Chorizos (was Re: SC - Sausages from the Danish cookbook)

[Robin Carroll-Mann]

And it came to pass on 3 Sep 99,, that Nanna Rögnvaldardóttir wrote:

> BTW, I was wondering about something: What exactly defines a chorizo
> sausage? Is any Spanish/Portuguese/Latin American sausage a chorizio, or
> is the term only used for certain types? And if so, which? I thought
> chorizos always included some capsicum peppers - if not chilies, then at
> least some sweet paprika/pimiento - but judging from Ana´s recipes, this
> is not the case.
> 
> Nanna

Here are the definitions (translated) that I found in two Spanish 
dictionaries:

Diccionario de Autoridades (1726-1739) -- A piece cut from intestine 
stuffed with chopped meat, usually from pork, marinated and with 
spices, which is cured with smoke so that it will last.

Diccionario Usual (1992) -- A piece cut from intestine full of meat, 
usually from pork, chopped and marinated, which is cured with smoke.

_The Heritage of Spanish Cooking_ by Rios and March says that 
chorizo was invented following the importation of New World peppers to 
Spain, and that paprika is its defining ingredient, which gives it its 
characteristic color.

Brighid
Lady Brighid ni Chiarain
Settmour Swamp, East (NJ)
mka Robin Carroll-Mann
harper at idt.net
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