For 2024 Pilgrims: €50,- donation = 1 year with no ads on the forum + 90% off any 2024 Guide. More here. (Discount code sent to you by Private Message after your donation) |
---|
Sorry to say it doesn't look like it, koilife:Ok, so maybe not by smuggling, but has anyone taken a ham back to the U.S.? Wine is trivial---ship it and pay import duties. But can I do the same with a ham? The markup on buying Spanish hams on the US is outrageous by comparison to what I would pay at any carniceria.
Not sure it is or isn't; I suspect it plays a part, though I'm not sure how to use it yet.@Kanga's right, koilife. Not that you would let any of that ham end up as food waste...but laws like this are there for legitimate biosecurity reasons. There's a list of approved butchers but it's probably not what you're looking for:
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/wcm/co...ablishments.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&ContentCache=NONE
I've never had a problem bringing Clif energy bars on my Caminos. I throw a dozen or so of them in my backpack. Good stuff...And this goes for people thinking they need their meet and nut snacks from home and want to bring them into Europe. Please leave your beef jerky at home.
Although I rather doubt the officer's explanation about breakfast, I was not there. But, you did the correct thing, in 'fessing up.
Wow, I just checked out "La tienda". For the cost of some of those hams I can buy a round trip ticket from Montreal to Spain and have plenty left over for a nice hotel, some cheese, and wine to go with my jamon.Some years back, I retired from that US border agency. So, what I say here is as "official" as you can get. Unless you follow legal importation rules, your food product WILL be identified at the US port-of-entry.
I advise not taking the chance. A canned,processed and preserved jamon might make it through okay. But NOT a jamon on the hock as they say...
I have a mental picture of Lucy Arnez (Lucille Ball) wrapping a large Italian cheese in a swaddling blanket like an infant child, while flying back to the US from a trip to Italy, on a classic US TV episode of I Love Lucy... It was VERY funny. However, meats and cheeses are the first thing usually discovered in the inspection process.
That is what those cute little beagle-type dogs are for at US and other countries places of entry. The beagles are trained to detect organic substances, and specifically FOOD products. And they are particularly good at it too. But, they normally cannot smell a commercially packed canned or vacuum packed item, provided the outside of the container is well rinsed. For what it is worth, that is why you CAN bring back vacuum packed salmon from some countries...like Canada. Norway, or other EU countries.
Other canines, typically and more aggressive and larger breeds, are trained to smell drugs or explosive substances (not both).
All canine detection dogs, except the drug dogs are "passive alerters." This means they just sit down, or gently paw something when they detect. I have met some who just turn around and give their "human" the "look..." Fortunately, this includes the explosive substance and precursor chemical detection canines.
On the other hand, in my experience and observation, the narcotics dogs are mostly active alerters. They will pounce on a detected item or the bag it is in, or provide some readily viewable sign that they are on to something. Lying low, but coiled to leap, in a pre-attack position with a wildly wagging tail is one such reaction... salivating is another. Depending on their specific area of expertise, they LOVE to get their mouths on the item or the bag that it is in...
Finally, a constructive suggestion. In the US, there is a speciality shop carrying all manner of Spanish food and other "lifestyle" items. I can even obtain my Heno de Pravia, olive-oil soap there. The shop is called La Tienda. Here is their web site: https://www.tienda.com/
They may not be "cheap" but they are reliable...and legal...
I hope this helps.
Yeah, I just looked that site. A grand for a ham?! I loved the hams in Spain, but ain't no ham that good, ha ha. Same goes with the effort and possible costs (fines) of trying to bring one into the US. Just ain't worth it.Wow, I just checked out "La tienda". For the cost of some of those hams I can buy a round trip ticket from Montreal to Spain and have plenty left over for a nice hotel, some cheese, and wine to go with my jamon.
I was just (sort of) being a wise guy about La Tienda. Its a lovely site and I expect the products are yummy. I did indeed see a $298 ham, and that price would only take me to Iceland, and only if there were a super fare dealI've had a long time passion for jamon iberico. I've made several "pilgrimages" to special jamon towns. And by pilgrimage I mean driving by car and eating a lot of jamon. Sorry to trivialize that term on a forum of true pilgrims.
Two years ago on my way to Spain I went to the border control office at the Denver airport. I wanted to speak to a live person as I found the website info very difficult and confusing.
I was told bringing meats in requires all sorts of approvals and probably takes specialized knowledge or lots of time to go through the approvals processs. Also the jamon would have to be certified by a Spaish vet from an approved list.
The good news is they said I could bring back any amount of cheeses for personal consumption. The only can eat was no super-soft cheeses. Consequently I came home with 7 different cheeses and had a lovely cheese tasting party.
I do recommend La Tienda. Yes their prices are high. But notice they do have various qualities and prices. Sometimes they have 50% off sales. Every year two or three years we buy a jam for Chritmas. Yummmmmm!
That same ham is less than 100 euro in any carniceria.Wow, I just checked out "La tienda". For the cost of some of those hams I can buy a round trip ticket from Montreal to Spain and have plenty left over for a nice hotel, some cheese, and wine to go with my jamon.
Me too!I've never had a problem bringing Clif energy bars on my Caminos. I throw a dozen or so of them in my backpack. Good stuff...
This bad boy's 1200 bucks...on sale! That must have been one special hog, ha ha.I was just (sort of) being a wise guy about La Tienda. Its a lovely site and I expect the products are yummy. I did indeed see a $298 ham, and that price would only take me to Iceland, and only if there were a super fare deal. I say if the budget can bear it, why not have a Christmas treat now and then! I did not realize cheeses were OK. I assume you meant the hard cheeses only?? Anyway, thanks for that bit of info. I liked the cheeses just a much as the jamon only good cheese is easier to find than good ham, up here where I live.
@koilife, if you look at that LA Times article link in my post #2 above, you'll see that you're not the only one trying to find a work-around as an individual. It's a good idea so other people have tried it too. But it looks like it's not possible.I'd hate to miss a hidden #2 because of a lack of imagination or a path of least resistance.
Mark you are a scoundrelI've never had a problem bringing Clif energy bars on my Caminos. I throw a dozen or so of them in my backpack. Good stuff...
ha ha...I hope the statute of limitations is no longer in effect on thatMark you are a scoundrel!
Why not just buy some of the world's best hams...from Virginia? ???Ok, so maybe not by smuggling, but has anyone taken a ham back to the U.S.? Wine is trivial---ship it and pay import duties. But can I do the same with a ham? The markup on buying Spanish hams on the US is outrageous by comparison to what I would pay at any carniceria.
As someone who makes a living as a criminal defense attorney in the United States, I am deeply disappointed at the repeated warnings not to smuggle prohibited items back into the US. My lifestyle is dependent on people exercising poor judgment and/or assuming the rules don't apply to them. If everyone followed the rules, I would be forced to find a different line of work to pay for trips to Europe. So please everyone, enough with the warnings.
My 2 cents. There are lots of really great Artisan smoke houses in various parts of the US that while not a Spanish ham may be cured in the Spanish style and may even be feed special foods to improve the flavor before being processed. The local smoke house near where I live is a good example of how you can get European style cured meats in the US. I suggest you do some research. I would wager that there is a closer smokehouse that probably has some really good "Spanish style ham."
http://carpatiasausage.com/
Even though we worked on opposite side of the stand, so to speak, as a former copper I concur with you wholeheartedly counselor. My job too, depended upon the poor judgement of others.As someone who makes a living as a criminal defense attorney in the United States, I am deeply disappointed at the repeated warnings not to smuggle prohibited items back into the US. My lifestyle is dependent on people exercising poor judgment and/or assuming the rules don't apply to them. If everyone followed the rules, I would be forced to find a different line of work to pay for trips to Europe. So please everyone, enough with the warnings.
Superior to their American peers?Spanish jamón and other cured meats are superior to their American peers. Why does the U.S. ban these products? Outdated rules I say. Trichinosis is related to pigs eating dead mice, rats, etc. It is extremely rare in domestic animals. Additionally, companies inspect their pigs during the slaughtering process. Let's get some real data. How many cases of trichinosis are caused by non-homeade jamón, fuet, chorizo, butifarra, etc.?
The U.S. is biased towards Italian products. Politicians were probably paid off.
I believe that you can take some sealed packets of jamón and a few cured sausages with a clear conscience.
If you're willing to put 10,000 USD into an escrow account to pay for any fines I would have to pay, that would go a long way toward easing my conscience. If not, then I fear you're like the schoolyard bully double-dog daring the other kids to touch their tongues to the frozen flagpole.I believe that you can take some sealed packets of jamón and a few cured sausages with a clear conscience.
Ibérico ham is to serrano ham , like Lamborgini cars are to Yugo cars.
You are right. I have had some damn good smoked, cured hams in the US.Superior to their American peers?
Spoken by someone who's never consumed a Virginian ham.
I'm in Spanish ham country as I write this, and sorry...I love Spanish café con leche, and Navarre vino tinto, and Galician celtic music, but sorry...the ham can't hold a candle to Virginia.
Dagreen, go spend some time in the Great State of Virginia, and your horizons will have been broadened.
AND...you won't be put on a Customs watch list, to boot.
You might be able to book a flight for the price of a pata negra, but the ham will still remain out of budget. Pata negra is not typically seen hanging at the local butcher shop in the village of 1000 we walk through.This bad boy's 1200 bucks...on sale! That must have been one special hog, ha ha.
For 1200 bucks I can go on expedia right now and book a round trip to Espana.
https://www.tienda.com/products/bone-in-jamon-iberico-de-bellota-5j-cinco-jotas-jm-99.html
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?