My dear husband, who often works long hours on the road in rural parts of Virginia (he is in sales) snapped this gem of a photo while touring the back roads of Grottoes, Virginia, which is not far from Weyers Cave (pronounced Weeerz not Wirez FYI), and is home to the fabulous Grand Caverns a.k.a. "America's Oldest Show Cave" (who knew?) and I just had to share it. You see...this sign spoke to me, and not just because it has a whole mess of hammy goodness drawn all over it (and cabbage for .44 cents a pound), but because they sell cloth bologna.
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| Image credit: Northern VA Daily |
So, what the heck is cloth bologna? Basically, cloth bologna it bologna (a.k.a. various pieces parts, and let me emphasis the word "parts" here) all smushed up together and stored in a cloth bag instead of a more traditional casing (as in the red plastic stuff) with the argument being that the cloth bag lets in more air so all the pieces parts can "breathe" (this, and the fact that cloth bologna is homemade all the way).
Personally, I never grew up eating the stuff, mainly because it wasn't readily available where I lived, but I am seeing it offered more and more at produce stands throughout Virginia, so it has piqued my interest. I dig nothing more than a bologna sandwich on soft white bread (with just a squeeze of yellow mustard) and I figure a slice of the homemade stuff will make the perfect addition. Total, awesome kid food.
With a little assistance from the interwebs, I did find this article from Northern Virginia Daily featuring Crabill's Meats out of Toms Brook, Virginia, who apparently make a pretty fine version of cloth bologna that they boast isn't "junk bologna" (slaughter room floor goodies). Instead, they've "upped the quality" by using the same meats they use for making homemade sausages. I'm curious to check this place out, and the next time my husband passes through Grottoes, I'm gonna send him with a $20 bill to pick me up some of the good stuff
Personally, I never grew up eating the stuff, mainly because it wasn't readily available where I lived, but I am seeing it offered more and more at produce stands throughout Virginia, so it has piqued my interest. I dig nothing more than a bologna sandwich on soft white bread (with just a squeeze of yellow mustard) and I figure a slice of the homemade stuff will make the perfect addition. Total, awesome kid food.
With a little assistance from the interwebs, I did find this article from Northern Virginia Daily featuring Crabill's Meats out of Toms Brook, Virginia, who apparently make a pretty fine version of cloth bologna that they boast isn't "junk bologna" (slaughter room floor goodies). Instead, they've "upped the quality" by using the same meats they use for making homemade sausages. I'm curious to check this place out, and the next time my husband passes through Grottoes, I'm gonna send him with a $20 bill to pick me up some of the good stuff
Have you tried cloth bologna? I'd love to know what you think and where you found it.
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It's way better if you burn it a little, in the pan when you fry it. Place it in that soft white bread w/ Dukes mayonaise, tellicherry black pepper; and take a bite.
ReplyDeleteOh, I love fried bologna, and I totally dig the idea of adding the tellicherry peppers. I will try this!
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by.
Kendra
I love it ! Got mine at Gayles Market on RT 33 west of Massanutten
ReplyDeleteI live just a few miles from Grottoes in Harrisonburg. I grew up with this stuff. We used to buy it at the Clover Hill Market, but it's no longer there. My favorite sandwich was cloth bologna on white bread with mayo, cheddar and thick sliced onions. Another local favorite - Martin's Potato chips, goes great right on the sandwich. It gives it a crunch and the bbq seasoning.
ReplyDeleteI love this story Will! Sounds like the perfect sandwich for me. Thanks for sharing your comment!
ReplyDeleteKendra
Cloth bologna rules! So hard to find here in the deep deep South, though. VERY occasionally 1 or 2 of these make their way here, I suspect by accident. The ones we see here are skinny, have a cloth bag, a blue USDA stamp, and are dipped in paraffin wax. Those will keep in the fridge up to a month while you slice away at it and enjoy! They usually don't last anywhere near that long, though.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know where you can still buy cloth bologna
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know where you can still buy cloth bologna?
ReplyDeleteGayles Market, Country Side Market, the IGA in Shenandoah.
ReplyDeleteI like mine on white bread with a slice of garden tomato, some thick cut onion, a little mayo, and a dash of pepper.
I'm gonna have to go get some, now that you've reminded me of the stuff.