Antiche Razze is a project by the Gourm.it Consortium that aims to highlight and promote the relationship between territory, animals, breeders, and products. It is a deep synergy that arises from the cultural and material history of each place, giving rise to unique combinations. Each territory, with its specific morphological, climatic, historical, and cultural characteristics, encourages the breeding of specific animal breeds that thrive best based on their natural characteristics in environments that align with their unique qualities.
Breeders, through daily care of the animals and targeted nutrition, contribute to strengthening them and selecting them based on the characteristics required for the final production, whether it be cheeses or cured meats. This collaboration, rooted in the history and unique knowledge of a territory, combined with the daily commitment of breeders, generates endless and ever-different combinations, each of which deserves to be valued and told.
Every Ancient Breed exists today thanks to the dedication of breeders who have committed themselves to preserving their unique characteristics. Examples of these extraordinary combinations abound: from the robust and wild Garfagnina Sheep, suitable for the green and rocky landscapes of Garfagnana, which was saved from extinction thanks to the tenacity of shepherds like Verano Bertagni, and produces particularly rich and fragrant milk, ideal for the creation of unique cheeses like Tuada from Caseificio Bertagni.
Another example is the Nera Parmigiana, which master masalén Massimo Spigaroli recovered starting from childhood memories, following genetic traces as far as Spain, to recreate the perfect animal that allows for the perfect Culatello di Zibello Dop.
On the slopes of the Piedmont Alps, the Rossa d'Oropa still thrives thanks to small farms practicing ancestral agriculture, supported by dairies like Caseificio Rosso, which collect their milk, ensuring their economic sustainability.
Lastly, there's Grana D'Oro from Cavriago, a company that in the 1980s was a pioneer in the recovery of the Ancient Rossa Reggiana Breed for the production of Parmigiano Reggiano. The Rossa Reggiana is a docile, long-lived animal that produces milk particularly suitable for Parmigiano Reggiano production. Their diet based on stable polyculture meadows, typical of the area, imparts unexpected aromas to the cheese.
