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Serrano Ham – Good to the Last Bite!

Written on March 2nd, 2010 by corakent2 shouts

My holiday Jamon Serrano has been a treat for so many people for almost three months. I’ve made dozens of gourmet dishes with it and served it to lots of guests. Many bags were filled with slices of Serrano and shared with friends and family members.

David finished slicing off the last piece of Serrano this past week and I discarded the bone, probably prematurely. I could have sawed it into several lengths and boiled it for making broth, soup, stews and many other tasty dishes. If you have ever used a leftover bone from your Jamon Serrano, please let me know how you did it.

Almost any recipe you make with ham can be made with Jamon Serrano, the premier ham from Spain. My Serrano came from Felipe Motta Wine Store in Panama City, Panama and it sat on the top of my buffet for almost 2 months, no refrigeration is needed. It was the center of attention for many gatherings, as most guests had never seen or used Serrano freshly cut from the bone.

Above, you see a photo of David’s creative “Serrano Omelet with Smokey Cheese”. Then, my “Chicken Embeded with Jamon Serrano” served with garlic mashed potatoes. I embeded Serrano and manchego cheese in wafer-thin chicken breast, wrapped it torpedo-style in GladWrap, steamed it and served it with plum sauce. This was one of my favorite dishes using Serrano.

Reflecting on the different dishes I made with this ham, “Celery Seed Potato Salad with Jamon Serrano” was my very favorite. A friend gave me this old Swedish recipe 30 years ago. It was published in the Gulfport Gourmet Cookbook in Gulfport, Florida.

Now, with a little tweaking, here it is again using Spain’s Jamon Serrano to make it my very best potato salad ever.

Celery Seed Potato Salad with Jamon Serrano

4 large potatoes, quartered
2 teaspoons celery seed
1 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2cup Jamon Serrano, thinly slice and julienne
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs, hard boiled and quartered

Boil the potatoes, no need to peel them until soft. When soft, drain, cool slightly, scrape off the skins, if you like, and dice them into a large bowl. In a small mixing bowl, combine celery seed, mayonnaise, sugar, salt and Serrano. Pour over the potatoes, toss and place in shallow, fancy serving dish. Arrange eggs on top, garnish and serve.

Other articles about this particular ham are on my blog, you can see how much I enjoyed it throughout the holidays and beyond. We’re expecting a new Felipe Motta Wine Store to open soon in David and I’m sure they will stock these Spanish hams in their deli section. They’ll be hanging from the rafters as they do in the “Museum of Ham” in Madrid. If you’re looking for a special treat to serve at this year’s parties, you might consider getting a Jamon Serrano for yourself. You would love it and so would your guests!
Celebrate!
Cora

Murals of Boquete #1

Written on December 1st, 2009 by corakentno shouts

muralstFor several years, I lived in Lake Placid, Florida, a town a little smaller than Boquete, Panama, where I now live.  Lake Placid  is as famous for growing beautiful caladiums as Boquete is for growing the world’s finest coffee.  Lake Placid is even more famous for their unique murals displayed on walls throughout the town.

One day it hit me – - -  Boquete displays some of the most beautiful murals I have ever seen, some as lovely as those in Lake Placid or anywhere else in the world.

Murals have become so popular that you can buy them ready-made to install on any wall, inside or outside.  muralday2 003
Modern murals are a means of communication, to show a political view, a business product or just a beautiful scene or piece of artwork.  Styles vary from abstract, like David is painting on the right, or tromp-l’oeil, “trick the eye” styles like the mural at the top, found at the Streit Estate in Potrerillos.

The Sabroson Restaurante displays a mural of their Executive Chef above the door. If you haven’t seen it, please check it out.

Ancient murals show how people lived, like those found in Egyptian tombs that were painted more than 3,000 BC.   A good example of that style is shown on the historic mural in the Bistro Boquete, below.muralbis

Children love to paint murals. At the entrance of the Josefa Montero de Vasquez School, near El Constuctor, students painted a mural of Boquete and surrounding mountains, including the school’s mascot on the right edge, the brightly-colored Resplendent Quetzal. Does such an art project promote school spirit and a sense of belonging?muralschool1

There are so many murals in Boquete, I will need to continue with several articles on this subject. Keep checking this site for information on how murals are painted, and you’ll see some unusual sights in Boquete that many visitors miss.

Boquete could become as famous for its murals as it is for growing the finest coffee in the world!

If you have seen a mural I may not know about, please tell me and I’ll include it in a future blog.

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