The folks we were staying with in Seattle asked us before we arrived if there was any place we wanted to visit. A restaurant? A tourist trap? I had only one request. Salumi. Ever since I saw the episode where Anthony Bourdain visited the store I've wanted to try their cured meats.
Checking online we found that the place was only open Tuesday through Friday. Since we were to arrive late Thursday and leave Monday morning, a Friday morning trek to the well reviewed cure meats seller was planned. We even discussed buying some sort of ice chest to bring our spoils home. We figured some hot sopressata or some mole salami would made great thank you gifts for those folks watching our kitten.
We got up early to get there around the time they opened, 11 AM (hey, we were on vacation, that was plenty early). We had read on many blogs that the lines can get pretty long on Fridays and we wanted to have time to go on a shopping spree.
We parked downtown, close to Salumi. My mouth started to water. I'd been wanting to try this place for two years. Who knows when I'd get back to Seattle on a day they were open. We got closer. We saw folks standing in line outside the store. Wait, they weren't standing in line, they were taking photos of themselves in front of the store. Great, I wouldn't feel weird when I did the same thing. And then we saw the sign. Closed. CLOSED!!?? Yep. They were on a family vacation.
Needless to say I had a few choice words for the Batali's. See, they have a "holiday schedule" listed on their website and nowhere does it say they were going to be off having fun while I was braving the 90 degree Seattle heat, drooling over the possibility of their cured meats. DAMN THEM! Seriously. I was bummed. I can only hope I get back to Seattle sooner rather than later...and keep my fingers crossed these guys aren't on a family vacation!
They should plan their vacation around yours next time, out of simple respect!
Posted by: Louise at Livin Local | July 21, 2009 at 06:57 AM
I am appalled that you were in town and didn't tell me.
The Salumi experience can be frustrating. I had a friend visiting from out of town, we happened to be in that neck of the woods, I told her we were, and she pleaded for us to stop by. So we did (this was around 3), and got some salumi and it was all good. (You don't need a cooler, by the way; when they say it's cured, they mean it. No refrigeration is necessary. And yes, the mole kicks all kinds of ass.)
Couple weeks later, I decide it might be nice to get some more mole and bring it to my game night, so orgasmically impressed I was with the previous bit. I get there around 12:30, there's a line around the corner, AND there's a sign outside saying "we only have enough meat to make sammiches, we're not selling any meats a la carte today." Well, I was there for mole, so I salvaged the trip with lunch an Uwajimaya.
But I was annoyed. I guess when you're Mario's dad, you can get away with crap like that.
(You can also get their stuff through the mail at http://salumicuredmeats.com. The drawback is that I think you have to buy entire sausages. (Though I didn't know you could place orders online for pickup if you're local. Good to know, and I bet I could get smaller quantities that way. The 1/3 of a pound of mole I got lasted a while.) The key, though, is that you want to slice it *paper* thin, so if you don't have access to a slicer, you're kinda missing out.)
Posted by: Chris Lemon | July 21, 2009 at 02:01 PM
That does stink! I have actually ordered their stuff online (as I see someone else advises you to), so you could always do that if you really want to try it out. I recommend the one that has fennel and citrus in it.
Posted by: tiffany @ the garden apartment | July 23, 2009 at 04:10 AM
Mrs.L, that is so frustrating! At least our local options in the Bay Area for salumi seem to be increasing every day! I joined the Boccalone Salumi Society recently and think that Fra Mani also is a great product...
Posted by: foodhoe | July 24, 2009 at 10:42 AM
Louise - I know, how dare they!? :)
Chris - Alas, lots of folks in the Seattle area were upset that we didn't stop by. I promise next time I'm in the area I will have a day where I can meet all my foodie friends!
Tiffany - I do plan on ordering online but I just wish I could have had the experience of actually getting something there.
Foodhoe - Thanks, I'll have to check those out!
Posted by: Mrs. L | July 24, 2009 at 11:45 AM
Oh what a bummer! I actually live in Seattle and have yet to get to Salumi. They have such crazy hours. However, their meats are on a lot of menus around the city, so I have tried them and they are quite delicious. Hopefully you can try some next time you are here.
Posted by: Deseree | August 06, 2009 at 05:44 PM