The Houndstooth Gourmet

Prosciutto and melon is a classic Italian hor d’oeuvre that combines sweet, juicy melon with salty ham. Classically, thinly sliced prosciutto is wrapped around melon and speared with a toothpick. In my version, I take advantage of the availability of some of the best Virginia Ham made-Calhoun’s Country Hams, which I buy at the Old Town Alexandria farmers market. Fully cooked and thinly sliced, the ham is easy to cut into strips and wrap around a melon ball. Served on a spoon, or on a toothpick, it’s one delicious bite which fires up all of your  taste buds. Try this out for yourself, or serve it up to guests. You’ll be a superstar!

Here’s an excerpt from a piece that I wrote about Tom Calhoun and his hams:

“This week Tom Calhoun of Calhoun’s Country Hams in Culpeper, spoke about ham and history. Calhoun sells country hams, ham biscuits (skip breakfast and nibble on these), sausage and other specialty products from March until December. He has been selling his products at the market since the early 1980’s and recalls a market that was held inside City Hall.

“I’ve been in business since 1964” Calhoun said. “I sold turkeys here at the market, and before Thanksgiving, folks would stand in lines which stretched onto North Royal Street.” About five years ago Calhoun stopped selling turkeys because the Wampler plant would no longer process his birds.

Thanksgiving and Christmas are still the busiest times for selling ham. Hams are cured with a salt and brown sugar rub for eight weeks, then hung to age for 6-12 months. This process dates back hundreds of years as a way to preserve meat without refrigeration. Why is it a Virginia ham? Well, in the 1600’s, Indians, who had long been curing and smoking venison passed along their expertise to Jamestown settlers. Since pigs were plentiful and fairly easy to catch, their meat became a staple protein for the settlers.

In the hands of a master like Calhoun, this cured ham is as precious to Virginians as prosciutto di Parma is to Italians and jamón ibérico is to Spaniards. Skill and experience impart nuanced flavors that come with age and time. Fortunately for Alexandrians, Calhoun’s ham products, plus an array of gourmet specialty products such as peanuts, honey and jams are available each Saturday morning. Shoppers can visit his store in Culpeper and Calhoun ships his products via UPS.”

Calhoun’s Country Hams
219 South East Street
Culpeper, VA 22701
(540) 825-8319
(877) 825-8319

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Tags: ham, Recipe, fruit //