Portland Chefs Welcome Easing of Italian Meat Ban

More Italian cured meats will soon be allowed into the U.S., which is good news for Portland restaurants, according to Meredith Goad's story in the Portland Press Herald.

Starting May 28, the United States Department of Agriculture will ease its ban on cured meats imported from several Italian regions. The ban was previously instituted for safety reasons. Per the PPH:

Arlin Smith, general manager of Hugo's Restaurant and Eventide Oyster Co. in Portland, said once products from these regions of Italy become available, "I guarantee you we would be buying as much of that stuff as possible. It's beautiful stuff. They are the masters. They are the ones who have been doing it for years."

Lee Skawinski, the chef and owner of Vignola Cinque Terre in Portland, tells Goad that the "terroir and tradition" of Italian cured meats give them flavors that can't be duplicated elsewhere: "There's nothing like boar salumi from Tuscany, you know?"
—Tom Minervino
· Coming Soon: Delizioso Italian Cured Meats [PPH]
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Hugo's

88 Middle Street, Portland, ME 04101 207 774 8538

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Eventide Oyster Co.

86 Middle Street, , ME 04101 (207) 774-8538 Visit Website