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Rediscovering Baloney
You can look it up: that luncheon meat I knew as a kid is spelled "bologna," but the more informal spelling of "baloney" is also acceptable.
No matter how you spell it, I have rediscovered bologna, and I think it's my brother's fault. I went years without enjoying bologna, but lately I kept hearing him say about his lunch, "I just grabbed some bologna and made a sandwich."
Hearing that several times apparantly put the seed of thought in my head and this week I stopped at a deli and ordered, "A quarter pound of bologna, please." On the way home in the car I kept smelling that bologna sitting in the front seat. It took no more than three traffic lights and I had to reach over and open the package and sample a slice.
Oh, my, what a great taste! When I arrived at Saratoga Court, I immediately made my first bologna sandwich in a long time. I think bologna might be considered like the poor cousin of finer meats such as roast beef or honey ham. But that was one darn good sandwich.
My handy dictionary defines bologna as, "a large seasoned sausage made of finely ground meat, usually beef and pork, that has been cooked and smoked." I'm a non-smoker so I've never tried smoking it. I'll leave that to some of my friends.
I think my Dad used to like fried bologna, but I've never been into that. I hear that Bobby Hall makes a great fried bologna sandwich over at Bobby's Lounge, but I've never tried it -- and won't. Give me the original. A good old regular bologna sandwich.
My way of making a bologna sandwich is to put butter on the top bread, toss on three or four slices of bologna and add mustard as the condiment. I've seen people put ketchup on their bologna sandwiches, but I can't buy that one. I need mustard, and, preferably, French's.
I ate a lot of bologna sandwiches as a kid. It seemed like it was a good companion of a bowl of chicken noodle soup. I remember eating lunches at the Prentices, our next door neighbors, and it seems like Mrs. Prentice served up chicken noodle soup and bologna sandwiches every time.
But it doesn't have to always be in a sandwich. I think bologna, especially garlic bologna, tastes real good just rolled up and eaten as a snack.
Lily -- that's my cat, not my girlfriend -- loves bologna, too. Especially when I rip off a little piece and toss it across the kitchen. She'll chase it down and scarf it up. And give me those begging eyes for more! Who can say no to Lily when she gives that look?
My research shows that bologna has been around since the 1500s, so there must be something good about it. I've decided that bologna will no longer be a stranger in my refrigerator.
Now some people might feel that this blog is just a lot of baloney, but I say give a bologna sandwich a try for lunch today. You might be pleasantly surprised!
Comments
I just discovered this blog site. As a Plattsburgh native who has not lived in the North Country for 28 years, I visit the Press Republican's website almost daily. I have been enjoying reading your blog's about so many things I am familiar with. But the baloney really made me smile. We eat what my parents called "garlic" baloney. I think my dad got it from Canada and we almost always had to fry it. It is related to the "red hot dogs" (my kids call them this when they come visit grandma) which are skinned, garlic and attached to each other. Both the baloney and hot dogs were just the best and to this day I cannot find anything quite like. PS Thanks for all the great stories and references to people and places. It is a lot of fun for me.
(Foxy's note: Welcome to the blog. Thanks for your coments.)
Posted by: Lscholfield | December 10, 2007 4:21 PM
Much better than bologna is light mortadella, I don't know if you can get the light version in the US. A few slices of light mortadella, turkey and quality swiss cheese on a Montreal bagel with spicy mustard. Delicious.
(Foxy's note: Well, Norm, that's a new one on me. Mortadella. Never heard of it till today!)
Posted by: norm | September 13, 2007 1:55 PM
since we're sharing bologna secrets, there's nothing like a bologna, american cheese, french's mustard with crush potato chip sandwich...very handy when you're on the go! (sometimes I add a few cucumbers to the mix)
crusher, I love ya but that combo of yours doesn't cut the mustard!
Posted by: the carver | September 10, 2007 8:04 AM
Foxy: When I was younger, I worked and hung around too, at Fountain and Lucas grocery store. The biggest selling bologna was Bilinski's garlic bologna. I haven't seen garlic bologna in many years, so now I have to settle for Glazier's bung bologna when I'm in the northcountry. Slice of fresh tomato, lettuce maybe and mayo. What more could you ask for in a sandwich. B-O-L-O-G-N-A
Posted by: Fred Forkey | September 10, 2007 7:51 AM
Foxy, fried bolonga is fantastic and tastes like ham. You really should give it a try when you're feeling bolder. As for good old bolonga on fresh bread with mustard, what can I say? One of the best sandwiches around. (Maybe you can throw together a couple at the end of the month when I look at that dishwasher!)
(Foxy's note: Great idea, Woody!)
Posted by: woody | September 10, 2007 7:45 AM
Foxy,
Try toasting the bread. Butter it right out of the toaster (lots of butter of course) cheese and what I like is Ketchup. Great sandwich. I have even had bologna with PB and J. I don't suspect you will try that one either. What can I say. Wish I could have been there Saturday.
(Foxy's note: No way am I trying that peanut butter and jelly combo!)
Posted by: crusher | September 9, 2007 7:20 PM
foxy...you have to add a slice of tomatoe and lettuce to complete the ultimate bologna sandwich
(Foxy's note: OK, Bill, will try that!)
Posted by: bill glasscock | September 9, 2007 1:38 PM
If you like balogna you should really taste true Polish kielbasy (not the ones sold prepackages in local stores here ) but real Polish butcher made.
I am always in search for the perfect kielbasy that I enjoyed and savored in Greenpoint, Brooklyn as a kid.
My daughter brought some from Buffalo from a Polish vendor, but unfortunately, didn't meet my expectations of my Polish palate.
Ive had some from Syracuse at the Polish Village, a bar on east Genessee St. It was close.
Then Tom Caron, knowing of my quest had his Polish hunting buddy, Louie, from Utica, bring me some from there.
It was delicious, but still lacked something.
Chris Rowlson, then of the Detroit area, said he found the perfect kielbasy and promised endless times he would send me some. Alas, he never did. Now that he is in Tennessee, I don't expect too many Polish butchers there and wouldn't want to savor possum patties.
Finally, Fred Forkey came up from Saratoga to play in 4th ward tourney with me and brought about 10 lbs of 3 varieties from a Polish butcher he discovered in Latham. Of the three varieties he brought, one was perfect the other was close, but the 3rd was a disappointment, but I ate anyhow. Thanks, Fred.
There are many ways to prepare kielbasy to satisfy the most discriminating kielbasy gourmet. I'll let you know someday when I see you in the local pub.
Baloney for bologna--- Seek the delicious kielbasy
Skip
(Foxy's note: You've got me hungry, Skip!)
Posted by: skip Zatonski | September 9, 2007 9:59 AM
Foxy, try adding a slice or two of American cheese from the deli on that sandwich. Makes it even better, especially with German bologna, at least that is what I ask for at the deli and from the intoxicating smell you had in your car, sounds like the same stuff. Our cat, Willow, loves a few bites of bologna and cheese, too. She is a constant companion when I sit down on the couch with a sandwich to watch some TV.
(Foxy's note: Sounds like a good idea. I'll try it!)
Posted by: Pete | September 8, 2007 5:25 PM