What is that stuff on the outside of my salami?
That dusty stuff is a natural, edible mold similar to those found on aged soft cheeses. Its called Penicillium, and we inoculate our salami with it to help the aging process. The mold acts as a natural barrier to protect the salami from any competing mold or bacteria growth during the drying process. Spraying the mold on the salami inoculates it with good mold and drives off any potential bad mold that might exist in the environment. It is a point of pride for us that all of our salami are naturally molded.
While there are easier ways to produce salami, such as imitating flora with rice or milk powder, we do not use shortcuts. These molds are natural and delicious, but are easily removable by taking off the salami's casing, if you so desire.
The picture below shows some examples of the variation in our mold colors. It's normal to see everything from a dusty white to vibrant blues and greens, all the way down to a shadowed grey. The colors change with the seasons, just like the rest of the flora in nature. All of these variations are delightful and delicious. Enjoy!
