Shellb, Max et al.: To say that mortadella and bologna are the same thing is like saying that hamburger is the same as filet mignon.

Firstly, bologna is made entirely of very finely ground meat with a uniform color and texture. Secondly, bologna is made of pork and beef in some proportion or other. In my family, bologna sandwiches were eaten when you ran out of anything better, or when you couldn't afford anything better.

Italian mortadella, and its USn imitations, is usually somewhat larger and also comes in a considerably larger piece the slices of which are larger than a large slice of bread. It is somewhat more coarsely ground than bologna and it has rather large white globs in it (lard). It may also have pistachios in it. A sandwich of pistachio mortadella is no cheap plebean bologna sandwich. The taste of bologna and American mortadella is, however, similar, the reason being that they are both made of pork, veal, and/or beef.

Italian mortadella, however, has a better flavor and the reason is (did you know this, Max) -- it's made with horsemeat!

Italian (horsemeat) mortadella can not be made in the U.S. or imported into the U.S.; only the imitation is available here, since it is illegal everywhere to sell horsemeat for human consumption. Pity. The USDA and other USn state authorities could learn a lot from a boucherie chevaline or macelleria cavallina. Horsemeat is quite tasty.