Bite into a Lardo di Colonnata and Meet a Traditional Tuscan Fare



Posted: Friday, March 19, 2010

by NatureZone
LaCartes.com

The locals in the Apuane Alps of northern Italy customarily acknowledged pork as an indispensable fare and most often than not, all parts of a butchered pig are put into good use. The parsimonious and practical residents even found a decent way to conserve as well as process and benefit from pork's fat into good use (and a delicious one at that!). Lardo di Colonnata is the scrumptious outcome of this ingenious frugality; a simple yet pleasing Italian delicacy.

This traditional Lardo di Colonnata from Northern Tuscany is produced from pork fat preserved in special marble tubs called conca' or conche. Lardo di Colonnata, called thus because it is made famous by people living in the mountain town of Colonnata, is not only a way of storing precious protein supply over the cold winter of old but it is also a very delectable Tuscan treat that that has become part of the people's tradition.

The first stage of the Lardo's curing process start offs by starting off with the conche and substantially rubbing it with garlic; then, the thinly-sliced salted pork fat, and the special mix of herbs and spices that makes it sumptuous are layered one over the other until the vats are full or all the pork fats are in the vats. The vats made from marble will then be sealed with a wooden lid. These vats are then ready for the next process; they are left for six to eight months in cool mountain caves to cure.

The secret of a good Lardo di Colonnata lies in the exceptional herb and spice mixture (different family would have their own traditional blend). Mixture basically includes rosemary, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, sage, oregano, aniseed and of course, the primary herb ingredient, garlic. Some people state that the secret of a good Lardo lies in the unique marble conche from Cararra, a neighboring town.

The long-established curing process and the pleasant climate in the mountains produces a silky-smooth aromatic meat' that despite the amount of salt used, is not salty. People love Lardo di Colonnata on their sandwiches and salads

One does not have to go up the mountains of Northern Tuscany; any authentic Italian restaurant will definitely offer this scrumptious Tuscan treat.

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» left by Marijo Phelps
 2 years 46 days ago.
142 fans.
Makes me want to sign up for a tour! Thanks for sharing your knowledge with the readers and welcome to Searchwarp!
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