Not to get all tangled up in nostalgia, but I grew up in a world of Italian delis, truly great Italian delis that would transport you to Naples with the first whiff. The sprawling covered Italian market on Arthur Avenue in the Bronx was my culinary playground, interspersed with journey’s to New York’s iconic Little Italy, which was back then at least right out of its star turn in “The Godfather.” The meats! The cheeses! The sauces! The sweet reek of marinating vegetables! I loved it all!

And when I moved to San Francisco after college, I was more than happy to find a world of amazing delis in North Beach, the Little Italy of SF. Then, I moved to Los Angeles and hit an Italian deli wall. There was a Little Italy down by Dodger Stadium about a century ago, but it’s long since vanished.