I am not sure for how long a Spanish ham lasts at home. Looking at my parents’ chunky shapes and at my rosy cheeks after 3 weeks of mama’s food, I am guessing not for too long. Every time I come home for Christmas the ham ritual is initiated when my mum announces to the rest of the family that the old ham is finished and we need to buy a new one. Buying a Spanish ham is like buying a good quality turkey for Thanksgiving: not every turkey tastes or costs the same. A ham can go from 60 EUR or so to thousands. I once met a Spanish diplomat who told me that the Spanish ham should be a hidden secret of the Spanish gastronomy and that we should stop exporting it abroad. Hygiene-conscious Americans and their multiple and complicated phyto-sanitary rules, haven’t allowed Obamaland to enjoy the taste of this Spanish delicacy until very soon. Pigs are very dangerous animals in terms of exporting diseases. True. My grandma used to say that pigs are great because you can eat almost every part of it…but that it is probably the less hygienic farming animal. Pigs are piggy indeed.
So, today when my mum informed that the ham had arrived from Salamanca I looked at my father’s face of rejoice while sharpening the knifes and took some shots. The pictures speak by themselves. It has never been more difficult than today to keep with my self-imposed vegetarianism going on.
I am not sure for how long a Spanish ham lasts at home. Looking at my parents’ chunky shapes and at my rosy cheeks after 3 weeks of mama’s food, I am guessing not for too long. Every time I come home for Christmas the ham ritual is initiated when my mum announces to the rest of the family that the old ham is finished and we need to buy a new one. Buying a Spanish ham is like buying a good quality turkey for Thanksgiving: not every turkey tastes or costs the same. A ham can go from 60 EUR or so to thousands. I once met a Spanish diplomat who told me that the Spanish ham should be a hidden secret of the Spanish gastronomy and that we should stop exporting it abroad. Hygiene-conscious Americans and their multiple and complicated phyto-sanitary rules, haven’t allowed Obamaland to enjoy the taste of this Spanish delicacy until very soon. Pigs are very dangerous animals in terms of exporting diseases. True. My grandma used to say that pigs are great because you can eat almost every part of it…but that it is probably the less hygienic farming animal. Pigs are piggy indeed.
So, today when my mum informed that the ham had arrived from Salamanca I looked at my father’s face of rejoice while sharpening the knifes and took some shots. The pictures speak by themselves. It has never been more difficult than today to keep with my self-imposed vegetarianism going on.
Comments
So now that you know that, go on and enjoy some Spanish ham.
The one at your place looks great Meris, you should invite me to have some.
Happy Holidays