Old Farts Eating PIZZA

[NoBozo]

Tonight ..Wife and I....Having cocktails, listening to Glen Miller, and waiting for the Hurricane....(and also Celebrating our 44th)...... so we ordered Take Out PIZZA. :)

Just started wondering if any old farts up at the lake can remember PIZZA back in 1941. Was it invented yet? I was born just before Pearl Harbor so I can't remember....I was only a Crumb Cruncher then. :D :D NB

[Slickcraft]

Happy 44th doing what you enjoy!

Our 33rd was Aug 19, a Thursday. We normally go down to the 20th Skeet and Clays in Hookset for the Thursday evening sporting clays shoot so we were torn, go out to dinner or load the guns in the vehicle and shoot with the usual group of friends. We opted for shooting with the friends and the usual burgers and beer after.

OK, we did make it over to the Lyon's Den for dinner another day.

BTW, I'm at least two years younger so definitely not an old fart:D

[Argie's Wife]

I love Glenn Miller and I'm not an old fart - so neither are YOU!

Happy Anniversary, you kids.

[Sal]

I am indeed an "old fart". Both of my parents were born in Sicily and I was fed pizza from an early age.
My recollection is that in East Boston, the neighborhood bakeries baked (of course) bread and as a side-line, baked pizza in big oblong pans. This stuff was about an inch thick, had sparse tomato and a bit of cheese and spices on top. Not as good as my mother's, but at a nickle a "square" (about a 4" square), not bad.
Again, my recollection is that pizza began taking hold on Revere Beach in the
early 50s, competing with Rudolph's Pepper Steaks and Kohr Bros. frozen custard. Bianchi's Pizza, near the end of the amusement section of the beach, had the reputation of being the best on the beach.
Santarpio's was a bar on Chelsea St. in E. Boston, next to a bakery. I think they eventually cut a hole in the wall, from the bar to the bakery, so the bar patrons could get a piece of pizza. "Santarpio's" is now building a new place on Rt 1, Peabody. Not open for business yet, but I doubt they'll re-create the same flavor. Need "old fart ovens" for that.
Yes, Glen Miller was great, but the best CD of Glen Miller music is the re-creation, with a band playing the old charts and Julius LaRosa singing the Tex Benake parts, all in super duper stereo hi fi.

For REAL pizza history, try this:

http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/Pizza/PizzaHistory.htm

[Chickie]

I believe pizzas did not appear on the scene in this area until around 1950. It is my first recollection of them anyway. I recall that there was a sign in the window of a local restaurant, which read “Hot Pizzas” and we had no idea what they were. The restaurant was known more for its liquid refreshments than exquisite cuisine and was located on the street level of a block, with tenements above. It was usually referred to as a “beer joint” by locals, and was where all the town characters congregated to solve the world’s problems.

Porches were often called piazzas at that time and one day when passing by the restaurant and seeing the sign for the first time, my mother read it as “Hot Piazzas”. --- Hot Piazzas? What’s that? It was a hoot when we learned what they were. I think the first ones we ever tasted were from a box – all the ingredients to concoct the thing brought to you by Chef Boyardee. We purchased our first TV in 1954 and our midnight snack while watching the “snow” on the tube was often a Chef Boyardee pizza. Life didn’t get any better than that! It became a family joke to refer to them as hot piazzas to tease my Mom.

[WinnDixie]

Oh Chickie!! How far back does this take me?? Of course you and I already know just how OLD we particular old farts are...and so much for that!! It's too scary! We DO console ourselves with the hope that we are wise, now...had a long time to gather knowledge!!

But now you refer to "piazzas", and that goes WAY back! Heard that word a lot as a kid; you just don't today. Back then people had piazzas and also "dooryards"!

Moving on to pizza...the first I ever heard/saw was about 1950 in Manchester one day. A sign said "Pizza pies"--we'd never heard of it. Now that Chef BoyArdee stuff (in that yellow box)!! Didn't have a round pan, so had to stretch the dough out in a square one. Pretty scant amounts of the sauce and cheese, too! We thought that was really good...can you even imagine?? When we get together with couples who are now ancient like us, that stuff is one thing we laugh about making "back in the day". Congratulations to you,however. My family didn't get a TV until 1957!

[Chickie]

My brother at age 16 was the first pizza chef in our household and introduced us to Chef Boyardee. The box of mix was rather small to hold all those ingredients, so you really had to stretch that old dough and often ended up doing a lot of patching in the process. Heck, no, we didn’t have a round pizza pan either – not in the beginning at least. We were happy with the rectangular or square ones – all tasted the same anyway.

Old farts, indeed, but ones with great memories. Can tell we are getting up in years when we find our news at the cemetery. Having little gave us a greater appreciation of what we did have and we enjoyed the simple things of life to the fullest. Wonder if Chef Boyardee still makes a boxed pizza mix? Will have to take a look-see the next time I am at the supermarket. If so, will give it a whirl for old time’s sake to see what I have been missing. Wonder if it will be as good as it was then?

[RailroadJoe]

Had the 4" square pizza from the local Italian bakery for 10 cents back in 1945. Just north of Boston.

[Tomt]

Sal, now were talking may just go to Bianchi's tonight. Great night for Pizza on the beach.

[WinnDixie]

I had to get back on to talk a bit about frozen custard. Now that stuff...I mean the early version of it...was DELICIOUS!! I encountered that for the first time on a camping trip in the late 40's with my family out in New York State...never had seen it in NH at that point. It was so rich and flavorful, we were looking for places to get it the whole trip...the soft serve ice cream of today pales in comparison! I remember being disappointed when we got home and it wasn't to be found. Sorry, DQ, but yours doesn't come close to that early frozen custard. Would you agree, Sal?

[john60ri]

Back in the early "60s, there was a pizza vendor that used to come round my neighborhood in an old truck, selling slices. Never forget what he used to yell out -- "Pizza pie uh 10 cents uh delish!" -- accent on the "lish". Italian vendor, heavy Italian accent. First time I ever heard of pizza. Also there was a waffle truck, a hot weiner truck, and a guy hawking the Record American newspaper for the guys who needed the listings for Narragansett Race Track or the dog track. Also on Saturday afternoons, some evangelicals used to come by in an old station wagon and try to convert us Catholics to the Protestant faith. They didn't have much luck. Ah, the memories!

[Slickcraft]

They still make it! That was the first pizza I ever had.

http://www.chefboyardee.com/tasteefood/kits.jsp

[Sal]

Sorry, DQ, but yours doesn't come close to that early frozen custard. Would you agree, Sal?

The "frozen custard was HEAVY. Very flavorfull and made in only a few flavors. Best was Tuttifrutti, with pieces of dried fruit and raisins, with a rum background. Comparing that stuff to DQ is like comparing a Porsche to an MG.

[NoBozo]

Some of the comments here have brought up more memorys..that I hadn't expected. :)

There was an AD on TV a long time ago that comes to mind: I can't remember what they were selling....maybe Italian Spagetti sauce...I don't know.

The Setup: The AD, had an Italian Looking guy doing his lines (Over and Over) and there were multiple "Takes". In those days going behind the lines to see what it takes to make an AD were just not done.

He was supposed to say: "ATTSa Speecy Meat A Ball". The various "Takes" were hilarious.

Any ideas what they were selling..? NB

[ishoot308]

Some of the comments here have brought up more memorys..that I hadn't expected. :)

There was an AD on TV a long time ago that comes to mind: I can't remember what they were selling....maybe Italian Spagetti sauce...I don't know.

The Setup: The AD, had an Italian Looking guy doing his lines (Over and Over) and there were multiple "Takes". In those days going behind the lines to see what it takes to make an AD were just not done.
He was supposed to say: "ATTSa Speecy Meat A Ball". The various "Takes" were hilarious.

Any ideas what they were selling..? NB

It was either Alka Seltzer or Pepto Bismol I believe.

Dan

[Jonas Pilot]

"Dat's a speecy spicey meat-a-bole!"

[lfm]

It was either Alka Seltzer or Pepto Bismol I believe.

Dan

Plop,plot fizz, fizz, oh what a relief it is. ... was

Alka Seltzer

[Argie's Wife]

"Dat's a speecy spicey meat-a-bole!"

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And for our love birds.....


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[Yosemite Sam]

Reading some of the comments in this thread, it looks like there are a lot of bored people in the lakes region.

[Rinkerfam]

Jean Shepherd could have put together a short story from the threads posted here...Good Stuff!

[angela4design]

I love this thread! This is actually my father's generation, and I can't wait to ask him about it to hear his stories, probably including side stories about my Italian Memere's kitchen!

[WinnDixie]

Sorry, DQ, but yours doesn't come close to that early frozen custard. Would you agree, Sal?

The "frozen custard was HEAVY. Very flavorfull and made in only a few flavors. Best was Tuttifrutti, with pieces of dried fruit and raisins, with a rum background. Comparing that stuff to DQ is like comparing a Porsche to an MG.

#1--That Tuttifruitti...hmmm...wonder if that's why so many old farts (like my husband) love Frozen Pudding ice cream?? And THAT's only hanging on--it seems--in Northern New England!

#2--If we can put a man on the moon, why can't we still make Frozen Custard?? Look at the whole generation that hasn't had a chance to try it!!

[Slickcraft]

We never got real bottled soda to drink with our Chef Boyardee box pizza. If we were lucky, there was some Zarex syrup to mix with water so we could have a non carbonated soft drink rather than plain water.

[Janet]

We never got real bottled soda to drink with our Chef Boyardee box pizza. If we were lucky, there was some Zarex syrup to mix with water so we could have a non carbonated soft drink rather than plain water.

We also never had soda. Always had Cott Syrup mixed with water. My one treat every once in a while was Moxie. I know, many would not call this a treat, but I still drink it when I'm at the lake.

[NoBozo]

If you couldn't find the syrup, you could aways count on the "Flavor Straw". :D NB

[Sal]

As a kid, I could not abide Moxie. They seem to have dumbed it down a bit by taking the essence of spinach juice out of it, lately.
My favorites were "birch beer" and "cream soda" ... but once in a while, I'd get a Royal Crown Cola because the bottle was twice as big for the same nickel price.

Let me apologize to anyone reading this who is 60 or younger. Just ignore the whole darn thread.

[Argie's Wife]

We also never had soda. Always had Cott Syrup mixed with water. My one treat every once in a while was Moxie. I know, many would not call this a treat, but I still drink it when I'm at the lake.

http://cache.boston.com/bonzai-fba/Third_Party_Photo/2008/03/12/1205359393_3246.jpg



...or Ovaltene... or better yet, Coffee Time Coffee Syrup:


http://www.crossroads-market.com/images/HFST112.JPG

[Chickie]

Our preferred drink was home made root beer. My Mom always made a batch or two during the summer months and it certainly was far superior to Zarex or Kool-Aid. We had a special capper and helped to pull the lever down to cap the old beer bottles we had collected for the purpose. The bottles were laid on their sides in a warm place and covered over with a blanket. In a few days we began to ask if the root beer was ready yet.

The first few bottles were rather benign and flat, but as time went by and the yeast began to work its wonders, they erupted like Mt. Vesuvius when opened. By the time the last bottle was used, no one could guarantee that there wasn’t at least some alcoholic content. We knew it was way past its “use by” date when we began to hear the caps popping off the bottles in the cellar. It was time to make another batch.

Man that stuff made good Black Cows!

[Irish mist]

As a kid, I could not abide Moxie. They seem to have dumbed it down a bit by taking the essence of spinach juice out of it, lately.
My favorites were "birch beer" and "cream soda" ... but once in a while, I'd get a Royal Crown Cola because the bottle was twice as big for the same nickel price.

Let me apologize to anyone reading this who is 60 or younger. Just ignore the whole darn thread.

FYI Royal Crown Cola ( the best cola brand IMHO ) is what Sam's Club uses in their cola at Wal-Mart. Same stuff as RCC.

[WinnDixie]

Back in the early "60s, there was a pizza vendor that used to come round my neighborhood in an old truck, selling slices. Never forget what he used to yell out -- "Pizza pie uh 10 cents uh delish!" -- accent on the "lish". Italian vendor, heavy Italian accent. First time I ever heard of pizza. Also there was a waffle truck, a hot weiner truck, and a guy hawking the Record American newspaper for the guys who needed the listings for Narragansett Race Track or the dog track. Also on Saturday afternoons, some evangelicals used to come by in an old station wagon and try to convert us Catholics to the Protestant faith. They didn't have much luck. Ah, the memories!

Re-reading this thread (which is such fun!!) I now note john60ri's mention of the Record American! "The Boston Record" we used to call it!! That might even have been a little earlier than the Record American. All the sports news, of course; and also the cut-to-the-chase flamboyant news...in easy to read format...shaped like a magazine. It certainly had its following in the Lakes Region, so I think it can be mentioned here!

[NoBozo]

My new wife and I first saw that Speecy Meat A Ball commercial on our State Of The Art Sylvania "Halo Light" Color TV. We had been married 3 years.

For those of you who don't remember stuff that far back ...."Halo Light" was a picture tube surround light...ie A low level fluorescent ring around the picture tube.. that was supposed to make your eyes more comfortable watching TV.

BTW: The term.."State Of The Art" hadn't been invented yet either. :D :D NB

[Nagigator]

They still make it! That was the first pizza I ever had.

http://www.chefboyardee.com/tasteefood/kits.jsp

I remember my Mom making the "Appien Way" pizza from a box. Anyone remember that?

[Chickie]

I will definitely be picking up a Chef Boyardee Pizza Kit the next time I’m at the supermarket. Have to see if it is the same as I remember it. It is probably the new and improved version.

I had my first taste of frozen custard at the Weirs sometime in the early 1950’s. The Food Channel had a segment about the “real frozen custard” on their Unwrapped program a couple months ago, so it is still made in some parts of the country. It is made with egg yolks and is a much richer soft serve ice cream than DQ. I don’t recall the name of the company or where it was located, but I know it was not in New England.

[NoBozo]

Chef Boyardee....or was it Pillsbury. One of them had a tight paper tube that you would break open and the dough would pop out and you would carefully unroll the dough.. and spread it out...with stretch holes resulting so you would take snipets of dough from somewhere else to Patch the holes. :look:

It's tough being an old fart. :) NB

[SIKSUKR]

Remember when Tang was considered a modern drink because it flew into space?My father only drank Fresca and Tab so that was the only drink in the house until Tang.

[WinnDixie]

Reading some of the comments in this thread, it looks like there are a lot of bored people in the lakes region.

Speaking for myself, I never find reminiscing to be boring. Maybe it's an indication of just how OLD I am...but...whatever. It's usually a lot of fun.

Siksukr: Sure do remember Tang and have drunk it...but...here's a little "drink for thought"...have any of you read how putting a cycle of Tang through your dishwasher is supposed to clean it very well?? Kind of makes you wonder, doesn't it?

[Happy Gourmand]

I guess we're newlyweds at coming up on 35 years.
Our childhood vacations were spent at Hampton Beach....last 2 weeks of August and over the Labor Day Weekend. Back then, school started on the day after Labor Day.
Lots of favorite places there, but lots of my hard earned allowance money was spent at Howard Johnson's just up past the Casino...I can still taste those fried clams (strips). And I can still hear the voice of the paper hawkers......"RECORD....get your Boston Daily RECORD".
As for pizza, the place to go around here was Adamo's just over the Amherst line from Nashua.
How come I can remember all this stuff so vividly, and I can't remember where I put the car keys? :laugh:

[Newbiesaukee]

"Nostalgia is a seductive liar."

Probably true, but the truth has nothing to do with reminiscing.:):)

[SIKSUKR]

Siksukr: Sure do remember Tang and have drunk it...but...here's a little "drink for thought"...have any of you read how putting a cycle of Tang through your dishwasher is supposed to clean it very well?? Kind of makes you wonder, doesn't it?

Citrus is a great cleaner.

[Argie's Wife]

Citrus is a great cleaner.

I've heard that coke syrup will clean the rust off bumpers, too. (That's before they started making them from plastic...) :rolleye1:

I also remember when we didn't need tinted windows or sunscreens on our car windows because mom and dad both were smoking in the front seat, with the windows rolled up. How was sunlight supposed to get in anyhow? (Cigarette smoking was recommended by physicians at one time, too....) :look:

[dpg]

My folks had their 60th last week.

[ghfromaltonbay]

Our parents (me & gtxrider) also celebrated their 60th anniversary on Aug. 12th. We had a great family dinner at the William Tell to celebrate. It's great to see that there are still couples who have stayed together so long and still enjoy being together.

Along the lines of this thread, I remember pizza here in Northern NJ back in the late 1950's. My uncle had a 2nd job delivering pizza for a local restaurant to supplement his income. My grandmother and great aunt used to get pizza from an Italian restaurant with a side of mussels in red sauce. Delicious when eaten with a nice piece of crusty bread.

[SIKSUKR]

My folks had their 60th last week.

Mine also. August 25.

[Chickie]

Whoopee-do! Picked up a pizza kit at Hannaford’s this morning. This old fart is well on her way to having genuine Chef Boyardee pizza this weekend. Even have a round pizza pan to bake it in this time around. Sorta feels like I’m returning to my roots.

[Joe Kerr]

I thought the Chinese invented pizza just like they invented spaghetti.

It's so weird. Like the French did not invent French Fries.
The Chinese did not invent what we Americans call Chinese food and so on.

FWIW, I would rather be in an area of old farts eating pizza than in an area of old farts from eating pizza :rolleye2:

[Waterbaby]

Whoopee-do! Picked up a pizza kit at Hannaford’s this morning. This old fart is well on her way to having genuine Chef Boyardee pizza this weekend. Even have a round pizza pan to bake it in this time around. Sorta feels like I’m returning to my roots.

Hi Chickie - still waiting on the review of your pizza!

[Chickie]

Waterbaby, thanks for asking. I baked the C. B. pizza last weekend and thought it was quite good considering it is a boxed mix. I didn’t expect it to be a gourmet pizza like you would find in a fancy schmancy pizza restaurant. It a basic, thin crust pizza and once you add a few of your favorite toppings, it ain’t half bad. Can’t complain too much when you consider the cost between the two. It was fun trying it again after all those years.