Report: Spain Takes Aim at Impostor Pigs

[Xipe Totec]

MADRID, Spain - Spain plans to impose stricter rules on production of a staple of the national diet and increasingly popular export _ ham from free-range pigs that feed on acorns and herbs _ in order to weed out stable-bound impostors, a newspaper said Sunday.



Ham is very serious business in Spain. The industry produces around five million legs of salt-cured ham a year, and prized Iberian pieces can retail for more than $260.

Despite that high cost, the ham is a regular on dinner tables and in bars and restaurants serving 'tapas' finger foods.

The United States agreed in 2005 to start allowing imports of the hams after Spanish slaughterhouses upgraded their facilities to comply with U.S. standards, but the curing process takes 23 months so no imports are expected until late 2007.

http://www.comcast.net/news/index.jsp?cat=GENERAL&fn=/2007/02/25/595724.html&cvqh=itn_imposterpigs

[swag]

1. It's not jamon iberico without the cinco jotas.

Damn, I need to be in Sevilla now.

[wake.up.america]

2. Yo nací en Sevilla, en el barrio Santa Cruz. Me gustaría regresar a Sevilla. Una ciudad muy bonita.

[swag]

4. I agree.

Love el barrio Santa Cruz. Many happy nights of good food and music there. Cafe Levies, La Carboneria, etc.

Best to you.

[Xipe Totec]

5. Someday I hope to visit Seville

to see the Archivo General de Indias, and Castilleja de la Cuesta.

[kenny blankenship]

3. I've long suspected something was not right about the Guinea Pig

Now that Spain has a sensible government, we can hope that something will be done about it.