Here is a fabulous blog recounting the arrival of a precious Bellota ham. DBH
WAITING FOR MY MAIL ORDER BRIDE
I now know what it is like to wait for a mail order bride. You order her, fill out the paperwork and wait. And wait. And wait. I have been doing that.
By the time she is nearly ready to arrive your expectations are at the max. Once a week you call or email the agency to inquire about the arrival.
And then, one day, when every bone in your body tells you that you cannot wait any longer, you get THE CALL. You are told the arrival date is approaching -you only have to settle up the “charges”. Of course you ordered her from a European agency in 2003, five long years have past, and the dollar has lost much of its value against the Euro. You now have to pay 60% more than you had originally thought.
But you have waited all of your life to have one of your own so you wave caution to the wind and give them the credit card. They tell you the arrival is scheduled for Friday, August 8, 2008. This is a date that has been chiseled in my memory for perpetuity.
I woke up early last Friday so excited I was almost breaking out in hives. My heart was quivering with sensations of joy and my soul was, simply stated, all a twitter. I went out at 6am to exercise so I would be ready to embrace her, took a shower, put on a nice Tommy Bahama shirt instead of my normal tee-shirt and waited. And waited. And worried.
What if she didn’t arrive? What if she was kidnapped? What if the plane from Spain crashed? What if, What if, What if!
At 10am the doorbell rang and heart in my throat, I bolted toward the front door. There she was. After five years of waiting, she had arrived. My version of a mail order bride. I grabbed her, skipped with a bounce in my step into the family room, cuddling her in my arms and asked my other bride to take some photos.
I carried her into the kitchen and helped release her from her traveling carriage. There she was, still dressed, but as I held her I could see her size, her curves, and I could feel her foot.
I began to disrobe her, lovingly removing her outer garments. Imagine my shock and awe when I saw her underclothing was made of clear plastic.
I was leaping up and down screaming “My Pata Negra has arrived! My Pata Negra has arrived!”
And with that, I stripped her down to her skin and lovingly placed her in her cradle, her own Jamonera that accompanied her from Spain. I tenderly set her next to my home made vinegar jar so she would be comfortable she was among good cuisine pals.
Like a deranged animal, I frantically opened the packet of her official papers that arrived with her and read:
In the Dehesa’s, an indigenous forest of Southwestern Spain, the Ibérico pig, a descendant of the wild boar, still wanders free. Popularly known as the Pata Negra, or Black Hoof, the Ibérico de Bellota feed exclusively on fallen acorns, known as bellota, for three months prior to slaughter.
The resulting meat is swirled with high levels of flavorful natural fats, for which this pig has gained international notoriety.
The Ibérico de Bellota is responsible for the unsurpassed taste and quality of this traditional dry pork ham.
That’s right. Five years after being placed on the mailing list and just a couple of months after the USDA finally agreed to allow this heavenly hunk of ham into the USA, I was able to get one of the small number that were produced for US consumption.
For those of you that have been reading my Blog for a while you will remember reading in my Post “The Green Fairy” , the lengths I will go to for this delicacy. Go to the photo of the ham attack in that posting and you will understand how much I LOVE Jamón Ibérico.
And so, taking the special Jamón knife that they also sent me, I sliced her up and had my first bite.
I am not sure to describe how it tasted after waiting five year. I savored what truly is perfection-a ham like the best of Italian Prosciutto (San Danielle) but 100 times better. A spectacular piece of pig with moist marbled snow white fat interspersed with a burgundy colored ham, sliced so thin with the special knife that you can see the knife sliding gracefully under the ham as you gently separate it from the main portion.
Words fail me when I try to describe it, but it was capricious, whimsical, miraculous, addictive, sensational, fantastical, prodigious, stupendous, nirvana, the big O, wondrous, huge, terrific, ecstasy, platonic, enormous, unbelievable, and so damn good.
So, I have spent the last two days with my Mail Order Bride. The kitchen is permeated with the sweet scent of acorn fed, slowly air cured, black hoofed pig. And I am in heaven.
In the photo above, the large depression in the ham (filled with fat to keep it moist) is the amount of ham that has been transferred from my Pata Negra to my stomach over the last 48 hours.
Some people say that Mail Order Brides are a moronic idea. But I can testify that I love mine more than Cheez-Its. I am so chipper tonight that Pata Negra has arrived in my life.
I now need to finish this Post and go carve a few slices for a little nightime snack. Tonight if I have trouble sleeping, I will count Black Hoofed Pigs rather than Sheep.
posted by Grover Thomas Jr. @ 9:42 PM
08/04/2008
Osborne Acquires a Stake in Embutidos Fermin
Osborne Acquires Minority Stake in Embutidos Fermin
to Bring 5 Jotas Brand to U.S.
The Osborne Group has acquired a minority stake in Embutidos Fermin, owner of the only Spanish slaughterhouse authorized to export Iberico ham and consequently, the brands of Osborne subsidiary Sanchez Romero Carvajal to the United States.
In a joint statement, Osborne CEO Tom Osborne and Santiago and Francisca Martin, owners of Embutidos Fermin, said that they have signed a broad agreement allowing them to join forces and more efficiently develop their business in the United States.
The agreement will allow Sanchez Romero Carvajal Jabugo to use the slaughterhouse for their acorn-fed Iberico pigs destined for the American market.
Embutidos Fermin began marketing Iberico ham in the U.S. last November, and currently exports approximately 2,700 pieces per month to this market. To date, the company has exported between 12,000 and 14,000 pieces, valued at approximately € 1.4 million.
08/01/2008
Bellota Deliveries Commence
La Tienda will receive in its warehouse the first Jamón Iberico de Bellota on Tuesday 5 August and will begin distribution to over 400 Bellota aficionados that same day.
Following the shipments to the people who have been waiting for these precious hams for up to 6 years, the remaining Iberico Bellota hams in the warehouse will be made available on a first come first serve basis.
07/23/2008
Bellotas are released!
Today (Tuesday) the first Jamón Ibérico de Bellotas have been released from US customs. Next week we will be visiting the NY warehouse where they are temporarily being stored and bring many of them to La Tienda.
Starting next Wednesday we will begin delivering about 400 Bellota Pata Negra hams across the United State to our many loyal subscribers who put money on the barrel head - thus hastening the day that we are now experiencing. They are true culinary pioneers!
The Harris Family of La Tienda became seriously involved in the quest for Iberico in 1997-8. It was just after we sent the first jamon serranos across America.
Our next step was to build on that experience in order to bring in the most prized of all hams. It took over 10 years of effort. We effected lots of travel and met lots of fine Spaniards.
In the end the arrival of the first jamones involved the cooperation of three key people: Santiago Martín and his family back at Jamones Fermin in La Alberca; Taylor Griffin of Rogers International whose company is experienced in importing gourmet meats; and our irrepressible friend Jose Andres whose enthusiasm for Spanish cuisine knows no limits. (If you have a chance, check out his new show "Made in Spain" on PBS HD -- it is as informative as it is entertaining.)
Together they form Fermin USA which has now succeeded in introducing the first legal jamon Iberico Bellota since the tme of the Conquistadores.
07/15/2008
Are We There Yet?
The Fermin iberico de bellota hams are here in New York Harbor -- so close but oh so far.
As with any new product the federal authorities are thoroughly vetting it to make sure that all is in order in terms of their interpretation of United States regulations and policy.
This is why from the beginning of this last evolution we have been vague as to the timing of the ham's availability. It is not that we have been coy, but rather we do not want to raise false expectations. Although I must admit to feelings such as a child feels on a long car trip when he asks, "Are we there yet?"
We are poised to ship. But they say patience is a virtue.
After a ten year wait, a few more days do not matter.
07/01/2008
First container of hams has left Spain
The first jamón ibérico bellota to arrive on the American shores was introduced to the public at a special carving ceremony during the NASFT Summer Fancy Food Show in New York. The first container full of hams has left Spain and is on the ocean.
It is hard to predict when the hams will be released and ready to be shipped in the USA since there are various stages of inspection required by US Customs and other authorities. An educated guess is that they will be available in two weeks.
La Tienda expects to deliver over 300 hams on the first day of receipt to their jamon aficionados who expressed their commitment to jamón ibérico by placing a deposit in the past several years.
We anticipate we will have enough jamones in stock to cover the Christmas season.
06/22/2008
Preparations are in hand
The Harris family of La Tienda has been waiting for the occasion of the American arrival of jamon iberico bellota since 1997. Now a firm date has been set by the producers in Spain: 15 July 2008 the first container of this coveted ham will leave Spain.
In the mean time we have begun notifying the hundreds of our customers who have made a deposit to be one of the first to receive one. Some orders date back to 2002! We need to verify the order, the address, and the payment method. If you placed an order and have not heard from us, do call La Tienda at your earliest convenience.
We are poised for the much anticipated event. We anticipate it will be early to mid August before the hams clear the various inspections at the Port of New York.
05/23/2008
Tantilizing News
We just received concrete information concerning the arrival of our jamones Iberico bellota. I will fill you all in shortly, but first we have an obligation to inform our our loyal reservation holders first. In some cases, they have been waiting for several years to receive this news.
It is safe to say with a degree of certainty that this July or August the first jamon iberico bellota hams will be in the homes of the La Tienda community. Right now the hams are being prepared for shipment to the United States.
Certainly it is an extended process to get the hams segmented for the container, shipped to the USA, clear the various government screenings. So at this time an exact date is not possible. But Fermin USA, the importer, has done its homework, so we anticipate no surprises.
05/20/2008
Reaching the finish line
Well, the time is upon us. My family and I have been at this project of bringing to America the finest ham in the world for over ten years. It is hard to believe that our efforts are reaching their fruition in a matter of a few weeks,
The final pieces fell into place when we were cordially greeted by the Martín family - owners of Embutidos y Jamones Fermín in the medieval town La Alberca.
When they teamed up with famed chef José Andrés and quality food importer Rogers International to form Fermín USA, we know that with their expertise it was a matter of time before the hams would be on their way.
Of course there will be a lot of excitement when the first jamon iberico bellota hits the shores (or rather, reaches our serving plates). The hams will come in batches -- the smaller one first because they take less time to cure. But soon the time we have been waiting for will be upon us and there will be a lot of jamon enthusiasts who will taste the treat of their lives.
In the meantime, I hope people are trying our sliced bellota paleta / shoulder. It is quite delicious -- and a good preview of things to come.
03/14/2008
Three distinct qualities of Ibérico
In 2005 the Spanish government started regulating qualities of Iberico in 2005. They have defined three distinct qualities of Ibérico based upon the way they are fed: Cebo - the regular Ibérico that La Tienda is now carrying; Recebo; and Bellota.
Iberico de cebo: comes from Ibérico pigs which are totally fed on grains.
The Ibericos de recebo are fed on grain until montanera season in the fall, when the pigs feast on acorns from holm and cork oaks in the Dehesa forest meadow. They also feed a great deal on grains to gain the appropriate weight (160-180 kg) before they are sacrificed.
A pig may also be designated Recebo if, when the montanera season is over the pig still has not gained enough weight prior to the sacrifice. In this scenario the pigs have to have their diets supplemented on grains in addition to acorns. The pigs therefore, are fed grains twice: at the beginning of the season and at the end - hence the term "re"-cebo or double cebo.
Put simply, the Recebo is as expensive to rear as Bellota, but the market price is lower. Hence it is not worth producing - either for the farmer nor for the ham producer. The farmer will make sure that the iberico pig which does montanera becomes "Iberico de Bellota", and not "Iberico de Recebo". Recebo is obtained "by accident", since the pig was suppose to be bellota, but it does not eat enough acorns.
Since it is not cost effective for farmers to rear these “double fed” pigs, and there soon will not be any more produced. Nevertheless there are still people who mistakenly refer to Ibérico de Cebo ham as Ibérico de Recebo.
Ibérico de Bellota is the highest quality of Ibérico. During the montañera season (November through February) this free range Ibérico pig actively forages to eat acorns, herbs and grass only.
03/13/2008
Free Range: It's the right thing to do
One of the most unexpectedly satisfying experiences I have had with my sons Tim and Jonathan, was when we visited a modest finca in Extremadura where lived a small herd of Ibérico pigs.
The animals were lingering around a pool of water under some holm and cork oak trees. Some of the herd was wandering off into a patch of sun. A couple of other of the pigs came up to us out of curiosity -- just as a friendly dog might. They were thoroughly enjoyable, and clearly were content with the way of life they were experiencing.
That is what “free-range” is all about. We often bandy the term about without much thought as to what it really means. These docile Ibérico piglets actually “teenagers”) were neither nervous nor hostile.
Now you might say that the reason they are treated that way is that it produces better hams, and I am sure that it true. But in this case, where I know the owner and his son, they are also treated this way because it is the right thing to do.
02/28/2008
Entertaining addition
This is an amusing contribution to the world of iberico
http://www.ijam.es/
02/12/2008
Hand Slicing is no Hype
On Sunday 10 February I read an entertaining restaurant review by Jay Ruyner in the Manchester (UK) Guardian. He made one comment which is piece of wisdom: "It's all very well to source Iberian ham, but to machine cut it is an insult to the pig."
This is why we take whole hams and Paletas Iberico that have been imported from Spain, and slice them each week here in Virginia. Any slicing done in Spain has to have been executed weeks,or even months, before.
If the slicing is done by volume in a factory then a machine is the only efficient way to go. The result is thicker slices resting in a plastic vacuum pack for several weeks. The flavor is bound to deteriorate.
So we at La Tienda have a a professional, who with a deft hand transforms our shoulder or ham into paper-thin slices: the thinner the slices, the better the Iberico. He drives up to Toano each week to pick up some more hams or paletas.
There are no better Iberico slices in America. Unless you are a proficient professional, they are better than if you did the slicing yourself.
01/31/2008
More on the price of grain
I have been reading further on the subject of the soaring prices of feed which supplement the diet of some iberico pigs. According to a Christin Science Monitor article, expanded use of biofuel is only one of many factors.
Actually in the USA the cost of the actual plant product is only 19% of the total cost of food, so that although the soaring cost of corn is one factor, the greater cause is the growth in the number of people across the globe who have enough money to be more discriminating in what they consume.
Putting it simply, in the recent past in China and India, for example, subsistence was about the best most could hope for. Now with growing prosperity there is a significant demand for higher quality food. Therefor, with a limited amount of quality food available, the price goes up -- simple supply and demand.
01/29/2008
Ecology -- Keokuck and Salamanca
The unintended consequences of the price of oil charged by the OPEC cartel are amazing. Here in the USA we hastily bought into to Ethanol as a solution, and it was decided that corn was to be the fuel source.
This meant that corn for food (either to feed they hungry with our surplus, or to feed our livestock) was a seconday concern. With the rising prices paid for the crop, the farmers shifted from other grains.
The result? Our office in Spain tells us that the cost of bread in Spain has risen substantially. The same goes for the feed for cheese producing sheep, and ham producing pigs. One notice we received from Iberico producers is that the cost of their feed has risen 45% in the past few months.
It is an amazing world we live in when the decision of a farmer in Keokuck, Iowa directly affects the Iberico herds in Salamanca!
01/29/2008
Japanese Taste
I notced an item the other day which stated that jamon iberico is becoming immensely popular in Japan. In addition, the sales of jamon serrano in Japan have outstripped those of prosciutto.
I am not surprised. Whenever we cover the byways of Spain looking for the best of the best foods for La Tienda, we find that our Japanese conoisseur buyers have been there too.
01/07/2008
Paleta is Shouldering the Jamon
The first Ibérico Bellota is here. But it is time for you to sharpen your critical tools of discernment. Remember when some manufacturers printed “Iberian ham” on the label of Jamón serrano, implying that it was Ibérico?
In fact, the first Paleta Ibérico Bellota is here. It is not the first Jamón Ibérico Bellota. They are two different cuts of meat from the same animal. The Paleta is the front shoulder of the special acorn - finished Ibérico pig, whereas the jamón (ham) is the rear haunch.
The Paleta shoulder is significantly more slender, with less meat. Therefore the shoulder needs less time to cure. For this reason the paleta arrived in the United States earlier than the ham. The larger, meatier Jamón takes at least two years to cure. We anticipate it will be available in July 2008.
As a preview of what bellota is all about, La Tienda is hand-slicing Paleta bellota in 4 ounce vacuum sealed packets. Purchase one of these from Jamón.com and you can have a hint of what all the fuss is about - without having to pawn the family jewels.
12/21/2007
Santo Tomas Pig Raffle
This is an account written by our friend Jamie Jones, who is the head of our Spanish office in the Basque Country. He lives in Zarautz, right down the road from San Sebastian.
DIA DE SANTO TOMAS
"Each year on December 21st the city of San Sebastian comes alive with the Feast of Santo Tomas. The day of St. Thomas is one of the major festivals of the calendar in San Sebastian. Despite the name, has no connection with religion. That is the same date as the feast day of StThomas is a coincidence.
While there is no clear agreement on the origins of the holiday, it seems that December 21, the first day of winter, was the day when the land owners, most of whom lived in the capital city would collect their annual rents from tenants.
For that reason, tenant farmers would come to the city, not only to pay their rents but to sell the best products they could bring: all kinds of poultry, vegetables and the best craft objects to exchange or sell in the city.
Over time, the custom evolved to become a tradition. And today is a fairground in which many agricultural goods are on display - sort of like a County Fair. It is also a tradition to raffle a large live pig, which is displayed throughout the day.
The feast of St. Thomas goes back to the mid-nineteenth century, when most of the tenant farmers, who cultivated the land they did not own, would travel to the capital to pay the rents of these lands.
Over time, the custom became a tradition. Even today there is a fairground where on this day there is an abundance of agricultural products. The highlight is the traditional raffle of a large live pig, which is displayed throughout the day.
In addition to the fair itself, there is the tradition of chistorra. Countless bars in this old part of the city offer free chistorra to all their patrons who visit. The Old City is filled with the aromas of good food.
Chistorra is a type of fresh sausage, thin and unseasoned. It developed originally with the remains from the slaughter of the pigs which typically happens this time of year.
Along with Chistorra, Talos (corn tortillas) are eaten. Talos are a kind of tortilla made for corn flour and water, without yeast, cooked on a grill. Talos and chistorra proliferate in the Old Part of San Sebastian.
12/18/2007
St Anthony and the Pigs
This is a wonderful article about La Alberca and the pigs. If you go to the following url you will find it in its entirity. Unfortunately, the APF site does mnot attribute the article to an author -- unfortunate because it is so well written. I think I will paste the article below for the time being http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hN-TnWB7_FXyBSp2v18O2KtMvA6A
A life of luxury for Spain's sacred pigs: and then the chop
LA ALBERCA, Spain (AFP) — India has its sacred cows, but in La Alberca, a Spanish village renowned for its juicy hams, an ancient Christian tradition has decreed that the chosen animal is a pig.
"Hello pig," the villagers call as they walk by the chosen animal wandering freely across a cobbled courtyard of the medieval village. One man stops to scratch the side of the hefty looking creature.
La Alberca, some 50 kilometres (30 miles) from the western town of Salamanca near the border with Portugal, is like many other local villages.
On June 13, a carefully selected pig is released into its streets, treated with special care -- and then on January 17 slaughtered as part of a tradition dating back to the Middle Ages.
But until then, town hall employee Raquel Canubo explained, local people know they have to treat the pig as an honoured guest.
"They are asked to feed it, take care of it, and drivers are expected to give way to it," said Canubo.
These are the pigs of San Antonia (Saint Anthony) -- sacred since the dawn of time. There is even an imposing granite statue of a pig in the village just in front of the church's main entrance.
January 17, the fatal day for the chosen animal, is the feast day for Saint Anthony.
One of the miracles attributed to him was having cured a wild sow and her litter of blindness -- which is why in icons depicting him you will often see a pig at the saint's feet.
"In the past, Saint Anthony's pig was put to death and his meat was offered to the most destitute family in the village," Canuto explained.
"But today, Saint Anthony's pig is offered to the winner of a big tombola." The proceeds of this lottery go towards the church's good works.
The lucky winner is expected to take the pig home and slaughter it himself.
Every year, a promising piglet is donated to the village by one of the many pig farmers that export their meat across the world.
For the ancient tradition has yielded a rich culinary legacy -- and a lucrative business -- in the region.
Spanish ham (Jamon Iberico) is a delicacy that starts in the surrounding hills of Sierra de Francia, where the pigs nourish themselves from the acorns that fall from the oak trees.
This year's pig was offered by the local producers Embutidos Fermin, which exports as far afield as Australia, Canada, Japan, Mexico, South Korea -- as well as Belgium and Germany closer to home.
Their special delicacy can sell at anything between 200 euros (295 dollars) a kilo (2.2 pounds) in Europe to a mouth-watering 400 euros in Japan.
And the firm has recently broken into one of the world's toughest markets, the United States, which cleared them to export their Jamon Iberico after they passed a series of strict food safety tests.
The firm won the US inspectors over after impressing them with the state-of-the-art facilities at their abattoir, and the first 30 samples arrived in New York on November 14.
Until now, the US market has only known 'Serrano ham', which is made from the kind of pig found in many countries.
The makers of Jamon Iberico on the other hand stress that what makes it special is that it is made only from the black Iberian pigs native to Spain.
In cellars across the region, the ham is dried slowly for two years before being ceremoniously sliced into thin slices of fat and flesh that melt deliciously in the mouth.
In La Alberca meanwhile, the chosen pig was tipping the scales at 150 kilos as it trotted the alleyways of the village, a succulent treat for one of those friendly villagers.
12/16/2007
Oak fungus
I just read this article from the London Telegraph, and will check with Antonio Gázquez at the U of Extremadura. This would be quite an unanticipated blow, as the Dehesa is a vital part of the Iberico ham process.
Oak fungus threatens Spain's finest ham
Last Updated: 2:03am GMT 16/12/2007
It is Spain's most famous - and possibly most expensive - export. But now Jamon Iberico puro, or pure Iberian ham, which gets diners around the world salivating despite price tags of up to £1,000 for a whole leg, is under threat.
Acorns, the staple diet of the thoroughbred pigs used to produce the ham, are in short supply due to the rapid spread of a fungus that has been linked to climate change.
Researchers at the universities of Cordoba and Huelva say the fungus, Phytophthora cinnamomi, is affecting areas of Spain where Jamon Iberico puro and Jamon Bellota, the other Rolls Royce of the porcine produce world, are made.
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Fuelled by drought, the fungus is killing up to 190,000 trees, or 10,000 acres of forest, annually.
José Luis García-Palacios, president of the Spanish Oak Tree Forum, said: "At this rate, our great-grandchildren will not know what an oak tree is."
Iberian pigs are reared among oak trees. The acorns enrich their body fat with oleic acid to make it healthier - and tastier. The meat is cured for up to 36 months before being served at prices of up to £80 a pound.
"This is a grave situation," said one producer, Manuel Maldonado. "Some farms have lost 10 per cent of their trees and to replace them takes 30 years."
Alberto Chicote, chef at the Nodo restaurant in Madrid which serves pure Iberian ham, said: "We hope they can do something before it gets any more serious. This is one of Spain's star products."
An economist, Ramon Tamanes, warned that the situation could dent not only Spain's pride but also its profits.
"It would be tragic if we were deprived of a sector of our industry which is also part of our national identity," he said.
Exports of the ham to Europe alone are worth £43 million a year to the Spanish economy.
12/10/2007
Iberico Lard in Christmas Cooking
I ran across a fascinating article in a local English paper. It seems that in England there is a growing trend to replace goose fat with Ibérico lard in Christmas cooking. It produces a crispy roast potato which is more flavorful and lower in calories.
Some chefs have touted the use of goose fat when roasting potatoes. Sales of goose fat rocketed by as much as 70 per cent after it was mentioned on celebrity chef Nigella Lawson's BBC cooking show. But when there was the bird flu scare, supply of the goose fat ran short. This prompted the demand for Ibérico lard which has continued to grow until it has become the favored fat for some cooking.
12/05/2007
The internet revolution
The jamones Iberico are truly here in the United States, after all these years of the family quest. It is hard to comprehend. I think back to the various places members of our family went, and the people we visited in as varied places as Jabugo, Pozoblanco, Utiel, Guijuela, Cáceres, La Alberca etc. The quest has been a wonderful experience in and of itself, but to actually have it reach fruition is especially satisfying.
Jose Andres will perform the ceremonial first carving of an Iberico ham in North America, at his restaurant Jaleo in Washington DC.
He is the perfect person to be addressing the press on this occasion. He is a lover of people, has a vibrant approach to life that is contagious. Much of his waking hours are devoted to the spreading of the good news of healthy Spanish cuisine.
We can hardly wait to begin the shipping out of the very first jsamones to arrive in American homes. That is one of the great beauties of the Internet -- it is so egalitarian. If you are a lover of an exquite jamon Iberico you are not inhibited by location. You don't have to live in cosmopolitan surroundings to satisfy refined tastes.
Since about ten years ago you have been able to have your cake and eat it too (to mix metaphors). You are able to enjoy the wide open spaces, yet satisfy your sophisticated palate. You can have the good things of life - whether you live in Minot or Manhattan. That is quite a revolution.
12/03/2007
Four Legged Explorers
I have always thought it was particularly cool, and particularly Spanish, that some Ibérico hogs were passengers on the flagship Santa María when Christopher Columbus set out on his voyage of discovery. Even though the convoy of ships was loaded with hundreds of essential provisions, he embarked with Ibérico pigs as well, since he wanted the ship’s company to be assured of excellent fare! Although they have received no recognition, you might say the Cerdo Ibérico were four legged discoverers - almost as much as their two-legged keepers (and diners)!
The pigs explored North America too, as they accompanied Hernán de Soto in his pursuit of the Fountain of Youth. Somewhere along the line the pigs must have realized that de Soto’s quest was a fool’s errand (hare brained?) and strayed away. They made their way across Alabama and Georgia with many making their home along the outer banks of Georgia. Their descendents are the Catawba pigs which are of interest to American breeders today.
In the 17th Century some of the Catawba Ibérico cross-breeds lived on the plantation of George Washington at his plantation at Mount Vernon, Virginia, where their descendants still reside there today. Some migrated to the Jamestown area, the site of the first English Settlement where Colonial Williamsburg maintains a small herd even now in the 21st Century.
11/30/2007
Which breed produces the most tasty Ibérico
I had heard from several sources in Spain, including breeders in Spain that a 100% pure bred cerdo Ibérico is not the best source for Ibérico Bellota ham. That sounded counter-intuitive to me.
So, through Jamie, head of La Tienda's office in Spain, I had an enlightening conversation Antonio Gázquez Ortíz the other day about what breed makes the best Jamón Ibérico?
Antonio is a man of extraordinary breadth. A department head at the University of Extremadura at Caceres, he is a research scientist, renowned gastronome, and devoted father.
More to the point, he is perhaps the world leading authority concerning Jamón Ibérico. (You can read about him in an update I wrote for La Tienda entitled "The Professor of Jamón" (http://www.tienda.com/reference/updates.html?update=7088)
His reply is that there are some companies, including industry leader Sánchez Romero Carvajal in Jabugo, Huelva that do raise pure 100% Ibérico hogs. Their famous brand Cinco Jotas '5Js' also includes ham products from "cruzados” (meaning 75% Cerdo Iberico 25% Duroc). The law requires a clear distinction. You can say Iberico 100% Puro or Iberico Cruzado. To be a cruzado it must be at least 75%.
The 100% Iberico Puro has a lot more fat, and therefor is very flavorful. Senor Vázquez pointed out that a 100% Iberico requires about one more year in the Bodega, extending the curing time up to 40-42 months. He cautioned that extra time curing in bodega translates into to a much higher cost.
Personally, Antonio prefers to eat a cruzado. He believes that the meat has a more enjoyable flavor.
11/13/2007
Know what you are getting.
From the beginning of our quest I have been concerned that people will be able to sort through the complexity of the subject of Spanish hams. It has taken us many years in the trenches to understand it ourselves. In particular I worry that a person thinks he is economizing when he is actually getting a different product that will be disappointing to him.
For example, a jamon serrano is a completely differet ham that any of the Iberico hams. Because it is less expensive, does that mean that Jamon serrano is a budget purchase? Certainly not, it means that it is a different product, raised a different way from a different source.
One could triple the price he paid for a Jamon serrano and it still would not be comparable to a jamon Iberico. Pigs do not change their hoofs, any more than leopards change their spots!
I am sure most of you understand this. But what about jamon Iberico and jamon Iiberico Bellota? Unlike the jamon serrano which comes from a white pig, are not the Ibericos not the same animal, whether or not they are Bellota?
Yes they are genetically the same, but that huge amont of acorns ingested by the Bellota produces a significantly different ham. We all know that corn fed beef is a different product than range bred beef. So it is from the two Iberico hams.
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