This is how almost every conversation I have ever had with anyone from the USA about sobrasada has gone…
Friend: “Sure. I’ve had sopressata before.”
Me: “No. Not sopressata. Sobrasada! So-bra-sa-da.”
Many Americans have eaten sopressata. It is a lovely Italian sausage of what to me seems to be the salami family. In fact, I like it more than salami. But it’s no sobrasada. Sobrasada is a Spanish sausage typical of Mallorca, made in the Balearic Islands (Islas Baleares). It has a similar red hue to chorizo, but chorizo it’s not. It’s soft – a soft, spreadable sausage. Yes, that’s right. And it is delicious.
So where do you find sobrasada in the USA? There are a number of Spanish food importers and purveyors that sell it. I don’t know it can be imported into the US from Spain, or at least I haven’t found the “real deal” here. (It took what seemed like centuries before we were able to buy imported Spanish chorizo and jamón serrano here due to our strict FDA regulations.) But there are some great companies here in the States that make some decent imitations. I buy mine from Despaña in New York City.
There are many uses for sobrasada, and many ways to eat it. But to quote one of my favorite movies, Nacho Libre, let’s get down to the “nitty gritty”. (Pronounced ¨neety greety¨.) The best way in my opinion to eat it, and one which happens to be traditional,is with bread and honey. Don’t believe me? Try it. It is an incredible combination of flavors that will leave you wanting more. Here’s how it works.
Pick a good, crusty bread – not too doughy and soft.
Drizzle some honey on it. I used regular honey here, but the better the honey the better the taste. And if it’s from Spain… even better!
Spread the sobrasada on the bread.
Oh go ahead. Go wild and add a touch more honey. (I couldn’t help myself.)
Then take a bite and let nature’s finest and Mallorca’s best work its magic. You’ll be back for more. ¡Que aproveche!
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I was not compensated by anyone to write this post.
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