Trend watch: 'nduja or don't cha?

The sausage, traditionally made in Calabria, is made from pigs’ shoulder, belly and jowl as well as tripe, a sizzling combination of spices and roast peppers - you really can spread it like butter.

It’s similar in consistency to pâté, but to ignore nduja’s versatility would be a mistake - unlike pâté, it can accompany a wide range of foods well, including crab, pizza, scrambled and even fried eggs. 'Nduja can even be rubbed underneath the skin of a chicken before roasting

Best of all it’s unfathomably cheap, perfect for chefs who want to create a unique dish but hold on to profit margins at the same time.

“'Nduja is special,” says Claire Kitching of Leeds-based charcuterie gastropub Friends of Ham. “It has a lovely level of spice and the fat content allows it to melt incredibly well – we serve it melted onto sourdough with olive oil, seasoning and cornichons.

“It would seem natural that 'nduja will start appearing on more and more menus, especially with the in-surge of small tapas-style casual dining establishments.”

Brakes cottoned on to the trend in December, introducing 'nduja to its foodservice portfolio with the aim of helping caterers capitalise on rising consumer demand for authentic Italian flavours.