Our Method
We were the first in the large-scale retail trade to impose a new approach for Atlantic salmon: only fresh products, never frozen, not even after processing.
There is a lot of work and research that goes into achieving such an important goal, as frozen fish is less elastic and has a flattened taste. That’s why we decided to raise the level of the finished product by revolutionising the treatment of the raw material, which arrives at the plant once a week, fresh and under ice (0° – +4°C) and it is immediately ready for filleting.
Our master salters work the fish by hand, drying with sea salt, just like in the past, in order to respect even the thinnest parts of the fillets where a minimum amount of salt is needed.
After a night’s rest in the cellar, the Fumara salmon is washed with fresh water to remove excess sodium chloride. Other methods, such as brine injections, increase the risk of obtaining a less consistent, pasty product and a fish that tends to flake.
We ensure that the fish is firm and always optimally salted.
Slow and natural: this is an essential process for obtaining Fumara. It is at this point that the so-called ‘free water’ is eliminated and the product is microbiologically stabilized.
For such a delicate step, we have created a special room, separate from the smoking room and of our own design. The horizontal air-flow ensures that each fillet is dried uniformly for a homogeneous result.
Everything is under control here: time and humidity are constantly regulated.
In order for Fumara to achieve its distinctive character, we have crafted the recipe to achieve a rounded ‘Italian’ taste, being much more delicate than the typically Northern European one.
The Foodlab method involves natural, slow-burning smoking, without an open flame, using fine beechwood. The smoke that is released envelops the salmon, giving it a characteristic aroma, without ever adding liquids or flavourings.
It is unique because it gives the product an exceptionally smooth and smoky sensory experience.
Our flavouring technique combines the aromas of the distillate with the the tasty smoothness of the salmon in an extremely balanced way.
We use whisky to flavour the fillets, a fragrance that is immediately evident on the palate: it gives hints of sea peat and a slight woody flavour, as if to remind us of the barrels in which it has been resting for a long time.
The marinating of Fumara comes from Gianpaolo Ghilardotti’s experience as a chef. This is why it is so light, delicate and unmistakable: a recipe that enhances the flavour of the salmon and preserves the fresh softness of the fish.
The technique, while extremely simple in its purity, is also capable of combining in a balanced way the protagonists of the finished product: the herbs, the salt, the salmon. We also use parsley, spring onion, dill and thyme, a mix of herbs that gives our fillets even more character.
Our Fish
We have gone to Norway and Scotland to personally select our Salmo salar suppliers and we have chosen sustainable aquaculture facilities that are strictly controlled and certified according to very strict legislation.
Our specimens swim in deep waters with a natural flow of cold, oxygen-rich seawater. After careful selection, they are delivered fresh to the farm once a week and are never frozen.
Our Wild Catch
We catch our wild Sockeye Salmon, Oncorhynchus nerka, in the legendary seas of Alaska according to strict MSC standards. We select only premium, blemish-free, exceptionally tender red meat that is unique in taste.
Our fillets are selected individually and vacuum-packed as quickly as possible to preserve their extraordinary properties. For Tuna, Cod and Swordfish we also choose the best from the Atlantic.