I gave Nate the opportunity to pick only five new products for this newsletter. No problem, right? Wrong. Nate's been working hard to keep things fresh and current while faithfully preserving the traditions that have made DeLaurenti excel for over 60 years. It was no easy feat for him so, together, we pared the list to the following :
Pomi Strained Tomatoes now come in a 1500g tetra pak box. Not only are these tomatoes wonderful, but the packaging is also fantastic. When style and taste matter, Pomi's your tomato. Olio Verde is easily one of our favorite extra virgin olive oils from Italy. Every year, this powerful, complex and balanced oil proves that it is world class . That's why we were excited to hear of their Olio di Oliva al Limone. That's right - lemon infused olive oil from Olio Verde. Next time you cook fish, you really should try this oil - it's spectacular.

More and more we have requests for gluten-free products. In response, Nate found Italian gluten-free crackers from Galbusera. Made from corn and rice, these crackers are a wonderful platform for cheese and charcuterie. You have read of our love affair with La Vecchia Dispensa products before. They continue to amaze us with a new line of accompaniments including a Balsamic Mayonnaise, a Bruschetta spread, a Carmelized Onion in Balsamic Vinegar spread and a Modena Salsa Verde. Again, when style and taste are important... Finally, we present a Black Truffle Dijon Mustard. Now before you think we've gone off the deep end because truffles are "so last year," I implore you to reconsider. The perfect application for KL Keller's truffled mustard is with paté . Think about it.

We're happy to announce many of our Cheese Festival Seminar speakers' cheeses are currently in the case. In particular, we have Ms. Zepos' L'Amuse Gouda (an aged, crystallized number), Comte and Wilder Weide (a very firm, caramelized gouda). From the Caves of Jasper Hill (and Matteo Kehler), we have Oma, the mercurial Winnimere (bark-wrapped, washed rind cow that's all at once pungent, rich and mushroomy), the Bayley Hazen Blue and their Landaff (a n ode to Caerphilly from England, this cow's milk cheese has spicy cheddar notes that would be great with a porter.) Kurt Timmermeister brings us his Dinah's Camembert (from Vashon Island). You'll be familiar with Mary Keehn of Cypress Grove's signature cheese, Humboldt Fog and their relatively new Truffle Tremor (t he Fog without the ash but with black truffles ). And finally, from Port Townsend, Mt. Townsend Creamery's Red Alder (little firm disc of cow's milk), the Scotch Ale (you guessed it: washed with Pike Brewery's Scotch Ale) and their ode to Monterey Jack - New Moon.

Most everybody was a fan of Fra' Mani salami. What wasn't to like? They use beautiful ingredients , expertly cured. The challenge was getting their salami here in the store. We will continue to work on procuring their salami, but we're proud to offer yet another handmade salami to our assortment: Creminelli Meats. You may remember these guys as they had a little counter outside our store for about a year. They recently closed the retail part of the operation here in Seattle, but they continue to cure their salami in Utah. We'll bring in their Barolo, Tartufo, Piccante, Wild Boar, and Sopressata. They are delicious and we hope you like them as much as we do.

New releases from Buty Winery include The Beast. Despite the horrible pun, the Beast is a remarkable second line for Nina and Caleb. It's their chance to sow some wild oats, make some interesting, unusual wines. Their decisions in these regards differ from year to year so the Beast can never be pinned down. When you run out of the Buty Rediviva or Conner Lee Chardonnay, reach for a Cinsault or Rosé from the Beast. You won't be settling.

Upcoming Wine Tastings
In honor of the Cheese Festival, we will present free wine tastings each Saturday during the month of May upstairs in the wine department. Saturday tastings happen from 2- 4 PM, as usual. So what's the big deal? It's Cheese Festival Month!

Here's what's in store shortly...

01 May
Spanish Wines including a 100% Mencia and a chilled Sherry

08 May
Italian wonders from Noble's Naomi Smith's trip

 

You may remember Justin Lyon. Justin ran our café for a time a few years ago. He's moved on as a private chef and travels between Hawaii and Indian Wells, California with his beautiful wife and two children. Needless to say, the guy can cook. He made this dish for a Family Dinner here at the store (we do family dinners ever so often here. They're fun and exclusive and the crew gets to show off a bit when the inspiration hits them.)

Spot Prawns are perfect right now in the Market - if you believe the fish guys and we do most of the time.