A Fond Memory From My Childhood on National Bologna Day

Life can often be a misery. Today, though, I want to celebrate a warm and fuzzy memory from my childhood.

In the past, I've been called a gourmand. The definition from merriam-webster.com is, "one who is excessively fond of eating and drinking, one who is heartily interested in good food and drink." Truth be told, I do love to eat and try new things. I'm not shy about it, and don't ask me the question, "Can you finish all of that?" Especially when sushi is involved.

But I also have many fond memories of the "plain and simple" food from my childhood, and today, I want to celebrate one of them. Baloney. You heard right — the National Day Calendar proclaims Oct. 24th as National Bologna Day, or as I grew up calling it — "baloney."

This deliciousness, yes I called it delicious, got its start in Bologna, Italy, and spread from there. This deli staple is used differently around the country. Some places, it's a breakfast item, others, a staple in barbecue.

I grew up eating it often for breakfast. I was that weird kid who didn't like cereal — the milk made it too mushy — or oatmeal, to runny. And my eggs had to be cooked well-done. One day, my mom tossed some bologna in the frying pan, and I was hooked. I ate it for breakfast with my well-cooked eggs and for lunch as a sandwich.

To this day, I still make fried "baloney" sandwiches, and a pretty awesome casserole with it too. And speaking of things we grew up with, a staple around my hubby's house was Lebanon Bologna, and now it's a staple in ours. Let me tell you that every time I order at the deli, someone in line asks, "what's that?" I've turned them onto its smokey goodness, and I'm here to tell you that if you haven't ever tried it, you need to. Trust me on this.

So, there you go. In a crazy world, sometimes you just need to step back and celebrate the unusual.

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