For travelers to Bologna, it’s understandable to confuse mortadella with its counterpart in the United States: bologna. It’s not clear how the mortadella that was eaten by Italian-American immigrants turned into American bologna. Obviously, there’s the connection that mortadella was from the city of Bologna. What’s not clear is what bologna became considering its grandfather is a meat that has been known for its high quality for centuries.

Bologna’s home province, Emilia Romagna produces some of the most iconic Italian food products, including Parmigiano-Reggiano, Prosciutto di Parma, traditional balsamic vinegar, and yes, mortadella. So, how is real mortadella made? It’s a fairly simple process that involves a few different steps of pressing and grinding pork meat, along with the characteristic white bits of “fat.” Those white bits are actually the meat from the throat or cheek of the pig.