Most cured meat products are ways to preserve cheaper cuts of meat for a long time.
Salamis, mortadellas, head cheese.
That doesn't mean they're not delicious.
Salamis, mortadellas, head cheese.
That doesn't mean they're not delicious.
Which is neither here, nor there. We're a long from that being the only case, in italy, france, spain, etc. there are cured meat products that cost more than your house (well, close enough), as well as tons of excellent, well prepared, well aged, high quality cured meat.
"Pepperoni" is not that. It's the cured meat equivalent of spray cheese.
I'll stop you right here...
If you're Italian you don't buy "frozen pizza". You make your own, or you go to a good pizzeria...
https://ihsmarkit.com/research-analysis/booming-italian-froz...
My point is that every country has good and bad food. You can find some of the worst “cheese” in the us, but also amazing artisan kinds that is is exuberantly priced. American country ham has won over Parma and iberico in blind tests by experts. There isn’t one Italy or one United States or one Sweden. It all depends on where you look…