There is a short list of foods that defined my childhood. My father was born and raised in Alabama and my mother is a native Ohioan with roots in Appalachian Southeast Ohio. I grew up on beans and cornbread (Alabama influence) and midwestern staples like Meatloaf, Salsbury Steak, and Tuna Casserole.

However, for a quick lunch, nothing hit the spot like a good Fried Bologna sandwich. We ate them two ways. Fried with mustard on white bread or with breakfast on toast with a fried egg. We never had it with cheese. If we had cheese we just ate a cheese sandwich. Fried bologna eaters fall into two camps. Those that cut the bologna halfway across the diameter and those that don’t cut. The Suddith’s are solid no cut people. Of course, the bologna curled up into a big dome and the edges got a bit more done than the middle, but that is how we do it. We are split on toppings. No cheese ever, but we waffle back and forth between mayo and mustard. Always on white bread, never a bun.

This week I am celebrating and I invite you to as well. Hasty Tasty is my go-to for fried bologna on sandwich bread. Georges on North Dixie does it really well and they dress it up with lettuce, tomato and make it a bit prettier.

I have also found a good sandwich in the least likely of spots, and that is local wing joint Frickers.

Here are the details. Celebrate responsibly and let us know in the comments, cheese or no cheese, mustard or mayo.

Hasty Tasty

or as the old timers call it, Bunny’s.

3509 Linden Ave, Dayton, OH 45410

5:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily

Bologna as a side for breakfast. One of the few in Dayton. Off menu, ask for the bologna sandwich. Trust me. They’ll make it.

George’s Family Restaurant

5216 N. Dixie Dr. Dayton, OH, 45414 (937) 275-0705

Monday – Thursday 7AM-8PM

Friday and Saturday 7AM-9PM

Sunday 7AM-3PM

It is located low on the menu, dressed with lettuce and tomato, and comes with cheese, chips and a pickle, $5.75. Hard to beat this classic sandwich in a classic American diner.

Fricker’s