Excited and nervous. Last time I visited these little piggies in Jabugo was back in 2017, which was also the last time I went to Restaurante Arrieros in nearby Linares de la Sierra. And next week I’m going to do both again, along with quite a few other cool pig-related things. It all started when I ran into Adela & Luismi at Manolo Cateca in January and they told me they were retiring in July and so would be closing Arrieros. I made a mental note that I would have to visit again before then. Then I wrote my All About The Pig article for Bitesize Sevilla and thought a follow-up piece focusing on just jamón would be a good idea, and that I could combine a trip to the Sierra de Aracena to also do some research for the final part of the Bitesize Day Trips series. And THEN I was commissioned by Pellicle Magazine to write a piece on jamón cutters (!!). So aside from visiting Arrieros one last time I also had three articles to research, which (to me anyhow) totally justified taking a trip.

Gonna say it’s been complicated, especially trying to organise transportation (basically impossible to do this trip without a car). But with the help of friends and contacts it finally came together. I’ll be based in Aracena for two nights and during the three days I am there will be visiting my friends at Finca Buenvino, jamón producers in Jabugo and Corteconcepción, restaurants in Linares and Fuenteheridos, along with the Jamón Museum and Gruta de las Maravillas (Cave of Wonders) in Aracena. Stay tuned!