Talián: A Czech salami with Italian roots
Taking a stand for quality meat
Beef, pork and spices
For those who have never eaten this dish, it may look like an unsmoked, lighter-coloured sausage. It is prepared from beef and pork, and a mixture of spices which, in addition to salt, contains fresh garlic, black pepper, white pepper, cardamom, cumin, ginger and sugar. How did Czech butchers come up with such an unusual combination? An Italian has something to do with it!
Uggé's secret recipe
It might seem that talián has its roots in Italy, but appearances are deceiving! The sausage made of young beef and pork neck was first unleashed in Prague's Old Town at the end of the 19th century, when the Italian smoker Uggé settled in Rybná Street. It was he who began to produce a new kind of unusually spicy product. The delicacy was not smoked, only cooked, and customers quickly took to it.
People gave Uggé the nickname "The Italian", and they started calling his delicacy the same. The name has endured to this day. However, neither the method of production nor the blend of spices would not divulge. The Prague smokers had no choice but to start from scratch. They typically stuffed their products into beef casing with pepper, ginger, cardamom, garlic or thyme and lemon zest.
Preparation and serving
At home, heat slowly in a steamer for about 30 minutes. Or try it reheat it in broth, as they do in Lokál - the broth will refine the flavour. Serve with good mustard, freshly grated horseradish, good quality bread and wash it down with schnitzel!
