Select a ham weighing about seven pounds. Wash the ham thoroughly, sprinkle with baking soda, rubbing it all over the surface, rinse in cold water, and place in a deep kettle, with the cloves, celery seed, cinnamon, peppercorns and cider. Cover with boiling water and simmer until perfectly tender, four or five hours.
Take from the kettle, remove the skin, and sprinkle the ham with sugar. Brush over with beaten egg, cover with ground breadcrumbs, stick in cloves at even intervals and brown in a 550°F. oven.
Trim the meat from the bone end, and decorate the latter with celery leaves and curls. Serve with currant sauce. This recipe, of course, furnishes the meat for several meals.
