Author Topic: Pepperoni Brands -- (Read 47370 times)

Lydia · « **on:** August 31, 2005, 06:48:47 PM »

I'm interested in the brands of pre-sliced pepperoni that are being used, and would like to know your description of it's flavor characteristics and baking qualities and where found.

I am mostly familar with Pocino, La Ramanella, Gallo (general & premium), Hormel (general gorcery) and Columbus deli (general grocery).

My Preferences - most preferred list first
El Pocino-best flavor (balanced) sliced perfectly thin even baking(Smart & Final)
La Romanella good flavor (not as balanced) sliced perfectly for even baking (Smart & Final)
Gallo Premium- very good flavor (more spicy, not hot) Sliced inconsistently and will include end pieces of log with some pieces almost a half an inch thick!) good for chopping up and adding to sauces. (Cash & Carry)

All of these freeze well, portioned into freezer bags, upto 2 months, without loss of flavor.

These I purchase when I cant get to the wholesale places.
Columbus- Large rounds very thin slices (Deli pre-packaged)Save Mart, and a few others)
Hormel- good flavor (very mild) thicker slices (general grocery)
Gallo- very greasy (strong seasonings) poor meat quality, sliced a bit too thick for good baking (general grocery)

scampi · « **Reply #1 on:** September 01, 2005, 12:03:14 AM »

My favorite.....BY FAR...Volpi gourmet pepperoni. Simply outstanding!

Lydia · « **Reply #2 on:** September 01, 2005, 12:20:48 AM »

Where do you purchase Volpi? Is it spicy.. medium... mild?

PizzaBrewer · « **Reply #3 on:** September 01, 2005, 02:21:52 AM »

I don't know where you are, but pepperoni brands must be very regional as I haven't heard of any of your brands (except Hormel of course). I'm in eastern PA, I usually buy stick pepperoni, the last one I had was La Margherita (sp?) which was very good.

---Guy

scampi · « **Reply #4 on:** September 01, 2005, 12:49:24 PM »

Hi Lydia, Volpi is sold through Trader Joes and is manufactured in St. Louis. It says it is smoked, premium pepperoni. It has a very smooth flavorful taste, not too spicy but to me, just right and adds a lot to the flavor of the pizza. It definitley doesn't taste like the cheaper store brands. It's very thin sliced in the package. Like everyone else here I have tried a lot of different pepperoni's and I think it's the best, hands down. But everyone has different tastes...

Lydia · « **Reply #5 on:** September 01, 2005, 01:11:35 PM »

Thanks scampi,!
I love trader Joe's. Especially their brand of maraina, the best I've tasted on the market. I primarily purchase pepperoni in bulk so I haven't tried the pepperoni, but I think I'm going to give it a try.

PizzaBrewer;
Gallo is definately local, produced by Gallo winery here in Stanislaus county (of Stanisalus and Escalon brand tomato products). But I was under the assumption that Gallo was everyware.

La Romanella seems to be a label that showed up a couple of years ago. It is all over Smart & Final, on high-gluten flour, canned Italian products, pastas ect. I'm thinking that it is Hunt's replacement for the Angela Mia line. But I dont know this for a fact.

scott r · « **Reply #6 on:** September 01, 2005, 01:37:34 PM »

I know Hormel Rosa is available at my local wall mart, but not sliced. I have seen it listed sliced on foodservice lists, but I don't know if they sell the sliced Rosa, or Rosa grande to retailers. Either way it is worth checking this out and slicing it yourself if you have to. It is much better than the standard Hormel.

Lydia · « **Reply #7 on:** September 01, 2005, 02:07:25 PM »

Thanks Scott!

I dont think I've used Hormel Rosa or Rosa Grande, sounds like they might be higher in quality?? This is good news since I consider the general grocery type to be pretty decent. I will keep an eye out for it, our Wal-mart's are just now starting to carry more food items.

Great! I've got some new things to keep an eye out for!

Thanksl!

Lydia

Lydia · « **Reply #8 on:** September 13, 2005, 02:03:21 AM »

I need to post a correction to my statement about Gallo pepperoni. The premium brand that I have been purchasing WAS actually Gallo but they changed the brand name to Galileo, but I never noticed, everything about it was the same, even the packaging was virtually identical.

I was wondering why Papa Murphy's stopped boasting about using premium Gallo pepperoni, when the pepperoni was still the same.

Here's what I found.

At the turn of the century, Louis Gabriati, a salame cure master, set out to find a climate in the United States identical to that of Northern Italy so he could produce his beloved Italian dry salame. In 1910, Louis found that moist, mild climate in San Francisco and founded the Gallo Salame company. After building a successful business and a strong brand of dry salame products, he sold the company to Consolidated Foods (Sara Lee) in 1979. In 1982, Gallo Salame was merged with Galileo-Capri, an Italian specialty meats company serving the food service industry, to create Galileo Foods -- owned by parent company, Sara Lee. Today, Gallo Salame products are exclusively produced in the San Francisco Bay area at a plant located in San Lorenzo.

So, yes, it IS a local product to me, but they are a national brand.

gallosalame.com/heritage.aspx

piroshok · « **Reply #9 on:** September 14, 2005, 05:26:48 AM »

I don't stick to any brand just collect them from the garden sliced them or whatever othe treament I may chose like brining that's it
perfect!

Lydia · « **Reply #10 on:** September 14, 2005, 01:21:30 PM »

HI Piro

During one of my many online research projects I noticed that "pepperoni" has differents meanings, especially cross-continental.

In the US, pepperoni is primarily a dry-cured salami-type of spiced meat, but in some dinning establishments I have found that they are a type of pickled pepper, like a pepperocini (small yellow-green pepper).

Would you tell me what the peperoni is like that you pick from for garden.
What does it taste like? What color is it? Are they a common topping for pizza in AU?

zappcatt · « **Reply #11 on:** September 15, 2005, 08:08:46 PM »

Lydia,

In Europe, pepperoni is often pepperocini as you have noticed.

I was in Switzerland with a boss who loves Round Table Pizza Pepperoni and we went out for Italian. I did not even think to mention this to him and he ordered a pepperoni pizza....You can imagine his surprise when it came...

Lydia · « **Reply #12 on:** October 12, 2005, 07:14:17 AM »

I found Volpi to be "very" different in flavor from all other brands I've tasted, in resturants or bought by itself. It's seems to belong on Neopolitan or Newyork style, because of it's very mild flavor (it wouldn't mask the other basic ingredients.)

I did get a kick out of the fact that some of the slices were heart-shaped

Lydia · « **Reply #13 on:** October 18, 2005, 12:01:46 AM »

Tried a another brand of pepperoni.

Eckrich Deli - whole log.

Mild flavor, same daimeter and has the same curl as Mountain Mike's chain pepperoni, but lacks the spicy kick.

Lydia · « **Reply #14 on:** October 24, 2005, 07:01:13 PM »

Cariani Peperoni - SanFrancisco/Hayward Ca.

This brand showed up not too long in Raley's/Nobhill and CostLess Grocer's.

Presliced-Comparable to Gallileo/Gallo "premium"; also comparable to Pizza Factory's pepperoni.

Good spice, smokey flavor, tastes more of pork than beef. not overly greasy, curls and crisps with good flavor.

OzPizza · « **Reply #15 on:** October 25, 2005, 02:41:29 AM »

Quote from: Lydia on September 14, 2005, 01:21:30 PM

HI Piro

During one of my many online research projects I noticed that "pepperoni" has differents meanings, especially cross-continental.

In the US, pepperoni is primarily a dry-cured salami-type of spiced meat, but in some dinning establishments I have found that they are a type of pickled pepper, like a pepperocini (small yellow-green pepper).

Would you tell me what the peperoni is like that you pick from for garden.
What does it taste like? What color is it? Are they a common topping for pizza in AU?

Don't worry Lydia, for the average Aussie we too think of pepperoni as a type of salami that goes well with pizza, not chilli peppers. From what I understand from Piro, he hasn't been in Australia all that long and I could understand the cultural confusion he may have brought with him (from S. America I think). These days there are very few 'Americanisms' regarding food that we don't use or understand ourselves, to the point some diehards believe we are selling out our own (comparitively young) cultural (food) identity for

.

giotto · « **Reply #16 on:** October 25, 2005, 10:44:34 PM »

One thing is for sure, if I turned pro and wanted the best, I would turn to Swiss American Sausage company. Every once in a while, I come across something that is so much better than the rest and it just hits me right in the moment.

The first time I enjoyed the pizza at Tony Gemignani's Pyzano's pizzeria (Tony runs the World Pizza Champion team), I ordered a thin pepperoni pizza. And the pepperoni was truly unique with just the right spice. Then I noticed that the little quarter-sized pepperonis at Amici's in Mountain View, CA had a similar excellent taste along with that little turned-up crispy look from their fired oven. Turns out they both supported Swiss American. In the past, I had used sticks from San Francisco available from my farmer's market and fresh pepperoni from Whole Foods, as well as Trader Joe's and so many others. These are okay. But no contest.

Lydia · « **Reply #17 on:** October 26, 2005, 03:41:05 AM »

Thanks Giotto!

Hopefully I can give Amici's a try soon so I can see what I've been missing.

giotto · « **Reply #18 on:** October 26, 2005, 05:43:09 AM »

Sure... for Amici's, best to enjoy the one in Mtn View. The char of the pizza's crust is more consistent and between the char and those little cupped crisp pepperonis that are so tasty, I know there are some things to envy at home.

I hope you also get a chance to visit Tony Gemignani at Pyzano's across the bay in Castro Valley. Ask for the crust to be thin. Tony has rubbed elbows with some of the best in the world, and basically now organizes the World Pizza games in Las Vegas. His recent book "Pizza More than 60 recipes" reveals his New York, Neapolitan and other pizza interfaces in the industry (http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,1909.0.html). What a great guy to speak to... Very open. Call to make sure he's in though.

Frankie G · « **Reply #19 on:** October 31, 2005, 06:36:43 PM »

Hey Everyone.

My name is Frank Giovanni. I am the sales manager for Swiss American Sausage Co. www.sasausage.com

We are a producer of pizza toppings in Northern California.

Thanks for the kind words on our Classic Style Pepperoni. It is my favorite as well....

I have read the responses in this forum and was quite impressed with the knowledge the the writers have researched.

Here's what I know:

Galileo, Gallo (same product) Produced in San Leandro for California
Hormel: Produced in the midwest
La Romanella: A Smart & Final private label. The producer will vary by price bid
Pocino: a producer in So Cal.
Ekrich: is the old Swift product
Swift: Specialty Food Group, midwest.
Volpi: Small manufacturer in the Eastern part of the states, best for eating raw, might burn on pizza.

All these products are fine. It's, like one of the previous comments said, it's to one's taste.

If you are an operating pizzeria, I would be glad to get you a sample.

Out of good faith..... If you are a member of this group and just a plain 'ol pepperoni lover, I can get you a sample if you can help with the overnight shipping. Pepperoni is on me... if you pay shipping. limited quantity of course.

Let me know if I can help. AND!!!! Check out my personal website: www.deltabluesfestival.net/pizza_oven.htm

Thanks.

Ciao.

Frankie G

Author Topic: Pepperoni Brands -- (Read 47370 times)

piroshok