17 February 2012, early into my year-long RTW.

I haven’t stepped foot in Seattle since 2003, and in that time I’ve learned about the joy that is Salumi.

Salumi Artisan Cured Meats is a well-known salumeria or Italian delicatessen, located in the Pioneer Square area of downtown Seattle. Salumi was established by Armandino Batali, retired Boeing engineer and father to renowned chef Mario Batali. The day-to-day operations are now run by various members of the Batali family.

A quick online-search shows that there have been many words written about Salumi. I can only add precious few, as it’s preferable to leave the descriptions to the following photos.

1.   Enter

2.   Decide

3.   Revel

As a first-time visitor, the choices are overwhelming. I finally order a sandwich with Salumi salami, onions, peppers, mozzarella cheese, and Giuseppe bread, all of which are made in-house.

There are a couple of tables to seat at most 20 at any time. Most who come into Salumi make orders for takeout/takeaway.

Those seated at the table have hot sandwiches, either the porchetta or meatball sandwiches. I look at them with some envy, but I’m confident my choice will not fail me.

After taking my seat and smiling at the couple across from me, I dig into the sandwich.

First bite … commitment.

Second bite … passion.

Third bite … well, that was a lot like love.

It sounds simple yet somehow a little inane having to “write” them out loud. With every bite, every ingredient seems to blend in proper proportion. All of the ingredients speak to the hallmarks of making good food : love, passion, commitment.

If you’re in Seattle, head down to the salumeria, stand patiently in line with the queue that goes out the door. Once you’ve stepped inside and taken a bite, you’ll understand it is worth the wait.

I made the photos above in Seattle on 17 February 2012 with a Canon EOS450D and 4th-generation iPod Touch. This post appears on Fotoeins Fotopress at fotoeins.com as http://wp.me/p1BIdT-1tq.

Disclosure: No Connection, Unpaid, My Own Opinions. I have not received any compensation for writing this content and I have no material connection to Salumi, the Batali family, or to the city of Seattle.