For the Love of Jamon
Throughout my sojourn across Spain last week was there was a constant. Yes, the terrific regional wines were the starring attraction and the trip as a whole was a welcome opportunity to taste those from places that I had yet to visit, specifically Rueda and Calatayud. But another mainstay of the trip was the king of dry cured hams, jamon iberico.
At virtually every meal (including breakfast), midday snack, or simply as a palate chaser, there was a platter of thinly, expertly sliced jamon somewhere in the immediate vicinity at every winery, restaurant, bar or rest stop we visited. If we Americans take pride in our love affair for beef (actually the Argentines eat more), then you get an idea of how much the Spanish enjoy their jamon. Want more proof? Well, within a few city blocks of my hotel in Madrid, I counted four jamon establishments, including two Museo de Jamon locations.
Jamon iberico de bellota comes from the black footed pata negra pig that subsists on a diet of wild acorns. It differs from other quality hams like Italian prosciutto di Parma or French jambon de Bayonne by its unusual food source and how long the meat is cured: usually a minimum of 36 months. The flavors of iberico are creamy, nutty, rich, moist and sublime. And due to consuming all those acorns (and the long aging), it’s actually healthy for you: iberico de bellota is high in oleic acid (just like olive oil), which apparently is good for lowering bad cholesterol.
One final anecdote: should you travel to Spain via Barajas Aeropuerto in Madrid, you can purchase a whole designer suitcase of jamon (black hoof and all) at the duty free shop. You’re then free to take your delicious jamon luggage with you virtually anywhere in the world…except the USA!! :(
Jim Greeley, SW Florida Wine Supervisor
Follow me on Twitter @ABCWineJimG
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