One of the standouts of the year for us has been the handmade salami and sausage from Creminelli Fine Meat of Seattle. Shoppers at Pike Place Market already know how special these products are. They are carried by fine food stores nationwide, although not necessarily identified as Creminelli. It’s time for the rest of America to learn the name and demand this delicious line of specialty meats.
The Creminelli family has been producing artisan meat products in Italy since the 1600s, according to family lore. But more recently, in 2007, master artisan Cristiano Creminelli brought the family’s recipes and techniques to America. The pork-based salami and sausages will be a revelation to Americans for whom Old World artisan traditions have long since disappeared. If you have enjoyed fine charcuterie in Italy and long to return to taste them again, they are now ready to visit you, via express delivery (or your local retailer).
All of the Creminelli meats are handmade with choice cuts from select pig breeds raised on small family farms and fed with organic white grains. You can taste the difference—even the fat in the well-marbled pork tastes exceptional. Organic spices complement the beautiful flavor of the natural pork without getting in the way of it. You know you are eating recipes made with skills passed down from generation to generation.
Certain products are simply not to be missed: the truffle salami, made with real truffles, and the Piemonte sausage, redolent of fresh rosemary, are two we don’t want to be without again. Pair them with the simplest foods—bread, cheese, pasta—and fireworks begin. But there’s much, much more to revel in here. Read the full review below.
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