Origin
France, Adour basin (IGP), Basque Country
Flavor Profile
Delicate, slightly sweet, mild saltiness, floral with a hint of mountain air. One of Europe's most refined air-dried hams.
Fruit Pairing
Yellow mirabelles or nectarines, halved
Cheese Pairing
Ossau-Iraty AOP (Basque sheep's cheese, semi-hard)
Antipasti
French cornichons, caper berries, walnuts
Special Touch
Ham and cheese come from exactly the same climatic region — terroir on the plate. This geographic kinship makes the pairing so coherent it almost explains itself.
Serving
On a light wooden board: cheese broken into coarse pieces, fruit halved and pitted, cornichons and capers in a small jar alongside.
The Story
This ham matures in the winds between the Atlantic and the Pyrenees — that is no marketing copy, it is simply true. The IGP requires it to be made only in the Adour basin. The Ossau-Iraty comes from the same valley. The two have known each other for centuries — I merely bring them back together.
Background
Legend traces its history to Count Gaston Fébus of Foix, who in the 14th century found a wounded wild boar perfectly preserved in a salt spring at Salies-de-Béarn. The name 'Bayonne' arose because the port became the chief export point from the 15th century. Production takes place exclusively in the Adour basin; salting uses the mineral-rich sea salt of Salies-de-Béarn.