Deli meats move aside. Italy’s cured meats, known as salumi, are certainly not to be equated with generic cold cuts like baloney and sad sack lunches: these salty slices are a cornerstone of the Italian food pyramid, whether stuffed in a panino (or schiacciata if you’re in Tuscany), layered atop regional fried doughs, or served in the smorgasbord that is a tagliere.

The earliest records of cured meats being produced in Italy date back to the Roman era–meat was salted and dried in order to preserve it for longer after slaughter, extending the shelf life especially considering refrigeration was not yet a thing.