In the past the Lodi area could boast about various types of typical cured meats, each the product of a tradition of butchery which has strong roots in the countryside.
Amongst these cured meats is Sanfioranetto, a medium-aged salami that is still produced today in Santo Stefano Lodigiano.
In order to make Sanfioranetto, fresh pork is used, both the fat and lean parts are included. These are cut down into small portions and then passed through a meat grinder. The meat that is obtained is mixed with spices and is then placed in casings. For this important step, a natural casing obtained from cow’s intestines is used. Once the casings are filled the ends are tied by hand using white twine. The salami is then pierced and left to dry in a fairly humid environment where the temperature does not exceed 25°C. Maturation takes place in a cool and humid environment for at least a month. The result is a cylindrical shaped salami that is slightly curved, with a diameter of 5 centimetres. Sanfioranetto is covered with a hint of greyish white mould and is 20-30 centimetres long and does not weigh more than 400 grams. Its size has been studied in the past in order to facilitate how easy it was to distribute: it was packaged in a wooden box of 2 pieces joined by some string, this allowed for it to be distributed easier by train. Its taste is sweet and delicate, with a light smell and a persistent hint of garlic. It is eaten sliced up and paired with other local cured meats as an appetiser or as a snack.
The production of Sanfioranetto began in the 1920s, when it began to establish itself not only in the Lodi area but also in other Italian regions as well as abroad. In the 1970s the large company that produced Sanfioranetto closed, but the tradition of sausage making that was practiced in the factory by the local inhabitants allowed the slaughterhouse workers to continue this type of work. Many became a point of reference in other salami factories in the Lodi area and continued the production of this salami, even for family consumption.
Today there is only one producer that is able to work and make Sanfioranetto, and without the correct transmission of the sausage making and butchery traditions to the new generations, this product risks being lost.
The research activities necessary for the reporting of this product in the Ark of Taste online catalogue were financed by the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies, the General Directorate of the Tertiary Sector and Corporate Social Responsibility – notice n° 1/2018 “Slow Food in action: communities protagonists of change”, pursuant to Article 72 of the Tertiary Sector Code, referred to in Legislative Decree No. 117/2017.
Back to the archive >
