Creminelli Salami: Gourmet Salami from an Italian Artisan

By Claire Holzman & Emma Murphy, contributing writers

Since the 1600s, long before ‘artisan production’ was a buzz phrase, the Creminelli family has been producing salumi (an umbrella term for cured-meat products) in the Piedmont region of Italy.

Cristiano Creminelli grew up in his father’s salumificio, learning his family’s craft. In 1990, Cristiano took over the family business and set his sites on expanding the business to the U.S.

In today’s global economy, American gourmands enjoy all sorts of imported foods, from olive oil to chocolate. But, getting Italian salami from traditional producers is nearly impossible. Under U.S. regulations, raw meats must be cured for at least 400 days before importation. This regulation is not a problem for some cured meats, such as prosciutto, but because Italian salami only cures for 21- 28 days, it cannot be brought into the country.

Cristiano was not to be discouraged. He was set on bringing his gourmet salami to the U.S. So, he decided to move to the U.S. himself. In 2006, Creminelli opened a salumificio in Utah (of all places).

Cristiano uses only choice meat cuts from pigs that are raised on small farms and fed organic diets free from antibiotics and growth enhancers. He stuffs and ties his salami by hand and hangs each salame in a large, temperature and humidity-controlled refrigerator — called a cell — to ferment. Then, he watches over his salami like a concerned parent, ensuring his sausages cure to perfection.

Dean & DeLuca is proud to carry Cristiano’s gourmet salami. We think it’s some of the finest salami this side of the Atlantic.

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