Which one is the true typical cold cut in Tuscany? We hazard an answer without the risk to be denied: the finocchiona! Of course one among the italian salami soft dough, with fennel seeds inside that give them the aroma and the name (fennel in italian finocchio and so.. finocchiona). It’s made by craftsman in all Tuscany provinces but it’s particolar common in Florence, Siena, Prato and Pisa. The Finocchiona in fact is a real institution for tuscany people and in particular for the people of Chianti area that claim the invention of it. The story of this particularly tuscany tasty cold cut, the Finocchiona, derives from the fact that the pepper was very expensive in the middle ages and so instead of it craftsman started add fennel seeds more common than the pepper at that times. Pay attention however, because the fennel seeds, at that time, didn’t served absolutely for give a good taste at the Finocchiona but only for gloss over the possible deterioration!
So in this way Finocchiona born and you don’t have to confuse it with the Sbriciolona, a similar cold cut with lean dough and above all of industrial production. The tradition teaches that Finocchiona is prepared with ham discard and the hard pig fat milled all togheter and than flavoured with salt, pepper, fennel seeds, garlic and wine. This compose, putted in natural bowel, is left to mature for a week in a heated room, aerated several times during the day. Finally after five months of seasoning in place like cellars,the Finocchiona is ready for being eated. Now you have only to come in Tuscany and try it!

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