The Cracked Acorn: Cold Cut

When did you last hear someone say, “Oh, that is a lot of baloney!”

I was placing an order at the delicatessen for a 1/4 pound of a popular cold cut sandwich meat when I recalled that we always called it “baloney.” The real name is bologna. You remember OSCAR MAYER promoted it in a TV jingle – “OSCAR MAYER has a way with B-O-L-O-G-N-A.” This helped children to spell it correctly.

When I was in grade school the cafeteria made good use of baloney, placed between two slices of white bread swimming in amply applied mayonnaise. You could expect this a few days a week with a side of Spanish rice. I don’t ever remember anyone getting food poisoning from just eating baloney by itself; it travels well because of the several spices, salt, vinegar, sugar, and secret curing processes. Baloney is the main staple of our world. Its origin is from the Roman city of Bologna. Italians call it mortadella cured with pistachios. If you are thinking of making a sandwich it is probably going to have a slice of it hidden among lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise. Whatever is leftover from chicken, beef, pork, and veal scraps are found in the common American brand of bologna. I was given a free slice at the deli and I still found it delicious and filling. I did feel the biological clock running faster(Psalm 90:10); it does not fall into the class of healthy foods.

From its scrappy nature is derived the slang word “baloney.” This can be stretched to mean lies, trash, nonsense, and unreliable and unworthy natures – not to be entangled with or fooled around with any sincereness. If you tell someone face to face that they are full of baloney, you should have your dukes up or be running at the time.

The origin of cured meats probably goes back to when armies were formed and laid siege to walled cities. It may have helped to create the Roman Empire and give us part of our rich heritage. The Romans have been credited with founding a senate-type government. They built roads to connect their conquered lands and aqueducts to add to the water supply. Buildings have stood the test of time due to their discovery of cement. We do not speak Latin but once upon a time it was required for certain professions.

The spread of Christianity was aided by the roads built by the Romans. Paul traveled the Appian Way to Rome; this road exists today (Acts 28:15). In Acts, he was about to be beaten and let it be known that he was a Roman citizen. He had bought this and asked to be treated as such under Roman law (Acts 22:27). Much of the New Testament falls under the time of the Roman Empire.

A campaign slogan by a woman running for office in Portland, Oregon in the 1930s was “Don’t mix your taffy with your baloney and applesauce, and the kisses will take care of themselves.” I never had taffy and baloney together, applesauce – yes! Politics must have been different in those days.