The king of traditional cured meats produced between Massa, Carrara and Montignoso is undoubtedly the famous Lardo di Colonnata IGP, the only typical food product of the area to have obtained the recognition of Typical Geographical Indication.
An old popular tradition has it that Michelangelo himself, upon reaching the mountains of Carrara, loved to stock up on lard, but if Buonarroti’s preference remains only a suggestion, the presence in the village of centuries-old hollows (it seems even fifteenth-century ones) confirms the remote origin of this particular form of processing and curing.
Long considered a poor dish, lard provided cheap energy for centuries for marble workers (who used to take it with them to the quarry, accompanied by bread, tomatoes and wine), or for those who took refuge in the mountains, such as the Carraresi anarchists after the uprisings of 1894. A tradition of curing and aging, reflecting the history and particular conformation of the Carraresi valleys: the products of the territory were not enough to feed a constantly growing population, and meat (and many other food products), were imported from neighboring areas and then “accommodated” for curing locally. This explains why, even today, lard is not processed from meat from animals raised in the country (where it would not be physically possible) but from a small number of Italian regions, and processed fresh within 72 hours of slaughter.
The work of revaluation began a few decades ago, thanks to the resourcefulness of a few friends, small local producers, who began to offer the delicious cured meat, aged in the village cellars, to the first tourists, and to offer it at events and fairs. In 2002, the crowning achievement of a long process was the awarding of the PGI mark, accompanied by a strict production specification that guarantees the quality and traditional processing of the finished product.
The production area is very restricted, being limited to the town of Colonnata (532m) and its immediate surroundings, and the curing methods are specific and rigorous: made from the backs of adult pigs, Lardo di Colonnata must be processed with natural sea salt, ground black pepper, fresh rosemary and garlic. The use of herbs and other spices, such as cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, is optional, and is the “secret” of the various producers. The specifications exclude the use of freeze-dried substances, flavorings, preservatives and additives altogether.
The element that most characterizes this ancient product, however, is the traditional curing process in special marble tubs called conche: in the past, they used to make them by hand, expertly digging them out of a single block, preferably from the “Canaloni” quarries, where a very fine-grained material is extracted. Modern basins are more frequently composed of thick slabs (made, of course, of Carrara marble) joined together in an appropriate manner, so as to facilitate hygienic operations. After a period of at least six months, the lard will have released a considerable amount of “brine,” thanks to prolonged contact with salt, and will be ready for consumption, but to fully savor all its organoleptic qualities, it will be preferable to seek longer seasoning, from nine to twelve months.
Thanks to the success of lardo Colonnata has become a very popular tourist destination, with the opening of numerous sales and refreshment outlets in the small village of quarrymen in the heart of the Apuan Alps: new products have thus been added, from Crema di Lardo to other sausages cured in the typical hollows, among which at least the “vergazzata” (typical stretched bacon) deserves a mention.
The territory does not fail to offer other typical products of excellence, and it is especially in the Montignoso area that a number of artisanal charcuteries are concentrated with traditional products or personal reinterpretations of the most popular Italian sausages.
A pure pork salami to which a certain amount of lard is added, and a fine spiciness, takes the name Salame delle Apuane, while traditional salami (and sausages) from the area are generally more spicy; guanciale, cured in marble basins, is also very interesting.
Hearing talk of Mortadella nostrale one is likely to be confused: the product thus referred to has nothing to do with Mortadella di Bologna, but rather resembles a salami, with medium mincing and relatively short aging, typical of the area from Lunigiana to Versilia. A mouth-watering variant is produced in Montignoso that includes a core of lard seasoned for at least eight months in a marble basin, and has won prestigious awards at industry fairs.