Vignettes of Poughkeepsie: Rossi’s Deli, Tuesday, January 31, 7:28 p.m.
In one direction, the train station welcomes a constant flow of travelers and locals alike. In the other, cars sit halted at one of the hundreds of traffic lights to drive under on Route 9. In the middle of the city, Clover Street is home to buildings old and new. Some visibly emit their historical roots, displaying vines that have crept from the soil and up the exterior. Others appear newly renovated, especially the home-turned-business that hides on the corner of South Clover and Delano streets.
Existing almost in hiding on a random Poughkeepsie street corner is a deli that delivers a freshness and taste comparable to an authentic Italian paneria. Rossi and Sons Rosticceria Deli lives half a mile down the road from any form of dining competition. Cars line both sides of the narrow road that leads to its entrance. Making its home in a residential area, the deli stands in disguise with white, red and green overhangs shielding the windows on either side. Matching the theme, same colored signs illuminate the late afternoon sky, telling the world “we’re open.” Snow gently falls on the sidewalk where tables stand in summer, while wooden, red trash bins circle the deli and claim the entire corner as Rossi’s.
An older woman stands behind the register and welcomes guests. Cases of meat, monstrous wheels of cheese and cannoli shells of varying sizes and flavors line the store. Standing coolers hold other homemade meals: spinach ravioli, pasta fagioli, meat sauces. Shelves carry biscotti, cooking oils and pastas of every sort: cavatelli, penne, linguini. A group of customers contemplate their order, while employees dressed in black wait patiently behind the counter. An elderly couple, possibly Mr. and Mrs. Rossi themselves, converse in Italian while sandwiches are prepared. An aroma of toasted bread, roasted vegetables and melted cheese travels through the door as customers re-enter the snowfall, bags in hand.
