Retailer Login
Deli University

How It's Made

Old World Preparation

The process of salame-making is actually one of the oldest forms of food preservation. It's a complex affair – more complicated than making wine, cheese or bread. The natural aging time, degree of care, and dedication to each step greatly influences the end product – so much so that subtle changes become the hallmark of a master salame maker, a salumiere.

When Peter Domenici and Enrico Parducci started Columbus in their North Beach flat in 1917, handcrafting wasn't a technique – it was a necessity. Meats matured and dried through decidedly low-tech means – opening and closing the windows to achieve the perfect balance of temperature and humidity.

While technology has evolved and improved our ability to package and deliver our products, one thing hasn't changed – our commitment to the proven Old World techniques of preparation. This means slowly aging our salame and slowly roasting our deli meats.

Our salame is made from carefully selected 100% pork, slowly and gently fermented and matured at the precise temperature and humidity from 21 days up to 90 days. We never speed up the process using more modern manufacturing technologies that rely on higher temperature aging that results in a completely different, "cooked" taste.

Our deli meats rely on premium ingredients such as 100% whole cuts of turkey breast, ham and top round beef, and quality blends of herbs and spices. We hand-rub our proprietary blend of spices, then slowly roast our deli meats at low temperatures for the best taste. Our smokehouse even uses imported wood from the Black Forest in Germany to ensure authentic flavor.

We take our time so you can taste our history and tradition in every bite.

The Salame Making Process
  1. The "chopper," or the "cutter," is an aptly named machine that does exactly as it promises: chop the meat. But the machine is just a tool. The real work is done by the salumiere – or master salame maker – who lends a craftsman's eye to determine how fine or coarse to chop the meat. At just the right point, seasonings are added.
  2. The chopped and seasoned meat is stuffed as tightly as possible without air into a specific casing, depending on the variety of salame. Hand-tying is a craft that relies on eyes, not rulers, to determine the proper length of salame.
  3. The next step of the salame making process happens in the Fermentation Room. Here, the freshly stuffed salame is hung for five to seven days. Three distinct phases occur during this period. First, the salame warms as the natural starter cultures begin the fermentation process. Next, the growth of our Columbus Fiore, or bloom, begins to develop. Fiore is a soft, white coating similar to the rind on Brie cheese that adds flavor complexity while offering protection during the aging process. Finally, the curing begins as the salame dries.
  4. The Aging Room is where salame is left to slowly ferment and develop its distinct aromas and flavors. Depending on the type of salame, this process can take anywhere from three weeks to three months.
  5. Once the salame has been aged to perfection, it is packaged and shipped to stores.
  6. Some of our salame comes to stores conveniently pre-sliced. To accomplish that, we carefully remove the casings, slice thinly and package immediately to maintain freshness.

What Makes Good Salame

If you know what you're looking for, it's easy to find premium salame. This sense-ational pursuit relies on the look, feel, smell, and of course, taste to determine a superior product.

First, look at the salame. It should have a rich color, not washed out or pink, with a good definition of meat. The lack of definition could indicate an overly processed, emulsified product. Surprisingly, the best salame often has a natural soft, white coating called Fiore, which in Italian means "bloom." Columbus Fiore protects the salame and adds a depth of flavor. Next, try to pull a slice of salame apart. It should feel firm, never rubbery. Then, hold the salame to your nose. The salame should smell sweet and appealing. Finally, when tasting salame, it should have a firm bite and pleasant mouthfeel – never filmy or fatty on the palate. The flavor of well-made salame should be big – complex, full of character, and well-balanced. Meat should be the predominant flavor but with notes of garlic and spice playing supporting roles. Its finish should be succulent, enjoyable, and clean, not greasy nor overly garlicky.

When you eat a slice of well-made salame like Columbus, you'll soon long for another.

Our Ingredients

We're proud to say we use only 100% pork in all of our salame. Pure pork salame simply has a superior aroma and fuller flavor. We use a proprietary blend of spices in our recipes for authentic Italian taste.

Our Unique Fiore Bloom

One of the secrets to our premium salame is the Columbus Fiore. During the dry aging process, much like Brie cheese, salame develops a soft white coating of aromatic mold that protects it from excessive drying and enhances its flavor. Master salame makers in Italy refer to this mold as Fiore, or bloom.

Our founders started their salame-making in the North Beach area of San Francisco where the mild climate and relative humidity were similar to the Tuscany region in Italy – making it ideal for the growth of Fiore, and, therefore, ideal for the production of authentic Old World salame.

Our Special Casings

Different varieties of salame require different casings, each one imparting a unique flavor characteristic. For example, our Felino salame, often considered the king of Italian salame, uses a thick pork casing called culare which gives it a smooth texture and captivating aroma. Our Cacciatore, a small salame prepared in the old country-style, has a delicate, natural casing. Our wild fennel-seasoned Finocchiona sits inside a natural, double-layered pork casing cut and stitched together so the meat inside can expand to giant proportions. We are proud of our artisanal techniques, allowing unique variations in our casings to match the specific character of each salame.

» Back to Top