"Ham is not eaten, it's enjoyed!" This is one of the maxims that Enrique Tomás likes to repeat when referring to the king product of Spanish gastronomy: Iberian ham. The master ham maker is the one who has contributed the most in the last 40 years to the dissemination of ham culture with a clear objective: to simplify its consumption and make it easy for customers. That's why, to the usual question about which is the best ham, the businessman always responds with a counter-question: "which ham do you like? All hams are the best, if it's the one you like." Clearer, impossible.
It is especially at Christmas when Enrique Tomás emphasizes this pedagogical vocation, as ham cannot be missing from any table. "Ham is not eaten to satisfy hunger, but to enjoy it, to feel pleasure. All hams are good at Enrique Tomás, choosing depends on your taste and, of course, your budget," says the expert, who invites you to dive into the Enrique Tomás online store to answer all questions about ham and find the largest and most complete offer to enjoy this tasty gastronomic jewel at home.
With this desire to simplify and adapt to different budgets, the brand Enrique Tomás identifies all its hams with three, four or five stars, a resource understandable by the entire population as it is analogous to the way hotels are categorized. Hams with three stars correspond to the Gran Reserva Ham, with more than 15 months of curing, also called serrano ham as it comes from white pigs. Four stars identify the Iberian Cebo Ham or the Iberian Cebo de Campo Ham. The first comes from Iberian pigs fed on farms with feed, cereals and grass, with 24 months of curing; and the second are pigs that, in addition to being raised on a farm, have been able to go out into the countryside to also feed on plants and wild fruits.
Five stars indicate that we are dealing with an Iberian Bellota Ham or a 100% Iberian Bellota Ham - Pata Negra. The first is a very high-quality ham from 50% Iberian breed pigs fed mainly on acorns and other natural products and raised freely in the dehesas. In this case, the hams take 36 months to reach the optimal point for consumption. Finally, the so-called Iberian pata negra is the highest category of ham, as it comes from 100% Iberian breed pigs fed exclusively on acorns and natural products.
Enrique Tomás' philosophy invites you to open your mind and explore the world of ham in the best way: by tasting it! You shouldn't get carried away by preconceived ideas and false myths and, in this sense, it's best to try as many varieties as possible to find the ideal ham for your palate. Precisely, Christmas days are ideal for vertical tastings to discover the three qualities of ham par excellence or to give unique gastronomic experiences, such as the 4 Flavors Tasting, a product that combines several intensities of 100% Iberian acorn-fed ham, ideal for foodies who want to experiment with the most premium range.
Enrique Tomás' 4 Flavors Tasting is an authentic journey to the pinnacle of ham, as it is a pack that plays with different flavors and grades of acorn-fed ham according to its origin, from lesser to greater gustatory invasion on the palate. Thus, Guijuelo ham is the "Smooth", Extremadura ham is the "Aromatic", Cordovan ham is the "Savory" and Jabugo ham is the "Intense", qualifiers that again, have been chosen to simply define the most outstanding peculiarity of each origin. The tasting consists of 40 grams of each of the four varieties of ham, cut exclusively from the maza, the most valued and coveted part as it is the juiciest, the most infiltrated.
"The 4 Flavors Tasting seeks to captivate gastronomy and ham lovers or serve those who want to surprise with an original gift, which makes it a must for the upcoming Christmas season. In turn, it is an excellent alternative to bring to meals and dinners that will be enjoyed with family or friends," explains Enrique Tomás. The company's CEO adds other tips to make the most of this experience: "You have to smell the aroma of the ham before putting it in your mouth and then press it with your tongue so that the slice sticks to the palate; this way, all its nuances are extracted and the acorn fat begins to melt." The master ham carver also recommends eating a piece of bread between hams, and pairing it with fino de Jerez, white wine, champagne or cava. The purchase price through Enrique Tomás' online store is 60 euros.
Gifting ham, a guaranteed success
In the hundred establishments of Enrique Tomás or through the Internet, the brand based in Badalona allows to acquire a wide variety of whole hams and shoulders or already sliced. The option of the envelopes is highly recommended, as it allows to buy different types of ham and, in addition, greatly facilitates the life of consumers. Precisely, one of Enrique Tomás' star services is the No te cortes format, which consists of buying a ham or shoulder that, before arriving at your home, will be previously deboned, cut and vacuum-packed by the house's expert cutters. It is an ideal product to give as a gift, especially to those who do not like to cut, do not master the technique or do not have the appropriate accessories, in addition to having the advantage of being able to consume ham for a prolonged time and whenever desired.
Giving ham for Christmas is a total success and even more so if this gift is accompanied, for example, with other Iberian cured meats or with a good wine. Enrique Tomás has made an effort this year to offer a wide catalog with the best options to buy Christmas baskets, lots and packs with a wide price range and for all tastes and budgets. There are baskets for 39 euros that include three envelopes of Iberian Cebo Ham, two bags of Sevillian breadsticks and a bottle of DO Montsant wine called Maridaje and made exclusively for Enrique Tomás. For 55 euros, the basket includes five envelopes of gran reserva shoulder, an Iberian Vela sausage, a bottle of Maridaje white wine, a wedge of semi-cured sheep cheese, an extra fuet espetec and two bags of Sevillian breadsticks.
If baskets with whole pieces of ham are preferred, prices range between 99 euros and 550 euros depending on the number of stars of the ham; they are accompanied by the Maridaje wine selection, with Juvé & Camps cavas, pieces of loin, chorizo or Iberian sausage, cheeses and nougats.
You can also give ham accompanied by one of the books written by Enrique Tomás, such as El Libro de la Experiencia del Jamón (The Ham Experience Book), which, as the businessman likes to say, "is the only book in the world that you can eat." Another original and perfect gift to delve into the world of ham is the Guided Ham Tasting at Home, for one or two people. It is a box that includes seven types of ham, a bottle of wine, and a QR code that allows you to download a guided tasting commented by an expert ham master from Enrique Tomás. Lasting 40 minutes, this experience allows you to clearly, simply, and enjoyably understand once and for all what you have always wondered about ham and learn the differences between the different types. The price of this pack is 50 euros.