"Christine Dabney" > wrote in message
...
> On Mon, 10 Nov 2003 17:07:30 -0600, Steve Wertz
> > wrote:
>
> >On 10 Nov 2003 21:36:15 GMT, (PENMART01) wrote:
> >
> >>Christine Dabney > writes:
> >>
> >>>Hiya all,
> >>>
> >>>I got curious, and decided to google for the definition of a
> >>>Smithfield ham.
> >>>
> >>>This supposedly is the official definition of a Smithfield ham, so I
> >>>was correct after all, for the most part.
> >>>
> >>>"Genuine Smithfield hams [are those] cut from the carcasses of
> >>>peanut-fed hogs, raised in the peanut-belt of the State of Virginia or
> >>>the State of North Carolina, and which are cured, treated, smoked, and
> >>>processed in the town of Smithfield, in the State of Virginia."
> >>>1926 Statute passed by General Assembly of Virginia
> >>
> >>With absolutely no varifiable corroboration your definition amounts to
> >>gibberish... also because what I believe you meant to write is
"Smithfield
> >>Ham", not "Smithfield ham". BIG difference.
> >
> >The key word there is "Genuine". A label not not bear the word
> >"genuine" unless it's a dry-cured ham processed in Smithfield County.
> >Smithfield, the *brand* name is free to use the word "Smithfield" on
> >any of it's products regardless of how or where it was made. They
> >just can't call it "Genuine" unless it's from their dry-cured line.
> >
> >I used to live literally 500 yards from the Smithfield county line and
> >am more than familiar with the terminology regarding hams. Sheldon,
>
This is quite remarkable, since there is no Smithfield County in Virginia.
The closest county to Smithfield is Isle of Wight, but in reality Smithfield
is not a part of any county. Virginia is unique (I believe) in the US in
that it has a system of independent cities which are not connected in any
way with any county.
Since you lived there, I assume that this was just a
"slip of the keyboard" of the kind that we all make occasionally (or, in my
case, constantly).
Ron