When it comes to charcuterie products, the undisputed king is surely the raw ham.The following part of this presentation has been extracted from the documentation available from the Consortium of Prosciutto Toscano PDO, of which our Company has been a member since the beginning of its establishment.
“In Tuscany, people, animals, plants have a form, a language, a feeling, they have colors, joys to express. It is the passion for history and tradition that leads every action, in small as in big things, and the process of creation in Tuscany always assumes the value of“”ceremony.
Even in the breeding, characteristic activity of this land, we find this passion for the ritual, demonstrating that progress and technology have not affected the original historical value of what is produced. The Tuscan pig farming has distant origins, peasants and farms and the resulting product has maintained to the present those characteristics of genuineness, taste and sapidity that elevate it to excellent results.
The genuine simplicity that is recognized all over the world to the Tuscan food production, is also alive in its hams, which combine the strong flavors of the sun and the winds in the maturation of the meat, the aromas typical of its vegetation, rich in lentisks, myrtles, junipers, secret ingredients of the producer’s’ recipes.
Protected designation of origin
Nature, climate, and passion of the producers, have been able to create and maintain the original taste of Prosciutto Toscano.” For protection, the characteristic and unique identity of Tuscan pig farming and processing techniques, in 1990 the Consortium of Tuscan Prosciutto was founded, which in 1996 received the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) and the consortia have been engaged in protected production since September 1997.
The importance of being PDO
The production of Prosciutto Toscano with Protected Designation of Origin is made possible by the commitment and respect for the Tuscan food tradition of all the consortia, which have decided to adhere with pride to the precise rules established by the Production Guidelines.
The animals must be at least 9 months old and have a live weight of between 144 and 176 kg. To ensure that consumers are sure of a higher quality and guaranteed product, the animals selected must have the indelible tattoo approved by the breeders and the marking of the slaughterers. The pigs are selected only if they are born, reared, fattened and slaughtered in Tuscany and in the regions defined in the specification, which are part of the circuit of P. D.O. Parma and San Daniele’s hams.
The processing, exclusively of fresh thighs (frozen legs are not allowed), is possible only in the Tuscany Region. Salting is done dry with the use of sea salt, pepper and natural aromas typical of the region.The resulting taste is typical of the already famous Prosciutto, a delicate taste but skilfully enriched by those unmistakable aromas of Tuscany“. Checks on all production are carried out by a Control Body authorised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.
Only by following this precise process, the hams will be able to obtain, after at least one year of maturation, the final brand fire of the Consortium, representing the Tuscany Region.
PGI Finocchiona
Finocchiona is the Queen of Tuscan cured meats, the one that in Tuscan gastronomy stands out most for its flavor, aromas and uniqueness, thanks to the aroma of fennel, used in seeds and / or flowers in the dough, and to a soft consistency. From the combination of the best selections of certified Italian genealogy meat and the artisan recipe of the associated companies that combines spices and natural aromas, the only and unique Finocchiona IGP is born.
Eating a slice is like taking a trip to the most authentic and true Tuscany to discover peasant traditions, lesser-known villages and more hidden corners. Taste it sitting at the table of a winery or a restaurant in Florence, Siena, Arezzo or Lucca; enjoy it with two slices of Tuscan bread in the open air; bring it to your table and try to amaze your friends with a salami that has no equal in the world with a fresh and appetizing flavor and an unmistakable scent.
CURIOSITY
Did you know that you can find the Finocchiona PGI on the market in many varieties (whole, in slices or in tubs, already sliced)? To be Finocchiona PGI each cut and each package must carry, both in Italy and abroad, the word ‘Finocchiona’ in clear and indelible characters, immediately followed by the words ‘Protected Geographical Indication’ or the initials I.G.P.