THERE is a small corner of a courtyard in Wellington where you would find a slice of Italy which would truly be La dolce vita.

The translation from Italian into English for La dolce vita means “the sweet life” or “the good life” and this is certainly what is served up at the Olive and Rosy Deli in Half Moon Court, 1A North Street in Wellington.

The authentic Italian deli in Somerset is home to a myriad eye grabbing items and a number of taste sensations via either the meats or salami to the wines and cakes.

This particular deli is run by Stefano Dal Moro who is keen to share with everyone his enthusiasm for the best food which Italy can produce.

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Stefano sources all the products sold in the shop himself and either has them imported into the UK or goes out to Italy to stock up with all the items he wants for the deli.

He opened his deli in Wellington in December 2016 and realised from the start it would be difficult task as he was opening a niche deli in a rural setting and not in a city.

But this did not deter Stefano as he himself was from a rural village in Italy, so knew what it was like to be forced to drive to the nearest town or city to get what you needed.

He did ‘test the waters’ before opening the deli by attending farmer’s markets to give people a taste of Italy and he found it was just what they were looking for.

Speaking about the reason of how he came to open the deli, Stefano said: “Where I used to live in Devon I lived next door to a retired headmaster who used to work in the Midlands.

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“I used to give him a gift once in a while for letting me park my van in his bay. Then one day he gave me a piece of advice which was I needed to educate us(people in Great Britain) to your favours (the flavours of Italy).

“This sowed the seed in my head and I decided this was a route I should be going down.

“I needed to educate people about food and to appreciate it more.

“I spend a lot of time talking to the producers about the products they make and I am always looking to improve the variety of goods I get.

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“Learning about different foods is a learning curve especially when there are different cheeses many with natural additives like truffles.

“What we like to offer here is ingredients which will allow you to make your own meal.

“When you make an Italian meal it is like a house you need good solid stones in this case good ingredients and I like to make sure I source good ingredients.”

Stefano is looking to the future for his deli and is working with a number of head chefs who are keen to buy the products he gets from him.

He is also looking to set up the deli online to increase his customer base and make more people not just in Somerset but across the UK to find out about his shop.

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On the website at the moment it states: “Downstairs in the Chamber of Taste you can sample and gather national and regional foods and drinks from Stefano’s home in the Veneto, Italy.

“Discover award winning prosecco, grappa, local cheeses and meats as well as a selection of glutenfree and vegan twists on traditional Italian ingredients.

“A popular feature is the ‘wine on tap’ where customers can bring their own bottles to be filled.

“A cookery night is held once a month during which Stefano shares his knowledge and passion for creating the dishes of his region.”

On Olive and Rosy’s Facebook site it adds: “Bringing together Stefano’s Italian background and passion for the food and drink of his region with Rachael’s love of dressing up, wellbeing and beautiful things.

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“We sell food, drink, clothing, gifts and children’s products inspired by our love of Italian taste and style.”

Stefano said: “I feel proud in being able to showcase the food of my country.

“My first feeling is not to let people be disappointed but to make them feel interested in what they are looking at.

“I want to make people feel good about the food and not be disappointed when buying any products.

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“I do look for artisan products and I am working with local produces to get more local produce.

“Opening in a rural area is a challenge but if I can succeed here then I can succeed anywhere.”

Olive and Rosy is open Wednesday to Friday 10am - 6.30pm and Saturday 9am - 4pm.