The "Creamed Peas & Eggs On Toast: School Lunches!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  My wife, Carol, was sitting across from me in our "Beach House" with her grocery shopping list and asked what I could eat for meals next week.  I told her I would love some of the old foods that we used to eat for lunches at Brecht Elementary School.  "I'm not making that creamed peas and eggs stuff again!" she told me.  So, where did that ever come from in the first place.  Well, it was back in the early 1950s that I entered Brecht Elementary School in Lancaster County.  I was a shy, skinny little kid, much like today.  The schools were beginning to feed the baby boomers and had to ramp up production in a big way.  In addition to traditional hot lunches, they began to serve cold lunches which might have included a variety of sandwiches, cottage cheese, pork and apple salads and ice cream.  By 1952 school lunches had become a $415 million business.  In some school districts, private companies began contracting with schools to supply them with school lunches.  But, in the Manheim Township School District, of which Brecht Elementary was a part of, they designed all the schools with a cafeteria that had a kitchen for food preparation.  

A lunchbox and canteen similar to the one I had as a child.

It was about this time that metal school lunchboxes with western themes, cartoon characters and even Barbie dolls painted on the outside were popular.  I remember having a Hopalong Cassidy lunchbox with a canteen inside of it to hold my drink.  If you were a "packer", you would bring your lunch to school so you didn't have to stand in line for your lunch.  Back then school lunches for children were rich protein heavy dishes like cheese meatloaf, sausage shortcake, ham and bean scallop and creamed peas and eggs on toast.  

Another, older style type of lunchbox.

It is during these years that I developed a craving for certain school lunches and during the summer months my mom would make a few of them to keep me in the same mindset as if I were eating in the school cafeteria.  Then along came the late 1950s and early 1960's and high school meals began to become ethnic with foods such as pizza, enchiladas and chili con carne.  Our high school cafeteria was a neat, almost square space with a glass see-through room in one corner where the faculty ate.  There were two lunch lines to speed up the food service.  Some kids brought their lunch in a brown bag, but most "bought" their lunch.  Some of my favorites were meatloaf and mashed potatoes and fish sticks with tartar sauce.  And, to my disappointment, the creamed peas and eggs on toast were cut from the menu.  Perhaps too much protein in that meal.  There were a multitude of cooks, or at least it seemed that way.  And, it seemed all they did was make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches which were one of the most popular lunchroom meals.  After I graduated in 1962, schools began to add fast food chain type meals such as fried chicken and hamburgers and fries.  In the late 1960's I returned to the Manheim Township High School as a teacher and ate in the same cafeteria for a few years before another new building was constructed and along with that a modern new cafeteria.  In the 1980s the federal lunch program was the big deal with nutritional guidelines that classified ketchup as a vegetable.  

Many of today's schools are filled with vending machines that
carry fast-foods as well as carbonated drinks.

Processed food creations seemed to rule the cafeteria with chicken nuggets, cheese- burgers and rectangular pizza slices on the menu daily.  Also remember chocolate pudding, Jell-0 and sliced fruit drenched in syrup on the daily lunch line.  Some children still brought their lunch, just like I did years before.  Those that brought their lunch had items such as Hand-Snacks, Fruit Roll-Ups and pouches of Capri Sun to drink.  Some kids even had Lunchables which were the thing to eat at lunch.  In the 1990s many schools allowed McDonald's, Little Caesar's, Chick-fil-A and others to set up shop at schools in return for lunch-room funding.  Those that still brought their lunch had items such as Dunkaroos, Gushers, Eddy Grahams and bottles of Squeeze-It.  Much the same as before, but with differnent names to the products.  Most were barely healthy foods.  At the start of the 2000s half of all U.S. schools offered fast food in their cafeterias and children bought sodas from vending machines in the cafeteria.  It has reinforced the obesity rate from the late 1990s.  In the past 10 years the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act was signed by President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama made kids' nutrition and fitness a priority with her Let's Move campaign.  Healthy eating gained cultural momentum.  

Schools from K-12 now have salad bars for lunch.

Some schools, such as Manheim Township's K-12 schools, began to feed students with meals that would have seemed downright strange two decades before.  Salad bars fill even the elementary schools of many school districts.  But, there are still those that refuse to buy school lunches and carry their lunch to school with them.  This year, with the COVID virus still a huge concern, my graandson, who is in 10th grade, carries his lunch to school and eats with a few friends on the bleachers in the gym in order to distance himself from the cafeteria crowd.  Actually the cafeteria is rather bare since every open area of the school is used for eating lunch.  Perhaps the lunchbox might come back into existence once again.  Hey, I wish I still have my Hopalong Cassidy lunchbox. I just might have sold it to the highest bidder. Just maybe!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "An Old Favorite Gum!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Shopping at our local Stauffer's of Kissel Hill grocery store near the small town of Lititz, Pennsylvania.  Carol and I used to laugh at my parents when they would tell us they were at Stauffers one day, Weis Supermarket another day and then Oregon Dairy another day.  They had specific items they bought at each supermarket and therefore had to make visits to each location each and every week.  Well, that day has arrived for Carol and I!  Yesterday we made our weekly visit to our Giant Supermarket for the majority of our groceries and today we visited Stauffer's where I love their small brown ceramic dishes of Creme Brûlée.  Stuff is addictive and the little ceramic dishes make great dishes for our cats.  They also make great apple dumplings, baked oatmeal as well as containers of tapioca pudding.  As the years go by I feel more like my mom and dad all the time.  Well, today while we were standing in line using social distancing, I noticed some of my all-time favorite chewing gums on the racks next to the check-out counters.  

Gums such Chiclets, Juicy Fruit and even Black Jack filled the small boxes on the shelves by the cash registers.  Was tempted to buy a pack of Black Jack, but some of my 70 year old fillings might complain a bit if I did so.  For those of you who might have never heard of Black Jack, it is an aniseed-flavored chewing gum that is currently manufactured by the Geritt J. Verburg Co.  America's chewing gum industry began in the 1850s when Thomas Adams was secretary to General López de Santa Anna so was living in New York and plotting a return to power in Mexico.  Santa Anna had arrived in New York with a boatload of chicle, a latex substance from the sapodilla tree, and the idea of selling it as an inexpensive alternative to rubber.  Never materialized, but Adams realized chicle could be made into chewing gum.  So, Adams bought the load of chicle from Santa Anna and began adding flavorings.  Wasn't long before he was selling "Adams New York Chewing Gum" in drug stores.  In 1884 he introduced his first big seller, licorice-flavored "Black Jack" chewing gum.  

Thomas Adams ad for Black Jack Gum

Five years later he introduced Chiclets as well as the vending machine from which he dispensed his gum on New York subway platforms.  He eventually added flavors like Clove and Pepsin, but the company closed in the 1970s due to poor sales.  The company was eventually purchased by British confectionary company Cadbury and is again manufacturing gum once again.  And, one of these days I will have to buy a pack of Black Jack just to bring back the memories from my youth. Now, tomorrow we have decided to head to S.  Clyde Weaver's for a few of their great sand tart cookies and some of their sliced ham loaf for sandwiches.  Mom and Dad would be proud!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "The Pitmasters Of Maryland!" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Sitting in a lounge chair watching my son-in-law Dave and his friend Art prepare the evening meal.  Started the procedure close to noon in hopes of having the meat ready by 5:00 PM.  They are going to give me a lesson in smoking meat which will take place in Dave's new smoker which he and Art and a few other friends built a few months ago.  

The Mencarini Smoker!  The guys that spent time building this piece of art.
 are from the left: Art Himes, Son-in-law Dave, Matt Bryne and Ed Radwinsky.
Click on images to enlarge them.

I was impressed with the quality of the smoking unit that they built.  They first poured a cement slab that is close to four feet wide by about five feet deep.  They dug into the ground a few inches in order to have the bottom of their smoker sitting below the ground level to give it a better base and to help prevent it from cracking in the winter weather.  After the base was poured and dried, they used concrete blocks and mortar to build the the actual unit that sits on the concrete base.  It stands four blocks high with one end having the bottom row missing with an opening that will allow a grate to enter on which the smoking material is placed.  Once the grate is pushed into the smoker, steel panels can be closed to keep the heat inside or opened to allow air to flow through the smoker to build up more heat.  A second grate sits about a foot from the top to hold what is being smoked.  The top is made of exterior plywood and is hinged in the center so it can be easily opened.  The top is the only part that may need to be replaced over time.  The smoke created in the unit escapes through a metal standpipe on the opposite end.  On top of the standpipe is a fitting that will prevent water from entering into it.  An opening was provided to place a temperature gauge to help keep track of the temperature inside the smoker.  I attempted to take photographs so I could show you how impressive a job they did in making Dave's smoker.  Hope you understand, thru my photos, how the smoker operates.  Now, why did Dave go to all the trouble to build it in the first place?  Well, smoked meat is freaking awesome!  Smoking adds flavor, tenderizes and turns some of the worst cuts into a wonderful meal. Follow my visual story to see what is needed to have your own smoking unit. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  

Dave stands next to the smoker that he and his friends built in his backyard.

A better look at the smoker. The base of the smoker was poured concrete about half-a-fot thick.   The gray area is made of concrete blocks with an opening left at the bottom on the side facing the camera.  A  metal tray of steel mesh was constructed that can be moved in and out of the cement blocks with metal handles.  When it is completely inserted in the smoker, steel doors can be closed to prevent air from entering the unit.  The metal doors can be seen on either side of the smoker in this photograph.  The top is made of exterior plywood and is hinged in the center to make for easy opening.  The far part of the top holds a metal standpipe made out of sheet metal which has a cover on the top to keep rain from entering.

Art, Dave' friend, prepares the charcoal that will be used to create the heat.  On top of the charcoal is placed chips of hardwood that can carry flavoring for the smoking procedure.  Today they added an applewood to the mixture.

A fire had been started in the metal device to the right using charcoal.  It will be poured over the small piles, one on the left and one on the right.  The pile has the charcoal and flavored wood mixture.

Art is preparing chicken wings for smoking with a variety of spices.

Both piles are ready to be ignited with the burning embers in the small container.

Art is pouring the hot embers over the charcoal and wood pieces.

After both piles have been started, the metal grate is pushed into the smoker and the metal panels closed.
These panels can be opened or closed to control the interior temperature.

This tray of pulled pork was smoked a few days before and keep refrigerated until today.  Art is preparing it with apple juice and seasoning and it will be placed in the front of the smoker so it will warm while the wings and other meats smoke next to the charcoal and wood mixture.

This is the thermometer that is inserted into an opening on the top of the smoker.  It tells the interior temperature of the smoker.  Controlling the temperature is important.  The best temperature is close to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.  

The top is opened and a second tray above the heat source can be seen.  This tray holds the already smoked pulled pork which can be seen in the far left in the back.  The two round trays in the foreground will hold the wings that have been flavored.

Art is adding the wings to the metal trays which are held on the upper level metal tray.  
They will be directly above the small fires that have been burning and producing smoke.

Art is checking the wings and making room on the metal interior grill for a few other types of meats.

Checking on the smoldering embers to see if they need replenished.

The heat source  seems to be smoking nicely.

To prevent them from smoking too rapidly and burning out too soon, the metal doors on either side must be closed to prevent extra air from flowing over them.

With the door closed and the unit working perfectly, you can see the smoke rising from the standpipe.

Another view from the other end of the smoker.

The top has been opened and a few other types of meats have been added to the upper level metal tray. 

Another check on the progress of the meats.  The smoking process began before noon and will be ready about 4:00 PM.  It is a slow process.  Most meets need to be smoked to an internal temperature of 145 degrees with poultry being cooked to 165 degrees.  Below...the wings look delicious!

The "Some Of The Best Waterin' Holes & Eateries In The USA" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Carol and I were talking about where we might be able to have our evening meal, since just about every one of our favorite restaurants is open only for Pick-Up.  We do feel better not making a visit until we can safely eat without a mask, but we also miss all our favorites.  We began to think back to the days when we would visit Woody's in Northeast or The Bayard House in Chesapeake City.  Then Carol said, "How about The Chesapeake Inn in Chesapeake City.  Remember the crab ravioli you would get and the Lobster grilled cheese I enjoyed."  Well, we're hoping by the end of the summer that we will be able to take a drive to the Chesapeake for lunch once again and stop at one of our favorites.  Always a fun day!  The conversation about eating out began earlier in the day when I found an online story telling about America's oldest restaurant and bar.  

Found out that it was a place called the White Horse Tavern in Newport, Rhode Island.  They opened in 1673 and even though the town was filled with Puritans and Quakers, they still had plenty of thirsty patrons at the local watering hole.  The building itself was constructed in 1652 as a two-story residence for Francis Brinley which made it one of the oldest buildings in the U.S.  There was a short time when it was closed during prohibition, but the White Horse Tavern still serves food and drinks today.  The 17th century architecture shows a tiny front hall and cavernous fireplaces with giant beams and a small stairway against the chimney.  Not only is it the oldest in the United States, but it is the 10th oldest operating restaurant in the world.  Over the years it has gone through many owners with a Newport-based group being the ninth owner in the over 350-year history of the Tavern.

The White Horse Tavern  

The second oldest restaurant and bar in the U.S.A. is the Fraunces Tavern in New York City's financial district.  It opened in 1762 and 21 years later George Washington dined as well as addressed his troops while probably eating one of their famous rich and creamy pot pies.  The warmth and charm of the dark oak paneling exudes the historic vibes of the place.

The Fraunces Tavern

Next in line is the 1776 Griswold Inn known to all as the "Gris".  The historic inn and pub has been serving the public for close to 250 years.  Can you imagine the celebrations that will be part of the 250th year of the Gris.  The inn is located between Hartford and New York City and serves traditional America fare in a cozy, warm setting.  It is considered one of the oldest continuously operating inns in America.

The "Gris"

  The Union Oyster House in Boston, Mass. opened in 1826 in a building that dated back to 1742 and once housed an import business known as the spot for some "wicked good chowder."  Many New England favorites can be found on the menu while the place is steeped in old world charm.

Union Oyster House

In 1840 the French-Creole restaurant known as Antoine's opened in New Orleans.  It is still owned and operated by the original family.  Antoine's son, Jules, is credited with creating Oysters Rockefeller within this famous establishment.  Today the recipe remains a closely guarded secret.  Each dining area in the restaurant is uniquely themed and the walls throughout the eatery are adorned with pictures and historic memorabilia.  There's even an original Thomas Edison lightbulb remaining in the building. 

Antoine's

 The Tadich Grill is sill the same as it was when it opened in 1849 in San Francisco, California.  It is known as the oldest restaurant in California and is famous for having the freshest expertly prepared seafood around.  The "no reservations" makes for a packed place at all times.

The Tadich Grill

1856 was the start of Washington D.C.'s first recorded saloon.  Needless to say, Old Ebbitt Grill has served an impressive list of U.S. Presidents.  The antique clock placed above the original revolving door has maintained its signature charm for the days when Theodore Roosevelt was a regular.  The animal heads on the walls were said to be trophies from Teddy.

Old Ebbitt Grill

McGillin's Olde Ale House opened in Philadelphia in March of 1860.  If you happen to be in town on St. Patrick's Day, you must stop at this place.  They are the oldest continuously operating tavern in the city and serving the usual pub grub.  If you can't find it, ask any cop or cabby, since it's in an alleyway, but certainly well worth the scavenger hunt.

McGillin's Olde Ale House

 Denver, Colorado is the home of the Buckhorn Exchange which opened in 1893.  It served not only cattlemen, but miners and Indian Chiefs.  Five Presidents and countless Hollywood celebs have stopped at this restaurant.  Today you can still feast on bison, elk and quail while surrounded by taxidermy.  A truly Wild West experience!

Buckhorn Exchange

Another old restaurant in the USA is a place called Louis' Lunch which opened in 1895 in New Haven, Connecticut.  It was opened as a small lunch wagon and was one of the first places in the U.S. to serve steak sandwiches.  The tiny red brick building has been recognized by the Library of Congress as the Birthplace of the Hamburger.  The original cast-iron grills are still used to make the burgers.  Each burger is placed on white toast with the limited topping options of cheese, onion and tomato.  There is no mustard or ketchup in this place, since it would spoil the quality of the fine meats that go into the legendary sandwiches.  The restaurant is owned and operated by 4th generation descendants.

Louis Lunch

There are many historical taverns and pubs in just about any city or town in the United States.  I'm sure you have your favorite, just as Carol and I have a few in towns we enjoy to visit.  Always fun to have a good home-cooked meal at your own house, but just as much fun to not have to clean up after yourself by going out to eat.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "What's This In My Cereal Box?" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Just finished reading the morning paper and posting a new story on my blog when I went to the pantry and grabbed the box of Kellogg's Frosted Mini-Wheats.  Just bought the box last week at the grocery store so I had to fight to open it.  I believe they put more glue on the lid then they do sugar on their cereal.  

Offer of a free Bowl Buddy on the top of box.

Finally got the box opened and while reaching in the box for the bag of cereal, pulled out something unusual.  "Now, what's this in my cereal box," I asked myself.  Then all of a sudden it brought back memories from my youth...which was light years ago.  Toys, decoder rings, small license plates for your bike, charm necklaces, baseball cards...are all items that I can remember as being offered in cereal boxes to try and get you to buy this brand or that brand of cereal.  The guy who made the prizes in cereal boxes a novelty was John Kellogg, who first tried to entice kids to eat Corn Flakes.  At first he offered a free book called "The Funny Junglel and Moving Pictures Book."  That was back in the early 1900s.  At that time, parent's had to mail in for the book and send along a proof of purchase for their book.  But, the kids wanted it instantly, so General Mills began to offer its own prizes in their cereal box in the 1930s.  

The little plastic guy sits atop my cereal bowl.

The prizes featured cards with someone known as Skippy and General Mills was hoping you would want to collect their 12 different cards.  Recently I found a set of 6 on eBay that were over $50.  Who would have ever thought that would happen?  In 1974, cereal box toys were deemed so successful at convincing kids they absolutely need that box for breakfast that the Federal Trade Commission considered banning all TV advertising of the included toys, games, stickers, records, squirt gun, etc.  In the late 1980s Kellogg's had 30 million flutes and binoculars recalled after they were deemed a choking hazard.  Shortly after that happened, most manufacturers shifting toy placement from inside the bag of cereal to the lining between the inside bag and the box.  Then in 1988 a Pennsylvania girl nearly died after choking on a "Cool Flute" musical toy packaged in Corn Pops cereal.  

A few of the Skippy cards that were offered in the 1930s.

That was enough for Kelloggs and they recalled some 30 million similar playthings.  But, in 2004 they packaged a Spiderman-themed wristwatch with Rice Krispies.  This time it wasn't the prize itself, but the mercury battery which drew protests from environmental groups and state legislators opposed to the use of hazardous metal in toys.  

My toy of the day!

I read that one Connecticut lawyer said, "No healthy breakfast begins with mercury."  Kellogs once again stopped  inserting that product.  So, why has Kellogg's begun once again to package a plastic product in their breakfast cereal boxes?  The plant where Kellogg's makes their cereal and packages them in boxes is a stone's throw from my home in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  You may remember reading a story about my recent visit to the plant.  So, I'm stumped as to why they need more than the cereal in the boxes.  The little guy that I pictured sitting on my cereal bowl found his way into the trash after I took the photo.  I'm sure they have a reason to do so, but children today seem to be too savvy for plastic trinkets.  My guess is that those making the decisions may be a bit too old to realize that fact.  It was another ordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The "She Let Me Go To The Store By Myself" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Friday, and it's shopping day at the grocery store.  For the past 20 some years, after retirement from teaching, Carol and I have usually gone to the grocery store together.  I would push the cart and she would check her list and fill the cart with items we would need for the upcoming week.  On Friday we would head to our nearby chain grocery store, Giant Supermarket, while on Saturday or Sunday we would head to a local grocery store for specialty items that they would make themselves.  The local store we would frequent the most was known as Stauffer's of Kissel Hill that is located to the north of our home in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  Well, when COVID-19 came along, our daughter said she would feel better if we both didn't go the store at the same time.  So, we began to take turns going to the store.  Most times I would go to the Giant and she would go to Stauffer's.  

Only two pieces of Carol lemon poppy-seed cake remain...

But, last week we switched and when I came home from Stauffers on Saturday, she knew it was a mistake.  Seems I like sweets and Stauffers has a huge selection of items I love.  I guess I should also tell you that Carol baked one of my favorite homemade cakes on Friday, a Lemon Poppyseed, that is great for dunking in milk.  And, then our son Derek and daughter-in-law Barbara stopped to check on us and brought a half-dozen Long John's for us.  

And...only one Long John remains

Oh yeah, we also had 6 boses of Girls Scout cookies delivered the middle of the week.  As I unpacked the bags from Stauffers I pulled out a quarter of a Key Lime Pie, a bag of white and brown cream-filled cookies, a bag of Chips Ahoy! cookies, three boxes of Tastycake cupcakes, a plastic tray of vanilla wafers and a container of nonpareils. Oh yeah...I did buy a chicken, a big piece of pork and two very thick steaks, but I guess that didn't equal the half-dozen items loaded with sugar!  Well, Carol was happy to have me go to the store, but wondered how I was going to eat all the desserts I had bought.  Well, that was three days ago and the cake is almost gone, the Long John's have one remaining and half of the container of milk is gone.  Hey, by next Friday all the treats, except the Girl Scout Cookies, will be gone and ready to be replaced.  Now, I'm not sure if I'll have to go to Giant or have yet another chance to go to Stauffers.  Carol is hoping the pandemic will end soon so we can get back to regular grocery shopping and I won't eat my way through yet another week or more of sugar-laden treats.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

The 1/4 piece of Key Lime Pie.

Container of home-made vanilla wafers.

Package of chocolate Nonpareils.

Package of Chips Ahoy!  Yeah, I had to open these on the way home if you're
wondering why the package looks as if it was opened.

4 of the 6 boxes of Girl Scout Cookies we ordered. Not sure what happened to the other 2 boxes!