| The mountain regions of northern Italy considered pork | | | | sealed with a wooden lid. These vats are then |
| as a staple food and most often than not, all parts of | | | | traditionally left for six to eight months in cool mountain |
| a butchered pig are put into good use. The frugal locals | | | | caves to cure. |
| even found a decent way to preserve and use pork's | | | | The secret of a good Lardo di Colonnata lies in the |
| fat into good use (and a delicious one at that!). Lardo di | | | | special herb and spice mixture (different family would |
| Colonnata is one very best example of it; a simple yet | | | | have their own traditional blend) that usually includes |
| satisfying Italian delicacy. | | | | rosemary, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, |
| This traditional Italian delicacy from the Apuane Alps in | | | | sage, oregano, aniseed and of course, the primary |
| Northern Tuscany is produced from pork fat | | | | herb ingredient, garlic. People also believed that the |
| preserved in special marble vats called 'conca' or | | | | conche made from the 'white mountains' of the nearby |
| conche. Lardo di Colonnata, called thus because it is | | | | town, Cararra also help a lot in the curing process of |
| made famous by people living in the mountain town of | | | | this Italian delicacy. |
| Colonnata, Is not only a way of saving precious protein | | | | The age old curing process and the temperate |
| source over the cold winter but it is also a very | | | | climates in the mountains produces a silky-smooth |
| delectable Tuscan treat that old and young people find | | | | aromatic 'meat' that is surprisingly not salty at all |
| irresistible. | | | | despite of the amount of salt used. The finished |
| The Lardo di Colonnata is basically preserved by | | | | product is now ready and you can use it as you would |
| liberally rubbing the conche with garlic; then, the | | | | a prosciutto. |
| thinly-sliced salted pork fat, and the special mix of | | | | One does not have to go up the mountains of |
| herbs and spices that makes it sumptuous are layered | | | | Northern Tuscany; there are a lot of authentic Italian |
| one over the other until the vats are full or all the pork | | | | restaurants offering this scrumptious Tuscan treat. |
| fats are in the vats. The marble vessel will then be | | | | |