Cold mornings, sometimes warmed only to 19° with a biting windchill of 0°, often called for simple, hearty breakfasts that were as much about nourishment as they were about memories. This dish is a stroll down memory lane—a meal born out of frugality, creativity, and love, reminding one of the ways large families thrived on limited resources.
My parents raised a lot of kids—10 in total, though never more than six lived at home at once—on not much money. About 16 miles away, a local packing plant offered « imperfects, » which were the oddly shaped hot dogs and bologna, or the leftover scraps when a log of lunch meat was sliced. These came in 10-pound boxes that cost less than a single package of the standard “good” slices. My mom would carefully slice the larger pieces for sandwiches or meals, while the remaining meat was ground for ham salad or fried to make bologna gravy—a staple in our household.
We also made trips to the Wonder Bread store to purchase day-old loaves at a fraction of the price. These loaves, sometimes accompanied by the occasional iced sweet roll with a little blob of jelly, were frozen to be used later. When prepared as bologna gravy served over bread, these simple ingredients came together to create a hearty, satisfying meal that was inexpensive, frequent, and deeply comforting. Though Mom made the best homemade bread, rolls, and cinnamon rolls, there was a special treat in pulling a loaf from the freezer, savoring the taste that made the humble bologna gravy meal feel special.
Ingredients
See more on the next page
Advertisement
