Villani Salami Milano

TASTING NOTES FROM THE CURATOR

Villani Salami Milano is made from choice Italian pork, and is skillfully slow-cured. It’s gluten-free and dairy-free, and exudes a fresh aroma. A common, traditional Italian sausage, Salami Milano (also called salame), is seasoned with garlic, wine, and black pepper. It’s a bright red color, and has a mouth-watering flavor—subtly sweet and slightly nutty.

PREPARATION AND PAIRINGS

The Villani Salami Milano is great as part of your charcuteries, with cheeses like gorgonzola, aged cheddar, and Comte. Try it in sandwiches, like one with cheese and roasted peppers. It’s also absolutely incredible as a pizza topping on your homemade pizzas, or a little cheeky meaty bite in your salads.

THE EQUILIBRIUM OF TRADITION AND MODERNITY

Founded in 1886 in Castelnuovo Rangone, near Modena, Villani was properly established when Ernesta and Costante Villani bought a building in the town center. They were already marketing dry-cured ham, and with this venture, they expanded to producing salami, coppa, bacon, mortadella, and cooked ham.

In the 1930s, the company was already well into exporting. And Giuseppe, their son (one of eleven) had gotten an idea when he returned from the States. Drying hangers would revolutionize dry-cured pork production processes.

The idea was quickly adopted by more and more charcuterie producers, and these mobile hangers are still used today as basis for the modern drying process. But Giuseppe’s passion did not stop there. He went all over Italy, searching for new regional recipes and methods, gathering experience along the way. Eventually, Villani expanded their production to more regional specialties, sold both worldwide and in the areas where the recipes originated, which served as great recognition and appreciation for the quality of their meats.

Villani now was five processing sites, catered to making different meats according to DOP and IGP labels. The meats are still made with traditional means—manual skills fundamental to the quality, but they have also adapted to modern systems and research. The family’s coexisting spirits of tradition and modernity allowed the company to bloom into what it is now.

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.