Vecchio Varzi only employs the finest cuts from Italian pigs born and reared in Lombardy, Piedmont and Emilia in its products – the very same pigs that produce Prosciutto Crudo di Parma and Culatello di Zibello.

MORE WHOLESOME, BETTER TASTE
The pigs selected by Vecchio Varzi are fed a diet specially designed to balance lean and fat areas, and have a better and sweeter flavour thanks to reduced veining, i.e. a limited presence of infiltrated fat in the meat.

The fine cuts selected by Vecchio Varzi are LEG, SHOULDER, LOIN AND tenderloin and never frozen.
In comparison, the cuts of meat selected to produce IGP Salame Felino are muscle and fat tissue such as the less prized minced belly and minced meat from under the shoulder (Source: IGP Salame Felino Production Guidelines).

These extremely lean choice cuts are then combined with equally fine fatty ones such as BELLY AND THROAT, traditionally minced coarse. This is what makes the overall percentage of fat in Varzi D.O.P. cured salame smaller – and no more than 33% of the total – than in similar products on the market.

Careful selection of the meat cuts means that Vecchio Varzi salame contains less cholesterol and a high percentage of unsaturated – “good” – fats.

Only natural flavours are added to the minced meat during production: sea salt – in one of the lowest quantities of all cured meats; peppercorns; and a filtered infusion of garlic and red Oltrepò Pavese wine. At the end of the production process, the Vecchi Varzi salami is packed exclusively in fine-quality natural pork gut.

Vecchio Varzi Salame and other cured meats are suitable for celiacs and those with food intolerances. They are listed in the Food and Drink Directory (Prontuario degli Alimenti) checked by the AIC – Italian Society for the Celiac Disease – because they are GLUTEN FREE and have no added protein/milk derivatives.

TRADITIONALLY CONSERVED
Nitrates are the PRESERVATIVES traditionally added to the mix. These were previously obtained by grating the crystals, called efflorescence (and sometimes, erroneously, saltpetre), formed by water evaporation on bricks in the cellars. The small quantity of nitrates used and the absence of other chemical additives mean that Vecchio Varzi cured meats lose on average 40% of their weight between the encasing phase and when they go on sale. This increases their quality but also their cost.

The Vecchio Varzi 1974 Salame was created to celebrate our 40^th anniversary and is exclusively produced from the finest cuts of pigs born and reared a few kilometres from Varzi on a special, strictly controlled diet. The meat is processed by hand, using a knife as was the rural tradition, and only spices and natural flavours are added.

• Margherita di Savoia sea salt (highly soluble, pronounced flavour)
• Sarawak pepper (extremely aromatic, hot and flavourful)
• Natural local flavours: an infusion of garlic and a special aromatic red Oltrepò Pavese wine (hints of plums and dried figs).

Vecchio Varzi 1974 Salame is encased in natural Danish sow gut, one of the finest on the market, which keeps the contents soft.

The Vecchio Varzi production plant is IFS FOOD CERTIFIED. This standard checks quality-management and HACCP systems as well as GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice), GLP (Good Laboratory Practice) and GHP (Good Hygiene Practice) compliance.
We guarantee adherence to food quality and safety requirements and the legislation governing the industry.
The IFS standard meets the criteria of the Global Food Safety Initiative, as defined by CIES – The Food Business Forum, a global organization comprising the CEOs and top managers of almost 400 retailers (with almost 200,000 points of sale) and producers of all sizes.

The letters D.O.P. (Protected Designation of Origin) are applied to products originating from a particular region and town, and possessing a quality and features that originate essentially or exclusively from their specific geographical area (the designation covers natural and human factors).
All production and processing must occur within the designated D.O.P. area and follow a well-defined traditional recipe (Production Guidelines). Europe-wide recognition of the D.O.P. in 1996 sanctioned a direct and exclusive relationship between Varzi Salame and the geographical area where it is produced. This comprises just 15 municipalities in the province of Pavia, the main one being of course Varzi, where our production centre is located.
A D.O.P./ PDO stamp is a major guarantee for consumers who know they are purchasing a quality food product that complies with specific requirements, a compliance guaranteed by control bodies authorised by the Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies.