Iberico

Today I was blessed enough to have a taste of the rare commodity that is Jamon Iberico from a blessed person who just arrived from Spain. I shamelessly devoured half the plate that was served over merienda, failing to muster any containment whatsoever, held down only by the appreciation of the iberico as I most appreciatively and slowly chewed.

As a matter of fact, I believe I have seen some iberico in Barcino's. But of course there is always something extra special when the goods have really just arrived from its source. Like when Ilonggos arrive with chicken from Tatoy's  that you know was just cooked a few hours ago. Or Cebu lechon just flown in ... woooow. That's what this felt like.

Jamon Iberico is like Wagyu beef. They are derived from special animals from specific areas in the world and are special because the animals have been raised with the end goal of achieving the best meat possible. While the Wagyu beef come from cattle from the Kobe region in Japan, the Jamon Iberico comes from pigs from southern Spain. Both follow diets that are intended to fatten them up.

The result is amazing, with the fat most notable. The taste is very refined; with just a hint of sweetness against the muted bold flavor of the pig meat. A very rare treat, indeed.

There is no sincerer love than the love of food. - George Bernard Shaw