Comments on: Forbidden Cuban Fruit http://www.erik-rasmussen.com/blog/2007/10/04/forbidden-cuban-fruit/ Thoughts and photos from an American living in Spain. Thu, 20 Nov 2008 16:50:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc By: Theresa http://www.erik-rasmussen.com/blog/2007/10/04/forbidden-cuban-fruit/#comment-1204 Theresa Sat, 06 Oct 2007 16:13:14 +0000 http://www.erik-rasmussen.com/blog/2007/10/04/forbidden-cuban-fruit/#comment-1204 Pretty good story. It's surprising they let you go with it. I bet it tasted even better than usual. :) Pretty good story. It’s surprising they let you go with it. I bet it tasted even better than usual. :)

]]> By: erik http://www.erik-rasmussen.com/blog/2007/10/04/forbidden-cuban-fruit/#comment-1203 erik Fri, 05 Oct 2007 08:35:27 +0000 http://www.erik-rasmussen.com/blog/2007/10/04/forbidden-cuban-fruit/#comment-1203 I've got a good jamón smuggling story. We were flying from London to New York and a security guard at the gate (you know how there's security in 12 places when traveling to the US) randomly selected us for a bag search. They found a shrink-wrapped package of jamón. Guard: What's this? Erik: It's Spanish ham. Guard: It looks like bacon. Erik: It does come from a pig, but it's call ham. Guard: It looks like bacon. Erik: Okay, but, in Spain, it's called "jamón serrano". Guard: What? Guard [into radio]: Julia, could you come down here? I've found some bacon. Guard: I'm going to keep this for now. Go sit down, I've called my supervisor. ... Julia: Sir, is this bacon yours? Erik: Yes, that's my ham. It's for personal consumption. Julia: I'm pretty sure that bacon isn't allowed, but we'll let them decide on the other end. You be sure to give this to the authorities in New York and ask if it's okay, okay? Erik: Sure thing. Thanks. And, of course, I never did. :-) I’ve got a good jamón smuggling story. We were flying from London to New York and a security guard at the gate (you know how there’s security in 12 places when traveling to the US) randomly selected us for a bag search. They found a shrink-wrapped package of jamón.

Guard: What’s this?

Erik: It’s Spanish ham.

Guard: It looks like bacon.

Erik: It does come from a pig, but it’s call ham.

Guard: It looks like bacon.

Erik: Okay, but, in Spain, it’s called “jamón serrano”.

Guard: What?

Guard [into radio]: Julia, could you come down here? I’ve found some bacon.

Guard: I’m going to keep this for now. Go sit down, I’ve called my supervisor.

…

Julia: Sir, is this bacon yours?

Erik: Yes, that’s my ham. It’s for personal consumption.

Julia: I’m pretty sure that bacon isn’t allowed, but we’ll let them decide on the other end. You be sure to give this to the authorities in New York and ask if it’s okay, okay?

Erik: Sure thing. Thanks.

And, of course, I never did. :-)

]]> By: Theresa http://www.erik-rasmussen.com/blog/2007/10/04/forbidden-cuban-fruit/#comment-1202 Theresa Fri, 05 Oct 2007 08:24:11 +0000 http://www.erik-rasmussen.com/blog/2007/10/04/forbidden-cuban-fruit/#comment-1202 You're encouraging smuggling...you naughty boy! I see you are adapting nicely to Spanish culture. My Spanish friends used to smuggle jamón serrano and chorizo into the U.S. when they were studying there. Sometimes their mothers would send shrink wrapped packages of ham in an envelope, which worked pretty well. But there was one guy that got caught coming back after Christmas with a chorizo in a sock (not the one he was wearing at the time), and it was confiscated. I'm sure the airport guards had a great snack that day. :) You’re encouraging smuggling…you naughty boy! I see you are adapting nicely to Spanish culture. My Spanish friends used to smuggle jamón serrano and chorizo into the U.S. when they were studying there. Sometimes their mothers would send shrink wrapped packages of ham in an envelope, which worked pretty well. But there was one guy that got caught coming back after Christmas with a chorizo in a sock (not the one he was wearing at the time), and it was confiscated. I’m sure the airport guards had a great snack that day. :)

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