Description
Salame Cremona PGI is a large-grained stuffed charcuterie product, obtained through the processing of lean and fat meat from Italian heavy pigs belonging to the Italian Large White, Italian Landrace and Italian Duroc breeds.
Production Area
The production area of Salame Cremona PGI is within the regions of Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Piedmont and Veneto.
Production Method
The pork used to make the mince comes from the muscular part of the carcass and the striated muscle and adipose tissue, cleaned carefully and then minced in mincers with 6 mm holes. The mince is then mixed with natural aromas like salt, spices, pepper, ground or in pieces, and crushed garlic. The mixture is kneaded in vacuum or air pressure machines for a certain length of time. It is then stuffed into a natural pig, cow, horse or sheep casing, with an initial diameter of no less than 65 mm. It is then manually or mechanically tied with a cord. The product can be kept in a cold storeroom for a day at the most, with a temperature between 2 and 10°C. It is then heat dried at a temperature between 15 and 25°C, in order to allow for the rapid dehydration of the superficial parts in the first few days. Curing takes place in ventilated locations with a temperature between 11 and 16°C, for a period of no less than five weeks, based on the initial size of the casing.
Appearance and Flavour
Salame Cremona PGI has a cylindrical shape and weighs no less than 500 g. The slices are compact and homogenous, with a deep red colour that gradually blends into the white of the fatty parts (an effect known as "smelmato"). It is has a typical spicy aroma.
History
The origins of Salame Cremona PGI date back to the Roman period. There are numerous documents which often refer to the buying and selling of pigs by farmers, who held limited partnership agreements with the owners of the animals, dividing the profit at 50% (agistment contract). More information on the diffusion and certain fame of this salami can be found in a series of Renaissance documents contained within the Litterarum and Fragmentorum in the State Archives of Cremona. These documents reveal the presence and importance of this product in the production area. The diffusion of salami in the Cremona area was also ascertained by the notary Ludovico Cavitelli, in his Annales (Cremona, 1588), as well as by a list of food consumed daily in the local convents: if salami was a basic food in the convents, we can presume that it was also for the population.
Gastronomy
Salame Cremona PGI should be kept in its casing and put in the least cold compartment of the refrigerator; it should be taken out a few minutes before eating. It pairs perfectLY with local cheeses. It can be eaten on its own as a snack or main course, or diced and served with an aperitif. As a delicious alternative, it can be served with figs or pears: due to its soft consistency it is difficult to tell the salami and the fruit apart, resulting in a pleasant sensation on the palate. For the same reason, it is also ideal with a croissant.
Marketing
The product is marketed as Salame Cremona PGI. It is sold whole with a weight of no less than 500 kg, in pieces or sliced, vacuum-packed or in modified atmosphere packaging.
Distinctive Features
Salame Cremona PGI is still produced with procedures that fully respect tradition, although incorporated with the new technologies that have been introduced to the production processes.
