Corsica

Corsica produces some of the most distinctive cured meats in France, owing to two factors: the indigenous Nustrale pig breed (semi-feral, grazing on the maquis wild vegetation of rosemary, juniper, and myrtle), and a charcuterie tradition that's culturally closer to Italian than French (Corsica was Genoese for centuries before becoming French). The DOP Charcuterie de Corse umbrella covers four traditional products: Prisuttu (Corsican dry-cured ham), Lonzu (cured pork loin), Coppa de Corse (cured pork shoulder), and Salamu Corsu (Corsican-style salami). All four use Nustrale pig as required by the DOP, and the maquis-vegetation diet imparts a distinctive aromatic profile — herbal, slightly resinous, often with notes of juniper and wild rosemary.

The flavor is genuinely unique; nothing else in European charcuterie tastes quite like authentic Corsican Nustrale product.