La Bodega in Ithaca, NY: A Master Carver and the World’s Best Ham

La Bodega CLOSED PERMANENTLY in July 2022. It was great while it lasted.

I love stumbling upon food gems, and today was my lucky day. (And yours, because I’m going to tell you all about it.) 

Who knew that one of the country’s few professional Spanish ham carvers had set up shop in a hole in the wall in the middle of Ithaca! To serve the world’s best ham, no less!

Well, actually my friend Sonya did, and she invited me along for what was supposed to be a quick lunch but turned into a fascinating education in all things jamón. 

La Bodega sits in the small Dewitt Mall — also home to the famous Moosewood Restaurant and the popular Cafe DeWitt — in downtown Ithaca. There’s just enough space inside to fit the food prep area, a few shelves of products for sale, and a couple of customers. It doesn’t feel claustrophobic, though, thanks to a large mirror behind the counter. 

We arrived right as owner Pedro Liébana was opening up, and that was a good thing, because we got to pepper him with questions for the next 20 minutes before other customers arrived. 

What’s so special about jamón?

One of my favorite things about being a writer and anthropologist is talking with people about things they’re passionate about. And this was clearly the case with Pedro. 

Against the backdrop of Spanish guitar music, he was eager to explain why the two hams in front of us were something special. He imports them from Valencia and Córdoba, where they are produced according to traditional methods.

The serrano ham comes from regular pigs, the ibérico from a special breed called pata negra (aka Black Iberian pig), thanks to their black hooves. 

Pedro generously let us sample the difference. With a long, thin blade, he carved delicate slices from the hams that are set up in special stands. 

The serrano was nice, tender and chewy, with those funky (in the best way!) flavors you get from properly aged meat. 

But the ibérico — oh my! Salty and sweet at the same time, with melty fat. That sweetness, Pedro explained, comes from allowing the pigs to roam freely and gobble up tasty acorns (which makes this particular version of ham what he calls the best of all ibéricos, namely jamón ibérico de bellota). Plus, after lying in salt and in cold storage for a few months, the ham may dry for up to three more years. 

It is considered by some to be the world’s best ham.

No wonder Pedro recommends saving ibérico to eat on its own with a glass of wine rather than muffling its flavor in a sandwich (though one is on offer in the menu). 

La Bodega’s menu

Speaking of the menu: it is short and sweet. “They’re my six favorite sandwiches,” Pedro said. They’re also classics eaten across Spain, apparently. Here they cost $12 each and include a side of tortilla (potato and egg omelet) or gazpacho (a fresh tomato, pepper, and cucumber soup – refreshing, tangy, garlicky).  

Some are filled with ham, others with chorizo — this he buys from Spanish producers in New York — or tortilla. They all have in common that they contain only a few simple ingredients and aren’t overloaded – unlike American sandwiches, Pedro pointed out at least twice. 

We bought some drinks from the nearby GreenStar Dewitt store and sat at one of their outdoor picnic tables. (La Bodega doesn’t have any seating, though there happens to be an indoor bench right across from its door. Dewitt Park across the street is another place to take your sandwich.) 

Sonya was very happy with her choice of chorizo vela. The spicy chorizo had just the right amount of heat and had been arranged with great attention to detail on the bread, along with slices of Manchego cheese and tumaca sauce (a pleasant mix of tomatoes, olive oil, and garlic). 

I was just as pleased with my serranito. The white bread was toasted just so — crusty but not overly crunchy and a perfect contrast for the moist but non-drippy inside of the sandwich: pork loin, roasted green pepper (a slightly bitter note that also offset the creaminess of the other ingredients), Manchego cheese, tumaca, and, as an add-on (+$1), jamón serrano. Thanks to the warmth of the bread, the cheese was soft and the fat on the ham melty and translucent. So good! 

Oh, and consider trying a torta ($1.50), a crispy handmade cookie from Sevilla, for dessert. With olive oil, anise, sesame and a sprinkling of sugar, it’s kind of sweet-savory. 

 

Master ham carving

We also learned that Pedro is one of only three master ham carvers (maestro jamonero cortador) in the United States. (The others are in Miami and New York, but he says he’s the only one available to the public in this way.) 

Growing up in Granada in southern Spain, Pedro was steeped in the culture of world-class ham. “It’s a cult in Spain,” he said. “Everybody has a jamón. You open the cupboard, take it out to carve whenever you want, in summer, winter, it’s always ready.” 

That’s how he learned the art of cutting ham as a child. “My first knife was a gift from my mother for my communion.” 

You can use a machine on serrano if you must, but don’t even think about touching ibérico with anything but a knife! He explained that the speed of an electric cutter would destroy all the vitamins, texture, and flavor that make the ham so special. “You’d lose everything you’re paying for.” 

Pedro is available to demonstrate the special techniques of cutting different parts of the leg at parties and events, and he offers catered tapas, too. 

Should I take the kids to La Bodega?

I’m all about introducing kids to the great foods of the world. If you think they’d enjoy sampling jamón, here’s a great opportunity. 

That said, I can’t imagine really doing the sandwiches justice with my young kids around. Those high-quality ingredients and flavors deserve my full attention. And, quite frankly, Pedro’s careful work seems rather wasted with the scarfing of meals that usually ensues when I try to consume food in public with my kids pulling me in all directions.  

A few more things to know

• La Bodega carries a small selection of imported Spanish groceries, such as cheese, olive oil, rice, paella kits, spices, olives, aged sherry vinegar, cured meats, breadsticks, and seafood conserves.
• If you buy any sliced ham, it keeps for a few days in the fridge. It’s best to take it out 20 minutes before you want to eat it so it comes to room temperature.
• Pedro mentioned that he’s in Ithaca because his wife got a postdoc here. Knowing how transient academia can be, I’m bracing myself for the possibility that La Bodega may not be here forever. (I’ll ask next time.) So, get your ham while you can!

Have you tried the world’s best ham? Or visited La Bodega? Tell us about your experience in the comments.

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