Jambon de Bayonne, French Prosciutto

In warmer months, press thin slices of jambon de Bayonne onto a long baguette with unsalted European butter (or truffle butter) and a drizzle of herbed olive oil for the easiest, most elegant picnic sandwich this side of the Seine.

Or wrap strings of the prosciutto around monkfish or cod on a rosemary skewer and pop it on the grill. In autumn and winter, line the breasts of chickens with prosciutto before roasting them in the oven, or fry chopped up bits in olive oil with sage and toss with pasta. Like our ventrèche and tasso ham, this prosciutto is simply a smart thing for the home cook to keep in the refrigerator.