Thursday, February 27, 12–2 p.m. in Smíchov
Don't miss this spectacular show and come see how a meter-long, 50-kilogram mortadella is sliced! On Thursday, February 27, Andrea Casolari from the Negrini family salami factory will arrive at our Smíchov shop and bring this iconic Bolognese delicacy with him, which he will slice by hand. Not only will you be able to taste it, but you can also buy it to take home. The Negrini family is one of the traditional producers who have been making mortadella for 70 years using only Italian pork from carefully controlled farms.
Mortadella is one of the most popular Italian salamis, protected by the IGP designation of origin due to its uniqueness. Mortadella has been produced in the Emilia-Romagna region for centuries, and according to some legends, it was enjoyed by the ancient Romans. Its name is probably derived from the Latin word mortarium, which referred to meat crushed in a mortar. However, the first documented recipe dates back to the 16th century. At that time, only wealthy townspeople could afford mortadella, but this gradually changed with the development of the food industry, which made mortadella a delicacy available to everyone, and panino with mortadella became a popular snack. In the past, some Italians even used mortadella to express their opinion on the political situation and used it instead of a ballot during elections. :-)
Mortadella is traditionally made from finely ground pork and lard, seasoned with pepper or pistachios, and slowly cooked for several hours in special ovens. Its delicate texture and irresistible taste stand out not only on its own, but in Bologna it is also popular as a filling for tortellini, on pizza, in mousses, skewers, or even polpett.