A Pizza is Born

The Old Fire House Restaurant in Hollywood, South Carolina, has a menu that gives customers the opportunity to devise their own combo pizza from a wide array of sauces, meats, veggies and cheeses. They also serve a very good pimiento cheese appetizer; however , pimiento cheese is not among the list of potential pizza toppings. So I had the pizzaiolo substitute pimiento cheese for the standard mozzarella-provolone blend and combine it with garlic oil, locally-made onion sausage and big, beautiful shrimp. Luxurious, indeed! As I was devouring it, waitress Kelly and proprietor Lia Sanders came over to the table and said they and the rest of the staff were intrigued by the combination. So I sent a slice back to the kitchen, where they sampled it and decided to make it a menu regular. It turns out that Lia is a Roadfood fan; so when the pizza goes on the menu, it is going to be the "Roadfood Lowcountry Special."

Summer’s Peak

Off the coast of Maine: Uncle Tommy staked out a good spot on the backshore of Peak's Island mid-afternoon and by 4:30 he had a white hot wood glowing under a steam-puffing boil pot he had set between two large rocks. Countless steamer clams and a few dozen lobsters, toted over from the 4:15 ferry, were heaped nearby in piles of seaweed. Earlier that day, just-picked corn was retrieved from Revision Urban Farm; and as Tommy prepared the fire, Aunt Mary scraped the ears, getting them ready to be boiled with butter, salt and pepper. Aunt Sue set a table on the rocks with bacon-cheddar-pecan-cranberry dip; other aunts, uncles, and cousins chilled beer and wine, gathered wood, played among the rocks and savored late-day sun and ocean breezes. The lobsters were ready at dusk along with a pot full of melted butter. At dark, after kids ate S'mores at the fire, we all went back to Sue and Tommy's for angel food cake sided by bowls of Aunt Clare's hot fudge sauce, the coconut she toasted, the cream she whipped, a peach-blueberry tart she made and Gifford's ice cream. By the end of the night, I began to wonder if I had died and this was my first taste of heaven.

Debunking Roadtrip Projections

While perusing the exhibits at Clinton, Oklahoma’s Route 66 Museum, we came across this estimated breakdown of the tourist dollar back circa the 1950s. Most interesting to us was the fact that food received a smaller piece of the pie than lodging. Not on this trip! Case in point: Sunday. After relishing a $50 filet dinner at Cattlemen’s in Oklahoma City, we settled down at the campground at Lake El Reno where tent accommodations for the night will run you a crisp, cool Lincoln!

Berry Jumbelicious

I discovered Blackbird Baked Goods pies at the Farmer’s Market in Georgetown, Connecticut, nearly 10 years ago, and only recently found out that the market originally was organized by Gail Brookover, the Blackbird Baker. It’s a great market, source also of Wave Hill Bread, and these pies, let me tell you, are nothing short of sensational. Pictured above is Jumble Berry, a mix of raspberries, blueberries, blackberries and strawberries with a buttery, sweet crumble crust. Served warm, it demands a scoop of vanilla ice cream, preferably the ultracreamy rich kind from Dr. Mike's up the road in Bethel. Even if you set aside pizza, hot lobster rolls and Super Duper weenies, Connecticut is a pretty nice state in which to eat. [And why would you ever set aside pizza, hot lobster rolls and Super Duper weenies?]

Why San Antonio Tacos are Especially Good

What they’re filled with matters, of course (especially on weekends, when delicious barbacoa is a specialty at many taquerias), but oh, those tortillas! During a recent visit to San Antonio, when I sometimes ate tacos from morning ‘til night – bacon and eggs to chicharones and carne guisada – every single one was wrapped with a fresh, made-on-the-spot tortilla. The difference between them and the pre-wrapped ones available in supermarkets is like that between Wave Hill three-grain pain de campagne and a cottony-soft white sandwich loaf. The lady above is rolling them out at a place called Taco Garage. Pictured below is Taco Garage’s fish taco:

… and this is a puffy taco (chicken), for which the tortillas are deep-fried, rather than griddle-cooked:

Route 66 Prologue: Iowa

Amy only lived in Iowa for a year, but she managed to visit practically every corner of this deceptively large state. Hence, you can imagine how difficult it is to pare down our very long list of Roadfood must-stops—while still exploring new-to-us recommendations (tough life, huh?). Driving south from Minneapolis, our first stop was the Suzie Q Café in Mason City, Iowa, a 10-stool diner that serves the Spic ‘n’ Span, a thick battered pork tenderloin sandwich. The owner, also a magician and raconteur, doesn’t charge extra for the jokes and attitude that comes with each homemade plate. They also have great fried cheese balls! Next came our inevitable craving for a loosemeats sandwich, and Starbuck’s in Nevada makes their “beef burger” with savory spices that rival the Miles Inn in Sioux City. On to Des Moines and Classic Frozen Custard for a scoop of peach custard, then down to Indianola and the Crouse Café for a dinner of an excellent BPT, fried chicken, onion rings, and the best cherry pie in the Western hemisphere!

On Saturday, we got an early start downtown at the Des Moines Farmers Market, where we indulged in Dutch letters, strawberry-rhubarb jam, honey roasted peanut butter, honey lemonade, wheatgrass shots, and fresh cheese curds with chives. Lunch was eaten in fine form at the Farmer’s Kitchen in Atlantic, where Mark & Charlene Johnson were waiting for us: incredible corned beef hash and eggs, fresh chicken salad, award-winning chili, and a classic Green River to drink. We snapped our WWbbD? bracelets and ordered seven slices of Charlene’s famous pies to go: caramel apple pecan, cherry, chocolate peanut butter explosion, strawberry, chocolate raspberry truffle, sour cream raisin, and watermelon. After visiting with our friends Tammy, Byron, and Blake, who loaded us up with homemade cookies for the road, we headed for Breda and grilled pork loin and sweet corn at Summer & Eric’s house, followed by summer fun with little Emma, Izzy, and John at the Lake View Carnival.

We spent a lazy Sunday with the kids, dogs, and piglets, and for dinner we met Angela, Jeremy, Christie, Glenn, Dorothy, and Stan at the Redwood Steakhouse in Anita. Featured items included super onion rings, bacon-wrapped pork loin, and a wonderful relish tray from a bygone era. After Stan fueled us up with his own Stancakes and sausage, we set out east on Monday morning for the Quad Cities. We shared a chocolate malt and Dipsy Doodle at the Wilton Candy Kitchen in Wilton while laughing at George & Thelma’s witty repartee, and we left with a bag of triple-dipped malted milk balls and a 150th anniversary (!) coffee mug. Our final Iowa stop—well, technically in Illinois—was the main store of Lagomarcino’s in downtown Moline for a hot fudge sundae. Jane & Michael Stern counted this hot fudge as among the best in the solar system, so how could we resist? Extra-special thanks to all of our fine friends who put us up, fed us, and made us laugh! Please follow our daily tweets for ayersian on Twitter and our regular food photo updates on the Roadfood page for Facebook. More to come in the Windy City!

Route 66 Prologue: Twin Cities

Before beginning our roadtrip down Historic Route 66, we wanted to revisit our last trip to the Twin Cities. Flying from Boston, we had a layover in Milwaukee and had time to explore the food court. Imagine our surprise to find an incredible chorizo & egg breakfast burrito at Alterra Café, plus 2-for-1 bread heels (scrumptious zucchini and pumpkin-chocolate chip) and super coffee. Thanks to Michael Stern, we checked in beforehand with The Splendid Table’s Lynne Rossetto Kasper about food recommendations, so after landing in Minneapolis, we made a beeline to Cheng Heng in Saint Paul for Cambodian fare. Everything blew our minds: Plear Salad (thinly sliced beef sautéed with lime juice, green peppers, radishes, bean sprouts, mint leaves), Machu Angkor (spicy soup with winter squash, lotus stems, pineapple, tomatoes, mint, shrimp), Red Tea (like Thai iced tea but less sweet) and Young Coconut Juice (served out of a coconut shell!), plus the kind owners with whom we shared our wonderful experience!

Next was the 5-8 Club in Minneapolis for the original Juicy Lucy, a cheese-stuffed burger that’s beyond popular in the Twin Cities. We chose the Minnesota Yodeler, stuffed with Swiss, local wild rice, and mushrooms; coupled with great potato wedges and locally bottled soda, this was another fabulous meal. We then drove back to Saint Paul and Brasa, another magnificent Kasper rec. Here we sat at a large community table and shared our sides with several couples on an oversized lazy Susan: yams, yellow rice & pigeon peas, creamed spinach with jalapeños, excellent pulled pork sandwich, and homemade ginger and guava sodas. For dessert, we strolled down the street for the sugar coma-inducing Turtle Cake from Café Latte.

On Thursday morning, our first stops were more Kasper recs: Saint Paul’s El Burrito Mercado for fresh tortilla chips and guacamole picoso, cheese pastries, churros, and the greatest chicharonnes we’ve ever eaten—no contest!—and then walked to the roasted corn stand across the street, where they cover the sweet corn with mayo, cheese, and chiles. Next came Matt’s Bar in Minneapolis for their Jucy Lucy (notice the different spelling) and no-nonsense atmosphere. After hanging out with our friend Erin and little Noah, we headed to Target Field to see the Twins duke it out against the Chicago White Sox. The ballpark hot dogs and fried cheese curds were average, but we should’ve taken home a case of the locally brewed Killebrew Root Beer. Lastly, we pitched our tent for the first time this season at St. Croix Bluffs Regional Park and spent a cool night under a canopy of stars. Next: more adventures in Iowa!

The Real Jersey Shore and More

Returning from North Carolina via Virginia’s Eastern Shore, we decided to take the ferry from Lewes, Delaware in order to visit Wildwood and Atlantic City. We’re always amazed at how efficient the shipmates are in getting a hundred-or-so cars on and off the boat with little waiting, and the Cape May-Lewes Ferry team excelled in this. The ride was 85 minutes, after which we drove through scenic Cape May, New Jersey and headed for Wildwood, home of the lime rickey and the birthplace of rock ‘n’ roll (Bill Haley & His Comets first performed “Rock Around the Clock” here in 1954). Doo Wop-style architecture, prevalent in the 1950s and 1960s, is still featured in many motels along the strip, including a large Wawa convenience store. The beach below the amusement pier is gigantic, possibly due to natural erosion/relocation from New Jersey’s northern beaches.

In Atlantic City, we didn’t have time to photograph all the street signs that inspired the board game Monopoly, but we did make a lunch stop at White House for a tuna sub. The combination of white tuna with no mayo (just oil), lettuce, tomatoes, and hot peppers transcended similar sandwiches, partially due to the fresh bread baked across the street. In his Roadfood.com review, Bruce Bilmes calls it “one of the world’s great tuna sandwiches,” and we absolutely agree. Driving north to Trenton on Route 206, we quickly realized why it’s called the Garden State: Hammonton with its endless fields of blueberries, Wharton State Forest, numerous produce stands, and the sprawling Columbus Farmers Market.

Bruce was ready for a few Roadfood stops before dinner, and he graciously took us to Allentown and the Pork Roll Store & More. The cashier Jean told us all about the homemade pork roll while the gents in the back grilled a few slices for us: definitely the most delicious pork roll we’ve ever had – and the $1.75 price made it the most economical, too! Down the road, Swal Dairy had some creative ice cream flavors, including Mary Jane, which tasted exactly like the eponymous molasses and peanut butter candy. But the pièce de résistance was dinner at De Lorenzo’s in Robbinsville with Bruce & Sue: beautiful heirloom tomato and fig & prosciutto salads to start, red birch beer to drink, and then an unadorned tomato pie and a half-sausage, half-pepperoni pie. Simple perfection! Extra special thanks to Bruce & Sue for sharing these superlative Roadfood moments with us!

A Day on Massachusetts’ North Shore

When Ralph & Lori Melton contacted us about meeting for Roadfood in Eastern Massachusetts, we drew up an itinerary that would spotlight the North Shore’s best offerings. We met on Wednesday at 11 a.m. at the Clam Box in Ipswich, right when they opened to take advantage of the fresh oil used to fry their signature whole belly clams. Then we drove over to Rowley and had slices of wonderful banana cream, strawberry-rhubarb, and a curious squash pie at the iconic Agawam Diner. Hallie at Gloucester’s Turtle Alley kept us in stitches with stories of local color while we stocked up on caramel turtles, candied fruit, and chocolate pops. A featured stop on the 2006 Roadfood bus tour, Nick’s Roast Beef in Beverly served up tender, pink roast beef on toasted buns and onion rings glistening with oil. Tripoli Bakery in Lawrence provided cream horns, whoopie pies, cannolis filled to order, and approximately 40 different cookies. Grape-Nut Raisin and the scrumptious Ginger Snap Molasses ice cream were two of our choices at Rancatore’s in Belmont, and we finished the day at Santarpio’s with pepperoni pizza and lamb & sausage kebabs. We thank the Meltons for letting us tour with them for the day and look forward to their trip report on their other adventures in New England!

22-Stop Roadfood Salute to Independence Day

When Buffetbuster traveled to Hartford last weekend, neither he nor I was expecting that many Roadfood places to be open. Since July 4^th fell on a Sunday this year, we quickly found that a few of our favorites were indeed closed. However, accompanied by the spirit of ChiTownDiner, we did manage to hit a whopping 22 eateries in Connecticut and Western Massachusetts. Here’s our list: Friday: fresh tomato pie and white clam pie at Frank Pepe’s in Manchester. Saturday: hot dog and cheeseburger with fried onions at White Hut in West Springfield; steamed cheeseburger at Ted’s in Meriden; hot dog with pepper relish at Blackie’s in Cheshire; toasted almond ice cream at Big Dipper in Prospect; cheeseburger with fried onions at Clamp’s Hamburger Stand in New Milford; chocolate lace and rich chocolate ice cream at Dr. Mike’s in Bethel; chili dogs at Swanky Franks in Norwalk; hot dog with the works at Rawley’s in Fairfield; slaw dog at Super Duper Weenie in Bridgeport; fried whole belly clams and clam chowder at Johnny Ad’s in Old Saybrook; and ice cream at Ashley’s in New Haven. Sunday: breakfast sandwich, smoked pork sandwich, and beans at Bush Meadow Farm in Union; ice cream at We-Li-Kit in Abingdon; graham cracker ice cream at Buttonwood Farm in Griswold; fried whole belly clams at Sea Swirl in Mystic; lobster bisque and lobster roll at Abbott’s Lobster in the Rough in Noank; cheeseburger with fried onions at Harry’s Drive-In in Colchester; cheeseburger, cheesefurtur, and frozen pudding ice cream at Shady Glen in Manchester. Monday: apple cider donuts at Donut Dip in East Longmeadow; hot dogs and baked beans at Nick’s Nest in Holyoke; lobster roll and sweet potato crinkle-cut fries at Williamsburg Snack Bar in Haydenville; and more ice cream at Herrell’s in Northampton. The key was splitting almost every sandwich, hot dog, and seafood order so as not to fill up so quickly. Beautiful weather and super-friendly restaurateurs made this another stellar Roadfood tour!