Independent Hams for Independent People

The Serrano ham "Anejo" from Baza near the village of Orce in Andalucia is without doubt one of the finest Serrano hams money can buy. These hams are cured for 22 - 24 months, are large examples with a texture, flavour and aroma to confidently rival Spain's best serrano's.

This Christmas we have a very special offer for UK readers of the Independent newspaper. A great offer for the festive season, the serrano ham Anejo comes complete with ham stand, carving knife, muslin cover and all instructions for carving and storage - Exclusive to Independent readers. Read the full offer

Need tapas ideas for this ham? The Anejo ham is a Grand Reserva and is as such quite a strong flavoured ham. Two years curing matures the ham to perfection which means that it goes very well with fruit. Try Mango wedges wrapped in serrano hams slices, add a light sprinkle of smoked paprika, a little black pepper, olive oil and you have a delicious juicy tapa great for any Spanish table!

For more information on both Serrano and Iberico hams from Andalucia visit the deli >>> Orce Serrano Hams

Change 4 Life

The new Government advert to tackle childhood obesity was launched a couple of days ago... Now it could just be me or is it not a case of eat well and be a little more active? The advert itself makes a lot of sense, ie when we had to go out and hunt a woolly mammoth for dinner then everyone was a lot fitter! However it could be said that the general point of the advert could be condensed into the last couple of decades?

"Almost a quarter of primary school pupils aged 4 or 5 are either overweight or obese, according to the latest data from the NHS Information Centre. Among those aged 10 or 11, the proportion is a third" THE INDEPENDENT

It could also be argued that less kids play football these days, instead swapping that time to be behind the games console - or - busy lives as parents make it more convenient to spend money on fast food and lets face it "rubbish" instead of cooking a healthy meal.

Whatever the reasons it would appear that now is the time to start actively doing something about it... Maybe taking a leaf out of the Spanish or Italian book would be a good start by enjoying olive oil with every meal, cooking with the kids and sitting down to have a family meal for them to enjoy the fruits of their labour as well as becoming more knowlegable about food and ingredients. Grow stuff! even of its just herbs, why buy them if they can be enjoyed home grown - even Dad could knock up a window trough for some parsley and mint?



Living in Andalucia we can see the tremendous cultural differences regarding kids and food compared to where we used to live in the UK. Ok, so Spanish culture can't be adopted in England - that would be wrong but the healthy parts could be chosen on occasion and enjoyed with little effort and for great gain in the long term.

Any thoughts?

The Credit Munch

Last week I spoke to a journalist who asked me "how can a serrano ham be an economical purchase?" I then replied along the lines of "you need to eat the same as your car needs petrol right? and continued to explain some of the benefits Spaniards have been enjoying for years with what is commonly regarded (and rightly so) as gourmet "Jamon"

Perhaps some facts need to be discovered about the Serrano ham (including some interesting comparisons with leading supermarkets). Originating from Andalucia the Serrano ham was initially produced as a necessary part of the staple diet. Andalucia has a reputation as the "poor" part of Spain - This stereotype has long ago been rubbished with the Andalucian region producing a whole array of recognised quality products - Denominacion de Origen for example or the fact the locally produced artisan products boast the highest degree of integrity in gourmet circles.



So... with a sneak peek at our latest edition to the gourmet range (its big..!) here are a few facts about the Spanish Serrano Ham and how it can be an "economical purchase"

Serrano hams start from only 49.00 gbp

Price for price, 1 Serrano ham is the same as 26 UK supermarket "Ready meals" (August 2008)

You can get 85 sandwiches from one Serrano ham

Full hams are ideal for buffets & functions, feed an army at realistic rates with an interesting centre piece.

100+ tapas can be acheived from 1 Serrano Ham (healthy snacks for the kids!)

Serrano ham bones create one of the best soup stocks

Serrano hams contain no additives - a no nonsense product

Serrano ham is Spanish, is produced in Spain, is dispatched from Spain and is enjoyed in Spain - 100 million Spaniards cant't be wrong.

Its healthy... present are vitamins B1 / B2, plus IRON / PHOSPHORUS & PROTEINS


More on the fabled Spanish serrano ham later (including a gourmet look at the best Iberico hams available)

Have a question? email us at www.orceserranohams.com

Spanish Gourmet

Well its always nice to get a mention in a food magazine, this time the guys at Food & Travel Magazine took an interest in our charcuterie lines. With a particular emphasis on "Lomo de Orza". It seems that the word is out on this Spanish speciality...



"An impressive selection of regional delicacies" - Food & Travel

Thanks guys! We have even popped a jar in the post for you, enjoy the tapas!