For those who know and appreciate Italian cured meats, one of the many varieties that first comes to mind is Mortadella from Bologna. The cold cut is so synonymous with its place of origin, that outside of Italy it is often referred to as simply ‘Bologna’.
Mortadella has an amazing long history which includes an appreciation by ancient Romans as proven by a stele in Bologna, which depicts a butcher using tools to mix together the meat and spices to prepare mortadella. The famous salume is also mentioned throughout may historical writings that demonstrate that by the middle ages, Mortadella was enjoyed throughout all of Europe.