Can you remember biting into a slice of pizza -- and watching, as a long string of hot mozzarella cheese grew longer and longer, attaching your mouth to the slice of pie? You’d try to separate yourself, while at the same time inhaling the warm, wonderful aroma of cooked garlic, tomato sauce and tasty cheese.
It's one of those things that were a regular experience at restaurants years ago but that now seems to be fading away like a pair of bell-bottom jeans.
We first mentioned this back in late May and it's become one of our most popular posts: What ever happened to certain restaurant menu items -- like Red Flannel Hash, Country Fried Chicken and Consommé - that we once enjoyed? They were once dishes you’d expected to find at any decent diner or neighborhood restaurant – like sides of pickled beets or a grapefruit half.
Now they've largely forgotten -- replaced by Lobster Mac & Cheese and Reese's Pieces Ice Cream.
(Below is the original "What Ever Happened To…? Food Division, Part 1).
At a barbecue last night, some friends reminded us of other dishes that were once almost everywhere.
For example, what ever happened to Chicken à la King - diced chicken and vegetables in a cream sauce – and the sauce sometimes was only a can of condensed mushroom soup. (In fact, what ever happened to mushroom soup? Or ANY soup as an appetizer?) It was served over rice, bread or pasta.
(Of course, no one but Italian people called it "pasta". It was just "spaghetti" or 'noodles".)
And where’s the Creamed Chip Beef? It was a popular military dish during World War II and the meal - a salty concoction served on bread - was nicknamed by servicemen "S.O.S" (i.e., "S--t On a Shingle").
And when was the last time you had meat pie?
Or a boiled dinner -- now mostly available only on St. Patrick's Day, when Corned Beef and Cabbage makes it annual appearance. (In general, cabbage - and its German relative sauerkraut - are tough to find anywhere these days.)
Fish lovers can lament the passing of Oyster Stew - with those little 'baby' oyster crackers - and Salmon Pie.
Last time, we talked about the departure of Grapenut Pudding from the desert menu at T-Bones in Laconia. But what about ANY pudding? Or Jell-O, which was also a frequent choice, particularly at diners.Can you find these dishes at some eateries? Sure, sometimes. In fact, in the Lakes Region you'l find lots of old-fashioned diner food at the Tilt'n Diner in Tilton and at other neigborhood spots. In fact, George's Diner in Meredith has practically made a practice of serving classic goodies like the New England Boiled Dinner, Yankee Pot Road, Chicken Pot Pie and Franks & Beans. But these dishes are fading fast from our tables, replaced by Chicken McNuggets and Iced Peppermint White Chocolate Lattes. And we're all a little poorer - and hungrier - for the passing. Of course, there's always hope they'll make a comeback. After all, almost no one was serving Macaroni and Cheese until someone thought of adding lobster to it.
What Ever Happened To...? (Food Division, Part I)Remember Red Flannel Hash? It used to be a regular item on many New England diner menus. Recently it was revived at the Déjà Vu Diner in Laconia. Potatoes, corned beef, onions, beets... And it got us to thinking about other restaurant foods that are no longer as popular as they once were. For instance, you used to be able to order a single soft-boiled egg for breakfast and have it served in a tiny stand-up cup; you had to carefully crack open the egg with your spoon and 'dig in'. (But it was tough getting toast into that tiny hole, which may be one reason it's not seen much any more.)Or breakfast foods like a glass of prune juice or a half-grapefruit. (I confess it's been a while since we've been in the Déjà Vu so they may have these on their menu; we know they serve plenty of good, hearty meals.)Or how about lunch and dinner items like liver-and-onions or country fried steak - both of which are still available at the Tilt'n Diner, if you can believe that.But what about a tongue sandwich? (Yes, you could buy one years ago.) Or a glass of tomato juice with a slice of lemon on the side? And what ever happen to a sprig of parsley - which was sometimes mentioned on the menu as part of the meal? Consommé is a strong soup that was listed on the Titanic's second-class dinner menu the night it sunk.What about french fries with gravy, which lots of diner patrons loved? Or a cherry - or vanilla - Coke? Yes, you can buy bottles of them now but they were once only available at bars and restaurants where enterprising dining people added the flavorful syrup to the soda at the counter. We just learned that the grapenut custard pudding has recently disappeared from the menu at T-Bones in Laconia. Too bad... a yummy, smooth pudding but apparently not as popular as the peanut butter banana cream pie or carrot cake. Can you think of other restaurant menu items that are no longer available?
Maybe we can get the Déjà Vu or Tilt'n diners to revive a few of them.
