At their pork festivals, the Swabians do not cut the pig in half but remove the backbone in one piece. This is the spare rib. The pork festival soup is made in the same way as our traditional meat soup. The backbone is cut into joints with two or three ribs each, placed in cold water and brought to the boil. When it boils the foam is skimmed off and the vegetables and the spices are added. The spare ribs are simmered on a low heat for three or four hours. It is customary to add mulberry leaf or shell-shaped noodles. The boiled bones are served separately alongside the soup, with horseradish sauce and vinegar. A light, young Chardonnay or Green Veltelini from the Mór region goes very well with it.