Italian Deli
Italian Cold Cuts 101

Ham? Prosciutto? What makes salumi unique?
As far as Europeans are concerned, “ham” is a deceptively generic term, referring only to the hind legs of pigs. In Italy, that’s prosciutto. All other cold cuts are considered a type of salumi, or Italian cured meat.
Originally a method of food preservation dating back to prehistoric times, the process of curing meat has come a long way from its roots. In the last centuries, it has been practiced as an art form. Local artisan producers take into account myriad factors including breed, geography, climate, processing, and more to create delicacies unrivalled in other corners of the world. Today, only a handful of salumi claim to have Protected Designation of Origin (PDO or DOP) status, which guarantees its adherence to a strict set of centuries-old regulations.



Prosciutto, pancetta, guanciale…what’s what?
Prosciutto
Made from the pig’s hind legs, prosciutto is cured with nothing but sea salt and hung to dry for 10 to 36 months. While regions across Italy are teeming with their own versions of ham, Prosciutto di Parma and Prosciutto di San Daniele are perhaps the most well-known of all salumi. Both are prized for their tender melt-in-the-mouth flavour, with the latter carrying a slightly sweeter flavour than the Parma variety.


Culatello

Speck

Pancetta

Coppa

Guanciale

Zampone
