And now you and your guests can be among
the tiny handful of Americans who will savor and
serve this astonishing ham this Easter season...
but only if you reserve one by Sunday, March 25, 2007
Dear Foodie Friend,
If you’re a lover of great ham—prepare to have your life changed!
Have you noticed on menus today at America’s greatest restaurants that chefs like Thomas Keller are going wild with dishes made from Kurobuta pork—an exotic breed of Japanese hog?
Foodies everywhere are hailing Kurobuta as the “Kobe beef” of pork!
What famous chefs, food writers and passionate foodies are saying about “Kurobuta” pork, as quoted in major media: “Kurobuta,” or Japanese black hog, is revered for its exceptional flavor, juiciness and tenderness. It is quickly becoming known as “the Kobe beef of pork,” a favorite of top chefs, food writers and foodies across the country. Here is a sampling of their rave reviews.... “The meat is moist, tender and almost buttery, with a bright, fresh taste. You know that you have hold of a piece of pig.” “Kurobuta pork offers a unique taste experience. Its texture is exquisite—supple, yet meaty. Its flavor is lush, distinctive and abundant. And the marbling yields unparalleled juiciness for pork....The meat glistens when you cut it.” “Kurobuta is the Ben & Jerry’s of pork: socially conscientious and sinfully delicious.” “Customers who have never heard of Kurobuta order the pork as a novelty and are blown away by the quality of the meat.” “It has terrifically marbled meat, and it tastes sweet and clean. I see its popularity exploding.” “The Kurobuta is my most expensive thing on the menu. But you really do get what you pay for.” —Riko Bartoleme, Asia Vous restaurant, San Diego. “The flavor’s incredible, and how tender it is. It’s so well taken care of.” —Rick Tramonto, chef-owner, Tru restaurant, Chicago. “Melt-in-your-mouth tender.” “It has a natural juiciness to it that you can’t compare to any other pork.” —Michael Kaphan, chef at Strata, New York. |
But when I noticed that no one was creating ham from Kurobuta pigs, I personally sprang into action...leading to the development of the greatest hunk o’ baked ham for your holiday table that you will ever experience!
Best of all, you can have one of these unbelievably succulent haunches delivered right to your door in time for Easter!
First, let me tell you how I got involved with this rare and delicious meat.....
About two years ago, I plunged myself headlong into the wide world of ham in preparation for a comprehensive ham tasting for the March, 2004, issue of The Rosengarten Report.
Like Lewis & Clark exploring a new continent, I committed myself to leading a journalistic expedition through the uncharted wilderness of hamdom, to map out the territory and find...
The Ham That Has It All!
Okay, call me a foodie fussbudget, but after months of research and tasting more than 100 hams, to my surprise, I couldn’t find a single ham that satisfied me on every count.
Oh, I loved some of the hams I tasted. Passionately even. But not one had the ideal jumble of the many factors that, for me, would comprise The Perfect Ham, The Platonic Ham, The Ham Than Which There Can Be No Greater.
At every turn, I kept feeling...“Darn! If only I were calling the hammy shots! I’d make every top-quality choice along the way!” Because I learned that’s what it takes—knowing what the top-quality choices are, and having the courage to spend whatever it takes to make them.
Well, I lived with this aching disappointment for about a year—during which time, I started to hear more and more about a small band of quality livestock producers in America struggling to bring back “heritage” breeds of pork. Somebody had to do something—because American pork producers in the 1990s had moved en masse to produce a leaner, drier and far less flavorful pork they marketed as, “the other white meat.” Yuk! “Where’s the pork?” people like me have been asking for years.
At the head of the new, full-flavored, “heritage” piggie pack is a Japanese breed of pig called Kurobuta, which after being enthusiastically embraced by top chefs like Thomas Keller of The French Laundry, has become one of the hottest foodie obsessions, according to Bon Appétit magazine. Many say that Kurobuta pork is to regular pork as Kobe beef is to regular steak.
Flash! A Light Bulb Pops On in My Head!
The one thing I hadn’t seen, however, was Kurobuta ham. So, I started thinking.... What would happen if I found me some of this stellar Kurobuta pork, had it raised just the way I like it...and had it delivered to a ham specialist who’d be willing to cure and smoke a hind leg of Kurobuta to my specifications? Would I not then have on my hands the ham of hams, the hyper-ham, the greatest ham story ever told, the Grandest Ham What Am?
In a word, the answer is...“Yes!!!”
And the reason I know the answer is because I had that ham made, have had my mind blown by it, and then offered it to my readers last holiday season and it blew their minds, too! Every reaction has been over the moon. In all my professional life involved with food products, I have never seen such a universally ecstatic reaction as this ham has triggered. You can read for yourself some typical comments below, chosen from more than 400 thrilled customers who took the time to write me.
So, back by overwhelming popular demand, I’m now offering you the chance to put this ultimate Rosengarten Kurobuta Ham on your table this Easter.
I am certain that you will say, along with me and hundreds of Rosengarten Report readers who are now passionate converts, “This is, without any question, the greatest ham I’ve ever tasted!!!” I’m sure you will also say, along with us, “Holy mackerel! Kurobuta ham! How exotic! How wonderful! Who knew???”
Let’s Talk “Kurobuta” First
“My guests were astounded” Comments from those who ordered the Rosengarten Kurobuta Ham last Easter “I have been holding Easter dinner at my house for years. My parents, brothers, sisters and all their families come for the event. We have ordered Pettijean hams, aged hams from Europe (Spain and France) but nothing compares to this Kurobuta ham. “My parents, both of whom grew up in rural Iowa and Nebraska—my mother grew up on a farm in Iowa— said this reminded them of hams they used to eat on the farm when they were younger. They were absolutely in heaven.” “The best ham—Easter or otherwise—I’ve ever tasted. But here’s the downside: (1) No leftovers; guests divided them up among themselves and left me with the ‘tidbits’! (2) I made all the side dishes you recommended. My husband LOVED the carrot soufflé which means I have to keep making it. (3) My guests have threatened to show up for ham at other holidays, and I’m not sure if I can get more Kurobuta ham. Please advise! All in all a most rewarding experience I’d love to repeat.” “The ham was absolutely the best anyone in my party of 19 guests had ever experienced. The compliments received made me feel really good! “The texture was velvety, the flavor sublime. One of my guests observed, ‘The meat just melts in your mouth.’ I want to to it again next year, PLEASE!” |
The breed actually arose in England, where it’s called “Berkshire” pork. But the English, in the 19th century, sent off a shipment of Berkshire hogs as a gift to Japanese diplomats—and the Japanese really flipped out. They gave the breed the name “Kurobuta,” meaning “black pig” (its coat is basically black), and developed an international reputation for Kurobuta pork, much as they did for Kobe beef.
And Why Are These Porkers Superior?
As you might expect, Kurobuta pigs yield meat that is indeed fattier than American supermarket pork. But—here’s the really cool thing—Kurobuta, though richly endowed with intramuscular fat, is not among the fattiest of breeds, which means that you never get a fatty, greasy taste when eating the pork.
Instead, the real distinction of Kurobuta pork is a shorter, rounder muscle fiber—which, incredibly, leads to a much higher retention of moisture in the meat.
In other words, this stuff is outrageously juicy! Furthermore, Kurobuta pigs are slower-growing than other breeds, which—as in slow-growing grapes—leads to much deeper flavor in the final product. These animals, in fact, take a whole month longer to fatten up than other pigs do. Most of the chefs raving about Kurobuta are saying this is the “porkiest” pork they’ve ever tasted.
But it’s not just chefs. In 1992, the National Pork Producers Council ran 20 quality tests on nine different breeds of pig—and our friend Kurobuta proudly trotted off with top honors in 19 of the 20 categories, including “juiciest,” “most tender,” and “most flavorful!”
And I’d say the Pork Producers Council really got it right, based on all the Kurobuta pork dishes I’d been tasting in high-end restaurants. But while sampling the field, I did notice something very curious—no one was offering ham made from Kurobuta pigs!
And that’s when I sprang into the breach. First, I researched all the major American ham producers. Though I did not discover any that were already up and running in producing Kurobuta hams, I did discover one that was about to get into the ham game. I made contact immediately, did a little negotiating, and the rest was ham history—the best ham that I and my readers who ordered last Easter had ever tasted.
Why This Ham Is So Special
The producer I’m working with is Snake River Farms, an Idaho company founded in 1989 dedicated to the production of an American version of Kobe beef. Well before I came into their lives, they had earned a reputation as one of the very greatest American producers of Kobe-style beef.
I had tasted their Kurobuta pork before, and loved it. When I discovered that they were also getting into the Kurobuta ham business, I had a ham prototype shipped to me immediately. It was terrific. But, as I mentioned, I have this very specific image of ham perfection in my head, and I noted a few things I would change, which is exactly what I proceeded to do.
As a result, Snake River Farms is now sending their killer Kurobuta pork...in my
name...raised on traditional corn and soybeans...to an Idaho smokehouse (in business for over 100 years)...that is producing Kurobuta ham exactly according to my precise curing and seasoning specifications!Oodles of Rich Juice Seethe from This Ham!
“I now know how ham is supposed to taste.” More rave reviews from those who’ve tasted this amazing holiday ham “I was raised in Tennessee on ham and am always searching for ones that have complex flavor, good texture and just enough salt. Your ham was without a doubt the best I have ever eaten. “I don't like ham and only serve it when I have been pressured into it by my family. It's always rubbery, dry and tasteless. My dad is the one who saw your Kurobuta ham offer (he's also a ham lover) and decided to take the plunge. And I am so happy he did. I now know how ham is supposed to taste. It was beautiful. Moist, tender and flavorful. I served it on Easter day at our family celebration. The ham was the best we've ever tasted. It's all we talked about for days.” “We really enjoyed the ham. Our relatives usually have Honeybaked, and we like this better. We have also had the Niman Ranch ham, which is more to our taste than the Honeybaked, but yours was even better.” “It was all you promised and then some. Family attacked the ham with gusto and provided great compliments. For years we have used Harrington, but now you have a group of converts." |
Oh...my...goodness! This stuff has a big, fatty, crusty, natural-looking cap, with an intriguing reddish-brown burnish. One slice, and you know you’re in Kurobuta territory—as the rich juice seethes from the ham, beads on the surface, glistens brightly everywhere.
And that color! Kurobuta is known for its deep color, but because I have urged master curer Patrick Florence to go light on the cure, this ham is a very beautiful pale version of a good healthy pink.
It is, after all, the lightness and deftness of cure that I value most highly in a great ham. Too much cure, and you’ve got a red, springy, rubbery, supermarket-y kind of thing. Too little cure, and you’ve got nothing but a pork roast. But with the right amount of cure—you’ve got pork that went to finishing school, the apotheosis of pork, brought about by the hand of man.
Leaves Your Guests in Awe
And when the pork that you begin with is this astonishingly, intrinsically delicious—you end up with a ham, like this one, that is deeply porky in flavor, with a rich, round, wildly satisfying, almost buttery taste that leaves your guests in awe.
Speaking of taste, I have collaborated with the cure-master to make sure that nothing in the production overwhelms the flavor of the underlying Kurobuta pork. Smoking is done in an extremely gentle, old-fashioned way over maple hardwood. There is also a rub on the outside, one I developed from an Ozark mixture. The combo of brown sugar and spice is extremely subtle, really doing not much more than provoking the insanely deep porkiness of it all.
When you take your first bite of this miracle product, you will immediately apprehend how all of the many elements have come together in one refined and exquisite quiver of ham perfection, an ideal moment in time captured in the haunch of a hog. It is, to be sure—and at long last—The Ham That Has It All.
Comes in Two Sizes
The Kurobuta hams of which I sing come in two sizes—the Half Ham, which weighs in at about 7 to 9 pounds...and the Whole Ham at 17 to 20 pounds. The weight is in a range because, unlike mass-produced, “factory” hams that are virtually identical, these are artisanal hams. Each is unique, just like the free-roaming animals from which they’re made.
Now some people, no matter what, always prefer the half ham, usually if they have a small family and don’t want too many leftovers. (The witty Dorothy Parker once quipped, “Eternity is a ham and two people.” But dear Dorothy obviously never ate Kurobuta pork, or she would’ve eaten her words!)
Truth be told, I love ham leftovers, and you will, too, especially when you see the recipes I’ve got for them (more on this in a moment.) The whole ham is the better bargain, giving you twice as much meat for much less than twice the cost.
“A new slice of luxury; Los Angeles chefs are swooning over Kurobuta pork, and now home cooks can too.” “There’s a new pig in town. It’s called Kurobuta, and for those who prefer their pork flavorful, rich and tender rather than lean and mean, this is great news.... “Kurobuta, which is also known as Berkshire pork, means ‘black pig’ in Japanese. The pig...has shorter muscle fibers and more marbling than what’s known in the industry as ‘bulk commodity pork.’ The result is meat that, when cooked, is plump and juicy, terrifically rich, with a deep pink color. “Showing up on some of the best menus around town, Kurobuta seems poised to do for pork what heirloom varieties did for the tomato....” |
How to Cook and Cure the Perfect Ham
Whether you order the Half or the Whole Ham, I’ll be sure to throw in my specific instructions for cooking and carving your ham to perfection, as well as my favorite recipes for ham accompaniments, including a treasured family recipe. What’s more, I’ll provide my best recommendations for ham-friendly wines. And, make no mistake: ham and the right wine can be excellent friends.
Bring on Those Leftovers!
One of the great ham traditions in many households—certainly mine!—is the enjoyment of leftovers for many meals afterward. I love ham leftovers so much that through the years, I’ve put together my own little collection of awesome recipes for just this purpose, and I’m going to share them with you, as well.
These favorite recipes will have you savoring each ham meal as much as your first ham dinner. You’ll enjoy my best-ever recipes for:
Quintessential Quiche...the Cubano Sandwich...Ham, Fennel, and Potato Gratin...Southern-style Ham Biscuits...Brie and Smoked Ham on Sourdough Ficelle...among others.
We Must Receive Your Order No Later Than
Midnight, Sunday, March 25, 2007I must tell you, however, that supplies of this rare Kurobuta ham are very limited. And there’s a time limit, too. Your order can be accepted only if we receive it by midnight, Sunday, March 25, 2007. Any orders received thereafter will be reluctantly returned.
Your Kurobuta ham will be shipped for guaranteed delivery during the week of Monday, April 2. This means that if you’re planning to serve your ham for Easter, it’s guaranteed to arrive in plenty of time. It’s also why we can accept no orders after midnight, Sunday, March 25, 2007.
Have your order in our hands before the clock strikes twelve, however, and you and your guests are going to be in for taste thrills that will have everyone at your table agreeing with my assessment—this is the best, juiciest, most flavorful and tender ham you have ever tasted. You’ll see! This experience is going to spoil you forever for all other hams.
If you want to serve something truly extraordinary this holiday season, and then let your family (and yourself!) enjoy the most heavenly leftovers for many days to come, I urge you to place your order now.
Just click on the button below, or you can phone or fax your order as well.
I urge you to do so now, before this opportunity slips away!
Yours for fabulous foods,
David Rosengarten
Your purchase is protected by our 100% money-back satisfaction guarantee.
What’s more, many other mail order sources that ship ordinary hams—lacking all the amazing Kurobuta flavor and juiciness—also charge you up to $50 for shipping and handling!
Yes, it can be expensive to ship a 17-to-20 pound ham! But we’ve negotiated a far more attractive deal for shipping your ham right to your door. Please see the details on the order form...and then be sure to get your order into our hands before the cutoff, midnight, Sunday, March 25. I assure you, neither you nor your guests have ever tasted ham this incredibly flavorful, juicy and tender—as you will taste for yourself!
