Let's be honest, the first thing that comes to mind when I see a leg of jamón is young Javier Bardem portraying, Raúl, a quintessential hombre machismo in the Spanish film Jamón, Jamón. Go see the movie and you'll know what I'm talking about. However, this is a blog about FOOD so let's get to it!
Jamón is a staple in Spanish cuisine. You can find entire legs of jamón sold in grocery stores and a Spanish kitchen is not complete unless it has one sitting on the counter for everyone to see. When you want to make a ham sandwich, instead of reaching for the fridge door, you grab a knife and cut it right off the bone. I saw this happen for the first time when I ordered a ham and cheese sandwich at a café while studying abroad in Alicante, and I was completely shocked. However, since then I have grown to love a perfectly thin slice of Jamón Ibérico with a glass of Rioja. I have even sought out the best places to buy it without breaking the bank. The winner is: Jamones Casa Diego in my hood, the Realejo.
My next post will be about what most Spaniards consider to be the best jamón in the world!
