On the trail of the Iberian luxury of Cinco Jotas
Shanghai with luxury is a very strong idyll. An affair that has no measure neither in the pocket nor in the enjoyment. Strolling through the wide and quiet streets of neighborhoods such as the Former French Concession (covering the Xuhui & Huangpu districts) or the pedestrianized Xintiandi, brands and logos abound, both inside and outside store windows.
Catwalks, what do we want you for? At the tables of the restaurants in the area, the obsession does not lower the bar and it gets refined based on gourmet and authentically exotic products, those that are not bred or manufactured in these ways and that, therefore, acquire even more value.
Chefs of the stature of Nicholas LeBec , quite a celebrity and French restaurant owner Le Bec , the favorite of the most gourmets in the city, goes out of her way to accompany her menu, purist like her alone –and in which nods as French as the homemade foie terrines, frog legs or snails abound– from products that have nothing to do with its gastronomic line but they add a degree (more) of value. And of flavor.
In season, it is the white truffle that crowns one of the most expensive and exquisite pasta dishes that you will taste here; while on weekends, at brunch time, an expert Cinco Jotas ham slicer he is in charge of making the taste buds of the diners not resist the Spanish compliment.
One of the reasons for the good acceptance of Cinco Jotas ham is due to the great culinary tradition of the country and the refined palate of the Chinese, who know how to appreciate the highest quality products.
Chinese society, which has a comfortable economy, seeks experience, discover and enjoy unique and exceptional gastronomic products. The Chinese demand Cinco Jotas in the same way that they demand the best wines, caviar, truffles, oysters…
Moose, a neighbor of Le Bec, chef Paul Zhu and recently awarded a Michelin star, does not stray from this line. His menu reflects the culinary tradition of Huaiyang and sublimates his fame with dishes such as crispy white fish with chives or his Peking duck, one of the best in the city and from which the bones are used to fry them in a preparation that would cause a sensation in any bar in Spain.
But here that is not enough, because being in one of the most exclusive districts of Shanghai, in a centennial house with a decoration that looks towards European sobriety, also It includes products such as French oysters and Iberian ham in its menu. Whichever way you look at it, without luxury there is no paradise in the Shanghai food scene.
The visit of the Chinese president, Xi Jinping, at the end of last year to our country caused a whole deployment of means by the government and the Royal House. He surprised many, but what Spain was playing for between protocols and unmeasured attention was no joke.
Especially when it comes to breaking down barriers and facilitating access to the marketing of our products such as table grapes (including wine) and fresh pork. And of course the Iberian Ham , which was from that moment on when he made his grand entrance.
In the specific case of Cinco Jotas, there are two additional elements that have reinforced demand in China: its unique flavor, that completely adapts to the Chinese palate, with a touch of complex dried fruit and a high permanence in the mouth. As well as the leadership of the brand in the Spanish market and internationally in 100% Iberian acorn-fed hams. The Chinese pay a lot of attention to who is the reference brand in the country of origin of a product, and Cinco Jotas is a historical brand of the highest quality, whose house was founded in 1879.
It is not a new thing that the Chinese are fascinated by, but it is a novelty that From now on you can enjoy it in your country in the way you deserve: With bone.
Until this change in the tariff policy, the ham arrived deprived of the opulence of its rounder flavor and the spectacle that accompanies it when the cutter displays his good work in restaurants such as The Twins, in the exclusive flagship of the Zwilling knife brand or at a couple of hours from downtown Shanghai, in Hangzhou. Over there, resorts such as the Four Seasons or the Relais & Châteaux Seven Villas do not hesitate to include it in their menus, fused with dishes and ingredients as local as a typical rice from the northeast of the country or in a cong you bing, a kind of pancakes with chives.
If you were wondering, the answer is no: China is not going to end the ham reserves in Spain and this is confirmed by Cinco Jotas, present especially in the big cities of eastern China and with distribution circuits based on the main restaurants and gourmet shops in the country.
"As a Spanish brand we want to maintain our leadership in the national market, Therefore, we will continue faithful to our tradition of offering a private selection a year in advance for our clients in order to assure them of the product that they have always had the opportunity to enjoy.”
