ANY NICE-TASTING CHRISTMAS hams you can suggest? I want to break free from tradition and try something new. All our lives, we?ve been having the salty Chinese type. Do you have any suggestions?

MIRIAM

These are my preferred hams for this season.

Santis Delicatessen?s Bourbon Honey-Glazed Whole Leg of Ham? Smoked, cured pork leg with skin. The glaze is made of bourbon, brown sugar, lemon juice and honey.

This ham has a nice feel to the mouth, perfect for ham steaks. I like mine sliced on the thick side; a European style ham that is great with country bread, salads or served with roasted potatoes, mustard and cranberry sauce. Don?t forget to ask for extra glaze or sauce. Call 8441154 to order.

Santis Christmas Ham aka Pine Honey Ham? Rolled pork belly and loin, cured, smoked and cooked with distinct pine honey flavor. Available at all Santis Deli outlets.

I serve this a lot during the holidays. It is great as sandwich filling. What I do is I brush the top/fat side of the ham with Dijon mustard and generously pat brown sugar over the mustard. Do this by pressing down brown sugar with the palm of your hand.

Bake or torch the ham until the sugar melts and a crust is formed. I serve this with sauce. Here?s the recipe.

?-1 c brown sugar, adjust sweetness to taste

2 c pineapple juice

? c pineapple chunks

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/8 tsp all spice

? tsp cinnamon

1 tbsp mustard

1/3 c raisins

? c rum

3 tbsp butter

2 tbsp flour

Combine ingredients in a saucepan. Whisk until well blended.

Cook and simmer until reduced and thickened.

Season to taste with salt, pepper and sugar.

Plaza Premium Ham?I grew up with this ham. To me, Plaza?s Baked Virginia ham is ?the? taste of Christmas. It never goes out of style. Made from fresh pork, cured with herbs and spices, lightly wood-smoked, baked and glazed. It comes with five sauces: premium glaze, gutsy garlic, wasabi mayo, sweet mustard and horse radish. You could even ask them to supply you with their pan de sal that goes so well with their premium ham. Call 7290001 to 03 or 0915-6262425.

Joy?s Swiss Ham?Made by Erlinda Bautista who takes pride in her ham that has no preservatives. The ham sauce is made of pineapple and orange peel, giving it a nice, fresh twist. This boneless ham has that old-fashioned character. Perfect not just for Christmas but all-year round. Call 0920-9026322.

For the cheapest ham, try Mr. Lu?s Ham?According to the Lus, their ham has been made with the past natural calamities in mind. To help everyone cut down on expenses, Mr. Lu formulated the square ham (whole piece of meat, not chopped), cooked and vacuum-sealed. We guarantee that the taste is better and you get your money?s worth at P265/pc. At a kilo per piece, how could you go wrong? Call 5302053 or 5252720.

Other holiday treats

Here are other things to try this Christmas (by order basis only).

Restaurant Ciçou?s?Duck Liver Foie Gras Pâté (Rougié France); Pork Head Pate, Rillette; Salted Caramels. Call 0917-8858841.

Chef J Gamboa?s?Slow-Roasted Lamb Short Ribs With Garlic, Pepper and Sea Salt; Wagyu Beef Ribs Roasted Snake River Farms; US Wagyu Beef Ribs with Pimenton de la Vera and Mustard Gremolata. Call 8108735 or 8102763.

1950s pan de sal, 16-inch ensaimada. Call 0917-8408824.

Lechong pulutan?Whole baby lechon stuffed with whole garlic and siling labuyo. Call 0917-8975966.

Diamond Salmon Gravlax?Try blueberry and rum, cilantro and tequila, lemon and vodka. Personally, I love their traditional gravlax with apple compote and all the condiments. These new variants, well, are different. I must say they are strictly for the adventurous. Call 3380908.

Nikki?s Crepe Cakes?Choose from Blueberry, Strawberry, Apple Cinnamon, Banana, Peach or Mango Drizzled with Butterscotch, Chocolate or White Chocolate. Or try the plain butter and sugar crepe cake which to me is fantastic. Call 09178816454.

KCIA personal portable aircon

Though not food-related, I love cooking outdoors with this portable air-con. This is the perfect gift for someone who has everything, someone you don?t mind spending for. The air it blows is so cold. It is the best personal air-con I have ever seen. No need to put water or ice, no long tubes that you?ll need to suspend outside the window. Just plug. Everyone who has seen it has fallen in love with it. Good news, pwedeng installment/zero interest. Call 0917-8860853 or 3747958.

To Gina, Mrs. Singian and all those who saw me on Secrets of the Masters, here is the number of my raw piglet supplier?Susan Aquino, tel. 09209507172.

My cooking class schedules for 2010 are out. In February, I will be teaching in Davao and will also be conducting my Mindanao Culinary Heritage Tour. Call 9289296, 9273008, 6474744 or 0908-2372346.

E-mail the author at raspiras@inquirer.com.ph