Positioned on the sidewalk in front of Salumeria 2703, the A-frame sign basically serves the same function that Luther, the anger translator, did for President Barack Obama: It bluntly explains the inner workings of something opaque to many Americans. The sign clarifies — curtly, if not vociferously — that the salumeria is an “Italian deli.”

Most mornings, I imagine Ettore Rusciano, the chef and co-owner behind Salumeria 2703 and Menomale in Brookland, places the sandwich board outside through clenched teeth. Sure, there are countless Italian delis in the United States, but back in Rusciano’s home country, the term “deli” must make most Italians snort espresso from their nostrils.