Old World Deli is one of the crown jewels of the Bellingham food scene. Celebrating their 10th anniversary this year, it is clear that the deli has withstood the test of time. This is especially remarkable when you consider the turnover rate most restaurants in Bellingham experience. There are several reasons Old World Deli has made a name for themselves in everybody’s favorite city of subdued excitement. Not only is the deli known for their delicious sandwiches and exquisite wines, but they serve up house-made meats perfect for any feast. From the pancetta to the pastrami, duck breast to duck confit, General Manager and Salumist Zach Holmes prepares his cured meats with care and consideration.
Zach has been working at Old World Deli for eight years, but didn’t venture into meat curing right away. It took some time before he was ready to try his hand at crafting the meats you find in the deli’s cold case today. Zach explains that before there was pancetta, before there was smoked ham, before there was the deli’s mouth-watering (yes, seriously) bacon, there was sausage. Smoking sausage tends to be the starting point for any budding salumist, and for Zach it was no different.
“At first, I started smoking sausage in house. After I had got that down, we started talking about how to move things forward so we could smoke and cure different kinds of meats,” Zach says.
What originally started out as smoking a few sausages for some menu specials became much more. Zach’s knowledge of aging, curing and smoking meats grew and, with it, the amount of options offered at Old World Deli. It was an added bonus that he had the support of owners Anna and Christos Adams along the way. They encouraged Zach to try different things and watched as their selection of house-made products grew.
Currently, you can find house-made meats of all varieties at the deli. Zach has stocked the deli with duck confit, fresh sausage, bacon, corned beef, roast beef, kielbasa, pates and rillettes. What started as a small project has grown into something entirely different, bigger and, well, tastier. There really is a difference in the flavor. It’s obvious from just one bite that you aren’t eating the lunch meat found on aisle three in your local supermarket.
The pancetta is vibrant and floral. The roast beef hearty with a hint of spice. The bacon is – you guessed it – mouth-watering. Meticulous preparation goes into the process of crafting each of these house-made meats. It doesn’t just happen overnight. Meat must be brined, rubbed, aged, cured and smoked depending on the different type of meat. Each of these different styles of meat has its own specific recipe.
For example, Old World’s bacon is cured for four days, then dry aged for a week and finally smoked before it goes to sale. No meat has the same process. Zach uses various methods for each respective meat.
“We do it because it tastes good,” Zach says. “It just tastes better when you make these meats yourself. It’s a process but I am more than happy to do it and our customers love it.”
The newest addition in the meat department at Old World Deli is their smoked ham. It has been used in a few of their different menu items, such as the Grilled Panini #1. In this sandwich, Old World Deli’s house-made smoked ham is paired with a cherry sauce and mashed potatoes on sourdough. It tastes a whole lot like Thanksgiving, which as far as I’m concerned means there is a whole lot to be happy about. The smoked ham is delicious but is only available as Zach makes it – so get it when you can.
The idea for this meat actually came from one of Zach’s customers. They had been buying meat from Old World Deli for a while and suggested that Zach try making a smoked ham. Zach was interested in the endeavor and decided to tackle it. The result was a smoked ham packed with flavor that is the perfect sandwich stuffer.
“We’re always trying new things,” Zach says. “We like to experiment with different ideas in the kitchen and see how our customers like them. We want people to be aware that we make a lot of our meats in house.”
In addition to buying house-made meats from the cold case, you can find some of their meats exclusively in their various menu items and specials such as their Cuban-braised pork, smoked chicken thighs in grapefruit juice and chilis, porchetta and house-smoked barbeque brisket.
Old World Deli is located at 1228 N. State Street in Bellingham. The deli is open Monday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Tuesday and Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Thursday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
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