How can we forget the "sausages of Rivalto" by Osea?
The story begin in 1948, when Osea Del Lucchese (1922-1999) opened the first butchery of the halmet at Piazza della Compagnia (now Piazza Antonio Gramsci, at civic number 5).
Osea Del Lucchese had learned the art of meat processing from his brother in law from Chianni, also butcher, and, very soon, his passion involved his wife Gisa, as affectionately called by the rivaltini Aldagisa Franchi (1925-1993).
It was a pleasure to see them together expressing such passion for the job, as well as clear in the photo below taken in 1985.
Osea Del Lucchese had learned the art of meat processing from his brother in law from Chianni, also butcher, and, very soon, his passion involved his wife Gisa, as affectionately called by the rivaltini Aldagisa Franchi (1925-1993).
It was a pleasure to see them together expressing such passion for the job, as well as clear in the photo below taken in 1985.
In a short time, Osea stole the secrets of processing, flavoring and cutting of the meat, earning a reputation for wise and skillful butcher in the area, also in Pisa and Livorno, whose inhabitants had known Rivalto when they were welcomed here displaced by war.
You often encountered him across the borough, aboard of his "historic" Renault 4 blue, always busy, sought by farmers and breeders of the nearby farms that, with absolute confidence, called him from November to March for work and kill the pig. An event that, in the rural area, is almost turned into a solemn ritual. Infact there is a tuscan proverb that says "Chi si sposa sta bene un giorno, chi ammazza il maiale sta bene un anno" ("Those who marry will stay well for a day, those who kill a pig will stay good for a long year")
You often encountered him across the borough, aboard of his "historic" Renault 4 blue, always busy, sought by farmers and breeders of the nearby farms that, with absolute confidence, called him from November to March for work and kill the pig. An event that, in the rural area, is almost turned into a solemn ritual. Infact there is a tuscan proverb that says "Chi si sposa sta bene un giorno, chi ammazza il maiale sta bene un anno" ("Those who marry will stay well for a day, those who kill a pig will stay good for a long year")
Perhaps it is for this huge demand that Osea, gentle soul, during the famous Chestnut Festival in the village, a tradition that has now been repeated for 40 years, preferred not to open shop, to prevent the "race" to the meat that would distracted from the event.
But the real specialty of Osea were sausages. With great patience and tireless rythm, he worked on the table accompanied by his trusty meat grinder and the recipe of the job:
pork meat
salt to taste
pepper to taste
garlic to taste
a lot of work by hand
... and an unmentionable experience useful to dose with balance such numerous "to taste"!
Even the soppressata (tuscan brawn) assumed with him a taste of the past, despite the uninviting appearance: a mosaic of "cuttings" with a genuine taste that perfectly interpreted the tuscan saying "Del maiale non si butta via nulla" ("Of the pig does not throw anything away"). The brawn, in fact, is a kind of large sausage made with scraps of pork -cheek, rind, toungue, cartilage- chopped, spiced, boiled with a cooking pot (the tuscan paiolo) on the fire and, while still hot, put to "degrease" and "strain" in a tissue pocket, ready to be put in refrigerator to cool and served cut.
Also memorable was the mallegato rivaltino (black pudding), stuffed into casings of pig obtained with blood, meat and "grasselli" (pieces of fat) of pig, possibly enriched with raisins, pine nuts, nutmeg. The rivaltina tradition also suggests an interpretation heated in a pan with a little flour to enhance the taste and served with dessert wines or late harvest wines.
Also memorable was the mallegato rivaltino (black pudding), stuffed into casings of pig obtained with blood, meat and "grasselli" (pieces of fat) of pig, possibly enriched with raisins, pine nuts, nutmeg. The rivaltina tradition also suggests an interpretation heated in a pan with a little flour to enhance the taste and served with dessert wines or late harvest wines.
Among the specialties most required the fegatelli (little livers), beef and pork liver chopped, seasoned and cooked in lard, particularly tasty combined with polenta, beans or herbs of the field. During one of the editions of the Poetry Prize of Rivalto a partecipant has dedicated to these tasty livers a poem.
But not only of pigs, sausages or salami the human being lives, species in Rivalto, where sheeps and cattle, chicken coops, rabbit hutches in the funds of the houses and the tradition of hunting are never missed.
Since the early 60's, Osea's butchery shop moved to Piazza Beato Giordano in a room of Cortesi's palace, where his daughter Doriana continues the tradition.
This shop today has kept all the charm and simplicity of a time: white tiles, hooks in the ceiling, the old work table where are still visible signs of the pork processing, the cutting board with all the evidence of use during the past, the exposition of succulent slices of meat, ham, bacon and other delicacies.
This shop today has kept all the charm and simplicity of a time: white tiles, hooks in the ceiling, the old work table where are still visible signs of the pork processing, the cutting board with all the evidence of use during the past, the exposition of succulent slices of meat, ham, bacon and other delicacies.