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National Salami Day

Food · September 7

A day for salami, the cured, fermented sausage sliced thin for sandwiches, antipasto boards and plain snacking straight from the paper.

National Salami Day falls on Tuesday, September 7, 2027. That is 315 days away.

Salami is a cured sausage, usually made from ground pork (sometimes beef), mixed with fat, salt and spices, then fermented and air dried until it firms up. It is not cooked the way a hot dog is. Time, salt and drying do the work instead.

Cut a slice and you can see how it was made. Those little white flecks are fat, and they are the reason good salami tastes rich rather than dry. Some kinds lean on garlic, some on black pepper, some on fennel seed. Genoa salami is soft and mild. Pepperoni, its spicier American cousin, ends up on pizza more often than on a cracker.

Most people eat salami without much ceremony. It goes between slices of bread with provolone, onto a board with olives and hard cheese, or into a pasta salad. Some whole salamis come with a white, powdery coating on the casing. That is a harmless mold that helps the sausage dry evenly, and many people simply peel the casing off before slicing.

Thickness changes everything. Paper thin slices fold and melt on the tongue, while thick coins are chewier and saltier, better for snacking with a pocketknife and an apple. If you have only ever had one kind, the deli counter usually has a few more, and most will let you taste a sliver before you decide.

Ways to celebrate

• Build a simple board with salami, cheese, olives and crackers.
• Ask the deli counter to slice two kinds so you can compare.
• Make a classic salami and provolone sandwich on crusty bread.
• Try salami sliced paper thin, then thick, and notice the difference.
• Add chopped salami to a pasta salad or a pan of scrambled eggs.

Dates

All national days on September 7

Also on September 7

• National Beer Lovers Day
• National Acorn Squash Day
• Grandma Moses Day

Categories: Food days