If you like fatty cuts of deli meat with strong, salty flavors, then there's a good chance that you'll love everything that mortadella, which hails from Bologna, Italy, has to offer.

Chef Ty Leon makes bison mortadella at Restaurant Olivia in Denver on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2024. It will be served at Leon’s new restaurant, Emilia, in 2025.

What is mortadella made of? At its base, mortadella is made of finely ground cured pork, a mix of spices such as cardamom, coriander, and nutmeg, and bits of pork fat.

Mortadella — a popular cold cut throughout Italy for centuries — is making meaty waves in the U.S., where a maligned derivative, bologna, lacks the nuance in texture and flavor of its inspiration.

Mr. Funke is one of the chefs who have led the recent resurgence of mortadella in the United States, moving it from the low end of the deli case to the center of salumi boards and beyond.

Though mortadella is everywhere at the moment, the only place I want it is from a corner seat at Tall Trees Café. Tall Trees Café 817 Livernois Ave., Ferndale.