Holiday Ham

     This Christmas marked a milestone in my life:  I cooked my first holiday ham for just my boyfriend and me.  I was quite pleased with the entire experience.
     I ordered my ham from Gartner's Meat Market here in Portland.  I'd never made the drive out to 74th and NE Killingsworth, and what an adventure it was. I got there a bit before they opened at 10:00 a.m. on the Sunday before Christmas, and thank goodness.  There was a line outside the locked doors as if people were headed into a rock concert.  The parking lot was even equipped with a traffic controller.  These people are serious about their meat.  I  had ordered a fresh ham because I intended to use my own brine and smoke it.  Unfortunately, there was a mix up on their papers and I received a partially smoked ham.  The employee that helped me was kind enough to call later when he realized the mistake. Great customer service, but I didn't have the time to head back across town and trade.  No worries, I just switched gears and decided to cook my ham with my mother's delicious glaze.  I'm glad I did.
    I needed that old familiar comfort of her ham.  Smelling the brown sugar and mustard glaze bubbling on the fat, sneaking all the crispy sweet edge pieces for myself, and that first juicy bite of deliciously moist ham. What a fantastic thing to pull out of the oven as it glistens and steams, practically begging to be eaten.  We sat down to a Christmas night dinner of ham, homemade apple chutney, roasted brussel sprouts, and his own potato cake-like creation (which I'm actually craving this very moment).  My Christmas season finally stopped feeling like I was missing out on my family traditions; I was creating my own with someone I love.  
    And then, what I was perhaps looking forward to most: a leftover ham extravaganza.  Oh ham, for days and days... and then more ham.  Ham in omelets, salads, soups and a slew of ham sandwiches.  Pressed into a panini with hot mustard, cheese, and spicy pickles.  On jalapeno cheddar bagels or blue cornmeal bread.  Or pressed with chutney and hot sauce.  The options are endless.  I finally got around to cooking a big pot of white beans with the ham bone and extra shredded meat.  Butter, garlic, onion- so simple, but I can't seem to put the spoon down.
     I feel like I need to thank the pig that provided us with such a bounty of food.  An 8-pound ham was food for two for weeks.  The cooking technique or glaze I use may change each year, but a tradition of a holiday ham is one I plan to keep.