For Bowden And Fleming: Country Ham Goes Big Time!

Epicurean Exploits - Food and Recipes
1

That’s right, an article in Salon about the next bacon!

http://www.salon.com/food/faddy_foods/index.html?story=/food/francis_lam/2010/03/18/faddy_food_country_ham_the_next_bacon" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

2

Love me some Country Ham…Salty goodness.

3

Thanks, John.

Where I was raised, in the NE corner of North Carolina, everyone said the “best” hams were those from peanut-fed pigs. By law, a “Smithfield ham” had to come from a peanut-fed hog, raised in the peanut-belt of Virginia or North Carolina, and be cured, smoked, and processed in Smithfield VA. Sadly, they did away with the peanut-fed requirement in 1966, thus making a Smithfield ham pretty much like any other country ham, and the practice of raising hogs on peanuts slowly died out.

Naturally, we fed our pigs peanuts - at least, that’s what we fed the pigs we sold. The ones we raised to eat? They roamed the woods and subsisted largely on acorns. Made damn fine hams, too, just not marketable. Never imagined - never could have imagined - I’d live to see acorn-fed hams selling for $1000+.

Allan Benton is a national treasure.

Somebody get the ham, I’ll make the biscuits and red-eye gravy.
What wine?

4

I’m up for this.

5

We grew up on Clifty Farms country hams and pork products. In Middle TN it was a staple to have country ham at every breakfast. My Parents always had one hanking in the basement. great salty taste!

6

GO HOGS! [dance-clap.gif]