Salumeria Rosi – June 28, 2010

Sette Fagioli

Some say bean salads are boring. I am sympathetic: I still think vanilla ice cream is boring and will give a look of pity (or contempt) to anyone who orders vanilla ice cream over 20 other interesting flavors in an ice cream shop. But sette fagioli mean "seven beans" Please, does it sound boring to you? How about when these seven little and not so little guys (one is just the size and shape of the first joint of my thumb) are perfectly seasoned with onions and herbs? Besides, you need your vegetables, right? Vegetables are not a common commodity at a salumeria, OK? So, eat your beans. See the picture? I ate mine.

Il Parmacotto; Prosciutto San Daniele; Finocchiona

Let me start with finocchiona, this is a seriously good salume (or is it "salumi" - do you count by the slice or by the stick?). I tend to avoid salami because I am a snob. Why would anyone choose salami over, let's say, Prosciutto di Parma? Why would you eat a piece of a hard and dry sausage with globs of fats all over it? The answer: Because it is delicious. Fennel (I am sure this word is featured somewhere in "finocchiona") mellows out the gaminess of this salame and leaves a nice, subtle aftertaste.

Il parmacotto is cooked ham. A bit too thinly sliced for my taste. I would have liked a thicker slice as this ham was very tender. A quarter-inch slice would allow the taste of the meat to truly come out. Otherwise, we just gobbled it up.

Prosciutto San Daniele is good but not memorable.

Porchetta Caprese

Have you ever had a good Cuban sandwich? Piles of ham, roast pork, pickles, mustard and whatever little twist they add on (no mayo on mine, please) then grilled? Simple but so delicious... Yes, this posting is at the right place under Salumeria Rosi; No, I am not reviewing a Cuban sandwich. This porchetta caprese made me very sad because it made me dream of a good Cuban sandwich, only to wake me up with this Italian impostor in front of me. Shouldn't be too harsh, but can I just have some of the earlier il parmacotta and some sliced asiago and I will make my own grilled sandwich?