Levoni Steamed Cotechino

TASTING NOTES FROM THE CURATOR

The cotechino is a cooked sausage of Italian tradition, and is usually pre-cooked before being packaged. It has a pinkish red color, and a soft, sticky texture. The Levoni Steamed Cotechino is aromatic and rich, with a rich, full-bodied, pleasantly spiced flavor.

PREPARATION AND PAIRINGS

Cotechino is best consumed hot, and the Levoni Steamed Cotechino will not lose a lot of moisture when reheated at home. Simply heat it up in a bain-marie in its aluminum case, open up the bag carefully once done, and slice and serve.

It’s traditionally served with lentils on New Year’s Eve, but can also be grilled. You can put in sandwiches, or serve it with some roasted vegetables and balsamic dressing. Pair it with a full-bodied red wine.

A LIFELONG DREAM, REALIZED

The Levoni story began with Ezechiello Levoni, a former butcher’s apprentice. He realized his lifelong dream of opening up his own curing plant in 1911, in the outskirts of Milan. He put in practice all that he had learned with the Milanese master butchers throughout the years. In 1913, he got his first major recognition. Proud of his new brand, he entered the “Modern Arts & Industry” International Exhibition in London, winning a gold medal for his Salame Ungherese. This win was particularly sweet as the competition famously declared a newcomer like him would only win “when pigs fly.”

Levoni moved the flagship production to a small province in Mantua called Castellucchio in 1923, and in the succeeding years, would also put up their own slaughterhouse and curing plant. In 2014, they opened their first subsidiary in the United States, opening up a whole new wave of opportunities for Ezechiello’s dream. The company is still a family business, now on its fourth generation, and still producing high quality meats.

Storage Instructions

This type of sausage may be stored for up to 6 weeks (if whole) in your pantry and indefinitely in the refrigerator (whole or in vacuum-packed slices). After opening, they should be used within 3 weeks.