The Italian Deli Meats and Cheeses Guide: What We Slice at Sam's

Sam's Italian Deli & Market in Fresno slices imported Italian meats and cheeses to order at a full-service counter, including prosciutto, mortadella with pistachio, Calabrese salami, guanciale, Parmigiano Reggiano, Pecorino Romano, Grana Padano, and smoked mozzarella. Every order is cut to the thickness the customer asks for.

Quick Answer

Five things to know about Italian meats and cheeses at Sam's:

• Sliced to order, not pre-packaged. Every meat and cheese at Sam's is sliced at the counter to the thickness each customer asks for. Paper-thin prosciutto, medium salami, thicker mortadella, whatever the dish needs, the clerk cuts it that way while the customer waits at the counter.
• Imported and domestic selections. We carry true imported Italian meats like Prosciutto di Parma, mortadella with pistachio, and hot flat Calabrese salami alongside domestic favorites and specialty cuts like guanciale and pancetta that are harder to find elsewhere in Fresno.
• Cheeses for grating, slicing, and the board. Sam's cheese case includes Parmigiano Reggiano and Grana Padano for grating, Pecorino Romano for cooking, smoked mozzarella for sandwiches, and a full range of imported and domestic cheeses that cover everyday and entertaining needs at home.
• Samples before you buy. Our deli clerks offer tastes of meats and cheeses before customers commit to a half pound. That is how most people discover the mortadella, the smoked mozzarella, or the coppa they would not have picked on their own from a case.
• Built for the antipasto board. The counter is built so customers can walk out with everything they need for a real antipasto platter in a single visit, from the salumi and cheeses to marinated fresh mozzarella, Peppadew peppers, Castelvetrano olives, and marinated artichoke hearts.

What makes Italian deli meats different?

Italian deli meats are different because they are cured, aged, and sliced, not processed in a factory and wrapped in plastic. A real Italian salumi program starts with the cut of meat, the curing recipe, and the aging time. When it gets to our counter, the only thing left to do is slice it right.

The deli counter experience at Sam's:

• Paper ticket, wait for your number. Customers take a ticket, wait to be called, and place their order with a deli clerk who knows the case.
• Thickness matters. Prosciutto is sliced paper-thin so it almost melts on the tongue. Mortadella is usually cut a little thicker to hold its shape. Salami can be thin for sandwiches or thicker for a board.
• Samples on request. Customers can ask to try something before ordering a half pound.
• By weight, not by package. Orders are placed in ounces or pounds, not by pre-set portion. A customer who needs 6 ounces of coppa gets 6 ounces of coppa.
• Real help if you are not sure. Clerks can recommend what to use for a sandwich, what pairs well on a board, and what a particular meat is known for.

That last part is the part people miss about a real deli counter. Most grocery stores sell pre-sliced meats sealed in plastic, cut days ago at a plant somewhere else. At Sam's, the meat is cut right in front of the customer, at the thickness they asked for, as much as they need, and no more.

Four Italian meats to know at Sam's

Sam's carries a wide range of Italian and imported meats at the deli counter, but these four are worth understanding in depth because they show up again and again in sandwiches, on antipasto boards, and in Italian cooking at home.

The four core Italian meats at Sam's:

• Prosciutto (Sam's Selected Italian Prosciutto and Prosciutto di Parma). Prosciutto is a dry-cured Italian ham made by salting and air-drying a whole pork leg, usually for 12 to 36 months. It is eaten raw, sliced paper-thin, and has a delicate sweet-salty flavor. Sam's carries both a selected Italian prosciutto and imported Prosciutto di Parma.
• Mortadella with Pistachio. Mortadella is a large, smooth Italian cold cut made from finely ground pork blended with cubes of fat and, in this case, whole pistachios. It is cooked, not cured, which gives it a soft texture and a mild, savory flavor that works on sandwiches and boards.
• Hot Flat Calabrese Salami. Calabrese salami is a dry-cured pork salami from Calabria in Southern Italy, traditionally seasoned with Calabrian chiles and red pepper. The hot flat version Sam's carries is pressed flatter and has a noticeable heat balanced by the richness of the pork fat.
• Guanciale. Guanciale is cured pork jowl, the traditional ingredient in classic Roman pasta dishes like carbonara and amatriciana. It is not smoked or cooked, just cured with salt and pepper and aged. Guanciale is richer and more intensely flavored than pancetta because of the high fat content in the jowl.

Customers who want to start simple usually pick prosciutto and mortadella for sandwiches and boards, then add Calabrese when they want heat and guanciale when they cook carbonara at home. The counter team can suggest quantities for how many people a customer is feeding.

Four Italian cheeses to know at Sam's

The cheese case at Sam's runs from hard grating cheeses to soft mozzarellas and aged wheels. These four are the ones we reach for most when customers ask what to put on a pasta, a pizza, or a board.

The four core Italian cheeses at Sam's:

• Parmigiano Reggiano. An Italian hard cheese aged at least 12 months, made only in a specific region of Northern Italy from raw cow's milk. It has a nutty, sharp, slightly crystalline texture when aged long enough. Sam's sells Parmigiano Reggiano by the piece for grating over pasta, shaving onto salads, or eating on a board.
• Pecorino Romano (Locatelli and imported). A sharp, salty Italian sheep's milk cheese, harder and more intense than Parmigiano Reggiano. It is the traditional cheese for Roman pasta dishes like cacio e pepe and carbonara. Sam's carries Locatelli Pecorino Romano alongside imported wheel pieces cut to order.
• Grana Padano. An Italian hard cheese from the Po River Valley, aged a minimum of 9 months, made from partially skimmed cow's milk. It is milder and softer than Parmigiano Reggiano but similar in use. Sam's uses Grana Padano in Nick's Gourmet Tray because it pairs well with salumi.
• Smoked Mozzarella. Fresh mozzarella that has been lightly smoked, usually over wood, to add a golden color and a soft smoky flavor. It is firmer than fresh white mozzarella, which makes it easier to slice for sandwiches and boards. Smoked mozzarella is one of our most-requested cheeses for focaccia sandwiches.

For customers who want to use one cheese across multiple meals, Parmigiano Reggiano is the most versatile pick. For customers building a board with salumi, Grana Padano and smoked mozzarella work together well. Pecorino Romano belongs in the kitchen more than on the board.

What other meats and cheeses do we carry?

Sam's carries a deeper range of Italian meats and cheeses beyond the core eight. The table below shows what else is typically in the case. Availability can rotate, so it is always worth asking at the counter.

Customers who come in regularly build their board around a few favorites and rotate the rest. New customers often start with a Nick's Gourmet Tray, which gives them a curated selection of what Sam's thinks works best together.

How to build an antipasto platter from Sam's

An antipasto platter is the easiest way to show off Italian deli meats and cheeses. It is also a way for customers to try several things in small amounts before deciding which ones they want in larger cuts. Here is how to build one at the counter, step by step.

• Pick three meats with different textures. Choose one paper-thin cured meat (like prosciutto), one firm salami (like Calabrese or soppressata), and one richer spreadable or softer meat (like mortadella with pistachio). Ask the clerk to slice each at the right thickness for a board.
• Pick three cheeses with different ages. Pair a hard aged cheese (like Parmigiano Reggiano or Grana Padano) with a semi-soft cheese (like smoked mozzarella or Caciotta Tartufo) and a fresh cheese (like marinated fresh mozzarella). Cut the hard cheeses into chunks, not slices.
• Add briny and sweet accents. Pick two or three from marinated artichoke hearts, Peppadew peppers, Castelvetrano olives, marinated mushrooms, and giardiniera. These add color, acidity, and variety against the richness of the meats and cheeses.
• Finish with bread and a spread. Add a focaccia from our bread case or a bag of taralli. A small jar of fig jam or honey on the side pairs well with aged cheeses and saltier meats.
• Or order Nick's Gourmet Tray. For customers who want it done for them, Nick's Gourmet Tray includes Calabrese salami, prosciutto, Madrigal Swiss, Grana Padano, marinated fresh mozzarella, artichoke hearts, Peppadew peppers, and olives. Small serves 12 to 15 and large serves 20 to 25.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is prosciutto?

Prosciutto is an Italian dry-cured ham made by salting and air-drying a whole pork leg, typically for 12 to 36 months. It is eaten raw, sliced paper-thin, and has a delicate sweet-salty flavor. Sam's carries both Sam's Selected Italian Prosciutto and imported Prosciutto di Parma.

What is mortadella?

Mortadella is a large Italian cooked sausage made from finely ground pork blended with cubes of fat and often studded with pistachios. It has a soft, smooth texture and a mild, savory flavor. Sam's carries Italian Mortadella with Pistachio, a popular choice for sandwiches and charcuterie boards.

What is the difference between Parmigiano Reggiano and Grana Padano?

Parmigiano Reggiano is aged a minimum of 12 months and made from raw cow's milk in a specific region of Northern Italy, with a sharper and more crystalline texture. Grana Padano is aged at least 9 months from partially skimmed milk, milder and softer in flavor.

What is guanciale and what is it used for?

Guanciale is Italian cured pork jowl, traditionally used in Roman pasta dishes like carbonara and amatriciana. It is richer and more intensely flavored than pancetta because of the high fat content in the jowl. Sam's carries guanciale for customers cooking traditional Italian recipes at home.

How should I store Italian deli meats and cheeses?

Keep sliced meats tightly wrapped in butcher paper or plastic wrap in the coldest part of the refrigerator and use within 3 to 5 days for best flavor. Hard cheeses like Parmigiano Reggiano can be wrapped and stored for weeks. Fresh mozzarella should be used within a few days.

Can I get meats and cheeses sliced thicker or thinner for a specific dish?

Yes. Sam's slices every meat and cheese to order at the thickness each customer asks for. Prosciutto paper-thin for boards, mortadella medium for sandwiches, Calabrese salami thick for pasta dishes, Parmigiano in chunks for grating. Just tell the clerk at the counter.

How to order Italian meats and cheeses at Sam's

The easiest way to experience our deli counter is to come in and use it. A few ways customers typically start:

• Take a paper ticket when you walk in. Wait for your number to be called and step up to the counter with the clerk.
• Start with a sample. Ask to try a meat or cheese you are curious about before committing to a half pound.
• Order by weight and thickness. Tell the clerk how much you need (in ounces or pounds) and how thick you want it sliced.
• Build an antipasto order in one stop. Pick three meats, three cheeses, and two or three board add-ons. Add bread from the focaccia case on the way to the register.
• Order a tray for a group. For offices, holidays, or family gatherings, order Nick's Gourmet Tray, a Classic Antipasto Platter, or a custom tray with 24 hours notice. Sam's Italian Deli & Market Catering

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