Deluca's Market

Ever wonder where all the quaint neighborhood markets are? The ones you always see on television with fresh cut flowers and a butcher who knows your name? Well, look no further than Deluca's Market on Charles Street in Beacon Hill.

Deluca's is a rambling store filled with basic supplies (milk, eggs, fruit, vegetables, etc) and, (more importantly) gourmet imported products from Italy, France, Germany...the list goes on.

Deluca's carries a wide selection of cheeses. From English Cheddar and Stilton to Italian Taleggio to French Morbier and Brillat-Savarin, the cheese prices are quite reasonable, especially for a small non-chain store. What I like about the cheese selection is that many of the varieties come in small sizes so you don't have to buy a whole block to taste it. We've made a few cheese plates using Deluca's cheeses and it's always exciting to watch our guests faces as they taste cheeses they have never heard of before and discover that they are now their favorite.

Deluca's carries its own line of products from ginger beer (I tried this tonight....it has a kick to it!) to jams and preserves to homemade BBQ sauce. The packaging carries their label (a hand-drawn red bull) and the items make for great housewarming presents or stocking stuffers for out-of-town guests.

One of my favorite things about Deluca's is that it carries Italian pottery. You may miss it at first, but if you look up you'll see shelves and nooks and crannies plus some walls lined with the stuff. From wine pitchers to salt boxes, these hand-painted gems are really fun to look at. The prices on the pottery are expensive but reasonable compared to other websites that sell them.

Downstairs in the basement is a pretty wide selection of wine. They carry wines from most wine-producing countries including South Africa. There are helpful signs on some of the bottles that point out if the wine is a good bargain or if it's a wine that's received high marks. Prices are a tad bit above average but nothing that would make you shudder.

Back upstairs, there is a nice selection of European cookies, my favorite being the red tins of Amaretti di Saronno cookies by Lazzaroni. My mother used to purchase them when I was little in NY at Zabar's. They're perfect for Christmas or for coffee with relatives. If you like amaretto, then these cookies are worth the trip alone.

My only complaint about Deluca's is that there's not one in the South End! If you're in Beacon Hill and looking for a great place to buy some gourmet treats or just to spend some time browsing the aisles, check out Deluca's Market, you won't be disappointed.