...an introduction Orvieto raises breeds of pigs of very high quality and has a thriving industry of delicatessen products... In 1931 the famous “Italian gastronomic guide” of the Italian Touring Club “certified” a status of excellence which has never changed. The pig is truly at home in the Orvieto countryside. Indeed sometimes it was literally in the home. Up to a few decades ago it was quite normal to raise pigs in the cool cellars of the smaller historical villages.

Products Among the products the pork butchers so skillfully prepare, mention must be made of: Cinta senese or Porco Cinturello In the area of Orvieto selected breeds of pigs are also being reintroduced, a term that obviously indicates that they were once grown in the area. One of these breeds is the Cinta Senese, or Sienese Belted pig,  easily recognizable by the white band or belt that crosses the withers, shoulders and  legs. Groppone fron Ficulle This typical product of the district of Ficulle is made from pork loin including the fat and pigskin.   For the best “groppone”, the fat must be no less than three centimeters thick, whereas the diameter of the trimmed loin must not be less than eight centimeters. A fresh “groppone” is usually eighty centimeters long. Sella from San Venanzo The “SELLA” (saddle of pork) from San Venanzo is a traditional product of the craft of the local pork-butchers processed using “secrets” handed down from father to son, rediscovering recipes and preparations from the past.