Three Tuscan sausages that you can’t miss!
Often in Tuscan restaurants and osterie the waiter advises you to take a platter of Tuscan cheeses and salami as an appetizer.
The advice is always welcome also because some of these delicious sausages are unmissable and not easy to find in other regions! Let’s discover together three of the best Tuscan sausages!
1.Finocchiona
Finocchiona may seem like a normal salami at first glance but by observing more carefully and above all letting yourself be captivated by the scent you immediately understand that you are in front of a unique sausage!
This pork sausage is soft and has a secret ingredient: wild fennel! Despite the old tradition of finocchiona, only since 2015 is it a IGP product, a protected geographical indication.
Finocchiona represents the ancient Tuscan spirit
In Tuscany, smirking (infinocchiare) means cheating and this special salami tells us why. Pepper is placed in the common salami, today easy to find but rare in the Middle Ages.
Tuscans pork butchers decided to use wild fennel, practically at no cost since it grows in nature, to give an alternative flavor to pepper but above all able to cover a meat that is perhaps not very fresh. Hence the modern and ever-present use of the term infinocchiare (that comes from Finocchio=fennel) in italian (foolish in English)!
Finocchiona today
Finocchiona is currently a prized sausage with fine cuts, both fat and lean from the pig.
Today there is absolutely no need to cover any flavor and the seasoning is done with: salt, pepper, fennel (to keep the traditional flavour ), red wine and a clove of garlic.
A variant: sbriciolona
Sbriciolona is a younger finocchiona, the latter matures for at least 5 months while the variant only 3-4 weeks thus remaining more crumbly, which crumbles more easily once cut.
2.Soprassata
Soprassata is less known outside the regional borders and is by far one of the poorest but tastiest sausages of Tuscan tradition.
Being less widespread it is also more difficult to find the artisan one. Usually in Tuscany the soprassata was produced at the beginning of the year or when the pig was killed as per the peasant tradition.
Soprassata being a very poor sausage is made of scraps, mainly from the head of the pig, well cleaned, deprived of bristles and cooked several times.
The chosen meats are then seasoned with salt, pepper, lemon zest, nutmeg, chilli and sometimes even a little garlic. A poor but strong-flavored sausage that can become a very interesting culinary experience!
3. Colonnata Lard
Surely among the three sausages the best known is the Colonnata lard. This salami is also a IGP and its place of production par excellence is Colonnata, a small town in Massa-Carrara province.
Lardo di Colonnata has a seasonal and truly unique processing: the lard is aged in marble basins that have been rubbed in advance usually with natural sea salt, ground black pepper, garlic and rosemary. The seasoning is for a minimum of six months.
The taste is delicate and goes very well with toasted bread but even in the most daring recipes even with shellfish.
Ready to enjoy these delicacies?
We are waiting for you at Villa Campestri to brighten your stay with these delicious sausages that have been part of our culinary tradition for centuries!
Quick Booking snippet
Extra virgin olive oil is a natural product that continues to evolve after pressing. Heat, light and oxygen accelerate this process and gradually affect both flavour and quality. At Villa Campestri Olive Oil Resort, this is something we know well. Our family has been producing extra virgin olive oil for generations, using olives grown in […]
Mugello is best known for its charming villages, ancient woodlands, historic villas and quintessential Tuscan landscapes. What many people don’t realise is that, after sunset, its clear skies and low levels of light pollution create ideal conditions for observing constellations, planets and, at the right time of year, even the Milky Way stretching across the […]
Villa Campestri, the world’s first Olive Oil Resort, transforms extra virgin olive oil into an experience that brings together nature, gastronomy, wellbeing and a deep connection to the land.
Have you ever woken up in the morning feeling as tired as when you went to bed? Or found yourself exhausted at night, only to lie awake for hours? Perhaps you’ve experienced that familiar afternoon slump, when your energy suddenly disappears for no obvious reason. Most of us blame stress, a busy schedule or lack […]
One of the most meaningful experiences during a trip to Tuscany, beyond visiting art cities or iconic landscapes, is connecting with everyday local life. That connection often happens in village markets, artisan workshops, and small food shops where products are made for the people who live there year-round, not just for visitors. In this guide, […]
How to get to Mugello from Florence and how to travel around Tuscany with or without a car. Distances, trains, buses and transfers.
Romantic weekend in Tuscany between Mugello and Florence: scenic rooms, candlelight dinners, and olive oil tastings. Discover Villa Campestri Olive Oil Resort.
Anyone visiting Florence for the first time imagines a stay right in the historic center, surrounded by museums, piazzas, and narrow cobblestone streets. It takes only a day, however, to realize that Florence is wonderful to explore yet challenging to inhabit. Between ZTL restrictions, scarce and expensive parking, constant noise, and high prices for even […]