Phavorite
Philly
Pfoods
William Penn Statute on top of City Hall ,1894
Ice Cream
- Breyer's Ice Cream..nowed owned by
Unilever, but they still have real vanilla beans in the vanilla ice
cream.
- Bassett's Ice Cream...available in select
dip stores and pints in some markets.
- Venice Spumoni
- Nelson's Ice Cream
- Richman's Ice Cream
- Luigi's Water Ice...my kids eat it!
Friend of the family...out of business. Had cabinets on the street in fronm of
people's houses...well before "Rita's" came along. Someone has "Luigi's" in
packages in the freezer at the supermarket, but I don't think it's the same
brand. I think someone smarter had the name trademarked.
Candy
- Goldenberg's Peanuts Chews...was family
owned up until 5-10 years ago and purchased by the company that makes all the
"Peeps"
- Fleer Double Bubble Gum..closed the
plant..someone has the brand
- Asher's Chocolates...bulk and packaged
candy..better than Whitman's..much better.
- Whitman's Chocolate..purchase by big company..factory gone
and a Mall in it's place...really?
- Zitner's...rolls out coconut creame,
peanut butter and butter cream easter eggs every year like clock work.
- Fifth Ave...named after 5th Ave in
Reading, PA now owned by Hershey
- Clark Bars..really from Pittsburgh, but haven't seen one in
years.
Baked Goods
- Trenton Oyster Crackers (Original
Trenton Cracker)
- Nabisco Bakery on the Boulevard...still
baking everyday...owned by Kraft Foods, but they have a little Nabisco sign up
on the wall. Take a wiff and tell me which one is being baked today!
- Reisman's Pretzels...someone took over the
brand...was the original "kosher" pretzel vs. the ones made with animal
shortening.
- Amoroso's Rolls...favorite Italian rolls
and bread..many smaller bakeries all vying for the perfect Italian roll for
steaks and hoagies.
- Lipkin's Knishes..family owned Jewish
bakery at Castor Aveand Rhawn Street in the NE.
- Tasty Cakes & Pies..still on Hunting
Park Ave in No. Phila. My favorites are peanut butter "Tandy Cakes",
butterscotch "krimpets", rectangular pies-when they're on sale, coconut
"juniors" and chocolate cup cakes. Now over a buck, but my mother remembers
when they were 5¢. Save money and buy family
packs 2/$5.00 and throw them in the freezer.
- Soft Pretzels
everywhere with lots of
franchise bakeries sprouting up everywhere. 3/$1.50 seems to be the going
price.
- Bond Bread...out of business, although
"Jake" tried to bring it back a few years ago. They were everywhere.
- Strohmen's...hugh bakery run by Grand Pa
Strohmen in Norristown
- Sweetzel's Spice Cookies...was part of the
Holy Trinity..Tritzels, Sweetzels and one more that I can't think of right
now. Usually see the orange and black boxes in the Fall around
Halloween.
Sodas and Beverages
- Frank's..."Is it Frank's? Thanks!"
Also "Flavor City"
- Birley's...very early pasteurized
non-carbonated drink from the 50's. Still bottled in Milwaukee.
- Champ Cherry®..made famous at Levis
Hot Dogs.
- Gruber's..out of business
- Booth's...out of business and "Bubbles
Booth" retired.
- Puerto Rico.."Hey Chico..make mine Puerto
Rico!"
- Hank's Root Beer...about 15 years
old
- Pa Dutch Birch Beer...around
forever
- Elliott's
Amazing™ Juices...started in
1983..still around and kicking.
- Famous for apple juice in "the little brown beer
bottle".
Beers and Alcoholic Beverages
- Schmidt's...sad story
- Ortlieb's..another sad story
- Gretz...family now distributed
Budweiser
- Leroux Liquors..still there
- Jacquin's Liquors...still there
- Kasser's...closed down
Micro Breweries
- Independence...done
- Victory..available
- Flying Fish..available
- Red Hook...who knows!
- A few others I have to think about....
Condiments
- Mrs. Schlor's Mayonaise..owned by a box
company..gone bye-bye
- Krisp Pickle...
- Shupack Pickle....purchased by
Vlasic...The key employee started his own pickle company, Baker Pickle on
Broad St.
- KZ Pickles...family owned located in
Camden NJ
- Shernoff's Salad's
- Mr. Ron's Famous Cole Slaw..restaurants
gone, but available in stores
- Lenny's Hot Dog Pepper Hash...have to go
to Feasterville. Made fresh in small batches,
Deli Meats
- Dietz & Watson...very strong regional
lunch meat brand
- Habbersett Sausage..bought out and so
so
- Maggio's Sausage...the real Italian
stuff!
- Freda's..mostly Italian specialties
- Foremost..a kosher brand merged with
Hebrew National
- Hatfield...still going strong
- Medford...acquired by Hatfield
- Ed Hipp...line of "no pig" beef
sausages and bacon for the observant.
- State Fair....somebody brought the
brand
- Wysynski's...family owned...long lines for
kielbasa at Easter.
- Czerf Brothers...small family owned
specialty meat mfgr
- Mrs. Ressler's...factory burned
down..someone bought the brand.
- Taylor's and Cases Pork Roll
available in supermarkets
Regional Specialties
- Cheese Steaks...everybody sells "philly cheese steaks"
- Hoagies...hard to believe there are still Subways around
here!
- Roast Pork Sandwiches...South Philly favorite with Broccoli
Rabe
- Pork Roll and Egg Sandwich on a kaiser roll.
- Scrapple...corn meal and pork trimming. Sliced and
grilled..order it well done and eat it with ketchup.
- Pepper Pot Soup...around since Colonial times...tripe and
okra..mmm
- Oysters and Chicken Salad Platters...Blue Blooded lunch
special
Miscellaneous
Crazy Richard's Peanut Butter..now owned by some impersonal,
clueless company in OH