If you look it up in the Italian dictionary you will find 'norcino': it is the term for the person who butchers pigs and creates cured meats such as salami and prosciutto. It can also refer to the manager of the norcineria, i.e. the shop where all products derived from the processing of pork are prepared and sold. The etymology of the term is clear: norcino also means 'native of Norcia', a municipality in the province of Perugia, Umbria, notorious for the excellence of its ancient pork processing techniques.
However, in Emilia, you will hardly hear the term 'Norcino' used; here, those who slaughter pigs and masterfully produce cold cuts and other specialities are called 'masalén'. It is precisely this latter figure that is the protagonist of a book written by Massimo Spigaroli of the Antica Corte Pallavicina, which delves deep into charcuterie, emphasising the value of a fundamental trade and the importance of the pig in the history of mankind. In an accurate scientific itinerary intertwined with anecdotes of a life in a kitchen immersed in fog, but also with curiosities and recipes, this book is an indispensable tool for those who really want to understand what Culatello and pigs mean to the people living on the Great River.
