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From
Parma, the city which developed two of the world's culinary
wonders -- parmigiano reggiano and prosciutto di Parma --
comes
Salumeria
Rosi Parmacotto, a recent addition to the Upper
West Side's increasingly sophisticated eateries. Located in Emilia-Romagna, Parma is the hometown of the mannerist painter Il
Parmigianino and film director Bernardo Bertolucci, an ancient
city that may well have Etruscan roots. The Rosi family,
which has produced salumi for generations, has partnered
with chef Cesare Casella (formerly of Maremma in the West
Village) and modeled their latest restaurant after the family
trattoria,
Sorelle
Picchi,
in Parma. They've created a fun
elegant restaurant where one can either nosh or enjoy a full meal:
the food is served tapas-style, small plates of delicious meats
and cheeses that work best when accompanied by one of the
restaurant's fine regional wines. The simple décor includes
marble tables, leather chairs, and a quirky terracotta wall
sculpture in the shape of Italy made up of various foods. As
in a traditional Italian salumeria, the meat counter serves
as a focal point where patrons can sample and purchase the
restaurant's specialties.
Salumi,
the Italian equivalent of charcuterie or the art of curing
meat with salt and spices, refers not just to salami as we know it, but to a wide variety of
meats and sausages. Salumeria
Rosi's
selezione, a bewitching
ballad of seven meats may include porchetta toscana (a wonderfully
spiced boneless pork loin wrapped in pork belly and cooked with
rosemary and fennel), mortadella di Bologna (pork studded
with lardo and pistachios), speck di Tirolo (a dry-cured,
smoked ham from the North of Italy), as well as the restaurant's
signature Parmacotto ham (cooked in brine and then in a
specialized steam oven). The Parmacotto brand was developed by the
Rosi family. Don't limit yourself to meats though: Salumeria
Rosi's bruschetta is among the finest we've sampled, while the
insalata di barbabietole, a salad of roasted beets served in a
shallot-chardonnay vinaigrette is refreshingly tangy.
From
the fine cheese selection try the amalattea, a sweet
semi-soft made from goat's milk.
One
of the pleasures of the new New York -- finding excellent regional
fare throughout the city. So leave Arthur Avenue and Little
Italy behind and head to Amsterdam Avenue, a new home for Italian
culinary delights. Buon appetito!
Eat:
Salumeria
Rosi
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