◎ 魏國金

The government plans to tighten regulations for production of a type of ham that is a staple of the Spanish diet and an increasingly popular export to ensure it is made the traditional way--from free-range pigs fed on acorns and herbs.

西班牙政府計畫加強一種火腿生產的規範，以確保其以傳統方式─取自餵以橡實與香草的放養豬─製成；這種火腿是西班牙的主要食品，而且是越來越受歡迎的出口品。

Ambiguous laws have meant that techniques used to produce the salt-cured ham known as jamon Iberico, or Iberian ham, do not always comply with standards for the product to receive a certificate of quality.

含糊籠統的法律，意味著用來生產這種以「伊比利火腿」之名廣為人知的鹽醃火腿技術，往往並未遵照該產品之所以獲得品質保證書的製程標準。

The Agriculture Ministry plans reforms so that the title ’jamon iberico’ will only be granted to ham from Iberian pigs that graze in open countryside on acorns and herbs like rosemary and thyme and not to ham from stable-bound pigs that are fed grain.

農業部計畫推行改革，讓「伊比利火腿」美名僅授予放養在廣闊鄉間，並以橡實與迷迭香、百里香等香草為食的伊比利豬製成的火腿，而非由餵食穀物的圈養豬做成的火腿。

Ham is serious business in Spain. The industry produces around five million legs of salt-cured ham a year, and prized Iberian pieces can retail for more than euro 200 a leg.

在西班牙，火腿是很重要的生意。該產業一年出產約500萬隻鹽醃火腿，而口碑極佳的伊比利火腿，每隻零售可逾200歐元。

Despite the high cost, the ham is a regular on dinner tables and in bars and restaurants serving ’tapas’ finger foods.

儘管價格高昂，在晚餐的餐桌上、酒吧與提供小巧可口的tapas美食餐廳中，這種火腿都是常見菜餚。

新聞辭典

free-range︰指自由放養、沒有圍籬的，free-range chicken就是所謂的放山雞；stable-bound則是指圈養。

comply with︰順從、遵從。We comply with all fire safety rules. （我們遵守所有消防安全規則。）

finger foods︰不需動刀叉，可一口咬定的小點心。fish finger則是長短如指頭的炸魚條，是常見的英國食物。