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| 2005-10-11 | Hamtastic: Spanish Ham |
Hamtastic: Spanish Ham
by: Richard Robinson
HAMTASTIC!
THE ONE AND ONLY SPANISH HAM
Theres more to Jamn Ibrico than meets the eye. Those waxy haunches that hang above every other bar, from Bilbao to Benalmadena, are not just any old hams. There is a story behind them - an encyclopaedic body of knowledge, a raft of rules and regulations and a plethora of skills and crafts. The transcendentally superlative (according to Ford, of whom more below) Spanish Hams stlimousinesmontreal.net">info">and some comparison with fine wines - for the strict demarcation of their areas, for the rigorous methods of production, the fastidious denomination and classification, the quality controls, the testing and the tasting. Jamn is quintessentially Spanish, the product of a unique pig on a very special diet. It comes from defined areas in the southwest of Spain, notably the Provinces of Badajoz and Cceres in Extremadura, and the Province of Huelva in Andaluca.
The word dehesa, according to my dictionary, means pasture or meadow. In reality it means something more poetic. It is that rolling country of rich winter grasses and wild flowers, through which rounded boulders sometimes swell, and across whose expanse the dwarf oak thrives, dispersed at seemingly regulated intervals. The dehesas of southwest Spain nearly a million hectares of them - present a pastoral, almost park-like prospect, sylvan and welcoming, an appropriate home for the aristocrat of the hog world, the Iberian pig. These black and bristly descendants of the Iberian boar enjoy an enviable early life, rooting and wallowing on the open dehesas for a year or more, before their appointment with the slaughterman.
Pigs have forever been important in these parts, even residing in the homes of the farmers in days gone by. In the early 1830s the travel writer, Richard Ford, recorded: They return from the woods at night, of their own accord, and without a swines general. On entering the hamlet, all set off at a full gallop, like a legion possessed with devils, in a handicap for home, into which each single pig turns, never making a mistake. We have more than once been caught in one of these pig-deluges, and nearly carried away horse and all..
The authorities of Extremadura have recognised the touristic, as well as the epicurean and commercial importance of ham to their area, and designated a Route of Ham, for the ham gastronome and the porcine enthusiast alike. It was visiting one of the towns on the route, Jerez de los Caballeros, that we met Julio, the technical director of Dehesa de Extremadura, the main governing body for Jamn. In this town of time-worn stone, the cradle of many stubbly conquistadors, we talked pig and we talked ham, and we talked, briefly, about the transition of the one to the other.
This middle bit I will gloss over, because Im squeamish, but of the pig in the field and the ham on the plate, I am endlessly enthusiastic. To witness the former we piled into a car along with a registered vet called Fernando and headed for a nearby farm, bumping along a drive and going through a gate to arrive into the middle of a real dehesa. The dusky porkers flocked around us in a pig-deluge, grunting contentedly while raising moist snouts to the car, quivering with curiosity. Why do they do that? I wondered.
maybe they are glad to see us?, Fernando tried. It was not so much a joke as a case of mistaken identity. Because, he continued, They perhaps confuse us with the vareadores. This word was a new one on me, and it referred to the herdsman who is armed with a long stick with a rope attached to the end. With this simple implement, the vareadore shakes, agitates and whips at the upper branches of the oak, causing bellotas, or acorns to fall to the ground. The pigs go for them like truffle hounds, each consuming eight to ten kilos a day from late October through to March when they pile-on some 60 percent to their body weight. Lush dehesa grasses and rhizomes are on the menu, too. Ford reckoned that the Duke of Arcos also fed snakes to his hogs, but its the acorns that the pigs love above all else. First the fruit of the gall oak, later that of the ilex and, later in the season, that of the cork oak. These latter produce the biggest acorns and Julio picked up a handful to show us. They were each as big as my thumb and as shiny as polished mahogany.
After a short but apparently happy life the porkers are converted (I try not to think about this too much) into their constituent cuts of meat, of which the selected hind legs are known as jamones and the smaller forelegs as paletas. The curing process takes place at low temperatures and it is for this reason that the famous ham towns of Spain are all up in the hills, where cold winters may be relied upon places like Montanchez, Calera de Leon and Jerez in Extremadura; Jabugo in Andaluca. Each of the ham towns has a curing plant or two on its fringes, where the freshly-quartered limbs are packed in salt and left for approximately one day per kilo of its weight. They are removed and washed in fresh water before transferring to a drying room, where they are hung for 35-60 days at a temperature between 3-6 degrees centigrade. Next they spend 6-18 months maturing and curing in a warmer bodega. Throughout, temperature, ventilation and relative humidity are closely controlled. In the later phases, hams are tested for firmness, and a pointed ox-bone is occasionally inserted and withdrawn to be subjected to olfactory testing by the controller. He has the practised sense of smell of wine-taster and will award each ham its deserved title. From here the hams will usually spend some time resting in a bar before being served as raciones or tapas. Or they may be wrapped whole in coloured paper and given away for Christmas.
Hams make a popular and very welcome gift in Spanish households. They are also the subject of numerous concursos or competitions, both for the qualities of the hams themselves and for the skills of the curing managers. The slicers, too, get their chance of fleeting celebrity. Invariably men and dressed in regulation waistcoat and bow tie, they line up for the cameras and the judges, a clamp securing their ham from which they carve paper-thin with a rapier-like sword.
The labels of authentication to look for are Dehesa de Extremadura or Jamn de Huelva. The best hams are those of pure Iberian pigs fed on a diet of acorns These will bear a red label reading jamn Ibrico de bellota that guarantees the most succulent, delicious and fragrant of hams as well as the highest price tag by far. Next comes Jamn Ibrico de de recebo, followed in descending order by de campo. These are also excellent but from pigs raised on a diet only partly of acorns. There are a couple of popular misconceptions to watch out for. Jamn Serrano is the less good relative, derived from white pigs that are often intensively raised. Hams named after famous towns like Montanchez and Jabugo, or after the much fancied black trotter or pata negra hog are not much more than trade names they may be great, or they may be indifferent. Its the Ibrico in the name thats all important, and the highest accolade of bellota, or acorn-fed .
While intensification and deforestation have wreaked havoc with delicate farming ecosystems across much of Europe over the last fifty years, the continued popularity of high quality, premium-priced jamn has ensured that the unique Spanish dehesa landscapes have survived relatively unscathed. In this notable victory of conservation, the Iberian pig has played an unwitting though heroic role.
THIS ARTICLE FIRST APPEARED IN LIVING SPAIN MAGAZINE, A UK MONTHLY.
Source: http://www.articlecity.com/
| 2005-10-11 | European Cruise - Not All Barges Are the Same! |
European Cruise - Not All Barges Are the Same!
by: Colin Hartness
What image comes to mind when you hear the word barge? Most likely, an American will visualize a long low-slung cargo vessel situated on a river or the Great Lakes, dirty and loaded with coal or iron ore. The idea of a barge cruise may be reminiscent of an old black info">and white movie where the hero leaves home at a young age on a cheap tramp steamer to seek his fortune in the great world beyond. Or a barge cruise might bring to mind long-haired hippies of the 1960s traveling through Europe on $3 a day. Nothing could be further from the truth!
The only resemblance between an American cargo barge and a European cruising barge is the long low-slung shape and overall proportions. A European cruising barge is, in reality, an exclusive and elegant means of travel. These barges are also called floating hotels due to the preponderance of amenities and staff.
Forget the thought of a tiny pigeon-hole stateroom just above the waterline of a 2,000 passenger cruise ship. All staterooms in a floating hotel are spacious and well-appointed, more like suites that you find on a cruise ship. Staterooms typically feature twin beds and a private bath. On luxury barge cruises, you will find even larger cabins and modern conveniences such as TV, jacuzzi, and computer hook-up. You have all the amenities of home, including air conditioning, carpeting, a commons area, a dining area and, of course, a bar.
The European barge cruise is an intimate and personal experience as barges typically accommodate as few as 4 people up to as many as 24. Each barge is staffed with a personal chef who prepares gourmet meals from locally purchased ingredients to please guests as well as a captain who pilots the vessel and stateroom staff. A cruise with 6 people can be served by as many as 4 staff members.
Barge cruises are available on most of the rivers and canals in Europe. You can experience up-close the beauty and cultural sites of Belgium, England, France, Germany, Holland, Ireland, or Scotland. The pace of a barge cruise is leisurely. The itinerary includes stopping at historic and cultural places of interest along the cruising route. You can sightsee on foot or on bicycles that are available onboard. On barge cruise operator even provides an air-conditioned touring bus to takes passengers to local points of interest at each stop along the way. What a change of pace from the hotel hopping of a bus trip! Just depart from the barge in the morning, enjoy a day of sightseeing and return to the quiet of a private dining room where a gourmet meal is waiting.
The price of a European barge cruise, like all other cruises, varies based upon the cruise line, the accommodations selected, the area visited, and the season (high or low). However, a quiet and personal barge cruise can be had for a price competitive with a Caribbean cruise, without airfare of course. The barge cruise price usually includes accommodations, 3 meals a day, beverage service that includes wines and spirits, and pre-arranged sightseeing tours. And these barge cruises cater to the American tourist by providing English speaking crew members.
Source: http://www.articlecity.com/
| 2005-10-11 | Authenticity of Eskimo Inuit Art & Native Indian Art |
Authenticity of Eskimo Inuit Art & Native Indian Art
by: Clint Leung
Both Inuit Eskimo art and Native American art have gained international recognition as valuable art forms over the past few decades. However, the rising popularity of both Inuit Eskimo art and Native American art has resulted in the increased proliferation of imitations and mass-produced reproductions of original Native arts. Some obvious fakes are made in Asia from molds where the finished pieces are forms of plastic, resin or ceramic.
Other fakes are actually made of cast stone simulating actual Inuit Eskimo art carvings and wood for imitation Native American carvings. These fakes, which are harder to distinguish from authentic artwork, are often hand carved reproductions of an original piece of artwork. Workshops have illegally reproduced hundreds of copies without the artisans permission. The counterfeiting companies would then attach some type of tag that claims the fake pieces were influenced by aboriginal artisans and even background information on the Native designs used in the artwork. Some even go as far as adding in Inuit syllabics on the bottom of the fake Inuit Eskimo art carvings.
These are very deceptive tactics on their part since they give the consumers the impression that the imitations are authentic and income producing for the aboriginal communities.
Fakes and imitations have lowered the image of authentic Inuit Eskimo art and Native American art. Sales of genuine aboriginal artwork have declined which in turn have deprived aboriginal artisans of income. The argument against these claims is that not every consumer can afford to buy authentic Inuit Eskimo art or Native American art so the souvenir level reproductions legitimately meet this part of the market. The imitations, which are usually low priced, enable students visiting Canada for example, to bring home a Canadian souvenir without breaking their travel budget. This claim would have more support from Native communities if aboriginal artisans were paid a fair royalty as income for each imitation and reproduction piece sold. However, this is seldom the case since most of the time, no royalties are paid at all.
The obvious fakes can be spotted quite easily. An imitation of an Inuit Eskimo art carving spotted at a gift shop was not made of stone as it was not cold to the touch. It was very light in weight unlike a stone which has some mass to it. The detail and the bottom of the piece had the molded look to it. There was even a sticker on the bottom with the company name Wolf Originals. Side by side comparisons of similar pieces in the souvenir store revealed that they were all identical in every detail, which is impossible for original artwork.
A black totem pole had a very flat uniform back and bottom again giving away the fact that it came from a mold. Other totem poles made from wood or mixed wood with a claim that they were hand painted were among many similar pieces in the store. All of these examples were each priced less than $20 Canadian which was another indicator that they were not original artwork.
Imitations of Inuit Eskimo art sculptures were recently spotted for sale in shops located at major Canadian airports. From a distance, these Inuit Eskimo art sculptures of hunters, polar bears and Inuit women with children looked very authentic. However, each piece had several identical copies on the same shelf.
To avoid accidentally buying a fake or imitation, it is suggested that consumers buy Inuit Eskimo art and Native American art from only reputable galleries and dealers rather than from tourist souvenir shops. A piece of original, authentic Inuit Eskimo art or Native American art is one of a kind. There should be no other identical pieces on the shelves. In addition, original Inuit Eskimo art carvings should come with an Igloo tag (or sticker) which is a Canadian government registered trademark. Inuit Eskimo art carvings that are certified by the Canadian government to be handmade by Inuit artisans, come with Igloo tags.
Source: http://www.articlecity.com/
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