I went backpacking on South Manitou Island this past week, and my trip was made even better by taking some salami and cheeses from the Deli. South Manitou is a small island off the Northwestern side of Michigan, in beautiful Lake Michigan. It’s surrounded by beaches and sand dunes, with lots of trees inbetween. We hiked all over and noshed on a Crespone Salami from Columbus Salami Company- it was the perfect size to carry (not too big) and slice off hunks to eat with cheese: Cabot Clothbound and Piave. Both cheeses held up well and were deliciously filling on our hikes. It’s true that food always tastes better when you’re really hungry, and this was no exception- but I was really glad that I packed such delicious things.

In this month’s Saveur magazine there is a great article on paella. It suggests using vialone nano rice instead of the traditional bomba rice. I’ve tried it with both. The bomba (grown in Calaspara, Spain) will give you the delicious crispy edges, whereas the vialone nano (grown in the Veneto region of Italy & traditionally used for risotto) makes a softer, moister version. I suggest you try a version of each to decide for yourself. We’ve got traditional pans made of carbon steel that serve 2-3, 4-6 and 8-10 people.

This is your chance to stock up on olive oil, on your favorites, and some new flavors that’ll no doubt expand the horizon of your taste buds. The majority of our olive oils will be available for 10% off for one, 20% off for two, or 30% off for three or more. Look for the Spring Oil 1-2-3 sticker and save on great tasting olive oils.

My current favorite teas in the Deli are the Golden Yunnan, a Chinese black tea, and the new harvest of 2nd flush Darjeeling from Castleton Estate, an Indian black tea.

I love how the strong, full-bodied flavor of the Yunnan perks me up in the morning. It has a great balance of tannins, with a hint of sweetness in the finish, and it has been really consistent throughout the past few seasons. I haven’t gotten a second opinion on this, so I’m being entirely subjective when I say that it tastes great with a red grapefruit (but I’m partial to both things).

Castleton Estate’s ’09 2nd flush Darjeeling is on my list because this harvest is just really beautiful. It’s an elegant balance of fruity bass notes and hints fall leaves, and I find that it’s strong enough to brighten me up when I need it, but delicate enough to not overwhelm my palate in the later part of the day.