# What did they do with pepperoni? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 10, 2006, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-they-do-with-pepperoni/383544 "2006-12-10T05:57:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2006, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-they-do-with-pepperoni/383544/1 "2006-12-10T05:57:48Z")
Before pizza came along, that is. I mean, a whole stick of pepperoni is hard enough to use as a weapon. (Murder mystery scenario: “Why no, Inspector. I know of no implement in this house that could have been used to crush poor Beasley’s skull like that. Would you like another slice of pizza?”) Slicing off an inch and gnawing on it would be problematic. Before deli-slicers came along I suppose a stick could have been sliced to about an eighth-inch thick, or diced/julienned, but then what? A salad bar here offers pepperoni slices to put on/in your salad. I tried it once and, not being toasted in an oven, it was pretty greasy. So, back in the day when the italians were inventing various sausages and salamis to actually preserve meat, what was the intended use for a stick of pepperonil? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2006, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-they-do-with-pepperoni/383544/2 "2006-12-10T06:10:21Z")
[QUOTE=DesertDog] Before pizza came along, that is. I mean, a whole stick of pepperoni is hard enough to use as a weapon. (Murder mystery scenario: “Why no, Inspector. I know of no implement in this house that could have been used to crush poor Beasley’s skull like that. Would you like another slice of pizza?”) Slicing off an inch and gnawing on it would be problematic. Before deli-slicers came along I suppose a stick could have been sliced to about an eighth-inch thick, or diced/julienned, but then what? A salad bar here offers pepperoni slices to put on/in your salad. I tried it once and, not being toasted in an oven, it was pretty greasy. So, back in the day when the italians were inventing various sausages and salamis to actually preserve meat, what was the intended use for a stick of pepperonil? [/QUOTE] [According to this](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pepperoni) Pepperoni is descended from Italian sausages, but is actually is an American-Italian invention, and didn’t exist “back in the day” in old Italy. '. ---
**Author:** ![TimeWinder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bcef8e/32.png) [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2006, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-they-do-with-pepperoni/383544/3 "2006-12-10T09:29:46Z")
A “Slim Jim” is pretty much a gnawing pepperoni, even now. While pepperoni may be a modern invention, cured sausages aren’t. It may just be as simple as the OP doesn’t like “uncooked” pepperoni, but others do. I used to snack on it occasionally in my youth, and considered it a treat. ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2006, 9:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-they-do-with-pepperoni/383544/4 "2006-12-10T09:58:01Z")
Back then cured sausages, like jerky, were a matter of neccesity, not taste. You needed to get moisture out of the sausage so that it would not spoil over the winter. You could eat it much the same way too, either by slow, patient knawing or by softening it in water and using it to flavour soup. ---
**Author:** ![if6was9](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@if6was9](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/if6was9)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2006, 10:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-they-do-with-pepperoni/383544/5 "2006-12-10T10:29:53Z")
[QUOTE=DesertDog] what was the intended use for a stick of pepperonil? [/QUOTE] Um, to enjoy? To wallow in? To have a food sex moment with? I see no alternative… ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2006, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-they-do-with-pepperoni/383544/6 "2006-12-10T11:35:50Z")
[QUOTE=astro] [According to this](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pepperoni) Pepperoni is descended from Italian sausages, but is actually is an American-Italian invention, and didn’t exist “back in the day” in old Italy. '. [/QUOTE] Yea, try ordering a pepperoni pizza in Europe outside of a chain restaurant like Pizza Hut. You’ll either get yellow peppers (like pepperoncini) on your pizza or if they’re a really hip pizzeria, salami. ---
**Author:** ![Baldwin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baldwin/32/7264_2.png) [@Baldwin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baldwin)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2006, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-they-do-with-pepperoni/383544/7 "2006-12-10T13:46:32Z")
[QUOTE=DesertDog] (Murder mystery scenario: “Why no, Inspector. I know of no implement in this house that could have been used to crush poor Beasley’s skull like that. Would you like another slice of pizza?”) [/QUOTE] Nice, but it’s been used, by Roald Dahl (with a frozen leg of lamb). I sometimes see the big sticks of pepperoni in the store, but I’ve never used it on anything but pizza. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2006, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-they-do-with-pepperoni/383544/8 "2006-12-10T14:40:20Z")
I’ve seen it used in a variety of, usually Italianate cuisine, sandwiches. The mid-size sub-shop chain headquartered in my hometown has always offered a pepperoni sub sandwich among its specialties. Hors d’ouevres made with crackers/flatbreads, cheese, and pepperoni slices (these a bit thicker than pizza-topping slices) are not uncommon. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2006, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-they-do-with-pepperoni/383544/9 "2006-12-10T14:51:13Z")
Heh. I truly enjoy a snack of pepperoni or hard salami and some cheese, perhaps some fruit if I want to pretend that its healthy. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2006, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-they-do-with-pepperoni/383544/10 "2006-12-10T14:52:20Z")
Yes, pepperoni sandwiches are really good. ---
**Author:** ![toadbriar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bb73d2/32.png) [@toadbriar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadbriar)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2006, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-they-do-with-pepperoni/383544/11 "2006-12-10T15:28:11Z")
Pepperoni and cheddar on crackers is the tastiest snack. It also fries or microwaves into good crisp innards for a squishy white bread sandwich. ---
**Author:** ![Eonwe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eonwe/32/240_2.png) [@Eonwe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eonwe)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2006, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-they-do-with-pepperoni/383544/12 "2006-12-10T15:55:31Z")
I often have a bowl of cottage cheese with a few slices of pepperoni. ---
**Author:** ![Millit\_the\_Frail](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/51bf81/32.png) [@Millit\_the\_Frail](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Millit_the_Frail)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2006, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-they-do-with-pepperoni/383544/13 "2006-12-10T17:30:31Z")
My grandma used to make “pepperoni bread” which was bread with pepperoni baked into the dough, which was flavored with cheese. She’s not Italian, so I don’t think this is “traditional,” but to me, it’s “traditional Ohio food.” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2006, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-they-do-with-pepperoni/383544/14 "2006-12-10T17:39:52Z")
I actually made bean soup with pepperoni once, when I had everything ready to go and realized I was out of ham hocks. I figured what I really needed was something salty and smoky. It was pretty good. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2006, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-they-do-with-pepperoni/383544/15 "2006-12-11T22:55:04Z")
[QUOTE=astro] [According to this](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pepperoni) Pepperoni is descended from Italian sausages, but is actually is an American-Italian invention, and didn’t exist “back in the day” in old Italy. '. [/QUOTE] Figures. Rather like pizza itself then, or those pickle ornaments in that other thread. I didn’t think the murder-mystery scenario was all that original, **Baldwin**. I vaguely remember reading something like it but not that it was a leg of lamb. I would imagine it’s almost a trope. Didn’t _Fried Green Tomatoes_ have the same idea but it was the _victim_ that got served up, not the implement? ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2006, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-they-do-with-pepperoni/383544/16 "2006-12-11T23:41:16Z")
[QUOTE=devilsknew] Yea, try ordering a pepperoni pizza in Europe outside of a chain restaurant like Pizza Hut. You’ll either get yellow peppers (like pepperoncini) on your pizza or if they’re a really hip pizzeria, salami. [/QUOTE] What you get is a poor attempt at what they expect an American pizza to look like. Italian sasuages (among others) are true delights, if you encounter them in their correct surroundings. (For analagous purposes: if I walked into an American bar, asked for a British beer, and got given Boddingtons, I’d be correct in saying it was shit) ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 11, 2006, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-they-do-with-pepperoni/383544/17 "2006-12-11T23:45:53Z")
It’s not any more difficult to prepare and eat than, say, beef jerky or biltong, is it? ---
**Author:** ![Morelin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Morelin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morelin)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2006, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-they-do-with-pepperoni/383544/18 "2006-12-12T00:47:49Z")
My mom always made pepperoni ‘pinwheels,’ so called since when done they resemble a child’s pinwheel. Take those premade Pillsbury croissant rolls. Throw some shredded mozzarella cheese and pepperoni on it, roll it up and cut into tiny circles. Bake in the oven until golden brown and enjoy. MMmm. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2006, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-they-do-with-pepperoni/383544/19 "2006-12-12T01:30:23Z")
[QUOTE=GorillaMan] What you get is a poor attempt at what they expect an American pizza to look like. Italian sasuages (among others) are true delights, if you encounter them in their correct surroundings. (For analagous purposes: if I walked into an American bar, asked for a British beer, and got given Boddingtons, I’d be correct in saying it was shit) [/QUOTE] Oh yea, maybe I should clarify. I’m not saying the Pizza was shit, not at all. It was pretty good pizza. The story goes: My family and I were traveling through Germany heading towards Holland and we happened to see Pizza adverstised at a Gasthaus. Now at this point, after a week in Germany, my Mother was starving. She is a very picky eater and not at all adventurous…German food, she was having nothing of it. But she likes Pizza, so we stopped. I’d actually yet to have Pizza in Germany. Soooo, I ordered for my Mom her favorite, which just happens to be a Pepperoni and Green Pepper Pizza. I thought it was a straightforward translation, I mean everybody’s had a Pepperoni Pizza, right? Me: “Ein Pizza mit Pepperoni und Grünen Pfeffern, bitte.” Kellner: **blank stare** “Na, gut.” So my mom, she’s really hungry and already homesick and is looking forward to her favorite pizza. So what does she get-- A Pizza with Pickled Yellow Italian Peppers (Pepperoncini). No green peppers either (He must of thought I was having trouble with the language and that I was being redundant, or something). Anyways, She couldn’t eat the pizza. So I tried to explain to the waiter. Me: “Entschuldigen Sie, aber sie kann das Pizza nicht essen. Wir wollten ein Pizza mit _Pepperoni_ **wurst** und Grunen Pffefern.” Kellner: **blank stare** “Na, gut.” So ten minutes later, she gets a pizza with salami and green peppers. Again, a big letdown, but we shutup and ate it. ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2006, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-did-they-do-with-pepperoni/383544/20 "2006-12-12T22:45:46Z")
[QUOTE=devilsknew] Oh yea, maybe I should clarify. I’m not saying the Pizza was shit, not at all. It was pretty good pizza. The story goes: My family and I were traveling through Germany heading towards Holland and we happened to see Pizza adverstised at a Gasthaus. Now at this point, after a week in Germany, my Mother was starving. She is a very picky eater and not at all adventurous…German food, she was having nothing of it. But she likes Pizza, so we stopped. I’d actually yet to have Pizza in Germany. Soooo, I ordered for my Mom her favorite, which just happens to be a Pepperoni and Green Pepper Pizza. I thought it was a straightforward translation, I mean everybody’s had a Pepperoni Pizza, right? Me: “Ein Pizza mit Pepperoni und Grünen Pfeffern, bitte.” Kellner: **blank stare** “Na, gut.” So my mom, she’s really hungry and already homesick and is looking forward to her favorite pizza. So what does she get-- A Pizza with Pickled Yellow Italian Peppers (Pepperoncini). No green peppers either (He must of thought I was having trouble with the language and that I was being redundant, or something). Anyways, She couldn’t eat the pizza. So I tried to explain to the waiter. Me: “Entschuldigen Sie, aber sie kann das Pizza nicht essen. Wir wollten ein Pizza mit _Pepperoni_ **wurst** und Grunen Pffefern.” Kellner: **blank stare** “Na, gut.” So ten minutes later, she gets a pizza with salami and green peppers. Again, a big letdown, but we shutup and ate it. [/QUOTE] I asked a German friend of mine(note: I did not say my German friend 😛 ) how to say pepperoni in Deutsch. I gave me a blank stare and said, “Salami”?