A Little Bread, a Little Wine, and Prosciutto San Daniele DOP

Prosciutto di San Daniele DOP is one of Italy's prized possesions.  And though it is not from Campania, but Northern Central Italy, it found its way to bella Napoli last weekend for a tasting to celebrate 50 years of the Prosciutto di San Danielle Consortuim.  Città del Gusto Napoli was the host of a prosciutto and pane pairing. Which Campania bread would bring out the particular flavors of this particular ham.  Particular because for a ham to become Prosciutto di San Daniele DOP (Protected Denomination of Origin), it must meet three criterea:

One: The thighs must come exclusively from pigs bred in ten regions of Northern Central Italy (Friuli Venezia Giulia, Veneto, Lombardy, Piedmont, Emilia Romagna, Tuscany, Lazio, Abruzzo, Marche, Umbria).

Two:Production of fresh meat mst be held in the town of Fruili where sea salt is used to preserve the meat, no chemical aditives or preservatives.

And three: Ageing must be in the town of San Daniele di Fruili, where the climatic conditions are perfect to produce...no, develop this unique ham known the world over

 Rose colored which contrasts beautifully with the white flavorful  fat of the ham.  A delicate persistent aroma, as delicate as its flavor.

So I tried three opened faced sandwhiches to see how san daniele's flavors would contrast with the crunchy lightly sapid Pane di San Sebastiano, the flavorful Pane a Canestrella, or downtown Napoli's own aromatic Pane  Cafone.  Each bread high lighted the proscutto's flavor and a quick survey at my table shown that everyone had their own favorite.  A question of taste, so to speak.  

It wouldn't be a tasting, though, without wines.  And we tried two. a fresh rose from Tenuta San Francesco and a Lacrima Christi di Vesuvio from Sorrentino Vinarium.

For more information about Prosciutto San Daniele DOP and some nice recipes, go to the Consortuim's  site.