Specialty Foods Department

With farmer’s markets open again, the temptation to dine al fresco more than ever becomes more compelling. Here are some ingredients to add to the season’s gorgeous bounty for a memorable picnic or porch party.

Castelvetrano Olives, $8.99 per lb.

From the fields of Castelvetrano, Sicily, these big green beauties are currently the ‘It’ olive with foodies. It’s no surprise You’ll understand why Castelvetrano olives are so popular as soon as you bite into the crunchy yet creamy, buttery flesh of one. Since these olives are harvested young and cured in light brine instead of vinegar, they are less salty and bitter than other olives. This also explains their striking green color as well as their sweet and juicy mildness. Unlike some stronger varieties, the Castelvetrano actually tastes like a delicious and complex olive oil. Drop one in a martini or scatter with some cheese and charcuterie.

Fra’Mani Salumi, $18.99 per lb.

Founder and curemaster Paul Bertolli, formerly of Chez Panisse, is bringing the old artisanal ways back to his handcrafted salumi, starting with the freshest ingredients. The pigs are raised on small family farms without antibiotics or artificial growth hormones. All other ingredients are also minimally processed, from the sea salt to the natural casings. No nitrites are added. The result is the most unadulterated cured meat one can get. The Salametto is slowly aged, sweet, and garlicky. It’s hand-tied with natural twine, mold-ripened, and seasoned with sea salt, garlic, spices, and wine. The Salametto Piccante is a chorizo that is that is spicy and smoky with a touch of heat. Both are wrapped in handsome paper that makes them an attractive eye-catching addition to any picnic or gift basket.

Prosciutto Americano, La Quercia, $17.99 per lb.

This is the flagship prosciutto from La Quercia in Iowa that is giving imported prosciuttos a run for their money. Recognition and awards are in abundance for La Quercia. Cured from free-range pigs that are humanely raised without antibiotics or hormones at Niman Ranch and the farmer-owned Heritage Acres, this prosciutto embodies the slow food ethic in every way. The only ingredients other than the pork are sun-dried sea salt, and the labor behind the traditional salting, drying, and aging methods perfected from years of study in Italy. The saltiness is subtle and the texture is melt-in-your-mouth velvety. Besides being a less expensive alternative to its imported counterpart from Parma, this prosciutto from the heartland is an impressive regional specialty in its own right.

Spring Brook Farm Tarentaise, $19.99 per lb.

This up-and-coming cheese from Spring Brook Farm in Reading, Vermont had its debut last year. Made according to age-old traditional Alpine methods, Tarentaise is named after its inspirational homeland, the Tarentaise Valley in the Savoie region of the French Alps. Creamy and complex, this raw cow’s milk cheese has a subtle spiciness not as apparent in other mountain cheeses. A perfect partner to all kinds of cured meats.

Beemster Vlaskaas, $12.99 per lb.

Another hard cheese that is sure to shine in a picnic setting is this Dutch cow’s milk cheese. A younger gouda than our Old Amsterdam and Ancient Gouda, the Beemster Vlaskaas offers an alternative to those who prefer a less crumbly and caramelized aged gouda. It’s creamy and tangy, making it perfect for a grilled cheese sandwich. But the traditional way the Vlaskaas, or “flax cheese” was enjoyed was with bread and porridge during the flax harvest festival. Luckily we don’t have to be harvest workers to take pleasure in this cheese.

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