Soon.
Labels are approved, Jamones are ready, Purchase Order made, waiting on the Veterinary Service certification in Spain (equivalent to the UDSA) for the export. This is the Spanish Holy Week (Semana Santa) so I am guessing probably the week of the 17th they will be shipped. Then it will be at the hands of the FDA and Customs to see how long it takes them to release the Jamones. All the T’s are crossed and the i’s dotted but the Dayton airport probably has never gotten a shipment of Jamones from Spain so…???
Is it too late to order one? Is it too warm to ship to sunny South Carolina?
What is the status of the olive oil and cheese rounds?
Hey Paul, both your packages arrived at your office yesterday afternoon! (I emailed you privately with the tracking numbers).
No, it is not too late to order the Jamon. My shipment of the Jamon is due to arrive this coming week. As far as shipping the Jamon, I believe they will be fine to ship in the warmer temperatures. Jamon is safe at room temperature and the hang in every bar, restaurant, Jamon museum, etc throughout Spain regardless if there is AC or not. The boneless type and blocks will need faster shipping or ship in cooler temps.
My only significant delay of product is the Modena vinegar and it is held up at the port due to the Freight Forwarder’s error. Their office is closed due to Easter, but I have already made a formal complaint to get my container here, like yesterday!
Uh, the Manchego rocks!
That is awesome news Nola. I do not remember reviewing tracking numbers so I will need to check my junk email folder. I was out of the office Friday for the holiday so hopefully none of my coworkers absconded with my goods.
All this ham talk has me thinking about the time in 2000 we went to Portugal and brought my MIL with us. On the trip back I was lugging this ridiculously heavy bag belonging to my MIL. I asked my wife to find out why it was so heavy (I do not speak Portuguese) It had a whole Porca Preto presunto leg that she brought decided we needed here in the USA. At that time customs apparently was not interested in little old Grandmas dressed in black and not speaking any english. They just waived her through. Thank you Señora Ana. ![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers"){kind=small}
I have an update on the Jamones. The first order will be Reservas not the Gran Reservas. ![[oops.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/1/1f129ddad071ffe5db6c99817c3cab666035a70a.gif "oops"){kind=small}
The difference is 3 months of the aging. The Grand Reservas are not quite ready yet as they were salted in Feb 2016, so he is sending me the Reservas. The order is prepared and the producer is waiting on the Veterinary inspection by the PIF (PUNTOS DE INSPECCIÓN FRONTERIZOS) Spanish equivalent of the USDA/ FDA.
FRONTERIZOS The Reservas are a bit bigger than the Grand Reservas. I will stand behind the Reservas, but if anyone wants to wait until I bring in another shipment I will respect that. Right now, since I have not gotten the first shipment in yet, I don’t know when the next will ship.
The Jamoneras (Jamon Stand) and knives I am importing in are pictured below.
Initial prices will be around $75 for the combo. I am expecting them by around the 8th of May~
David, I used to smuggle the Jamones in with my ski equipment…many years ago!!
Update!!! The jamones got stuck in Chicago over the weekend, but as of 4:30 pm they were due to arrive in Dayton around 9pm tonight. They are scheduled to be reviewed by both Customs and USDA tomorrow morning around 11am. As soon as I get the release I am picking them up and will start getting them all shipped out. I do have the Jamoneros and knives coming as well. That ship is due to arrive to the port of New York on Thursday the 4th, once it gets cleared and off loaded it will be two to three days via rail. I will unload the container organize the contents and start shipping out right away. In the mean time I will be getting the Jamoneros up on my website as soon as possible.
![[dance-clap.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/8/835ce082e2fa9c96c4b7f96406bf6e9a0db882ff.gif "[dance-clap.gif]"){kind=small}
What is everyone going to wash their first slice down with?
Get the wines lined up, but don’t pop the corks just yet, I still have some fighting to do. We have a team of hillbillies for USDA and Customs agents here in Ohio that apparently don’t understand that the facilities in Spain that are approved are approved. You cannot imagine the ordeal this has been. I will never ship into Dayton again…Cincinnati or Chicago and I’ll drive my own truck to pick up. Right now they want me to ship the Jamones to Detroit to a meat inspection facility… ![[soap.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/a/a7ea1fffd3ef237e8f19d17a83270ad8452218ca.gif "soap"){kind=small}
I asked him if he gets many Jamons in, he said no… nuf said…
I will go down ![[berserker.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/8/8600bbd4810d342b8fbd4ffb62b4f0026275fd37.gif "berserker"){kind=small}
first. Lets see if the USDA Supervisor in Chicago can make them understand…
The holding facilitydid let me take some pictures!!! ![[wow.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/7/7d450e9830889c8943b674446a21b7254cad657e.gif "wow"){kind=small}
Okay!! 
A huge hurdle overcome! There are 2 government entities that have to sign off on the Jamones. USDA FSIS and US Customs & Border Control / APHIS. Both agencies initially rejected the shipment for a couple of reasons, but the biggest one I solved today. Apparently APHIS uses a manual to guide them on inspection and the first thing they do is match the number of the Jamon Establishment with the list of approved producers in the manual. There are currently up to 42 numbers allotted but only 24 eligible plants (including the slaughter houses). In the manual there are only 8 listed and yes, my ![[snort.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/b/bdc3944606213c4dca6c1169cf0a166c8bc4f8c9.gif "snort.gif"){kind=small}
producer was not on that list, so it is though the Jamons were contraband. They started saying I had to produce all these certificates for producers not approved…so I took it to Washington. I was able to show the supervisor at FSIS that my producer and many others were not on the list and this was a big hold up not just for these hams, but for all the other 16 establishment too. APHIS will be updating their manual and the rest will be added. FREE THE HAMS!!!
So I ended having a conference call with the US Customs and Border Control agent, the agent from FSIS and my Customs Broker;DA DA DA DAAA APHIS has released the Jamones…provisionally. Now, I have to drive two pallets of Jamon to an I-House (Inspection House) with the USDA FSIS in either Detroit or Chicago and have the physical inspection done. Once this is done the Jamones will be released. I don’t believe this is a quick look see and they are done, I am thinking a week or so… All my paperwork is in order and each Jamon is registered and tagged so this should not be a difficult process…but still a process. I don’t know how soon or if there is a backlog but as soon as I know I will keep everyone posted. I have to say this one aged me… 
Nola, I’ll bet you’re sorry you ever offered these up about now.
Does this initial hurdle jumping clear the way to make it easier with subsequent shipments?
I am still elated to offer these. You can bet I will be the first to enjoy some Jamón and a nice bottle of Veleta Tempranillo when I get them here! The experience is invaluable to me and to the producer. And it makes it MUCH easier for the next shipment. The FSIS knows me now and I have just made their job easier. Likewise for APHIS, the customs agent here was really happy that I found the error and insisted on someone fixing it. Any of those other 18 facilities would have automatically gone into rejection mode and required lots of paperwork for everyone and delay or loss of sales. For me, and my customs broker, we’ve got this down for all futures. I learned that all hams have to have a physical inspection at an FSIS Inspection facility and I did not realize that. Next time it won’t leave Chicago or Detroit without one. If APHIS had not released it I would have had to ship it back to the facility in a dedicated refrigerated truck under bond. That would have been very costly probably in excess of a $2000. Now, I can rent a reefer truck and drive it myself and pick it up once it passes. Almost there!
Sounds like you had to jump through a bunch of hurdles.
thanks for the updates Nola.
I want pictures of Nola driving a reefer truck. Good work girl!
The Jamones have been Liberated!!!
Just returned from driving to Detroit where they were inspected and released!!! Reward time!!!
I am in freaking HEAVEN!!!
A little toasted baguette sliced, drizzled w some new V EVOO and THIS Jamón… I should stop eating and save some for tomorrow!!! You’re going to be VERY happy with these Jamones!!!
Quite the exciting international adventure. ![[popcorn.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/1/1ca9f29573458cca2424a66a50d6c1261081dd3e.gif "[popcorn.gif]"){kind=small}
Congratulations on your victory over bureaucracy!