Those in the know in Seattle who crave authentic Italian-style cured meats know to head down to Pioneer Square to a tiny storefront where they can find the best cured meats in town made by Mario Batali’s father Armandino.
We were there at 11 a.m. on Friday, the time the restaurant opened, and there was already a line forming out the door to the corner of the street.
Salumi is the creation of Armandino Batali and his wife Marilyn. If you’re wondering, yes, they’re Mario Batali’s parents.They’re dedicated to preserving the authentic meat curing techniques of Italy and the Mediterranean.
Among the mind-boggling varieties of cured meats at Salumi:
- Argumi, a salami cured with citrus and cardamom.
- Cotecchino, a traditional salami from northern Italy made from pork meat and the skin of the pig and flavored with salt and spices including vanilla.
- Cotto, made with coursely ground with white pepper, nutmeg, mace and sugar.
- Dario, a salami made with nutmeg and mace.
- Finocchiona, flavored with cracked fennel, black pepper and a whisp of curry.
- Hot Sopressata, a spicy pork salami with tarlic and a slight bite.
- Mole, a unique creation made with chocolate, cinnamon, ancho and chipotle peppers.
- Salumi Salami, the house salami with a hint of ginger.
- Smoked Paprika, cured with salt and flavored with smoked paprika.
- Coppa, pork shoulder cured in sugar and salt and then spiced with peppers.
- Lamb Prosciutto, made from boneless lamb leg, cured and aged.
- Lomo, boneless pork tenderloin rubbed, cured and air dried.
To read the rest of the story, please go to: The Taste of Oregon.