Barcelona food shopping

[Bux]

Bux, How was the Ham anyway?

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As I noted in one of my posts on the Fancy Food Show in NY:

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There was one booth offering what was labeled Serrano ham. I neglected to get into a discussion about the provenance of the pigs and current situation regarding USDA approval of ham from pigs raised and slaughtered in Spain. The jamon was excellent, but I didn't think it was up to what I had in Spain. I don't know why. Maybe machine slicing, maybe it's not from Spanish pigs, -- the last I heard they were only allowing hams cured in Spain, but from pigs raised and slaughtered in Denmark -- and of course I can't discount the psychological role of ambience and place. It was nonetheless, excellent.

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When I went back the next day, I managed to ask my question and get an answer. I thought my second taste was better than the first, perhaps it was the power of suggestion, but still not up to the quality of the better ham I've had in Spain. I was hesitant to report my discussion on the site because I was frankly unsure I had spoken to the right person and didn't want to pass on misinformation.

[dfunghi]

I did find a good source for Joselito Iberico in BCN, although honestly I did not taste that big of a difference from some of the other top shelf Iberico. For those interested Ravell has it most of the time.

[Silly Disciple]

I did find a good source for Joselito Iberico in BCN, although honestly I did not taste that big of a difference from some of the other top shelf Iberico. For those interested  Ravell has it most of the time.

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So does Lonja de Tapas, in the Born. I've talked about this place in the value thread.

SD

[KatieLoeb]

I'll just repeat the prior suggestions that I'd bring back:

As much wine as I could carry.

As much good olive oil as I could carry.

Canned goods one cannot get here - pates, tuna in olive oil, etc.

Big honking slabs of membrillo.

Cheeses.

Almonds.

Pimenton in all three flavors - dulce (sweet), agridulce (bittersweet) and picante (hot).

Saffron.

Flor de Sal - good sea salt, often combined with other flavors like ground olives or hibiscus.

Other spices and herbs that are of good caliber there (I seem to recall the most delicious smelling bay leaves in Spain)

[docsconz]

Just yesterday I heated a can of tuna stuffed piquillo peppers that I brought back from Spain for lunch. They were excellent.

[FoodMan]

No ham from Spanish-raised pigs is sold in the US today - period. As for the future Ibérico, please go back to my July 18 post.

BTW, the Parma/Ibérico part of this thread, if seen from anywhere but the US, where Ibérico is mostly an urban legend since it can't be found, gets funnier every day. In Europe, the greatness of Joselito as the best ham producer in the world is now a basic tenet of every foodie's credo! My Italian friends come to Salamanca in pilgrimage just to see the place...

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That is really baffling, I was under the impression that the problem is with the way/where the pigs are slaughtered not the place of their rearing. Why would the raising of the pigs be a problem? Is their diet?

Elie

[Bux]

No ham from Spanish-raised pigs is sold in the US today - period. As for the future Ibérico, please go back to my July 18 post.

. . . .

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That is really baffling, I was under the impression that the problem is with the way/where the pigs are slaughtered not the place of their rearing. Why would the raising of the pigs be a problem? Is their diet?

Elie

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There are no "relaxed rules" for Ibérico ham in the US. The only thing that's changed (and it's important because it unblocks the situation) is that the USDA has recently given permission to the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture to inspect candidate slaughterhouses and certify those that meet USDA regulations. Once certified, they can start producing ham for the US. Considering the legal aging periods, even if the Ministry acts quickly and certifies a couple of slaughterhouses in the next few months, there won't be any Ibérico on the US market before 2007 or so.

Right now, declaring Spanish ham or pork products at US Customs is a surefire method to lose it all.

http://elmundovino.elmundo.es/elmundovino/...icia=1119251191

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Going back to that July 18 post, it seems that Victor is saying the certification of slaughterhouses is the problem. I suspect the herding or even shipping of livestock to Denmark from Spain and the return of the carcasses is just too cumbersome or costly a process.