I came, I saw, I drank wine and I ate Jamon Iberico! Club Gourmet as further explained here is a “trade show” dedicated to the finest wines and foods of Spain. I say in quotes “trade show” because while you need a pass to prove your legitimacy in the trade, these passes are handed out like Halloween candy and getting one is about as hard as finding a glass of Sangria in Plaza Mayor - the favorite tourist attraction in Madrid. Consequently, your left with a lot of professionals with their friends and family, forcing me to quickly develop my own personal philosophy for these types of shows, “get there early and get out by lunch.”
The enticing word “free” is a pleasant sound to just about anyone’s ears, and when paired with “100 euro a Kilo Jamon”, everyone on the peninsula comes running. For those of you who aren’t familiar with Jamon Iberico, it is a cured ham that rivals anything that has ever come out of Italy. The famous black-footed Iberian pigs are raised on “bellotas”, or acorns, that come from the same family of Oak trees that we get cork from. From birth to “sacrifice”(as the Spanish say it), these famous animals are treated like kings. (more…)
