Annual trip to Casa Iberica

I like to make the journey to Casa Iberica at least once a year from where ever I may be living in Victoria.

I first found this shop in the early 1980's after returning to Australia having been living in Spain for 18 months. There was a sort of longing, a homesickness for all things Spanish so where better than the Hispanic end of Johnston Street.


This fabulous shop sure tugs at the old Spanish heart strings.....paella pans, genuine tasting chorizo, cheeses, olives, prized Spanish Jamon, olive oils, paprika and of course Polvorones. Polvorones are rich, crumbly almond cakes/biscuits that are especially popular in Spain around Christmas time....these explode into airy deliciousousness in your mouth.

Oh and I nearly forgot they sell those oil soaked little fish that are a perfect tapas.....and Portugese custard tarts and Spanish pasties and pies... Oh stop it!!!

Below... Paella pans, lots of ceramics

Really the main reason I go there is for the genuine Spanish tasting Chorizo.....once tasted never forgotten. ....and of course the Jamon.

Jamon is very big in Spain with certain pigs bred for particular tastes, the most prized being fed on acorns. Jamon is like prosciutto only more flavoursome. I state this with a risk of offending Italy's ham....but please, prosciutto has it's own particular flavour of which I am also fond.

The Spanish males make the small goods, as do they cook the paella, and each has their special recipe and way of curing the Jamon.

In the picture below it is a little hard to read the writing. There is Spanish Jamon Serrano at $60.00 or $80.00 kg and Australian at $50.00kg. Their speciality Jamon Bullota at $280.00kg seems reasonable when compared to say at Prahran Market where Great Reserve Redondo Iglesias Jamon is $610.00kg.

Jamon holds a unique place in the Spanish psyche....it can be used as a minor bribe for a favour and certainly a gift for something well done.