Larderia Sanguinetti: unexpected lard at Spaghetti & Mandolino shop.

We are in the province of Massa and Carrara, within the borders of a small village clinging to the slopes of the Apuan Alps. Here, precious marbles have always been extracted, such as those from the Gioia basin or Fossacava, used even in Roman times.

The product we will focus on today is lardo di Colonnata, which has a very close relationship with marble: the famous “conche” in which it is aged are traditionally made from Canaloni glass, a type of fine-grained marble that creates the suitable environment for the salami's maturation. Not only that: in the centuries before ours, lardo was also the food of quarrymen, engaged in a physically demanding activity and therefore in need of the caloric intake provided by pork fat, essential to make it through the day.

Thanks to the presence of numerous well-measured spices, lardo di Colonnata matures without the need for preservatives or additives, aided by the particular microclimate of the area; let’s get to know one of the largest and most modern production realities of the place more closely.

The Sanguinetti brand

The Larderia Sanguinetti on Via Giardino embodies all the qualities of the Protected Geographical Indication attributed to lardo di Colonnata in 2004. The company has invested since its origins in a quality product, made from carefully selected raw materials, to ensure the right thickness of the lardo and to age it for up to 15 months.

«We sell the 6-month pieces less frequently, the minimum required by the regulations. Usually, we reach 12-13 months, which we often export abroad», tells us Andrea Sanguinetti, co-founder of the Larderia along with his brother Emanuele. «Currently, we export about half of our production, especially to France. Other purchasing countries include Switzerland, Luxembourg, and of course Italy, with a demand that generally comes from large-scale retail or the catering and restaurant world».

«Would you like to describe the company for those who may not have a chance to visit Colonnata?»

«Normally, people imagine small shops or cellars when thinking of this type of production reality, but our larderia is relatively new and had to pass all ASL controls before starting operations. The facility where it is located is a modern 300sqm building, renovated six years ago and equipped with all necessary equipment to monitor the aging process, in full compliance with HACCP regulations. I would say it can be defined as a true laboratory, where until 2017 we experimented with different spice mixes before deciding which one to use for our lardo».

«You and Emanuele are also passionate about cooking. Have you personally tried the recipes you recommend to taste your company’s lardo?»

«Certainly. Most of them are local recipes drawn from rural tradition: from lardo cream to bruschetta with fig jam, walnuts, and lardo, to taglierini with beans or other dishes like chained polenta. We definitely invite readers to try them and have others try them too, to carry even further the fame of lardo di Colonnata».

We, for our part, can only join the invitation.