The Old-School Deli Meat You Don't See Anyone Eat Anymore - Tasting Table

"By the 1950s, pre-sliced and packaged deli meat was hailed as a time-saving invention for "homemakers," and bologna sandwiches were packed into millions of lunch boxes and bags. Then, in 1970s, Oscar Mayer had success with its vacuum sealed-packaging, and it began selling as much bologna as it did hot dogs with its famous jingle. At the same time, Oscar Meyer introduced a line of various deli meats - one of which was olive loaf: a bologna-like sausage studded with sliced pimento-stuffed olives."

"Olive loaf had a significantly more appetizing appearance than several other Oscar Meyer deli meats - the bar-b-que loaf, picnic loaf, and head cheese, which resembled cobbled-and-glued together chunks of not-quite recognizable meats, in particular. Bejeweled with flecks of red and green, olive loaf had a Mediterranean flare that looked and tasted more elegant than other deli meats, and it was often served as toothpick-speared cubes for an hors d'oeuvre."

Bologna became the dominant American deli meat in the early 20th century after immigrant German butchers introduced sausage-making skills. Pre-sliced, packaged deli meat gained popularity in the 1950s as a time-saving product, and Oscar Mayer's vacuum-sealed packaging in the 1970s helped bologna rival hot dog sales. Oscar Meyer introduced olive loaf, a bologna-like sausage studded with pimento-stuffed olives. Olive loaf presented a more appetizing, Mediterranean appearance and was served as toothpick-speared cubes, but it never matched bologna's popularity. Olive loaf was an ultra-processed food and declined in favor as low-fat diets rose in the 1990s. Mortadella differs as a traditional, less-processed Italian sausage.

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