FAQ

Product Questions

  1. How should I store my salumi?

    DRY SALAMI

    • Ideally, unwrap each salame and hang in a cool room between 50-60°F with 70-75% humidity.
    • Otherwise keep wrapped in Fra' Mani paper or other breathable wrapping (such as butcher paper or cheesecloth) and refrigerate.
    • We do not recommend freezing our dry salami products.

    COOKED SALUMI, PANCETTA and PATE

    • Keep refrigerated below 40° F in its original packaging until ready to serve.
    • To preserve freshness, once opened, wrap airtight. Change the wrapping upon each successive opening.

    SAUSAGE

    • Keep refrigerated below 40° F until ready to cook.
    • Fresh sausages should be used or frozen within 10 days of production. Fully cooked sausages should be used within three days of opening, or may be frozen for up to four months.
  2. What is the shelf life of my dry salame?
    If stored properly, our dry salami products do not have an expiration date, similar to aged cheeses. In general, the longer you store the salame, the more firm and dry it will become.
  3. My dry salame has blue/green/white mold on it - is this normal? Is it edible?
    Mold is beneficial to the aging of salame. All of our dry salami are enclosed in natural hog casings that are inoculated with a harmless mold to help in the aging process. Our salami can have both white mold (penicillin nalviogense) and blue/green mold (penicillin glaucum). Both are harmless strains, similar to the mold found on cheese. Depending on storage conditions, mold may change in color and increase or decrease in quantity. We recommend peeling back the natural casing before slicing and eating. This will also remove the mold.
  4. The mold on my dry salame is slimy - is this normal?
    Improper storage may result in slimy or moist mold and/or an ammoniated odor, and can adversely affect the salame itself. Improper storage includes temperature abuse and/or enclosure in a non-breathable wrapping, such as plastic wrap.
  5. Do your products contain nitrates? Do they contain nitrites?
    Nitrates may be present in the sea salt we use to cure our products. We also use a form of celery, which is a source of nitrate, as are many other vegetables. Nitrate from these natural sources is reduced to nitrite by microorganisms in the culture we use to ferment our products. By these natural means, the meat is cured - and, therefore, exhibits a rosy, cured color. We add no synthetic nitrates or nitrites to our products. Furthermore, those that are present by natural means are virtually used up in the curing process, resulting in a negligible amount in the finished product.
  6. Do your products contain gluten?
    Our dry salami, cooked salumi, and sausages do not contain any wheat fillers or wheat-based ingredients and are thus gluten-free. Furthermore, none of the custom spice blends we use for our salumi products contain added glutamates. Please note, however, that glutamates may be a naturally-occurring substance in any of our other ingredients (e.g., pork, sea salt, wine, spices, starter culture), so please bear this in mind with regards to any health concerns you may have.

    Ordering and Purchasing

  7. Where can I buy your products?
    Please refer to our website store locator or place an order through our online store. For wholesale information, please submit your request using the Contact Us form.
  8. Do you have a retail store?
    We do not currently have a retail store attached to our production facility. However, a number of local retailers stock our products. Please refer to our store locator to find one near you.
  9. How do you ship your products?
    Due to the perishable nature of our products, all online orders ship to arrive in either one or two days via FedEx service. Your salumi are packaged in reusable styrofoam coolers with gel ice packs to ensure quality and freshness. We cannot ship to PO Boxes.
  10. When will I receive my order?
    Orders placed before midnight (PST) on Sunday will be shipped the following Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday. We cannot ship on a Friday, Saturday or Sunday. During peak periods, we may require additional days to process your order and will inform you of any unusual delays. We strongly recommend that when placing an order, you confirm that the recipient will be available to receive, open and properly store your salumi.
  11. Do you gift wrap?
    As our products are perishable and require specific packaging to ensure quality and freshness, we do not offer special gift wrapping at this time. However, our dry salami items always arrive wrapped in our signature Fra' Mani paper, and a personalized gift note can always be included with any order at no extra charge. Please be sure to include a signature!

    Other Questions

  12. Do you give tours and tastings?
    Due to the small size of our facility and the strict USDA regulations under which we operate, we are unfortunately unable to accommodate tours and visitors at this time.
  13. How can I learn more about making salumi myself?
    Chef Bertolli's Cooking by Hand and Michael Ruhlman's Charcuterie are both useful resources for anyone interested in artisanal salumi-making at home.
  14. Do you offer any recipes?
    Coming soon!