Shop-O-Matic: Salume Beddu

This quaint salumeria tucked into a sleepy strip mall on Hampton Avenue has become a cured-meat Mecca for chefs, foodies and simply anyone who admires artisinal cured meats since it opened in December 2009. Its mouthwatering salumi are handcrafted and aged on-site and are sold at the shop - as well as at select local farmers' markets - along with a variety of basic Italian pantry staples, such as dried pastas, grains and beans, jarred sauces, olive oil and olives.

The shop also offers a well-edited selection of fresh cheeses and a number of housemade condiments sold by weight, including giardiniera; sweet tomato jam; balsamic-onion sauce; and Mostarda di Beddu, a compote made of dried apricots, currants, cherries and figs, given a hint of tanginess from mustard seed and mustard powder and spiced with chile flakes.

Co-owners Mark Sanfilippo and Ben Poremba have married their culinary heritages - Sanfilippo from a Sicilian family and Poremba a native of Israel - to create fascinating and flavorful products. Both men are philosophy majors who followed their passions for food and have since built a thriving business around their sausage shop, expanding to include catering, in-store events and lunch service Tuesday through Saturday.

"Our backgrounds in philosophy help us bring a critical analysis to the business" says Sanfilippo. "But sometimes we get carried away and spend far too much time sitting and arguing the specifics of food." It's those deliciously honed details that keep us coming back for more.

3467 Hampton Ave., Lindenwood Park, 314.353.3100, salumebeddu.com