Lardo di Colonnata

Lardo is a type of salumi made by curing strips of fatback with rosemary and other herbs and spices.

The most famous lardo is from the Tuscan hamlet of Colonnata, where lardo has been made since Roman times. Colonnata is a frazione of the larger city of Carrara, which is famous for its marble; Colonnata is itself a site where Carrara marble is mined and, traditionally, lardo is cured for months in basins made of this local marble. Lardo di Colonnata is now included in the Ark of Taste catalogue of heritage foods as well as enjoying IGP (Protected Geographical Indication) status since 2004.

Another prized form of lardo is the Valle d'Aosta Lard d'Arnad, a PDO product from the area of Arnad in Aosta Valley. Both superior types of lardo may be served very thinly sliced as an antipasto.

In the fantasy novel Faith of the Fallen, Terry Goodkind includes lardo, as well as a nearly complete description of its curing and preparation in the Colonnata style.

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