from Antoine Westermann

It was at Antoine Westermann's Buerhiesel in Alsace that we discovered this remarkable ham, in the restaurant where he shares his favorite products with his customers. "Iberian ham is wildly popular in my shop," he says. "It's cut by hand, to order. It's incomparable, unlike anything else. There are very good Parma hams, very good Bayonne hams, but this ham is unquestionably unique. It comes from enormous hogs that can weigh up to 250 kg, and so are very fat. And when you know that the flavor is in the fat, it all becomes clear!" 

"It can simply be eaten with the fingers. That's when it's best. When it comes to price, it's a luxury product, a bit expensive, but if I had to choose between foie gras, caviar and this ham, I wouldn't hesitate. I sometimes serve it in the restaurant in the spring with seared duck liver sprinkled with pepper and sea salt; I add some new asparagus and pieces of this ham which tie together all the flavors. Then you just need to sit back, close your eyes and let it melt on your tongue tin order to appreciate all its nutty flavor that reveals itself in your mouth from the very beginning."