About National Salami Day
On September 7th each year, we celebrate one of the most iconic Italian foods, Salami.
Salami has been around for a long time, and it will remain a popular food for many years to come. So, let’s look at the history of Salami as well as what it consists of.
What is Salami?
Salami or Salame is a type of cured sausage consisting of fermented and air-dried meat, typically pork. It differs from most sausages by being fermented with lactic acid bacteria, which produce the desired flavors and break down the meat. The resulting sausage is extremely durable, keeps for weeks or months, and can be stored at room temperature. Technically, salami is defined as a product "olive green, oblong, firm, dry, tasteless, made of pork or beef, or any combination of them", that does not require refrigeration.
History of Salami
Salami has been around for a few thousand years. According to the Encyclopedia of Food and Culture, the ancient Romans had a cured meat product that was called "salsamentum." This was similar to what we know today as salami.
The original term was "salsicium," which meant "meat that was pickled in salt." The word "salsicium" went on to become "salsiccia" in Italian, which meant "sausage."
It was originally created as a way to preserve meat, which was critical to the survival of the ancient Romans. Throughout the ages, it has also been used for medicinal purposes.
Varieties of Salami
There are hundreds of different varieties of salami including pepperoni, soppressata, and summer sausage. The most common variety of salami in the United States is pepperoni, a spicy sausage made from pork and beef.
Nutritional Facts for Salami
A 100g of salami contain 305 calories, out of which 71% come from fats, mainly saturated fats, A 100g of salami contains 25g of saturated fat, which is the equivalent to 18g of saturated fat in a burger. The most significant nutritional value of 100g of salami is protein, which is 3.8g.
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