We have 3 major chain groceries stores in the area, Market Basket/Demoulas, Shaw's and Stop & Shop. Stop & Shop has always had a limited selection compared to the other two stores. MB has a good selection but is a not a flashy store. I shop there for the basics plus. For example, MB has the best fresh cilantro in the area. Shaw's has a wonderful selection is more upscale but tends to be pricey. I have noticed that all three have started to limit their selections more than they used to. I haven't been able to find duck breast which all three used to carry. Luckily the local butcher shop can get it for me. I shop a lot at farm stands and farmers' markets, the local family owned grocery store, local butcher shops and order online. It's not as easy as it used to be to one stop shop. I agree that cooking from scratch which used to be the norm has become hobby cooking. My family has always been scratch cooks but I noticed more and more of my friends and co-workers leaning toward convenience. My BFF is a marvelous cook who always had a passion for cooking has decided that cooking is too much WORK and she NEVER cooks now. :-( Now she eats out or buys convenience items; ten years ago she would have been horrified at the thought! I still love to cook and the bonus is my 18 year old daughter is now taking an active interest. We're sharing some great bonding time. This week we are working side by side each evening preparing for our annual Winter Open House this Saturday. We're expecting about 50 or so guests for laughs, camaraderie, tall tales, oh and food....Turducken, sides, appies and of course dessert. We've served Turducken the last 15 years hence it's become tradition and is always requested so.....

I've been ferreting through the ham types for a few years too and when I've dealt with a big ole honking hunk of ham I found that the butt half ham has a nice flavor I've glazed it myself with a silly recipe from Allrecipes and it came out like a Ham-Company ham 1 (15.25 ounce) can sliced pineapple, drained with juice reserved 1 (4 ounce) jar maraschino cherries, drained 1 cup brown sugar DIRECTIONS: 1. Before baking ham, place pineapple slices on ham with toothpicks and place cherries in center of pineapple. 2. In a medium microwave safe bowl combine brown sugar and reserved pineapple juice. Mix together and microwave for about 5 minutes, until mixture is thick. Pour some of this glaze over the ham about every 15 minutes in the last hour of baking, until all is used. Ive done the spiral and all I found was it was sliced [convenient but...] and exposed to the air and not very tasty. The unsliced lends itself better to future use and soup bones :) And if you want the ham here and now get a ham steak all the ham none of the trimming or deboning. Alot easier than a full cut chunk.

The really high end, acorn fed Iberico was expensive even in Spain. I never actually tasted it. But serrano I had often in restaurants; typically used as a garnish. I'd "settle" for that, as my tastebuds can't clamor for the other that I have never tasted. ;) I recently saw in Sam's Club a assortment package of meats that had serrano in it. But I didn't want the others, which were sliced sausage. I don't eat sausage, though who knows: maybe those were wonderful.

Ignoring the outburst.....and back to hams... To me....as I know it....a "country ham" is one that has been dry aged and has to be soaked, scrubbed and boiled in 2 changes of water before being baked. Then there is a fully cooked ham which is ready to eat and only needs to be warmed to eat if you like it hot...if not then just cut 'er up and eat. Than there is something else.....it's not cooked and the package says it needs to be cooked at thus and so for thus and so number or hours, or until a thermometer in the thickest part registers 160 degrees. The last ham I bought like that (a Smithfield for a funeral lunch) was wonderful....even if a pain to prepare......and I know that they are "raw" because the one that someone else cooked was like raw meat inside....I had to bake it more. I have no idea how those raw, but not country hams are cured. And I LIKE brown sugar glazed ham and cranberry sauce on my turkey and applesauce with my pork and fruit stuffed pork loin and sweet and sour shrimp. I love asparagus with hollandaise and trice baked potatoes with sour cream and cheese. I like butter on my whole grain bread.....sometimes even JAM!!!!! Forget the honey glazed ham and add your own honey if you want it sweet. Linda C