I should be doing one of my tidbits columns but I’ve become fixated on food items of the past and wonder where they are now.
I think about those ready-made hamburgers you would get from a vending machine and put it in a special oven (precursor to microwave). How about the hot soup from the vending machines that tasted like Lipton’s chicken noodle soup? I miss the old time coddies, the really good ones and fountain cokes with chocolate or cherry syrup. A select number of people would add ammonia to cokes but I never had the heart to taste one.
Do any of you remember the Original Crispy Pizza that you assembled at home and popped in your oven? Are they still selling PEZ? Aah, let me not forget the Harley Burger which I have mentioned before, a true gastronomic delight.
Who was the first person to put gravy on French fries and what inspired them? They used to sell candy apples outside my elementary school and then they stopped, why? I always preferred the caramel apples to the candy red apples.
Do you remember Mei Yong Lo restaurant on Mulberry Street? Whatever happened to Irene? I remember sitting on the steps waiting for a table but really don’t remember the food being that great – it just was a fun place to go.
They still do snowballs but does anyone still order chocolate with marshmallow topping?
There is plenty to write about just not enough time to get it all down for you. I’m off to the Fancy Food Show and hope to be doing some live posts from the Javits Center as to new products and trends.
Comments
where can a person find a real snoball these days??
Not a Hawaiian ice "thing"!
Oh my goodness yes, I remember Harley Burgers. Born in Baltimore and raised in Richmond it was such a treat when visiting family I would make a beeline for Harley's. We have plenty of sub shops in Virginia but nothing like a Harley Burger. I wish I could find the recipe somewhere. I would love to share this delicious sandwich with my daughters and grandchildren.
Fred E. Winterling of Baltimore responded with the chef's choice. He wrote: "My wife and I also grew up in the '50s and have been making Harley burgers at home for many years. It is a very simple recipe in terms of ingredients, but the method of cooking is extremely important. The use of fresh ground beef is a no-no. The secret is to use frozen beef patties unflavored and cooked exactly as directed."
Fred's Harley burgers
Makes 2 whole subs or 4 half subs
2 whole sub rolls, very fresh
8 frozen beef patties (2 ounces each)
2 large onions, sliced in rings
2 cups water
1 teaspoon A-1 steak sauce
1/3 cup ketchup
salt and pepper to taste
Saute frozen beef patties in large skillet over medium heat until half done (about 30 seconds on each side). Remove from pan and set aside on plate. Empty excess grease from pan and add the water, steak sauce, ketchup and salt and pepper. Stir and cook about 2 minutes and then return beef patties to pan. Simmer over low heat about 10 minutes until patties are thoroughly cooked. Make sure patties are just barely covered and add water as necessary to replace sauce that has cooked down.
'll enclose the link for you also .... http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1997-08-06/features/1997218131_1_beef-p...
When I was in high school in the 70's, the club I was a member of traveled to Baltimore for our club convention. The first trip there, by accident, I found the restaurant and went inside. I saw the sign "Harley burgers: and asked for one. They took the burger out of the pan soaking in that mysterious red liquid. It was, to this day, the best burger I have ever eaten. The second trip to Baltimore, I spent an entire afternoon locating that restaurant and after finding it, had another Harley burger. For some reason, the burger came to mind and I decided to if it would be possible to find the restaurant on the internet but to my surprise I find the business is closed and no more Harley burgers are available. If anyone knows of the recipe for the burger...please post it on the internet.
Fred E. Winterling of Baltimore responded with the chef's choice. He wrote: "My wife and I also grew up in the '50s and have been making Harley burgers at home for many years. It is a very simple recipe in terms of ingredients, but the method of cooking is extremely important. The use of fresh ground beef is a no-no. The secret is to use frozen beef patties unflavored and cooked exactly as directed."
Fred's Harley burgers
Makes 2 whole subs or 4 half subs
2 whole sub rolls, very fresh
8 frozen beef patties (2 ounces each)
2 large onions, sliced in rings
2 cups water
1 teaspoon A-1 steak sauce
1/3 cup ketchup
salt and pepper to taste
Saute frozen beef patties in large skillet over medium heat until half done (about 30 seconds on each side). Remove from pan and set aside on plate. Empty excess grease from pan and add the water, steak sauce, ketchup and salt and pepper. Stir and cook about 2 minutes and then return beef patties to pan. Simmer over low heat about 10 minutes until patties are thoroughly cooked. Make sure patties are just barely covered and add water as necessary to replace sauce that has cooked down.
'll enclose the link for you also .... http://articles.baltimoresun.com/1997-08-06/features/1997218131_1_beef-p...
The other day I found a vending machine that sold PEZ and it was so great! I missed those little guys and it came in a Batman dispenser! http://mi-vending.com
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