THE PIEMONTESE FASSONA BREED • Slow Food Presidium

A LITTLE BIT OF ANCIENT HISTORY

Like all native, white-coated cattle, it is a very ancient breed. The Piemontese was not born, unlike some others, from manipulations on the genetic heritage and its origins can be traced back to the Quaternary era. In fact, its history begins in the Pleistocene period, with the migration of a type of cattle (Aurochs) from present-day Pakistan towards the Alps and the Apennines. The eastward migration of these animals was stopped by a marshy and marshy territory that extended from the lower valley of the Tanaro river to the Dora Baltea: more or less, today’s Piedmont

MODERN HISTORY

The most interesting history of the Piedmontese begins in 1886. In that year, in the small town of Guarene d’Alba in the province of Cuneo, a bull with enormous buttocks and very muscular thighs was born for the first time from a spontaneous change. Called “horse croup” or “double croup”, it is precisely the progenitor of our “thigh calves”. A historical turning point: a meat, dairy (particularly in the mountains) and working breed, from that moment the Piedmontese inaugurated its future career as a meat producer.

At the beginning of the twentieth century there were 680 thousand heads; in 1973 the Piedmontese was the third among the Italian breeds and the first among the native ones and, still in 1985, it had over 600 thousand animals. But ten years is more than enough to halve them. Today there are around 300 thousand animals, distributed across 15 thousand farms: mostly small family-run stables. The latest breed standard is dated 1977 and the stud book is kept and guarded by ANABORAPI (Associazione Nazionale Allevatori Bovini Razza Piemontese – National Association of Piedmontese Cattle Breeders) The breed has good adaptability to breeding in different altitude areas, from the plains to high altitude pastures. This also results in a high longevity, superior to that found in other cattle breeds.

THE MEAT

The main characteristic of the Piemontese is the high slaughter yield which can even exceed 70%. The main characteristic is lean meat, low in tendons and fat, tasty and tasty. The fine bone structure also allows for a greater number of fine cuts compared to other larger breeds. Piedmontese meat is exceptional, one of the best in Italy, unique, with the right amount of intramuscular fat which makes it lean, but particularly tasty, with an extremely low cholesterol level.

To put it to the test, there is a simple dish, which not surprisingly belongs only to the Piedmontese tradition: raw meat chopped with a knife (seasoned with extra virgin olive oil and very little salt). The other classic dish is the mixed boiled meat, to be dipped in bites in salt and bagnèt: the green sauce, made with parsley, anchovies, and garlic, the red one, made with tomato, the cognà, made with quince and pears cooked in must, saussa d’avije, a sauce with honey, walnuts and mustard and horseradish sauce.

PRODUCTION AREA

Municipalities of Fossano, Genola, Cuneo, Mondovì, Roddi, Piozzo, Trinità, Castelletto Stura, Bene Vagienna, Sant’Albano Stura, Marene (Cuneo, province of Cuneo)