Californians, I'm sure, will remember this stuff.
I've been away from CA for too long to remember with any clarity, but i vaguely recall that chorizo, as we knew it, was like a mushy mince or paste, packed in a plastic tray. Not a dried hard sausage in a skin.
I was in Lupe Pintos the other day, and found a little plastic pack in their refrigerated section called sobrasada de mallorca... it's a spicy sausage paste, and it looks like the same stuff i remember as chorizo growing up, albeit a Spanish brand instead of Mexican.
I havent tried it yet... looking forward to stirring it into some scrambled eggs very soon!