Prosciutto, before and after

This morning we drove to the small village of Traversotolo, for our tour of a small prosciutto producer.  I had arranged in advance for them to take us up into the hills, where the famous "Maiale Nero" (black pig) live.  They live in the wild, in their oak tree forest where they dine on acorns and forage for mushrooms.  Afterwards, our tour of the factory demonstrated the fanatical cleanliness; we put plastic slippers on our shoes and wear hairnets, to go into the areas where the pork legs are salted, massaged (yep!) and hung to age for nearly two years.  We are treated to a lunch of the best prosciutto and culatello in the known universe.