If the first thing you do at a restaurant is scan the menu for a salumi plate, then this is for you.

At Il Mondo Vecchio Salumi, Colorado’s only USDA-inspected salumeria, the hand-crafted goodies extend from a rich duck-breast prosciutto and the best pepperoni you’ve ever tasted to the rustically flavored lardo (perfect for rendering in sauces or for topping a crostini).

Though the company has no retail outlet, you can order the cured meats online or stop by for a quick tour and (hopefully) a tasting.

Better yet, sign up for the do-it-yourself class on February 27, and join owners Mark DeNittis, Adam Sacks, and Gennaro DeSantis in breaking down a locally raised pig, making fresh sausage, and curing lardo and pancetta. You’ll go home with sausages and pork loin chops—and about a month later, you’ll return to collect the cured meats. The class is limited to 10 people and costs $200 per person.

Don’t Miss… Tasting Il Mondo Vecchio’s beguiling lop chong, a cured, traditional Chinese sausage redolent of sweet soy, pomegranate, sake, ginger, and pepper flakes.

1174 S. Cherokee St., 303-744-6328

Amanda M. Faison
Amanda M. Faison
Freelance writer Amanda M. Faison spent 20 years at 5280 Magazine, 12 of those as Food Editor.