It sounds like an Italian name. That’s right. It comes from peperone, pepper (pepper). Italians are the most important representatives of the spice trade throughout history. They know how spice makes food taste. Let’s take a look at what pepperoni really is and how it is known in the USA.
What is pepperoni?
Pepperoni is an American variety of spicy salami made from cured pork and beef seasoned with paprika or other chili pepper. Some brands (Hormel, Gallo, Red Baron etc.) sell pepperoni in packages and most restaurants in the USA use pepperoni in pizza. It is characteristically soft, slightly smoky, and bright red.
Notice: Muslims should not be use pepperoni because it includes cured pork.
Here are some photos of packaged pepperoni.