Hello my Foodie Friends!

What is your favorite childhood memory of food? I have so many childhood memories of eating with my family. Going out to dinner was always a rare and special treat. My father was a truck driver so he loved to travel and make a day of driving around the American landscape. We would mostly go through Vermont which is where he grew up.  He loved stopping at a local diner as part of our day’s exploration. 

My father loved diners! The reason is that diners are best known for their history, tradition, an extensive menu selection, large portions of comfort foods at fair prices, quick service served with diner spirit and hearty meals. Chefs and cooks showcased their occupational skill and skillet set through offering huge portions of comfort food classics, while no- nonsense but friendly waitresses served as unofficial family to customers with their welcoming ways. Locals, many with townie and patriotic tendencies, interacted through face-to-face spoken words instead of through technological devices. Truck drivers sat at the counter after long days and nights of life on the road. White collar America, some as business travelers walking briskly over from the adjacent hotel, took that well-deserved break from another anticipated day in the rat race to lighten the day with some home-cooked food. Landscapers and construction workers with clean hands, for now, were hungry, immediately decisive on what to order, and needing to get to work soon. They wasted no time ordering food while showing a close camaraderie as if they were brothers. 

You see, there’s really nothing like eating at a good old-fashioned diner when traveling the small towns and back roads. The experience, quite simply, brings a wonderful slice of American tradition to the senses and taste buds that can only be fully realized by frequenting these local treasures. The diner is an icon of American culture located in almost every city and town. 

Recently, I read a fun article about diners on Reminisce.com with some pretty funny diner slang that let the short order cook know what to burn, what to wreck, and what to put a hat on. It is considered “short-order shorthand.” As I read these I laughed, while bringing back memories of eating at a diner with my family. 

Here is a small sampling of the article. Try to guess what the slang means before you read the answer: 

Breakfast: 
• Adam and Eve on a raft... » Poached eggs on toast
• Burn the British... » English muffin, toasted
• Sinkers and suds... » Doughnuts and Coffee
• Wreck’em... » Scrambled eggs

Lunch:
• Bloodhound in the Hay... » Hot dog with Sauerkraut
• Two cows, make ‘em cry... » Two burgers with onions
• First Lady... » Spareribs

Condiments: 
• Axel greas... » Butter
• Paint it red... » Ketchup
• Warts... » Olives

Dessert:
• Eve with a lid on it... » Apple Pie
• Fish eyes... » Tapioca Pudding
• Houseboat… » Banana Split
• Nervous pudding… » Jello

You can make your own diner classics right in your kitchen. Make food memories with your family. My childhood memories almost always include sitting at the table eating with my four siblings, and my parents. Stop by Compliments to the Chef, your neighborhood kitchen and cutlery store located at 33 Railroad Place to help you with your family culinary needs. Remember my Foodie Friends: “Life Happens in the Kitchen.” 

 Take Care,
John & Paula