Kitchen

[FunkyHulaGirl]

Anyone remember any foods from years ago that are no longer available, but that you wish were?

Lately I've been thinking about the Chock Full O'Nuts coffee shops; they made the most wonderful cream pies (with real whipped cream, not the fake stuff). They were all good, but I especially loved the strawberry and the peach. My parents had a friend who worked at the Chock Full O'Nuts bakery, and we used to visit them at their home in NJ from time to time. He always sent us home with a couple of whole pies, and oh, where they ever good! They also sold whole wheat donuts - plain or powdered - that beat anything you could buy in stores today; I sure wish they were still available, although these days they'd no doubt make them with cheaper, inferior ingredients so they wouldn't be as good.

Woolworth's used to make pizza that was so bad it was good - cardboard crust, with plastic-y cheese. The thing was, you had to think of it as something other than pizza - like White Castles aren't really hamburgers, they're a whole other breed. I used to love that pizza - I'd eat 2-3 slices at the Woolworth's that was between Macy's and Gimbels, and that we'd cut through going from one to the other.

Woolworth's also used to sell chow mein sandwiches - canned chow mein on a hamburger bun. Curiously good....

Butoni Toaster Pizzas were good; Hot Pockets can't compare.

I remember going to the Delancey St. area of the city on Sunday afternoons as a child - that was when Blue Laws were in effect and most stores were closed on Sundays, except for the Orthodox Jewish neighborhoods (which were, of course, closed on Saturdays). There was a stand that had a huge pickle barrel, and you could reach in and pick the sour pickle you wanted. They also had smoked fish piled up on display, and all kinds of other delicacies. There were open air stands that displayed boxes with dozens and dozens of kinds of different candies and other treats; you'd point to what you wanted, and your selections would be put into a bag. They had chocolate covered jelly grahams that were to die for (I can't find any that are anywhere near as good anymore), and they also sold those Social Tea cookies, but with two sandwiched together, with jelly in between, and chocolate sprinkles around the edges. I never heard of any problems with those stands, but I'll bet anything the Department of Health wouldn't allow them to operate any more, with everything uncovered and out in the open.

Anyone else have old favorites that they miss?