The early 20th century saw more than four million Italians immigrate to the US, according to PBS. This wave of migrants was escaping the poverty endemic in the southern part of the country. Of course, they were eager to bring the flavors of home to their new country, except at the time, the US had a strict ban on imports of pork meat. However, imported cheese was not restricted. Seeing this loophole, the Italians created a sort of Trojan horse to get a beloved form of cured sausage — soppressata — into the US.

But first, what is soppressata? According to Il Porcellino Salumi, it's a type of salami made from lean cuts of pork, which can include the shoulder, loin, and ham scraps mixed with lard to give it a marbled look and soft texture. The spices added to the pork vary regionally, but they are often some variation of salt, pepper, cinnamon, chili pepper, and rosemary.