Pepperoni roll
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The pepperoni roll is an Italian-American stuffed bread roll. Originally conceived of as a coal miner's lunch, it is popular in West Virginia and some nearby regions of the Appalachian Mountains such as Eastern Kentucky, Western Pennsylvania, Western Maryland, and Appalachian Ohio.[1] In West Virginia it is nearly ubiquitous, particularly in convenience stores, and is arguably the food most closely associated with the state.[2] Pepperoni rolls are also found in Southeast Michigan where they were popular among auto workers in the factories.[3][4]
The classic pepperoni roll consists of a fairly soft white yeast-leavened bread roll with pepperoni baked in the middle. During baking, the fats in the pepperoni (which are hard at room temperature) melt, resulting in a spicy oil suffusing into the bread.[5] Pepperoni rolls are typically eaten for lunch or breakfast, either unheated or slightly warmed.[2]
Origins
The pepperoni roll was first sold by Giuseppe "Joseph" Argiro at the Country Club Bakery in Fairmont, West Virginia, in 1927.[6] The rolls originated as a lunch option for the
Variations
Variations on the original pepperoni roll may contain different types of cheese, peppers, or other ingredients. The pepperoni within can take several forms, including a single stick, several folded slices, or shredded or ground meat.[8]
Legal challenges
In 1987, a bakery shipped pepperoni rolls from West Virginia to Maryland.
As military rations
In the early 2000s, the
See also
References
- ^ "House passes bill declaring Pepperoni Roll official food of West Virginia". WDTV. 6 April 2021.
- ^ a b c d John T. Edge (29 September 2009). "United Tastes - Pepperoni Rolls, a Piece of West Virginia Culinary History: Fast Food Even Before Fast Food". The New York Times. New York, NY. Style Section: Dining & Wine. Retrieved 3 November 2010.
- ^ Michigan bakery ships special rolls to Shay Mikalonis’ family, Gary Dymski, Las Vegas Review-Journal, June 8, 2020
- ^ Capri Italian Bakery founder had passion for baking and pepperoni roll, Susan Selasky, Detroit Free Press, June 17, 2019
- ^ Heffner, Bob. "What is a Pepperoni Roll?". The Pepperoni Roll Homepage. Bob Heffner. Retrieved 1 December 2009.
- ISBN 978-1-891852-02-2.
- ^ "History of Pepperoni Rolls". Rogers & Mazzas Bakery / Marty's Italian Bakery. Archived from the original on 2 February 2009. Retrieved 2 December 2009.
- ^ Heffner, Bob. "Pepperoni Roll Variations". The Pepperoni Roll Homepage. Bob Heffner. Retrieved 1 December 2009.
- ^ a b c d "Food Safety Enforcers Keeping Hands Off the Pepperoni Rolls". The Washington Post. The Shreveport Journal (Shreveport, Louisiana). March 27, 1987. p. 8C.
- ^ Rockefeller III, John D. (September 12, 2002). "Letter from Senator Rockefeller". Pepperoni Roll Rockefeller Letter. Bob Heffner. Retrieved November 3, 2010.
- ^ "Ag Department Unwraps Red Tape Around Salami". The Associated Press. Iowa City Press-Citizen (Iowa City, Iowa). March 19, 1987. p. 1.
- ISBN 0-9778498-0-5.
External links
- Restaurant Road Trip: Pepperoni Roll Competition from WBOY-TV
- Pepperoni rolls: W. Va. with an Italian accent Archived 2014-02-22 at the Wayback Machine from American Food Roots
- "The West Virginia Pepperoni Roll | West Virginia University Press". wvupressonline.com. 22 August 2016. Retrieved 2019-03-20.