From The Food Encyclopedia by Jacques Rolland and Carol Sherman
From the Latin salsus, meaning "salted." Sausage is any of a variety of ground meats (including game) or poultry stuffed into a sausage casing. Sausage types range from coarse-textured to fine, and mild-flavored to spicy, and may be wet (called "fresh sausage", these are made with uncooked meat) or dry (made with cooked meat). Sausages may be brined, dried or smoked, sold in links (like fresh pork sausage), in fat lengths (like bologna) or encased in plastic in bulk (to form into patties, add to stuffing or wrap another food, such as Scotch eggs). Many sausages contain fillers, such as grain or rusk, as well as seasonings, such as minced apple, garlic, herbs, mushrooms, peppers (chile and sweet varieties) and onions, cracked peppercorns and salt. Devised as a way to use all of a slaughtered animal, including the blood, fat and organs, and preserve some of the meat for long afterward, sausages are made in almost every culture; they were eaten in ancient China, Greece, Rome and Sumeria. Ironically, given their raison d'etre, sausages are also made for vegetarians now. Vegetarian sausages may include minced or puréed nuts, pulses, tempeh, tofu and vegetables, as well as herbs, spices and seasonings; some are made to imitate the look, feel and flavor of meat. See also alheira, andouille, andouillette, bangers, Bauerwurst, Bierschinken, Bierwurst, Birnenformige salami, blood sausage, Blutwurst, Bockwurst, bologna, botulism, boudin blanc, boudin noir, boudin rouge, Bratwurst, Braunschweiger, Bregenwurst, butiffara, Cambridge sausage, cervelas, cervelat, charcuterie, chaurice, chipolata, chorizo, coppa, cotechino, crépinette, Cumberland sausage, derma, drisheen, dry sausage, Extrawurst, faggot, frizzes, Gelbwurst, goetta, head cheese, hot dog, Italian sausage, kabanos, Katenrauchwurst, kielbasa, kishka, Knackwurst, Knoblauchwurst, landjager, lap cheong, Leberkäse, liverwurst, loukanika sausage, luganega, merguez, Mettwurst, mortadella, pepperoni, polony, rosette, salami, sausage casing, saveloy, summer sausage, Teewurst, Thuringer sausage, toscana, Vienna sausage, Weisswurst, Zungenwurst.
