in the Middle East
Dog meat meat. It is thought to have medicinal properties, and is especially popular in winter months in northern China, as it is believed to raise body temperature after consumption and promote warmth. Historical records have shown how in times of food scarcities (as in war-time situations), dogs could also be eaten as an emergency food source. Dog meat is sometimes called "fragrant meat" (香肉 "xiāng ròu") or "mutton of the earth" (地羊 "dì yáng") in Mandarin Chinese and "3–6 fragrant meat" () in Cantonese (3 plus 6 is 9 and the words "nine" and "dog" have close pronunciation. In Mandarin, "nine"