This is a small goat's ham which gets its name for its curious shape. In fact, the goat's thigh and shoulder have the shape of a violin. The animal's paw looks like a handle and the muscle mass like a Stradivarius case.
It should rest on one's shoulder and be sliced with a knife, mimicking a bow. It has spicy flavours, old fragrances ranging from wild goat to the smoky aroma of oak, juniper and, sometimes, laurel or rosemary. Its production is still largely familiar-based, made with the thighs of the roaming goats raised on local pastures. Processed and aged in people's houses, it is jealously stored to be eaten in the winter holidays at Christmas or New Year. The tastiest violins are the ones which mature slowly, naturally and for a long time: at least six months.
