Fra' Mani Handcrafted Foods
Berkeley-based salumi producer founded by former Oliveto chef Paul Bertolli. Reference-tier American salami; cookbook-grade product.
Founded 2006 by Paul Bertolli — former Chez Panisse and Oliveto chef whose 2008 book "Cooking by Hand" essentially taught a generation of American chefs how to think about salumi. Fra' Mani is the producer to point at when defending American craft charcuterie against European condescension: small-batch, heritage-breed pork sourcing, traditional fermentation methods, no preservative shortcuts. The salame nostrano, finocchiona, and mortadella are reference-tier.
Pricing is genuinely premium but consistent with the quality. Distribution through Whole Foods premium counters, specialty grocers in metro areas, and direct online. Worth noting: the Italian "Fra' Mani" producer is unrelated — this is the American operation.