Lardo Di Colonnata A Tuscan Delicacy
Pork is a staple food of the mountain regions of northern Italy, where it’s often said that a well butchered pig should leave ‘nothing but the oink’ behind. As a pig is typically around 30% fat, thrifty locals had to come up with a way to use and preserve this valuable source of protein, and the result is Lardo.
Lardo di Colonnata, to give it its full name, is a delicacy produced from pork fat in and around the Tuscan mountain town of Colonnata. Happily for fans of cured meat, it’s not only a frugal way of preserving pork fat over winter – it’s delicious too!
It’s made in large vats known as conche, fashioned from marble quarried at the nearby ‘white mountain’ of Cararra, which are first liberally rubbed with garlic. Next, layers of pork fat, salt, and a special mix of herbs and spi...