What began as monthly subscription packages of artisanal salumi handmade in Pittsburgh will expand into a pop-up retail location for chef Justin Severino.
He intends to open a brick-and-mortar version of Salty Pork Bits, the digital company selling his charcuterie nationwide.
The shop will be open on select days at 2018 Smallman St. in the city’s Strip District beginning Dec. 7. Additional dates include Dec. 8, 14-15, 20-23 and 27-30, according to a release.
A selection of Salty Pork Bits salumi favorites, along with a new-to-the-company selection of patés, sausages, bacon and salumi board accoutrements, will be sold.
“I first began honing my charcuterie-making skills while operating a small market stand in California, so this is a real return-to-my-roots move,” Severino says in the release.
“Salty Pork Bits is a national project, but Pittsburgh is our home, so it feels only right to offer something a little extra, a little more personal, for the folks who’ve been with us since the start of our journey,” he adds.
On the Shelves
With holiday shopping in mind, the core offering is hand-crafted salumi, a seasonal entertaining spread centerpiece. Also available will be a selection of flavors that have been available through the company’s subscription service, including Severino’s signature negroni salami, soppressata and genoa salami.
Frozen, uncooked sausages will be sold in one-pound packs in flavors like hot and sweet Italian, breakfast sausage, bangers, bratwurst, chorizo, morcilla and boudin noir. There will also be ciciolle and bourbon maple-cured bacon as well as two flavors of Salami cotto, an Italian summer sausage that’s enriched by some time spent in the smoker.
Shoppers can select from Mediterra Bakery breads, a selection of pickles, jams and mustards, and can purchase gifts including hats, shirts and totes bearing the company’s new logo and graphics.
Chef and co-owner of the Spanish restaurant Morcilla and The Larder of East End, a collaboration with Scott Smith at East End Brewing Co., Severino is a skilled whole-animal butcher.
Details: saltyporkbits.com
