Предложить деловую колбасу - should be served on business occasions to show respect?

Question

Sometimes they say "offer salt & bread" to present as welcome; there is also деловая колбаса - business sausage? - what do they mean exactly and can you say "предложить деловую колбасу" analog to "предложить хлеб и соль" on business occasions? (and as symbol for willingness for a good deal, because of the "offer" - предложение").

To explain the relationship of these terms, there is a phrase "all what is in the stove, on table swords" (I do not know the context why swords are important, maybe because of "who comes with a sword, will die from a sword") but if in ancient times they took bread out of the stove, nowadays you would take from refrigerator a sausage, probably for scientists the doctor sausage (докторская) and for business people the business one (деловая). The pejorative connotation with sausage is more clear on example of "sausage emigration".

Answer 1

"Деловая колбаса" is a slang phrase, which ironically describes a person who is trying to look or behaves like as serious business man (or just tries to look like an overloaded with more serious tasks). It often applicable for kids, who behave like adults, I would say.

It has nothing to do, actually, with a sausage itself. It will look very funny if you'll present "деловая колбаса" as a welcome :)

Also, "докторская колбаса" has nothing to do with scientists or doctors. It's just a well known brand of relatively cheap sausage in Soviet Union. If someone uses this term nowadays, he probably refers to Soviet Union times in some case.

Answer 2

While "деловая колбаса" does mean "business sausage", it is not a sausage served at business meetings. Instead it is a parody of the phrase "деловой человек" (businessman). The picture it presents is of a sausage which has risen from the plate to put on a business suit and go out into the world with a briefcase.

If we say of someone "Он--деловая колбаса" we mean that he is parodying the behavior of busy people doing important work as a way of making himself seem more important. You might say this of a child who sees his play as important tasks. Or you might say it of a person who tries to impress others by taking and making "important phone calls" at social events such as dinner parties.

Answer 3

Below is what I found online:

«Ну ты – деловая колбаса!» Сегодня в этом обращении слышится некоторое пренебрежение к товарищу, чересчур озабоченному кипучей деятельностью. Но многие старожилы помнят, что и в самом деле была в своё время такая колбаса. Не верите? А я не сомневаюсь, я видела, продавалась она в гастрономе, что на улице Плюснина. Колбаса эта была недорогая, как говорили тогда хозяйки, «бумажная», лежала она в витрине рядом с тоже дешёвой «Ливерной». Вкуснейшие «Докторская», «Русская» и прочие немногочисленные сорта колбас из «благородных» гордо располагались в отдельной витрине. Брали «Деловую» и «Ливерную» в основном мужики – граммов по двести на закуску к «маленькой» или женщины – на корм котам и собакам, откуда её второе, народное название «собачья радость». Нам, детям, тоже хотелось попробовать эту самую «Деловую», но так и не удалось... А ведь интересно, какая же она была на вкус?