Varzi, splendid town of the Oltrepò Pavese in the province of Pavia nestled on a gentle hillside along the Penice Pass Road in the heart of the fertile Staffora Valley which boasts a relevant historic,artistic and cultural heritage mainly developed in the Middle Ages highlighted in its fascinating borgo also nicknamed the “borgo of lavender” for the blooming of this type of flowers which form a splendid frame all around.
In addition this centre has always been a favorite destination for gourmets and refined palates for the wide range of food and wine proposals that it offers as well as being home to the famous and iconic Salame DOP di Varzi, a sausage of renowned fame and internationally recognized.
Once you reach your destination, I recommend starting the visit from the majestic Tower of Porta Sottana , one of the historic medieval entrances to Varzi , continuing with the picturesque arcades of Via di Porta Nuova, architectural emblems of the village developed in the Middle Ages.
In the immediate proximity you can admire the beautiful Convento dei Cappuccini dating back to the 5th century, a religious building with beautiful Romanesque lines that boasts a magnificent gabled façade bringing together all the pure canons of this architectural style and where the beautiful portals stand out.
Continuation with the beautiful Chiesa dei Rossi, erected in the 7th century flanked by a beautiful bell tower, and along Via di Dentro you can reach the Chiesa dei Bianchi built in 1636 which has in its refined bell tower erected on a quadrangular plan dominating a drum turret, developed on a circular base, its greatest architectural highlight.
On the same artery stands the 18th century Villa Leveratto-Manngini developed on three floors with a rustic annex and a space that was originally occupied by a large stable.
Afterwards you can admire the beautiful Chiesa Parrocchiale di San Germano, a church in which its refined Baroque style façade stands out, decorated and frescoed by artists of Lombard school.
In a pleasant walk of a few minutes you will find yourself in front of the iconic Malaspina Castle, a stronghold dating back to the 12th century which represented the defensive bastion of Varzi built by the noble feudal lords of the same name.
From its Witches' Tower built in the same period at a height of 29.0 meters you will enjoy a splendid view of the entire medieval borgo and much of the Staffora Valley, a splendid image that will give an idea of how attractive this land of Pavia is.
At the end of this pleasant visit with historical and cultural implications, I recommend visiting a company that produces the legendary Salame DOP or P.D.O. di Varzi , a sausage distinguished by that three-letter mark that gave it in 1996 , apart from the protection of production, origin and traditional method of preparation, universal fame and prestige.
This superfine salami is created from the mixture of selected pork meats well known since the times of the Roman Empire for their divine flavor and later highly appreciated by the Lombards who decided to increase the local breeding even sacrificing some animals following their pagan beliefs to honor the Goddess Nymph Maia.
This delicious commensible is generated by the choice of the so-called "heavy pig", a pig from an area between the provinces of Pavia, Alessandria and Piacenza, from the age of nine months and a standard weight ranging between 150/160 kilograms, elements that will bring the pig with these characteristics to the slaughterhouse.
The first phase the cut, takes place including thigh, coppa, fillet and loin, all suitably enervated, while for the fat part lard, culatello, guanciale and part of the shoulder will be used , excluding the use of frozen meat.
During the preparation, a cleaning process takes place of the Carnic tissues to eliminate peculiar odors before a meticulous control of the percentages of fat contained which will be useful for the elaboration of a finished product of absolute guarantee and genuineness. Salting is carried out with black peppercorns, filtered red wine, garlic, sea salt adding components such as sodium and nitrate.
The other three primary phases to obtain this legendary salami are stewing, drying and seasoning, each of them following meticulous practices with methodical controls of temperatures, humidity indexes, ventilated rooms and cells where the product will pass step by step the preparation process to be then stuffed into a pig casing tied with string using the traditional method of dense mesh.
Once all the stages have been passed, the size will weigh between 0.5 and 2.0 kilograms and the salami will be cataloged, branded and put on the market.
Varzi Salami is a sausage with a compact, tender dough, very soft to the touch as per the norm and tradition it must never have empty spaces.
The scent is spicy with hints of mimosa, herbaceous aromas, green wood, the flavor is delicate, sweet, its aroma is very fragrant, characteristic and depending on the period of seasoning sometimes on the palate the first sensation transmits sweet hints of amaragnolo and faithful to pure tradition there must be no hint of garlic.
In the cut you can bota red color with vivid tones and the fat part shows itself with a clear white with a total absence of rancid areas and without shades tending to yellowish on the outer crown. These characteristics make Varzi Salami an elite product, of great class as well as very versatile, perfect to accompany other types of cold cuts in appetizers in a gala dinner or important celebrations, served with cheeses and excellent if eaten alone.
Time for your lunch, I recommend starting with an appetizer based on Coppa, Varzi Salami, Cooked Ham paired with Goat and Pizzorno cheeses, first courses to choose between Ravioli alla Varzese or Risotto with Salamelelle, second courses with Braised in Red Wine with stuffed vegetables or Lamb Chops with Almonds accompanied by steamed potatoes with rosemary.
Visiting Varzi is a tourist experience of great importance for all those who love art, history and at the same time discovering a gastronomic product that has made history by entering the elite of DOP products, a complete day of tourism without a doubt that you will remember with immense pleasure.
Link : https://www.in-lombardia.it/en/tourism-in-lombardy/tourism-pavia/boroughs-pavia/village-of-varzi
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