Ham Then and Now

Yes, it is Christmas, the ham in the brown cotton bag is covered in tar and is hanging on the nail over the ice box and today is the day that it will come off the nail to go into the  pitch oil pan that is sitting on the fireside, filled with water to begin the boiling.

Everyone is waiting patiently as the bread is in the earth oven where that tantalizing aroma is emanating from. We can't wait.

Because most persons did not have refrigeration long ago, these tar hams were a favorite, as they did not require refrigeration and could last for about 3 years before being cooked and even after cooking could last for days outside the refrigerator without spoiling.

This was Christmas of Long ago in Trinidad!

Ham preserved in Tar

Boy of boy how things have changed.

This Christmas I bought two hams, the first a Boneless Picnic ham and the second a pre-cook ham with bone but already sliced around the bone for my convenience.

Apparently Sing Chong Supermarket on Charlotte Street, Port of Spain, Trinidad are taking shoppers through a time capsule to the old time days, by importing and hanging tar ham on the ceiling of their supermarket.

Tar Ham hanging from Ceiling in Sing Chong Supermarket

Check out these photos of ham today: