"Jabugo air dried acorn fed ham from Jabugo, Huelva Spain and Proscuitto di Parma from Parma, Emilia Romagna, Italia ... "
Margi, do you know it's only within recent years we in the US have been able to import /buy these hams. The US dept of agriculure or some gov't body had a restriction on imports like these so as not to compete with local produced hams. I think these regulations have changed long enough now, that I don't remember. I have yet to see Iberian hams made from acorn fed pigs in a market though. I suspect one woujld need to place a Very Special Order and hope that no one koshed you on the head while unobtusively leaving the market with your purchase in a very plain un-marked wrapper tucked inside a generic grocery bag. LOL
Some things are costly because they are rare, and some things are costly because of the quality from their begining growth cylce. until the many months it takes for them to cure long after the ham has been made. I think Iberian hams fall within both categories.
PS. My grandfather was a Meat - packer? I think that's what they call this job. His job with a reputable company was to make smoked hams which were hoisted to the rafters of a big building that I remember as a kid, to hang for months. The Hams that is. I wasn't strung up. (Although I wasn't a model grandchild) . I think his hams tasted good. That was years ago. Now, their hams are mostly injected and are turned out to the grocer's shelf in lightning speed.
That is different kinds of ham. Hamm. I think is good in its many forms. Right up there with Bacon. Mmmm bacon. The other best part of Pigs.
PPS. How far we have come. Around. Our local city now allows Chickens to be grown in your back yard for personal use. And the City Council last year revised laws for commercial gardens. I wonder how soon we will be able to grow our own back yard pigs, beyond Pot Belly Pets.
Mmmm Pork.