Salumi - those mouth-watering meats which we share on charcuterie boards or drape on our salads or use to flavour any number of dishes - have a rich Italian history.
Each of the over 700 types of deli meat has a strong tradition in its region of origin, with committed producers and high standards of production, not to mention 43 protected geographical or designation of origin indications.
This provenance appeals to consumers, particularly in the UK where our love affair with Italian cuisine is well established.
In Scotland, of course, our sweet tooth has led to Italian ice cream parlours selling more product than our climate could ever sensibly dictate.
The Italian government values this relationship with Scotland so highly, that restaurateur Victor Contini, whose eponymous George Street restaurant has been serving Italian cuisine for 20 years, was awarded the equivalent of a British Knighthood, Cavaliere, this week.
He was presented the award by the Italian Consul General, Veronica Ferrucci, in the presence of guests of the Italian Trade Agency and ASSICA, the industrial association of meat and salumi, who had provided the ingredients for a four course meal as part of the promotion of Italian salumi in Scotland.
“We’re very grateful for what you do, you are so committed to the promotion of our gastronomy, our culture and our territory,” Consul General Ferrucci told him.
Mr Contini confessed he had started to cry when he first received the letter, it was so unexpected.
“It’s not just about me, because there is no ‘I’ in ‘team’, it’s teamwork,” he said. “It goes back to family, this is for my family, you have to surround yourself with beautiful people and I am so grateful to have beautiful people around me.”
His chef had prepared a Scottish/Italian fusion as one of the dishes on the menu, presenting Scottish mussels and squid salad with celery, cucumber, fresh dill, chilli and Amalfi lemon with crispy Pancetta Piacentina PDO (protected designation of origin).
It was preceded by a selection of deli meats with Focaccia and Giardiniera (pickled vegetables) and followed by homemade ravioli stuffed with burrata, Mortadella Bologna PGI, Parmigiano Reggiano PDO and butter sauce.
The final ingredient of the feast was the chocolate torte with sour cherry compote.
“Did you know that Italian deli meats are the most exported in the world?” the director of Instituto Valorizazzione Salumi Italiani, Monica Malavasi, asked.
“The United Kingdom is our fourth largest market after France, Germany and the United States.”
Not ones to rest on their laurels, the industry has been working hard to move with the times, respect the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), and position themselves for lasting success.
Packaging has been overhauled to dramatically reduce waste and reduce emissions and partnerships have actively been formed with non-profit organisations to fight food waste.
An “ASSICA Sustainability Programme” has been published, collecting 48 best practices in the sector that significantly contribute to achieving the UN SDGs.
“We know that people love the flavour and the heritage so we must respect that as we move forward and make sustainable decisions,” Monica said.
With loyal customers like Contini restaurant, and its hungry clientele enjoying meals featuring the best of Italian salumi, the future seems secure.
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