Salame di Ficchi

This fig “salami” is a specialty of the town of Ascoli, in the Marches. It is sold at the dispensa at Enoteca Migliori along with mistrà, a local anise-favored liqueur produced by herbalist Girolomo Varnelli. The fig paste is mixed with anise liqueur and reduced grape must and sometimes with chopped walnuts. Then it is rolled into a log resembling a salami, wrapped in fig leaves, and aged for at least a month in a wooden cask. In the absence of fig leav