Soppressata

Soppressata, also called suprissata or suppizata, is one of the finest salami of the Calabrian culinary tradition, one of the four to have obtained the PDO recognition and is probably the one that best represents the idea of hospitality in Calabria. There is no family that does not welcome a guest without pulling a soppressata out of the pantry, slicing it and offering it almost as if it was a welcome gift, in a sort of ritual that has been going on for a very long time.

Soppressata is a particularly savory Calabrian sausage, with an aromatic and strong taste obtained from the processing of the finest parts of the pig: ham and shoulder, more rarely fillet. Compact in appearance, slightly flattened and soft, it is defined by a uniform and lively red color, which varies depending on the spices used to flavor it. There are therefore three types of soppressata: the white, containing only black pepper, the sweet, with sweet red pepper, and the spicy, recommended for those who love particularly strong flavors and hot pepper.

The origins of this typical salami are ancient, like most of the products of the peasant culture, and there are two hypotheses about the origin of its name. For some people, it is a derivation of the Italian verb soppressare, which means, "to press" and "to tighten", and in fact, Soppressata comes in a slightly flattened shape that derives from the tradition of pressing the salami, putting it under a weight during the phase of drying. According to others, the name derives from the contraction of two words of the Calabrese dialect: susu meaning "above" and mpizzare meaning "to hang". From this the meaning "hanging up" and in fact this salami is hung from the ceiling beams during the curing process.