BETSY'S GUEST BLOG

Hammin’ It Up!

I just couldn’t decide what to “blog”!  There were so many wonderful sights and experiences from which I could choose……that I couldn’t choose.  So finally I simply decided to share what I learned about one of my favorite subjects in any country…..food!  I did not know that Spanish people really love ham!

Like in the U.S., you can have ham for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Over the course of our two weeks in Spain, we probably did have ham for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  And it was quite tasty!  But, it just felt to me like the Spaniards are particularly passionate about their jamón (ham)!  I mean we even saw a Museo del Jamón (Museum of Ham) in Madrid.  As is turns out, this is the name of a bar.  Travel writer Rick Steves calls the Museum of Ham a “stand-up bar (with famously rude service)” that is “tastefully decorated – unless you’re a pig (or a vegetarian).”

Rows and rows of whole legs of pigs including the hoof were on display in shop windows in every city that we visited, so I think it’s quite common to purchase the entire leg of ham, as well as buying it sliced.  On our flight from Madrid to Sevilla, I saw what appeared to be several businessmen boarding the flight each holding a leg of ham wrapped in paper (you know, as a carry-on item!).

Here’s what I learned from additional research after returning home.  The best ham is the jamón iberico.  It comes from a line of ancient black pigs originating in Spain that have a different DNA sequence than traditional pink pigs.  The secret, it seems, is that they are “happier” and fatter pigs; raised in a more stress-free open environment, fed acorns, and slaughtered much later than regular pigs. Their fat composition is very high in mono unsaturated fatty acids on par with extra virgin olive oil.  These are the good fats that raise our good HDL values while lowering the bad LDL cholesterol values.  Jamón iberico is specially prepared and cured over two years to deliver a sweet and unique nutty flavor.  However, as with anything that tastes this good, it does not come cheap.  From what I have read, this ham sells from $17 to $32 per pound.  I guess that why it was always served in very thin slices.

Here’s one last ham tidbit from Rick Steves:  “Spaniards treasure memories of grandpa thinly carving a jamon, supported in a jamonero (ham-holder), during Christmas, just as we savor the turkey-carving at Thanksgiving.”  And with that, let me wish all my readers a Happy Thanksgiving!