Joselito

Joselito, from the verdant landscapes of Guijuelo, Spain, isn’t just another ham. It’s a symphony of flavors, a testament to tradition, and a rhapsody of nature's bounty. Like a Baroque masterpiece, every slice is a swirl of marbled fat, gleaming under the soft light, whispering tales from the oak-kissed dehesas where Iberian pigs, the maestros of this craft, freely roam. In each thin shard, you sense the passion of the Gómez family, keepers of this time-honored craft since 1868. Every bite unravels the slow dance of nature - the cold, dry winters melding with hot summers, curating a continental climate perfect for the art of curing and aging. The acorns, the prime feed of those Iberian maestros, infuse the meat with an earthy sweetness, a nutty richness that, when combined with the meticulous aging process, culminates in a flavor that is both robust and delicate. It's no wonder that culinary titans, from Ferran Adrià to Joan Roca, have sung praises of Joselito, weaving it into their gastronomic tales. For in each slice, there's a story - of tradition, of nature, of excellence. The awards and accolades? Merely footnotes in Joselito's rich legacy, though validating its unsurpassed quality. When you're in the presence of Joselito, you're not just tasting ham; you're partaking in a ritual, a slice of Spain's soul, preserved in the annals of time. It is, in Jonathan Gold's lexicon, the epitome of culinary poetry, deserving of every ounce of reverence it commands.