Ham

The ham has been curing since October. It was first dry salted, then hung to dry, before being lightly smoked and then hung to mature in a corner of the kitchen. The surface of the ham is dry and hard and it looks ready. The picture shows me removing the aitch bone, which I think is the hip socket, before dividing the ham into more convenient sized pieces.

Fortunately I have access to a professional meat slicer as the ham must be cut into the thinnest of slices for best eating.

The flavour is good, but I suspect it would have improved with more hanging.

First Earlies

This is the year's first crop of new potatoes, the variety is Lady Christl. The joy of growing potatoes is often incomprehensible to the non-gardener/cook, but I'll try to explain.

The flavour of good quality, small, early potatoes is incomparable, needing only a little butter to turn them into fudgy nuggets of lusciousness. The method of cultivation leaves the soil free of weeds and ready for re-planting. On dry summer evenings the potatoes come up clean and ready for the pot. Last but not least, the first potatoes are the harbingers of summer plenty. Globe artichokes and broad beans will follow soon with the rest of the summer vegetables now well established.

We enjoyed these with veal chops and asparagus.