Porchetta di Ariccia PGI

Porchetta di Ariccia is a product based on cooked pork , typical of the municipality of Ariccia , in the province of Rome .

In 14 June 2011, at European level, the Porchetta di Ariccia obtains the recognition of Protected Geographical Indication (PGI). 

  

PRODUCTION

“Porchetta di Ariccia IGP” must be produced in the entire territory of Ariccia, in the province of Rome, in the region of Lazio. It is a famous product, made from the following ingredients: feminine pork’s meat, salt, pepper, garlic and rosemary. Feminine porks are leaner and with a more adapt taste.

The carcass is manually deboned, salted, topped with pepper, rosemary and garlic, and finally wrapped with natural cords. This is an important passage because it consent meat to remain compact in the following step.

The product can be now cooked in oven at a temperature between 160-280° C for 3-5 hours. Ovens used for this passage are particularly big and have some containment tanks, useful to collect fat. The heat reduction occurs gradually, in specific cooling rooms, at a temperature between 10° to 30°C.

“Porchetta di Ariccia IGP” can be sold entire, in logs or sliced. We can find it in commerce in specific vacuum-sealed, plastic or paper boxes. In any case, a PGI product must show a label with the mark and the community logo of the product. 

TASTE AND CHARACTERISTICS

“Porchetta di Ariccia” is a famous gastronomic product. Meat is tasteful and spicy, thanks to the equilibrated presence of rosemary, pepper and garlic. Its color goes from white to pink.

Rind is bright, crunchy and brown. In the part of girth it has a softer texture. This crunchy texture is a distinctive aspect of “porchetta”, which can be consumed in slices.

SERVING SUGGESTION

“Porchetta” is usually eaten in slices. It can represent a tasteful second dish or an ideal stuffing for sandwiches, better if with rustic bread.

Great alone, thanks to its taste and rind’s crunchiness, the intense scent due to spices, tasted with a glass of Castelli wine or handcrafted beer.

In the typical “fraschette” of the area Castelli Romani,
“porchetta” is served with a cutting board of cheeses and cold cuts, accompanied by a glass of one of the wines of Castelli.

Slices of “porchetta” can be served with a glass of Franciacorta or a pleasant and fresh Verdeca. 

Source : http://www.weareitaly.net/en/product/Porchetta/lazio/Porchetta-di-Ariccia-IGP.html

Protected Geographical Status

Protected Geographical Status ( PGS ) is a legal framework defined in European Union law to protect the names of regional foods.  Protected Designation of Origin ( PDO ), Protected Geographical Indication ( PGI ) and Traditional Speciality Guaranteed ( TSG ) are distinct regimes of geographical indications within the framework.

Came into force in 1992, the legislation ensures that only products genuinely originating in that region are allowed in commerce identified as such.

The law enforced within the EU and being gradually expanded internationally via bilateral agreements between the EU and non-EU countries.  Protected indications are treated as intellectual property rights by the Customs Regulation 1383/2003.

Objectives of the protection :

-       - to protect the reputation of the regional foods

-       - to promote rural and agricultural activity

-       - to help producers obtain a premium price for their authentic products

-       - to eliminate the unfair competition and misleading of consumers by non-genuine products

Protected Designation of Origin ( PDO )

The PDO is the name of an area, a specific place, or, in exceptional cases, the name of a country, used as a designation for an agricultural product or a foodstuff,

-        which comes from such an area, place or country,

-        whose quality or properties are significantly or exclusively determined by the geographical environment, including natural and human factors,

-         whose production, processing or preparation takes place within the determined geographical area.

The entire product must be traditionally and ENTIRELY manufactured ( prepared, processed and produced ) within the specific region and thus acquire unique properties.

e.g. Beurre d’ Ardenne cow’s milk butter, Colombian coffee, Danish Blue cheese,  Feta cheese,  Hungarian sausages, Inka® beverage, Jersey Royal potatoes,  Manuka honey, Manx Loaghtan sheep, Sabina olive oil, Traditional Balsamic Vinegar, Vidalia onion, Yorkshire Forced Rhubarb etc

Protected Geographical Indication ( PGI )

The PGI is the name of an area, a specific place, or, in exceptional cases, the name of a country, used as a description of an agricultural product or a foodstuff,

-         which comes from such an area, place or country,

-         which has a specific quality, goodwill or other characteristic property, attributable to its geographical origin,

-         whose production, processing or preparation takes place within the determined geographical area.

The entire product must be traditionally and at least PARTIALLY manufactured ( prepared, processed, or produced ) within the specific region and thus acquire unique properties.

e.g. Arbroath Smokies, Cornish pasty, Darjeeling tea, Lincolnshire sausage, Lübecker Marzipan candy, Melton Mowbray pork pie, Timoleague brown pudding sausage, Rönttönen candy, South Tyrolean Apple, Speck ham, etc

Traditional Speciality Guaranteed ( TSG )

The TSG is a trademark for an agricultural product or a foodstuff, which has a certain feature or a set of features, setting it clearly apart from other similar products or foodstuffs belonging to the same category.  The product or foofstuff must be manufactured using traditional ingredients or must be characteristic for its traditional composition, production process, or processing reflecting a traditional type of manufacturing or processing.

The entire product does not have to be manufactured in a specific geographical delimited area; its is sufficient that it be traditional and different from other similar products.

e.g. Karelian pasties, Sahti beer, etc