Finocchiona Salami

Finocchiona originated in the Renaissance, and possibly even earlier. The use of fennel was a substitution to pepper which was expensive at the time, while fennel grew wild and in abundance in the Tuscan countryside. Also, fennel is rich in menthol, and because of its anesthetic qualities finocchiona was regularly offered by the winemakers of the Chianti area to their customers before tasting their lower quality wines, to mask their taste. Its name derives from finocchio, the Italian name for fennel. Pairing: Riesling, Sangiovese, Belgian Pale Ale