No matter what part of Spain you’re in, you’re assured of a feast of incredible meats, organic produce and stellar wine.
Salamanca ham
At the Restaurante Don Mauro in the main square at Salamanca — the north western Spanish town once ruled by the Celts and Romans — we sit under the stone eyes of Teresa of Avila and Miguel Cervantes as our waiter follows up cheese croquettas and duck salad with a platter of finely sliced chorizo, salchichon, lomo and jamón — this is no ordinary ham; it is jamón ibérico from black pigs or wild boar. I am advised to let the ham sweat a little before eating it to release its fats. Sliced paper-thin, this is chewy, soft, smooth, salty, and clean — a complex, incredibly light mouth feel difficult to describe, but quite addictive. I later read that the distinct taste comes from the oleic acid-rich acorns that the pigs have been fed. I think the mountain air adds to it too.
Just to digress a bit, in Spain, hams have their own DOs i.e., labels of origin and classifications from bodega to reserva and grand reserva (aged five years). Within ibérico hams, jamón ibérico bellota signifies that you are having the true champagne of hams. Bellota is Spanish for acorns and to make this cut (it gets a Black Label status) purebred black pigs, that are fed acorns, are allowed to roam free in oak forests in the mountains. Their ham is cured and dried in mountain air for a few months up to five years, and is amongst the great hams of the world along with Parma from Italy and Bayonne from France.
Denne historien er fra July 2016-utgaven av Man's World.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra July 2016-utgaven av Man's World.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Most Expensive Made-In-India Cars
From Mercedes limousines to variants of the flagship Land Rover, a surprising number of luxury flagship models are now locally assembled or produced in India
Making Noise In Quiet
Manik Handa of Eudaemon explains what it truly takes to define quiet luxury in India’s crowded retail market
Luggage Travails of a Frequent Flyer
Luxury and semi-luxury luggage are the new fashion frontier amongst the Indian jet set. Our writer though recommends extreme caution, unless you are the kind who can afford to fly in private jets
Ruling The Street
Either through imitation or rejection, streetwear continues to dominate the wardrobe of young India. We talk to those who follow the scene closely to understand its rise in status
Street Cred
Royal Enfield’s Guerrilla 450 is a thoroughly fun and exciting motorcycle—it is not that the Himalayan has just tidied up for a visit to the city
Now Serving.Indigenous India
India's culinary scene is buzzing with a quiet revolution, fueled by a vibrant comeback of hyperlocal ingredients. This movement isn't just about digging up fresh, local produce from across the nation—it's about rediscovering the deep, rich tapestry of India's diverse culinary heritage
CHAITANYA AKKINENI OF OLD LOVES AND NEW
The Akkineni-Daggubati family scion is starting a new phase, and life is looking more exciting than ever
Independence Movement
As we step into India's 77th year of Independence, we're shining the spotlight on four stunning timepieces, all designed from within the nation's borders
Precision in Motion
How Alain Zobrist and Omega Time the Olympics
The New Frontier
While India witnesses a massive growth in the number of global skincare brands entering the market, an increasing number of homegrown brands takeover the space and trust among consumers
