Colonnata, a very small town high up in the white marble mountains of Carrara, near the Tuscan coast, is known for its lardo, the cured back fat of the pig, a high-energy food developed out of necessity: to keep workers sustained during their several-day shifts working in the marble caves and quarries. Consequently, the area, long renowned for the best and purest white marble in the world, is also famed for its creamy white lardo, each year’s batch available from May 30. I visited Colonnata recently for some respite from the heat and, most importantly, to taste this year’s lardo, feeding my obsession with all things piggy. This time of year, lardo is perfect as part of a ‘surf and turf’ pairing.
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