This smokey Speck is slow-cured in the South Tyrol region of the Italian Alps. Speck is the one of the most treasured foods to come out of Alto Adige - a distinctly flavored, smoked, cured ham that represents well the character of Alto Adige’s cuisine, which merges Northern European and Mediterranean traditions. All natural ham is dried with real European sea salt and seasoned with local herbs before being smoked with local beechwood. Imagine Prosciutto, but delicately smokey. Speck could be classified as uncommon for several reasons.  The region of Alto Adige borders Austria, and most of its inhabitants speak both Italian and German.  Speck is a nod to this blended culture, as it represents both Mediterranean (cured) and northern European (smoked) methods of curing meat.  

Asiago Stagionato contains some really freaky tropical fruit notes (primarily pineapple with hints of guava) and a savoriness reminiscent of Vietnamese grilled pork. What you end up with is a cheese that eats like a meal. Rich and satisfying as it hits on all of the scientific labels for taste. Spicy and intense, it pairs with more robust honeys, like the chestnut variety, as well as fruit pastes like membrillo.  Grate it over pasta or risotto, or melt into crisps for cheesy alternatives to croutons.  If serving on a cheese board, pair it with wines from the region: Valpolicella for reds, or Moscato for white.