Weird Regional Foods

Getting twisted with Hammond's Pretzels

POSTED: Friday, February 11, 2011, 5:47 PM

Filed Under: Gifted | Product Placement | Weird Regional Foods



hammondpretzels.com

When William Lichty lost his job to the Great Depression in 1931, he went to his own grandfather, William Hammond, who had been a pretzel baker in the late 1800s. The two men founded their bakery on Hammond's original recipe in their adjacent garages. Today, the fourth and fifth generation continue the tradition of hand-rolling and twisting sourdough pretzels in the same location in Lancaster. And what fine pretzels they are!Â Shatteringly crisp but not overly hard, with a subtle bready tang from a slow rise, they put machine-made treats by the same name to shame.Â The 3-pound box I received as a birthday gift (thank you, Miss Lou!) was stuffed with Hammond's "Regular" version, but I am already eager to order up a can of "Dark" and a can of "Light Salt," to say nothing of the hand-dipped milk and dark chocolate-covered iterations available as a special order. Sodium fiends may be interested in the "Extra Salty" offering, so coated with crystals the pretzel becomes invisible. Prices range from $26.50 for 2.5-pound box to $48.50 for 5-pound can; prices include shipping to the continental U.S., and may be ordered online at hammondpretzels.com.Â Locally, the Pennsylvania General Store at the Reading Terminal Market (12th and Arch streets) stocks Hammond's products.

Posted by Felicia D'Ambrosio @ 5:47 PM Permalink | Post a comment

RESTAURANT REMIX, ORGAN EDITION: Marc Vetri's tripe stew

POSTED: Wednesday, December 1, 2010, 10:00 PM

Filed Under: Recipes | Weird Regional Foods

Photo | Drew Lazor

We're resurrecting our recurring Restaurant Remix feature, this time with a food-nerd twist: All the "Organ Edition" recipes we share will be offal-based. If there's a dish you'd like us to try and recreate, email drew.lazor@citypaper.net. Happy eating! A watched third cow stomach never boils. I learned as much pacing my kitchen floor as I attempted to recreate the tripe stew I first encountered at Marc Vetri's Amis (412 S. 13th St.). I've always been fond of tripe a broad term mostly used to describe any of the three stomachs of a cow but my exposure to it prior to digging into this dish was far from elaborate: some thin-sliced omasum in a bowl of pho, some rough-chopped hunks off a dim sum cart. Amis' tripe stew, the recipe for which appears in Vetri's 2008 cookbook Il Viaggio di Vetri, was so compelling to me because it did not seem like it was supposed to have tripe in it. A shallow, searing-hot gratin dish comes out, baked to a crusty golden brown on top; each forkful produces homey hunks of tomato, carrot, white beans and celery, and each forkful just so happens to be supplanted by supple, intensely savory strips of stomach. It's like if Fergus Henderson had sneaked into your mom's kitchen and spiked her Wednesday night casserole with quivering handfuls of tummy before slinking off into the nasty-bits night.

Get the flash player here: http://www.adobe.com/flashplayer

Back to watching the stomach boil. This was my first time cooking tripe at home, and I learned quickly that much of the cooking time is dedicated to beating it into submission rinsing it to expel the natural funk, then boiling it in salted water for hours until it's the consistency of a beat-to-death jellyfish. This will require some patience, but I think the soulful end result is more than worth the toe-tapping. Reticulum, aka honeycomb tripe, is the variety you should use for the recipe. It looks a bit like a shower cap. You can purchase it for very cheap (less than $4 for 2+ pounds) at Hung Vuong Supermarket at 11th and Washington. It's shockingly white when you get it, but after working it in that salted water, it turns a sort of sallow straw color. This is what you want. Vetri sent me the original version of his stew recipe (it makes 4 quarts and serves 8 PDF here), but I edited it down slightly to produce about half the amount originally intended. The one thing I realized is that the canellini beans need plenty of time and plenty of liquid to cook properly, which is why I recommend holding onto all of the cooking liquid from the boiling process, just in case. Marc Vetri's Tripe Stew, slightly tweaked (Makes 4-5 servings) 1.5 pounds fresh tripe 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 medium carrot, cut into 1/4-inch cubes 1/2 medium onion, cut into 1/4-inch cubes 1 stalk celery, cut into 1/4-inch cubes 3-4 cloves garlic, cut into 1/8-inch cubes 1 cup canned peeled tomatoes (with liquid) 1/4 cup dry canellini beans 1 sprig fresh rosemary 1/2 medium potato peeled and cut into 1/4-inch cubes (about 1/2 cup) 1/4 cup finely chopped Italian parsley 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional: grated pecorino and breadcrumbs) Rinse the tripe under cold running water for about 30 minutes. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the tripe and boil gently, partially covered, until the tripe can be easily pierced or torn apart, about 2 hours, adding water as necessary to keep the tripe completely submerged. Remove from the heat and let the tripe cool in the liquid. Once it is cooled, remove the tripe, but do not discard the liquid. Cut the tripe into thin strips about 2 inches long. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the carrot, onion, celery and garlic, and sauté slowly until the vegetables are glossy and soft, about 5 minutes. Add the tripe and continue to sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the reserved cooking liquid (enough to just barely cover the ingredients), canned tomatoes, dry beans and rosemary. Simmer over low heat, partially covered, until the beans are tender yet firm, about 2.5 hours. Check the saucepan periodically to see if the liquid has cooked down, adding more when necessary (you will have liquid left over). Add the potatoes and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes more. Remove from the heat and let cool, then mix in the chopped parsley. To finish: Preheat the oven to 500 degrees. Ladle the stew into a medium-size gratin or ovenproof dish and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. (We added some pecorino and an extremely light dusting of breadcrumbs, as well.) Bake until the top is golden brown, about 15-20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Tweets that mention RESTAURANT REMIX, ORGAN EDITION: Marc Vetris tripe stew :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper -- Topsy.com

Posted 2010-12-01 18:22:16

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Lisa Chan-Simms, Sharon Draughon. Sharon Draughon said: RESTAURANT REMIX, ORGAN EDITION: Marc Vetri's tripe stew: We're resurrecting our recurring Restaurant Remix feat... http://bit.ly/i8uWtV [...]

Sam J

Posted 2010-12-01 19:35:57

It will...I promise it will! 

(Assuming Drew didn't balls it up of course.)

Felicia D'Ambrosio

Posted 2010-12-01 17:21:08

This could possibly cure me of my tripe-aversion.  It sounds good.

Michelle

Posted 2010-12-01 23:24:18

It really does look like a shower cap, or a cap 1950's era synchronized swimmers would wear.

brian

Posted 2010-12-02 15:45:04

tripe aversion?!  you're missing out!

drew, this sounds fantastic.  i should try this out if i ever find the time.

Gerry

Posted 2010-12-03 11:22:13

Most Polish grocery stores in Port Richmond have fabulous tripe soup (flacki).  My favorite is at Super Deli on E. Allegheny Ave. between Thompson & Almond.  Great cold weather treat!

Drew Lazor

Posted 2010-12-03 11:23:42

Gerry, I LOVE flaczki! I did a post awhile back asking for suggestions on who does it best. Thank you for the Super Deli tip.

Zachery Romani

Posted 2010-12-09 10:35:36

Thanks very much for that. I was looking for a warming stew recipe to help me get through the christmas time, and this seems just what I wanted. I found an entire stew recipe site here too that seems to have lots of good ideas, maybe you can get some more inspiration there. Anyway, thanks again, I will bookmark and read more another time ;)

Meal Ticket’s 2010 in Pictures: December :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper

Posted 2011-01-02 20:04:33

[...] - RESTAURANT REMIX, ORGAN EDITION: Marc Vetri’s tripe stew [01dec10] [...]

Posted by Drew Lazor @ 10:00 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Testing: The Wishing Well's homemade scrapple

POSTED: Tuesday, November 9, 2010, 10:17 PM

Filed Under: Testing | Weird Regional Foods

Photo | Juliana Reyes

In honor of National Scrapple Day yes, today is National Scrapple Day we sent Juliana Reyes to test out a very local rendition of the regional favorite. Carmen Cappello loves scrapple. "The king of all breakfast meats," the chef and owner of Bella Vista's Wishing Well (767 S. Ninth St.) calls it. The Philly native loves it so much that during his stint in Georgia, where scrapple is nowhere to be found, he started making it for the people of A-Town at the Lamplighter Cafe. Now that he's back, Cappello serves his homemade scrapple on the Wishing Well's signature SHAME burger, plus in an omelete. And you can now buy it by the pound from the restaurant, as well as at the nearby Di Bruno Brothers (930 S. Ninth St.). Last week, I stopped at the Well to try some of Cappello's scrapple. I'll be honest I'd never tasted it before. Though I'm not one to discriminate against mystery meats (I'm a shameless fan of Spam), whenever scrapple comes up on a menu, people always seem to be wrinkling their noses. Cappello's explanation for the stigma? Fear of the unknown. They don't know the history behind scrapple, he says, citing its ties to the Pennsylvania Dutch. If Art in the Age can make old-school Lancaster County favorites trendy (see SNAP and ROOT), why can't the Wishing Well do something similar? (Though I'm guessing SCRAP won't be AITA's next boutique liquor of choice.)

Photo | Juliana Reyes

Cappello served me his scrapple with a microlettuce from the local Blue Moon Acres (Cappello favors local ingredients; he uses locally sourced offal to make the base of his scrapple, too). The two square blocks were slightly alien to me, but scary? Nah. It tasted excellent: Crusty on the outside and crumbly and tender on the inside, with hints of rosemary and thyme to round out the flavor. It was especially tasty with a splash of Worcestershire sauce, a glass of Terrapin Rye Pale Ale, currently on tap, and It's Always Sunny on TV in the background. The chef says he likes to make the stuff the old-fashioned way. It's a two-hour-long process, involving cooking the scrapple in pork jus and adding polenta to thicken it. "And, of course," says Cappello, "I put love into it." If you pick up some of Cappello's scrapple to cook at home, prep is simple: Just dust with flour and fry for 3 to 4 minutes on each side. Cappello suggests serving it with his pickled mushrooms, also available by the jar at the Wishing Well. Who knows, you might just become a convert.

MaltyDog

Posted 2010-11-10 11:55:42

i like my scrapple with maple syrup!!!!

chefe

Posted 2010-11-10 10:00:15

All of the pork for the scrapple made at The Wishing Well comes from Leidy's Pork.

Tweets that mention Testing: The Wishing Wells homemade scrapple :: Meal Ticket :: Philadelphia City Paper -- Topsy.com

Posted 2010-11-09 18:21:31

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Rich Pawlak, Meal Ticket. Meal Ticket said: It's National Scrapple Day! In honor of this great occasion, Juliana Reyes tests the Wishing Well's homemade version: http://ow.ly/377D5 [...]

Holly Moore

Posted 2010-11-09 17:30:57

Sounds great, but where does he get the hog scrapings from the slaughter house floor?

Honey

Posted 2010-12-26 17:35:29

Looks yummy! Can anyone share the recipe? :)

Posted by Juliana Reyes @ 10:17 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Matsutake Omakase at Morimoto

POSTED: Friday, October 15, 2010, 6:30 PM

Filed Under: Food Events | Weird Regional Foods

kyotofoodie.com

Matsutake omakase! Say that one 10 times fast. October brings us yet another month-long omakase option (check out our preview of the omakase at Zama), this time a special menu at Morimoto (723 Chestnut St.) that celebrates the rare, expensive and in-season Matsutake mushroom, Japans answer to the black truffle. For $100 per person, diners are treated to a nine-course Matsutake fest. In a true Iron Chef move, the mushroom even makes its way into the ice cream machine for dessert. Peep the full menu after the jump.

matsutake omakase 2010

oil poached tai

matsutake-dashi gelee

whitefish carpaccio

lightly seared sashimi, matsutake

maguro matsutake salad

shochu braised matstake, sudachi

intermezzo

chawan mushi

bay scallops, burdock, matsutake

halibut en papillote

matsutake duxelle, matsutake consommé

smoked squab

matsutake pomme puree, frisse au foie gras

sushi rice risotto

poached oyster, matsutake broth

matsutake ice cream

pine nut torte, wine jelly

mushroom

Posted 2010-10-15 19:31:12

matsutake mama-san

get some mushrooms then a rub and tug!! the rub and tug is cheaper!

Posted by Anthony Sica @ 6:30 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Meat on top of meat on top of meat: It's the Mexican way!

POSTED: Wednesday, September 1, 2010, 9:54 PM

Filed Under: Weird Regional Foods

Photos | Drew Lazor

We've rhapsodized plenty in the past about South Philly Taproom's Mexican "New York" burger, a 6,000-ingredient fount of meaty amazingness that appears as a special from time to time. More recently, we discussed El Jarocho's Super Torta, a sandwich that counts carnitas, ham, pork al pastor, steak milanesa and headcheese among its chief components (let's not even get started naming the other toppings and bottom-ings, we'll be here all day). Then last night happened on a whim, we ordered this torta chorizo, ham, steak milanesa, avocado, onion, cheese, maybe some other things from Mexico on the Square at 15th and Pine. All this protein stackage got us thinking: Why do our friends down south love combining meat with meat and meat on sandwiches so damn much? It is an assuredly amazing custom, and we're happy it has made its way stateside ... but what are its origins? Any Mexi Meal Ticket readers out there who can shed some light on this brilliant, sodium-rich tradition?

Meal Ticket’s 2010 in Pictures: September :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper

Posted 2011-01-01 12:02:16

[...] - Meat on top of meat on top of meat: Its the Mexican way! [01sept10] [...]

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Campo's launches a veggie cheesesteak

POSTED: Monday, August 30, 2010, 3:56 PM

Filed Under: Vegan | Vegetarian | Weird Regional Foods

Courtesy of Campo's

When one thinks of Campo's Deli (214 Market St.), "vegetarian-friendly" might not be the first descriptor that comes to mind. But now the Old City staple is adding a cheesesteak to its ever-growing vegetarian menu, featuring vegan beef from vegadelphia. The name doesn't sound familiar? Vegadelphia are the ones responsible for Citizens Bank Park winning all those veg-friendly PETA awards over the years. Campo's latest sandwich features the vegan beef along with peppers, mushrooms, onions and cheese.

Campos Cheesesteak, Vegan-Style - Philadelphia Restaurant Buzz - Zagat

Posted 2010-08-31 14:19:31

[...] will cost you $8.75. And likely save you about that much in heartburn medicine (215-923-1000; via Citypaper).   //      Share and [...]

Posted by Rachel Burgos @ 3:56 PM Permalink | Post a comment

Eating "From Beef Head Meat" at Los Taquitos de Puebla

POSTED: Friday, August 20, 2010, 4:52 PM

Filed Under: Weird Regional Foods

Photo | Eric Henney

If you dig on tacos al pastor, then youve heard of Los Taquitos de Puebla (1149 S. Ninth St.), whose rendition is heralded across Philly. And truth be told, I ate a couple when I visited recently theyre undoubtedly good. But this isnt about that. This is about their unsung offal-centric menu "From Beef Head Meat," as they call it which is tucked in so casually among the rest of their offerings that its just asking to be tackled by an outsider like me. I went for a cross-sample: mouth and tongue, plus beef tripe from the regular a la plancha taco selections. The tacos were piled on top of each other, garnished with diced white onion and herbs, and draped with two grilled scallions. On the side, I was given lime, cucumber slices, red and green salsa, and pico de gallo served in a molcajete. "Mouth" is quite the vague term for a taco filling, but the mystery is, in its own way, alluring. And following the imposing name was an imposing, super-beefy flavor. The filling has a distinct feel in your own mouth, too: chewy but not rubbery, with a kind of gelatinous yield. A little fatty. The intense flavor and strange texture made this one challenging. Probably not the best to start with, but still satisfying.

Photo | Eric Henney

After that, I switched to tongue (above). Seeing it splayed out on a tortilla in all of its licky glory screams chewy eats; however, these were tender enough to bite clean through. They were probably the least flavorful, but still held a nice beefy taste and went well with pico de gallo. Tripe, breaded and fried, came third, and it was absolutely delicious: rich, but not greasy or overpowering, with a little bit of spice and a nice crispiness. If youre going to suck down this much cholesterol, it better be worth your while, and fortunately, this might be the best way Ive ever had it.

Photo | Eric Henney

These tacos are humble as humble as the restaurant itself, a little more than eight wobbly tables, some folk art and a TV, shoehorned into a small lot off Ninth. And yet their simplicity is a catcall. Pueblas offal tacos proudly showcase the distinct and occasionally challenging flavors the so-called "ugly" cuts of meat bring to the table and therefore the cooks heap it on, unmasked and unapologetic.

Meal Ticket’s 2010 in Pictures: August :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper

Posted 2011-01-02 22:12:17

[...] - Eating “From Beef Head Meat” at Los Taquitos de Puebla [20aug10] [...]

Posted by Eric Henney @ 4:52 PM Permalink | Post a comment

This Week in Arterial Terrorism: Fried butter at Pete's Pork Roll

POSTED: Thursday, August 19, 2010, 7:17 PM

Filed Under: Weird Regional Foods | Arterial Terrorism

Photo | Anthony Sica

During my most recent weekend on the South Philly Riviera in Wildwood, New Jersey, I found myself in front of Petes Pork Roll (3806 Boardwalk) thanking God for the creation of a pork roll restaurant. But after looking over the menu, which featured the titular regional meat product, plus burgers, chicken, dogs and funnel cake, I came across an item that sounded like the bastard love child of Paula Deen and The Situation: fried butter.

Photo | Anthony Sica

I immediately ordered it, because, come on. The resulting confection is very much like a beignet they take dough, wrap it around chunks of butter and fry it up. The final product (above) looks like sweet and sour chicken and tastes like a biscuit a really, really, really buttery biscuit. The first bite will send a river of melted butter down your chin, but all told the batter is surprisingly light and fluffy. I can now say that I ate fried butter. I can also say that I may eat it again.

Felicia D'Ambrosio

Posted 2010-08-19 16:33:00

Serious Eats would call it an "autopsy shot."  Any word on if it's a trademark infringement?

Pop-Pop

Posted 2010-08-19 16:34:59

Love Pork Roll!!! Love Butter!!!
This combo can not get any better!  A definite try by me!

Poppy

Posted 2010-08-19 14:21:31

Holy crap, I need that.

Foodaholic

Posted 2010-08-19 15:37:03

Wheres the "half-bite" photo?

Tweets that mention This Week in Arterial Terrorism: Fried butter at Petes Pork Roll :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper -- Topsy.com

Posted 2010-08-19 14:51:01

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Philly City Paper, Phoenixville Dish and Meal Ticket, Meal Ticket. Meal Ticket said: Team Meal Ticket heads down the shore to eat FRIED BUTTER: http://bit.ly/d44wBP [...]

Posted by Anthony Sica @ 7:17 PM Permalink | Post a comment

How to get a free drink at Desi Chaat House

POSTED: Tuesday, August 17, 2010, 5:26 PM

Filed Under: Dealage | Weird Regional Foods

Photo | Drew Lazor

Ate dinner at Desi Chaat House (501 S. 42nd St.) last night and noticed a sign posted along the counter: "FREE exotic cocktails for ALL our Facebook fans. Enjoy the drink!" A buddy whipped out his iPhone and fanned up the West Philly eatery, and sure enough, a sweet, cold and complimentary "date shake" arrived at our table moments later. (It's there on the right, along with a fresh mango juice and a glass bottle of Limca, an awesome Indian lime soda.) Hit up facebook.com/desichaathouse, click the thumbs up and become less thirsty. Check out the upcoming print edition of City Paper for a full writeup of Desi Chaat House.

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Posted 2010-08-18 04:03:13

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Leslie Mah, Meal Ticket. Meal Ticket said: How to get a free drink at Desi Chaat House: http://bit.ly/clTCZM [...]

Posted by Drew Lazor @ 5:26 PM Permalink | Post a comment

EAT THESE IMMEDIATELY: Scuppernongs

POSTED: Friday, August 13, 2010, 8:00 PM

Filed Under: Eat This Immediately | Weird Regional Foods

Photo | Drew Lazor

Say it with us: scuppernong! It's a weird and oddly pretty muscadine native to North Carolina (it's actually the Tarheel state's fruit), and we're bearing down on the grape's very short season as we speak. Named f0r NC's Scuppernong River, these little tomatillo-lookin' things are much plumper and juicier than your typical supermarket white grape; their meaty flesh is almost plum-like, and biting into them creates a fun burst-tastic sensation you don't get from many fruits of this ilk (just watch out for seeds). Though it seems counterintuitive, it's best to gravitate toward the slightly more brown or bronzed scuppernongs, as they're the most ripe; the greener they are, the tarter and tougher the fruit will taste. They're selling for $2.50 a pound right now at Sue's Produce (114 S. 18th St.), but if you've seen them anywhere else, holler in the comments. Eat these immediately (seriously, hurry up, the season ain't long)!

Posted 2010-08-13 21:32:27

They are also at the Asian supermarket at 3rd and Oregon.  They even have a *tasting* basket so you can try them first.

Tweets that mention EAT THESE IMMEDIATELY: Scuppernongs :: Meal Ticket :: Food Blog :: Philadelphia City Paper -- Topsy.com

Posted 2010-08-13 17:28:29

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by karl z, Meal Ticket. Meal Ticket said: What's a scuppernong? Find out, and EAT IT IMMEDIATELY http://tinyurl.com/2evcmtc [...]

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If you don't know Nutella is bad for you and your kids, then you are a total idiot and a bad parent.
First Gigs: Jeff Ziga, Little Baby's Ice Cream
An edible guide to Rittenhouse Row Spring Festival
Notes from the Weekend: May 13
Bar Crawl: What's new at Ortlieb's
Extra! Extra! Lobster openings, chocolate closings and lots of free stuff
Afternoon Snacks: Richard Blais's Ikea Burger, Waffle "tacos," Coffee nerdery, The U.N. wants you to eat more bugs
Spike TV's "Bar Rescue" turns Swanky Bubbles into Sheer
Real Talk: 50 Things They Never Told You About Being a Chef
Night Market Watch

About this blog

Founded in October 2008, Meal Ticket is a City Paper blog about food, drink and assorted other things that make you go mmm. We do recipes, interviews, restaurant news, commentary and much more. We don't do restaurant reviews here — those are handled in print, mostly by our critic (and Meal Ticket contributor) Adam Erace. Got a tip, question, thought or concern? Just want to say hello? Please shoot a note to caroline@citypaper.net.

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