Page 14 - Italian-American Herald - September 2023

14 ITALIANAMERICANHERALD.COM | SEPTEMBER2023 ITALIAN-AMERICANHERALD
THE CHEF’S PERSPECTIVE
If you’re a proud Italian American, support your local markets
By Murray Schulman
We are deep into summer and nearly everyone is lining up in the traffic desperate for a few days or even a few
hours at the shore. This presents a very special opportunity for Liz and me to indulge in
one of our favorite pastimes: Visiting the old family-owned Italian markets in the region.
The first of these that comes to mind is
Di Bruno Bros. on Ninth Street in Philly.
I’m talking about that long narrow store
in the heart of Little Italy in Philadelphia,
the original shop that has been around for more than 80 years. As we join the crowd of waiting customers, our senses are assaulted by the heady aromas of aged cheese, cured meats, and still-warm rustic bread. The real fun begins when one of the counter staff calls us to the counter. The array of meats and cheeses is spectacular. We have our standards that we go to the store specifically to get. But then, we are always offered a taste of a unique cured ham, a different twist on a delicious salami, and no less than two or three types of.
The olives, peppers, marinated everything, and unique delicacies still await us. We find that we can’t resist many of the suggestions that are offered. Every member of the staff is highly trained and excited to hit that sweet
spot when making sales and making us feel happy and important like a member of the family meet. We don’t get to Di Bruno Bros. as often as we used to. But when we do get there, we walk away with a lighter wallet and a huge smile.
There are two places in New Jersey that Liz and I love going to. One is Bagliani’s Market on 12th Street in Hammonton.
The other is Zano Bros. of Brooklyn on North Main Street in Waretown. Both are completely different experiences deeply rooted in their Italian-American Heritage.
Bagliani’s is a family-owned, big little supermarket that has been operating for
60 years. It is focused entirely on great Italian products. Here we step into a world of culinary delights. The produce is hand picked and hand stacked. Each pepper, tomato, zucchini and all the rest are sheer perfection. Just like most supermarkets, the perimeter of the store is where the action
is. Next we come to the prepared food grab-and-go case. Pasta, meatballs, salads, soups, and all types of good things to eat are on display. They have a top-notch butcher department that still offers beautiful bone-in rib cut veal chops along with some of the best Angus beef, pork and fresh poultry to be found anywhere. Next up is the deli case. This stretches nearly the entire width of the store. We always divide and conquer. While Liz explores the prepared foods, I head over and grab a number at the deli counter. When
In addition to the flagship shop on South Ninth Street, Di Bruno Bros. has expanded to Rittenhouse Square (above) and Wayne. | PHOTO COURTESY OF DI BRUNO BROS.
These businesses have managed to retain the warmth, charm, quality, variety, and personalized customer service that is a throwback to
an earlier era.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ZANO BROS.