Cinta Senese

From the first day of planning this trip a visit with Marlane Miriello in Radicondoli, Siena, Tuscany was on the agenda. Marlane is a founder of Il Campo a cooking school based in Radicondoli. We have traveled to Tuscany many times but never in this area. Marlane was kind enough to send us to the village of  Scorgiano, Monteriggioni, Siena, Tuscany to find one of the things on my list, Cinta Senese.

This is the area where Cinta Senese , THE heirloom pork breed of Tuscany, has been reborn. There is a fresco by Ambrogio Lorenzetti called "Effects of Good Government - The well-governed country" in the Palazzo Comunale di Siena, dating back to 1338 depicting the Cinta Senese. The breed is recognized by a dark coat with a white band that covers the front legs and encircles the chest, shoulders and over the back, Cinta (belted) Siena (senese). When you see the Cinta Senese beside the wild boar of Tuscany many of the characteristics remain, even after many genetic changes.

The hills covered with oak forests, providing ample supplies of acorns were the perfect environment for these foraging animals. In fact today, the Cinta Senese must be provided a large open field combined with forest to thrive. If given a choice of human provided grains or foraging the will chose the latter.

Up until the 1950’s nearly every family in the area would raise the breed for fresh meats and salumi. Then came the introduction of the “large white”.  Cross breeding with the Cinta Senese produced an animal that would be ready for market in six months and full maturity in 1 year, while the Cinta Senese took at least a year and up to 2 years to reach maximum weights. This cross breed matured faster and thrived in confinement. By the 1990’s the pure Cinta Senese was almost extinct.

In the late 1990’s a group of farmers (The Consortium of Cinta Senese) decided to purchase and maintain breeding boars with the sole purpose of maintaining the breed. Their efforts are not complete, but there have been great strides in removing the Cinta Senese from the list of endangered species.

Why is so much space dedicated to this one topic? For those that know me, I have consumed my share of pork. It is a travesty what American pork producers have done to the animal in search of the politically correct dining product. In reality we have created a bigger problem than was resolved.

The Cinta is bred and raised in wild or semi-wild, large enclosed forests. They consume natural foods of acorn tubers and other organic materials. This produces a red flesh with a high density of unsaturated fats, including omega 3’s and omega 6. The fat is rich in oleic acid (helps reduce cholesterol). The flavor (fat) is less saturated and allows the smell to emit.

We had the pleasure of tasting this wonderful product at a restaurant directly across the road from the producer, L’Astronave (further description to follow). Cinta Finocchiona, Cinta Coppa, Cinta pork steak.

For those that know me, I have eaten my share of porchetta, pork chops, salumi, pastas with pork ragu in my time, including the Mangalitsa, this is the best pork that has passed these lips ever!!!!