Originating from the mountainous Oltrepò Pavese, the southwestern part of Lombardy popularly known as the Tuscany of Northern Italy, salame di Varzi is a variety of cured pork sausage. In fact, this protected name refers to a whole variety of cured meats, all produced within the province of Pavia.

Depending on the curing process and its diameter, salame di Varzi can be marketed as: Filzetta, Filzettone, Sottocrespone a Budello Semplice, Cucito a Budello Doppio and Torto or Salametto. The distinctive flavors of these products are directly influenced by the micro-climate of the Staffora Valley - it creates ideal conditions for the maturing process which takes place in ancient Varzi cellars. 

The origins of this air-dried, salted beef charcuterie can be traced back to the late Middle Ages, when the techniques of preserving beer, lamb and game had already spread throughout the Lombardian Valtellina valley and Alps. This lean and tender beef cut comes in five different varieties: Punta d’Anca (loin), Sottofesa (top beef), Magatello (round roll), Sottosso (silverside), and Fesa (rump).

The meat needs to age for about two to three months, until it completely dries out, becomes hard and turns dark red. Bresaola has a particularly sweet and musky aroma, and it is best enjoyed in traditional Lombardian starter dishes such as Bresaola della Valtellina Santa, where the meat is thinly sliced and served on rye bread with curls of juniper butter. 

Produced exclusively in the northen Italian provinces of Monza and Brianza, Como, Milan and Lecco, salame Brianza is a type of fine-grained, cured pork sausage. It has been produced for centuries, but its gastronomic value wasn't recognised until after the 1970s, when several Lombardian artisan sausage makers became industrial food producers.

The particular microclimate of the wider Brianza area greatly contributes to the special qualities of this product. Salame Brianza has an intense aroma and a delicate, sweet flavor. It is best enjoyed in thick slices, served alongside hot polenta.

The origins of this large-grained, cured sausage can be traced back to the pre-Roman era. Today, salame Cremona is produced only within the northern Italian regions of Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna, Piedmont, and Veneto.

It is made by processing lean meat and fat obtained from Italian heavy pigs of the Large White, Landrace, and Duroc breed. Salame Cremona has a distinctive aroma, a mildly spicy flavor, and it's typically served as an appetizer, accompanied by local cheeses and a hearty glass of wine.

Violino di capra, literally meaning goat violin, is an Italian goat prosciutto produced in the area surrounding the Northern Italian town of Chiavenna. The name comes from its shape, reminiscent of the violin, and the fact that the traditional method of slicing suggests placing it on a napkin under the chin with one hand while cutting it using a knife with the other - an action that truly resembles that of a violinist using his bow.

Made with goat’s shoulder or thigh preserved in brine and flavored with garlic, spices, and red wine, violino di capra is shortly smoked, then aged in natural alpine cavities known as crotti. This Italian delicacy is best enjoyed thinly sliced, accompanied by homemade bread and a glass of red wine.

Slinzega is a variety of dark red, air-dried salted beef charcuterie produced in the Italian province of Sondrio. Flavored with cinnamon, salt, cloves, pepper, garlic, bay leaves, and red wine, it is similar to another local product, the slightly more famous bresaola, but made with smaller, finer cuts of meat (leg and the topside or rump, covering the tenderloin), which results in a much stronger flavor.

The origins can be traced back to the 1400s - some sources claim that it was originally prepared with horse meat rather than beef. Nowadays, many varieties exist, the most common being those made with beef, deer, or pork. Slinzega can be used as a flavor enhancer in cooking, or eaten on its own, thinly sliced or cut into little cubes and served with bread. 

The origins of this sausage can be traced to Lomellina, a historical region of northern Italy, nestled between the rivers of Sesia, Ticino, and Po, and once home to a large Jewish community. Instead of pork, Italian Jews commonly used goose meat to make sausages, adapting standard recipes to better suit their needs for kosher food.

Today, salame d’oca is produced in the province of Pavia, namely the town of Mortara. However, as a result of an interesting fusion between Italian and Jewish gastronomic heritage, this Lombardian specialty is nowadays made with a mixture of lean goose meat and pork fat stuffed in goose skin.