My Mum bought me a beautiful Spanish ham for Christmas.  She's a wonderful lady.  The question now is what will I do with all 14 pounds of it.

At this moment I am very grateful for my time at the Formaggio Kitchen cheese counter.  First I had to slice off a thin slice at the thickest end of the ham, where this piggies thigh would have been.

Next, I carefully sliced off layers of fat until the fat to meat ratio is where I want it.

Then slice.

I'm just getting my first bites now, eating it as is.  But all the possible ways to eat this giant thing are overwhelming.  First off, what to do with all my fat trimmings?  Render them down and cook everything I eat in nutty delicious fat?  I think so.

My hands smell like nutty pork fat, I hope my husband enjoys the smell as much as I do.