Enrico Ricci, butcher:

“Any piece of Chianina meat can be eaten”

Enrico Ricci is already the third generation that works in the family butcher shop Ricci in Trequanda. He passionately talks about his work and the Chianina meat. 

The structure of the different meat parts obviously prove that he Chianina originally was a work animal, a beast of burden. The pieces of the front of the cow are more leathery and are used to make piatti poveri. These are mainly winter dishes which require a long preparation time. These parts are considerably cheaper at the butcher’s shop. The parts of the back of the cow are juicier and more tender; they are being used to make piatti ricci, as for example the bistecca fiorentina or dishes with tournedos.

A Fiat Panda and a Rolls Royce

“One kilo of soup meat costs six euros. A kilo of fillet costs thirty euros,” butcher Enrico Ricci explains. “The fillet is five times more expensive, but for me all the parts are of equal value. Our culture may give the impression that the more tender parts are better, but you can enjoy tasty dishes with every part of the meat. Each part has its specific taste and colour,” says Ricci. “The cutlet and the fillet are the parts most sold. Ricci laughs and jokingly says: “But I compare selling different pieces of meat with selling different kinds of cars. I’m actually responsible for the sale of a Fiat Panda as well as for a Rolls Royce.”

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The back parts of the cow