Typical of the Province of Mantua, Salame Mantovano is prepared at the beginning of winter, using only pork meat. The salame is covered with a white to grayish-mauve mold on the outside. The meat is coarsely ground, following the traditional method from times when all processing stages were done with a knife by the skilled hands of the norcino or masin (pork butcher). With approximately 450 calories per 100 grams, Salame Mantovano has a high energy and protein content. It is cylindrical, with a possible bulge at the end, and varies in weight from 500 grams to 3 kg. It has a strawberry-red color, a compact and soft texture, dotted with white or pink fat specks, while the addition of pepper and fresh garlic gives it a distinct aroma and unmistakable flavor. The recipe varies by region: in Upper Mantua, garlic, macerated in white wine, is added in more subtle amounts.