Melon and Black Forest Ham

The first time I had Black Forest Ham was when I was 13.  I'd been studying German for a year and went on an exchange to the Schwarzwald with 30 or so kids from two local schools.  It was chaos.  I was a studious child but felt hopelessly out of my depth being put in a home with a family whose language I barely spoke.

One thing I remember was breakfasts.  In the UK we used to have cereal or toast, nothing else.  Every day the breakfasts were a selection of cheese, meats, fruit, bread.  I loved it.  It was so different and so interesting.

I remember seeing the ham and assuming it was Parma ham (which I'd never eaten).  My friends exclaimed in disgust how their families had served them "raw bacon" for breakfast but I liked it.

So I hesitate to call this a recipe but here was today's breakfast which brought back all these memories.

Melon and Black Forest Ham - Serves 1

Ingredients

Approx a quarter of a ripe galia melon
4 slices of Black Forest Ham

Method

Cut up the melon and serve with the ham.

Black forest ham is a deliciously smoky ham produced by dry smoking in the Black Forest region of Germany.  It's smoked so heavily it ends up almost black on the outside.  It has a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) which means you can't make it anywhere else and frankly I love the stuff.  Great as a smokier version of raw cured hams.  It's not the same but makes a lovely, smokier version of pan con tomate if you fancy something different for breakfast tomorrow!

I've linked this up to recipe of the week.