Summary

Capocollo di Martina Franca: A Unique Italian Delicacy

Capocollo di Martina Franca is a distinctive cured meat made from pork neck, known for its vivid red color and beautiful marbling. This type of capocollo is special because it’s made from pigs that feed only on acorns from a local tree, fragno.

Production Process

The meat is seasoned with salt, pepper, and Senise chili pepper, then cures for 15 days with regular hand-rubbing to absorb flavors.
Unlike other capocollo, this one is also brined for six hours in vincotto, cooked grape must.
After curing, the capocollo is dried in three temperature-controlled environments: a drying room, pre-curing room, and curing room, for a total of 164 days.
The final step is smoking, which adds a unique flavor to the capocollo.

Unique Characteristics

The pigs feed only on acorns from the local fragno tree, giving the capocollo a distinct flavor.
The use of vincotto, cooked grape must, in the brining process adds a sweet and smoky scent to the meat.
The combination of the fragno tree and the Italian practice of curing pork neck makes capocollo from Martina Franca a truly unique product.

Key Vocabulary

Term	Definition	Example Usage
Capocollo	A type of Italian cured meat made from pork neck.	The capocollo di Martina Franca is known for its distinctive flavor and texture.
Marbling	The intramuscular fat that gives meat its tenderness and flavor.	The beautiful marbling of the capocollo di Martina Franca contributes to its unique taste.
Vincotto	Cooked grape must used in the brining process of capocollo.	The use of vincotto in the production of capocollo di Martina Franca adds a sweet and smoky scent.
Senise Chili Pepper	A type of chili pepper used to season the capocollo.	The Senise chili pepper is used to add flavor to the capocollo di Martina Franca during the curing process.
Fragno Tree	A local tree whose acorns are used to feed the pigs that produce the capocollo.	The acorns from the fragno tree give the capocollo di Martina Franca its distinct flavor.
Curing	The process of preserving and flavoring the meat, typically involving salt and other seasonings.	The capocollo di Martina Franca is cured for 15 days with regular hand-rubbing to absorb flavors.
Brining	The process of soaking the meat in a solution, typically involving water, salt, and other seasonings.	The capocollo di Martina Franca is brined in vincotto for six hours to add flavor.
Smoking	The process of preserving and flavoring the meat using smoke.	The final step in producing capocollo di Martina Franca involves smoking to add a unique flavor.

Watch The Video

How Capocollo (Gabagool) Is Made In Italy | Regional Eats | Food Insider

Vocabulary Quiz

1. Which word means ‘a process of preserving food, especially meat, by using salt or sugar to draw out moisture’?

A) Brining
B) Curing
C) Smoking
D) Marbling

2. What is the term for ‘the mixture of grape skins, seeds, and stems left over from winemaking, used in cooking’?

A) Vincotto
B) Fragno
C) Senise chili pepper
D) Acorn

3. Which term refers to ‘the pattern of fat that is distributed throughout a cut of meat’?

A) Marbling
B) Brining
C) Curing
D) Smoking

4. What does ‘brined’ mean in the context of food preparation?

A) Cooked in a sweet sauce
B) Soaked in a liquid solution, typically water or a marinade
C) Smoked to add flavor
D) Dried to preserve

5. What is ‘vincotto’ used for in the production of Capocollo di Martina Franca?

A) To add a spicy flavor
B) To add a sweet and smoky scent
C) To preserve the meat
D) To give the meat a vivid red color

Answer Key:

1. B
2. A
3. A
4. B
5. B

Grammar Focus

Grammar Focus: The Use of the Present Simple and Present Continuous Tenses to Describe Processes and Characteristics

The present simple tense is used to describe general truths, habits, and characteristics that are considered permanent or long-lasting. For example, “Capocollo di Martina Franca is a distinctive cured meat” describes a general truth about the product. On the other hand, the present continuous tense is used to describe actions that are happening at the moment of speaking or around it, but in the context of the provided text, it can also be used to describe processes that are ongoing or part of a routine. However, in this specific text, the present simple is predominantly used to describe the production process and characteristics, such as “The meat is seasoned with salt, pepper, and Senise chili pepper,” which could also imply a routine or general process. Understanding the distinction between these tenses is crucial for effective communication, especially when describing manufacturing processes, habits, or inherent qualities of a product.

Grammar Quiz:

1. Which tense is used in the sentence “The pigs feed only on acorns from the local fragno tree” to describe their diet?

A) Present perfect continuous, because it describes an action that started in the past and continues up to the present.
B) Present simple, because it describes a general truth or habit about the pigs’ diet.
C) Past simple, because it describes a completed action in the past.
D) Future simple, because it describes an action that will happen in the future.

2. The sentence “The capocollo is dried in three temperature-controlled environments” uses which tense to describe the drying process?

A) Present continuous, because it describes an action that is happening now.
B) Present simple, because it describes a general or routine process.
C) Past continuous, because it describes an action that was happening at a specific time in the past.
D) Future perfect, because it describes an action that will be completed at a specific time in the future.

3. Why is the present simple tense used in “The meat is seasoned with salt, pepper, and Senise chili pepper”?

A) Because it describes a one-time action in the past.
B) Because it describes a general or habitual action in the production process.
C) Because it describes an action that started in the past and continues up to the present.
D) Because it describes a future action.

4. The use of the present simple in “The final step is smoking” implies:

A) The action of smoking is happening at the moment of speaking.
B) Smoking is a general or routine part of the process.
C) The action of smoking happened only once in the past.
D) The action of smoking will happen at a specific time in the future.

5. Which of the following sentences uses the present simple to describe a characteristic?

A) The capocollo was unique because it is made from pigs that feed on acorns.
B) The capocollo is being made from pigs that feed on acorns, which makes it unique.
C) The capocollo is unique because it is made from pigs that feed on acorns.
D) The capocollo will be unique because it is made from pigs that feed on acorns.

Answer Key:

1. B) Present simple, because it describes a general truth or habit about the pigs’ diet.

2. B) Present simple, because it describes a general or routine process.

3. B) Because it describes a general or habitual action in the production process.

4. B) Smoking is a general or routine part of the process.

5. C) The capocollo is unique because it is made from pigs that feed on acorns.