Indulging in culinary traditions not only satisfies our hunger but also weaves a captivating narrative about our heritage and customs. Some of my personal history with food dates back to 2010 when I briefly lived in Italy. I found myself drawn to the kitchen, and more importantly, to the transformation of simple ingredients into something delicious, nutritious, and representative of generations of cultural identity. This was particularly true when it came to making sausages.

Sausages are believed to be at least 4,000 years old and are incredibly diverse. In its most basic form, traditional sausage is made from ground meat, seasoned, and stuffed in a casing made from intestine. Consumed by nobles and peasants alike, behind every sausage there is a story of how it was made, where it came from, and what impact it has had. For me, the way of using every part of an animal, transforming it to create something totally new was fascinating. I found myself wanting to explore the possibilities of sausage making. What spices would give me the brightest flavours? What ingredients complemented the taste of which meats the most? Through this exploration, I found the opportunity for a whole new type of creative expression.

This culinary adventure made me realise that the art of sausage making (and yes, it’s an art, but actually also science!) transcends borders and cultures. Sausages have become an integral part of diverse cultures worldwide, reflecting their creativity and adaptability. These sausages, meticulously crafted by skilled artisans, carry with them the essence of tradition and the flavours of local communities. With every careful selection of locally sourced, high-quality ingredients, these artisans with age-old techniques, breathe life into their creations, ensuring that each bite is a symphony of taste.

Each sausage tells a story—a story of flavours passed down through generations, of locally sourced ingredients that pay homage to the land, and of the skilful hands that shape them with passion and dedication. These sausages embody the artistry and soul of their creators, serving as a testament to the vibrancy and diversity of our global food culture.

Let’s take a deeper look…

Sausages are prepared in different ways depending on the season or climate, sometimes cooked immediately or preserved though curing, fermenting, smoking and or drying. Sausages are a way of utilising all parts of an animal, ensuring no wastage as they were (and should still be) a precious resource. In addition to the meat and fat of the animal, sausages can also be made from organs, blood, skin, and other parts that might otherwise be discarded or considered inedible.

Different countries and regions have developed their own varieties and specialties of sausages over time. For example, Germany is home to more than 1,200 varieties with each region having its own specialty and style of sausage making, reflecting centuries of history and diversity. On the other hand, our home of Trinidad & Tobago and many parts of the Americas, have had our food culture develop quite differently, having been influenced by many different cultures and cuisines. Regardless, traditional sausages are still to be found here.

Blood sausage

If Trinidad has an indigenous sausage, “pudding” would be it. Part of a much wider category of blood sausages, these were first mentioned in literature almost 3,000 years ago. As the name implies, it is a type of sausage that is made with animal blood, reflecting the tradition of using every part of the animal and not wasting any edible meat. Found around the world, it will also contain some combination of meat, fat, grains, bread, or vegetables. How it’s prepared results in different products each with its own unique taste, texture and consistency. Some examples are blutwurst in Germany, boudin noir in France, morcilla in Spain, sanguinaccio in Italy, and black pudding in Britain.

Trinidadian black pudding is made with fresh pork blood, mixed with bread and a lot of green seasoning heavy on the chive. Steamed, the resulting soft sausage should be uncased and spread in a crispy hops bread and topped with pepper sauce.

A very different product, the Morcilla that we make at Del Mano takes inspiration from the Spanish form, identifiable also in Venezuela and Guyana as it contains rice. The texture is more like a traditional sausage than soft pudding. Made with a majority of pork and a much smaller amount of fresh blood (unlike local pudding with no meat and majority blood), the richness and colour it brings is still present. Fresh bay leaf provides wonderful aromatics and scorpion pepper a small punch.

Chorizo

Chorizo originated in the Iberian Peninsula, specifically in Spain and Portugal. The name is likely derived from the Latin word salsīcia, meaning ‘salted’. Chorizo is a type of spicy sausage that is widely used in Spanish and Latin cuisines. It can be fresh or cured and dried, and can be made from pork or beef, typically flavoured with some combination of chiles, garlic, paprika, oregano, cumin, and vinegar.

At Del Mano though, it’s all about the paprika! Paprika is dried and ground chilli pepper, and depending on the pepper variety and how it’s dried results in different characteristics. We use our traditional seasoning pepper, pimento, sun drenched and deep red in colour with maximum sweetness developed. Because of its freshness the paprika is bright and vibrant, so feels alive in your mouth! Paired with another local herb, Portuguese thyme sometimes called Spanish thyme (any coincidence?) and another familiar flavour, cumin, our Spicy Chorizo shines.

Bangers

During the first and second world wars when there were meat shortages the sausages were highly filled with water and other fillers like bread. When cooked over high heat the pressure inside the casing would build up and burst making a popping or banging sound, hence the name. Milder in flavour, they are popular in Britain and Ireland.

Our English Bangers keep the spirt alive and use some breadcrumbs for our take on this classic, albeit made from an ancient variety of wheat called spelt. Despite being used in a small proportion, the flavour is carried though. Notoriously difficult to grow in our climate, sage is paired with two other traditional and interestingly familiar to us ingredients namely ginger and nutmeg.

Sausage is more than just a food; it is a way of expressing and preserving tradition and culture. For us at Del Mano, we have great joy in practicing this ancient art of sausage making. We put our spin on it when we can, but never drifting from the belief that by respecting tradition and using quality, fresh ingredients we will get us sausages that inspire, help us connect, feed the body and satisfy the soul.