Salame di Canossa has a millenary origin, linking it to the territory to which it owes its name. At the time of the Roman Empire, some Lombard tribes started inhabiting the Emilian hills bordering with the Imperial settlements. In opposition to Roman sheep farming, they introduced the consumption of pork meat, thus favoring the development of pork butchery. In the Middle Ages, these territories came under the control of Matilde di Canossa, a crucial figure for her epoch, that guided these areas to a period of prosperity. Salame di Canossa is made of selected part of pork meat and dices of its fat called “lardelli”. Differently from the common salame, it doesn’t contain garlic and its marinating in Lambrusco contributes to its delicate taste. According to the legend, the Dukes of Parma and Modena used to visit Canossa every year, in spite of the long and dangerous trip they had to afford, only to get this salame! Today, these lands are still an important destination for food lovers and experts, who visit Canossa to discover its wonderful castles and medieval villages and eat its good food.

Photo credits: FoodEmilia

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