Send your questions to contact@salumeriaitaliana.com and the staff at Salumeria will give you their expert advice.

Salumeria Italiana has always prided itself on stocking excellent extra virgin olive oils. But after owner Gaetano read "Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil," he's been on a quest to find the very best super premium extra virgin olive oils from small producers. Here Chef Raymond and  manager Goni check out some of the more than 15 new oils. They come from across Italy, and range from the smooth, rich roundness of DeCarlo Extra Virgin from Apulia to Sesto from Sicily with a zesty kick at the end. Three beautiful oils from Lazio -- Amantino, Talea, and Unico -- are made by a woman producer who treasures ancient groves in Etruscan lands. Another EVOO, Molise DOP, is from land once part of a duchess's dowry. 

More of these fantastic oils will be added to our online store in the coming months. If you're in the North End, come in to taste. As always, any EVOO can be tasted and Chef and the staff will be happy to tell you all about the oils, where they're from, and help you discern the flavor profile. It's all part of our owner's mission to assure that you experience the very best in true, authentic extra virgin olive oil.

Lidia Bastianich of PBS' Italy in America and Andrew Zimmern of the Travel Channel's Bizarre Foods are two of the celebrity television food stars who recently have made Salumeria Italiana part of their shows. Both loved the store, marveled at delicious tastes of cheese, such as Moliterno al Tartufo, and meats, such as Hot Capocollo, and shopped for pastas, colatura (anchovy essence), and other hard to find Italian products.  Above owner Gaetano Martignetti meets Andrew. (Gaetano's aunt Tetta also had a cameo role, her TV debut at age 98!!!).

The staff was proud to show off the great products and services of the store -- and we love watching it on TV. Catch the shows in reruns!!!

Hope you saw Salumeria Italiana on "Bizarre Foods" Feb. 13 on the Travel Channel. Andrew Zimmern, the host, did a great job capturing "la atmosfera" of the North End and of our store. Check out the photos on the show's website http://www.travelchannel.com/tv-shows/bizarre-foods/photos/bizarre-foods-america-boston-photos. And drop by the store where the video is shown periodically. You can almost taste what Andrew's trying.

Recently Carla and Christina Pallotta, the owners of Nebo restaurant on North Washington, came by on a tour of the neighborhood. They come in often to stock up for home and their restaurant. But this Saturday, a Boston Globe travel reporter and photographer accompanied them. Carla and Christina grew up in the North End, and remember coming in to shop with their mother. That day, they had fun reminiscing with Erminio Martignetti, our founder, and tasting delicious cheeses and cured meats. 

And one result -- besides the fun of seeing old friends -- was a fantastic story in the Boston Globe Sunday Travel section Dec. 11 with Salumeria Italiana and Erminio at the top of the story.