And well, we are telling you every day how to recognize a true and genuine Prosciutto di San Daniele Dop. But, come to think of it, we have considered that every language comes to life starting from the knowledge of the words that are used. So: we need to start from the vocabulary, the glossary, because we realized that to describe a real Prosciutto di San Daniele Dop (which is made purely and simply in San Daniele del Friuli) it takes precision and love, also for the words.
The glossary of Prosciutto di San Daniele
This small glossary is for all of you, to graduate at the San Daniele university and officially establish the fact that you are a real expert on one of the spearheads of Made in Italy. Our journey into the words that gravitate around our prosciutto crudo starts therefore today, from A to Z, a condensed lecture about our universe.
A like Aria di Festa
Aria di festa means festive atmosphere and it is the name of our festival, that is everything about San Daniele Dop. For three days, at the end of May, in the city of San Daniele there is a blaze of prosciutto slices, of celebrity guests from the food world and the showbiz, of our traditions, of our territory. Since 1985 Aria di Festa is the Festival (with a capital F) of Prosciutto di San Daniele. Despite a 2020 in which we had to stop (and we hope it’s the first and last year), we’ll come back soon. Stay tuned!
B like Breeze
What would our prosciutto be without that beautiful breeze that kisses San Daniee del Friuli? It is simple, it wouldn’t be a San Daniel Dop! Here in fact the cold winds that come from the Carnic Alps meet the warmer air that comes from the Adriatic Sea, making our prosciutto a masterpiece.
..and B like Brand
A Prosciutto is a San Daniele only if it has the brand! Only the prosciutti that pass very strict tests are are certified and fire-branded with the San Daniele brand, which includes the producer’s identification code and guarantees the product quality. The branding is therefore the last step before a true Prosciutto di San Daniele can get to your homes, Are you ready?
C like Consorteum
The Consorteum was born in 1961 and its creation is characterised by the innovative thinking of a small group of promoters who aimed at the trademark registration and recognition. The Consortium deals with the promotion of San Daniele and the protection of the product quality trademark. All the 31 prosciutto manufacturing companies in San Daniele are members of the Consorteum.
… and C like Checks
If there’s one thing we at San Daniele do care about, that is to be able to offer you a healthy and safe product. Which means carrying out many checks, right from the beginning, that is from the pig feed and the pigs’ healthy lifesyle, until we get to the thorough and loving care we devote, from the moment the pig thigh arrives in our ham factories to when it reaches your tables. The latest update of the Product specification is the best proof of how pivotal checks are for us.
D like (San Daniele) Dop
What does Dop mean? Dop means Protected designation of origin. It is a trademark with legal protection given by the European Union to all foodstuffs whose features are highly dependent on the territory where they are made. And we are well aware that our prosciutto can be made only in San Daniele del Friuli!
E like Experienced
Either we do things right or we don’t do it at all. In which hands do we put our wonderful pork thighs? In very experienced hands. Our master prosciutto makers know how to do that, thanks to a working method which has been passed down for decades. And judgin by your enthusiastic answer in tasting a slice of our prosciutto, they really know it well!
F like Fat
Fat is an essential part of our prosciutto crudo. Don’t remove it, it’s that something extra that gives our prosciutto its very special and unique flavor. And then remember that, speaking of nutriction facts, Prosciutto di San Daniele provides the right amount of saturated and unsaturated fat necessary for energy requirement.
H like Hip
The small hip is a very specifc part on the thigh of our prosciutto. It corresponds to that part of the hip bone that is visible in the area of the whole ham not covered by the rind.
I like Italian
We care about our history. We come from that beautiful gem called Friuli- Venezia Giulia. Thanks to a product that can be made ony in our land, we became a real spearhead of Made in Italy. San Daniele is world renowned, due to the fact that it comes from the land which produces most foodstuffs with a designation: Italy.
M like Maturing
Rule number one: maturing must take place strictly in the municipal area of San Daniele del Friuli and must last at least untile the thirteenth month from the beginning of the process (under optimal temperature, humidity and ventilation conditions). Rule number two: you can have it soon.
…and M like Microclimate
How many times have we told you about the very special microclimate of San Daniele del Friuli? Many times, we know. But it is always worth repeating that our Prosciutto crudo can only be made here. The mixed breezes, the valley that stands out, the river Tagliamento, the morainic lands are all key factors in achieving our jewel.
N like Natural
Yup, because our dear prosciutto crudo is first of all the result of master prosciutto makers’ experienced hands, of pigs that were bred in compliance with all standards, of a thorough processing, of cellars where meat is matured as it was once. Natural because it is made only with Italian pork meat, sea salt and San Daniele air. It is free from additives and preservatives, nourishing and easily digestible.
… and N like Nutritional values
Never let it be said that Prosciutto di San Daniele makes you gain weight or worse! On the contrary, it is one of the most nutritionally complete foods! Very easily digestible, suitable to any kind of diet, it is also an excellent source of high-quality proteins, of many vitamins – e.g. B1 and B2- and minerals, such as iron, phosphorous, magnesium and many more. You have no excuse!
P like Product specification
If the Prosciutto di San Daniele you wrapped on a breadstick is out of this world, credit also goes to the Product specification. But, specifically, what is that? It is a comprehensive set of rules that sets out the production and business requirements of our prosciutto crudo. It essentially is the entirety of all that must take place in order for a pig thigh to turn into a true and genuine San Daniele Dop!
P like Pre-sliced
When we decided to make our Prosciutto di San Daniele available also pre-sliced in our trays, we tought of you. You can bring it with you at all times, for a quick snack, for a meal out or, in the evening, when you come home from work, to keep in the fridge, ready and fragrant. It seems that, judging by the trust you give us, the thing has been pretty well appreciated: 21,2 million trays of pre-sliced ham were bought last year. Not bad, is it?
P like Pressing
What catches your eye when you see a true San Daniele Dop? Well, it’s the guitar shape, which is indeed given by the pressing! In short: the prosciutti are pressed so that by squeezing the porkt thigh the salt can enter deeply.
P like Processing
Nothing escapes our eyes. The processing of a San Daniele Dop is meticulous, accurate, with attention to every detail. From the pig feed to the preliminary preparations, from the maturing stage to the checks, up to the branding. Every step of this process id under our magnifying glass, under a watchful eye.
…and P like Pork!
At the heart of our universe there is him, His Majesty The Pig: Italian Large White, Landrace and Duroc, born, bred and slaughtered in a production area of ten Italian regions in the Center-North( Friuli- Venezia Giulia,Veneto, Lombardy, Piedmont, Emilia Romagna, Tuscany, Latium, Abruzzi, Marche, Umbria). An extensive research on the allowed breeds has been carried out and all the rules are written in our Production specification.
Q like Qr Code
Pull the smartphones out of your pockets, turn on the camera, frame the Qr code on the tray of pre-sliced Prosciutto di San Daniele! In doing so you’ll have on hand all the information of that specific batch of prosciutto, origin (Italian), maturing (and its site), ingredients, weight. It is simple, safe and fast.
R like Rind
What would Prosciutto be without a proper rind? It simply wouldn’t be a San Daniele. The rind is the outer layer of the pig and it covers all the pig’s thigh but the cut part. At the end of the maturing process it is hard and compact, providing a natural protection for the meat.
…and R like Rest
And after all these efforts, even San Daniele needs a well-earned rest. This takes place in rooms with quite high humidity, up to about the fourth month since it all started. This way salt can get deep into the thigh, spreading within evenly.
S like Staple
If you love prosciutto with very little fat, this is the part you should aim at. You must know that the staple, the leanest part, firmer and stronger in flavor, is the part that best suits you!
S like Smell
Can you smell this delicious smell? One thing is for sure: the flavour of San Daniele is very delicate. It becomes stronger through the maturing stage. If you have a well trained nose, you will smell toasted hints, like bread crust, dried fruit and barley malt.
S like Salt
Salt too has its leading role here but, what kind of salt? We choose only dry sea salt (mainly from Center-South Italy) which is sprinkled on and dries out the pork meat. Thanks to the pressing afterwards it gets deep into the thigh, giving the meat that typical distinctive flavor.
S like San Daniele del Friuli
In our glossary we shouldn’t forget to mention the one and only place that gives birth to all this. And then we’ll say that again, because it never hurts, our Prosciutto can be made purely and simply in this small gem of Friuli-Venezia Giulia: San Daniele del Friuli. It’s a hamlet that clambers up a hill, where gorgeous winds meet, with the river Tagliamento (famous worldwide for its natural bed, never altered by man) in the background.
… and S like Section
Right, maybe a whole San Daniele Dop won’t fit in your fridge…but you needn’t worry: we thought of the solution that suits you: the sections of prosciutto. They are handy to storage in your fridge, always on hand for cutting, with an intoxicating smell. You can even order them online, from your comfy sofa, and you relax while you wait for the delivery to your home.
T like Tyrosine
What is tyrosine? Easy, they are those tiny white dots you might have spotted on our prosciutto. They are small calcifications of aminoacids, completely flavorless. You shoud be aware that when you see these tiny white diamonds on the prosciutto slice you needen’t worry. On the contrary, you have proof that the prosciutto is fully aged, and even tastier!
T like Tagliolini noodles
They are a classic of Italian cuisine, made with Prosciutto di San Daniele, perfect for any occasion. A little prosciutto crudo, cream, noodles, olive oil and you’re done. How to, step by step? Well, here we are to explain!
T like Tagliamento
Our river. It has avery peculiar waterway (think about it, there’s only one in Europe with a natural bed, never altered by man) to the point that it was suggested as UNESCO heritage. Tagliamento is one of our hearts, it is a river that gives quite a decisive contribution to the taste of our prosciutto crudo.
… and T like Trotter
We’re almost at the end. It is funny that the umpteenth and almost last letter is a unique feature of San Daniele Dop. Yes, we’re talking about the trotter, that is the final part of the thigh, essential for an ideal maturing, thanks to its important draining feature.
U like Unique
It cannot be repeated often enough. San Daniele is what it is because of its oneness. There are lots of factors that make it recognizable among thousands. There are lots of features that set it apart from any other. Not by chance, it is one of the spearheads of Made in Italy.
W like whole and on the bone
You can find our prosciutto in various forms, in sections or slices. Or you can find it whole and boneless. But no doubt the iconic shape of a true San Daniele is whole and on the bone. That distincitve guitar shape, slightly flattened, that lovely rind you almost feel like hugging it and the unmistakable trotter. That is San Daniele in its purest from!