Thursday, May 1, 2014
Strawberry Specials are here!
It's the most wonderful time of the year … Strawberry
Season! We've got some great strawberry specials that you're sure to love. Read
on to see what's new!
First up is our famous Strawberry Pie – we've been making them since 1954! Boasting two whole pounds of strawberries in every pie, it's on sale this month for $9.99.
Love strawberries but prefer your pie a bit creamier? Try our Strawberry Crème Pie! It's the best of both worlds!
Strawberries are great for breakfast, too! Our classic Strawberry Belgian Waffle is topped with freshly sliced strawberries and whipped topping. It’s less than 400 calories and is just $5.99.
Speaking of salad, our Fruit Salad offers a sweet and juicy medley of six of the season's finest USDA #1 fruits! Served with a scoop of sherbet or cottage cheese, and our exclusive creamy dipping sauce. $7.99
And last but certainly not least – Strawberry beverages! We’re featuring Strawberry Lemonade and our famous Strawberry Milkshake. Simply sweet and berry delicious!
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The New Banksville Eat’n Park
Did you hear? We
have officially broken ground at our new Banksville Eat’n Park! That’s right; we’re building a completely new
Eat’n Park restaurant right next to our current one! Don’t worry; our current Banksville restaurant is still open 24 hours a
day, 7 days a week during the construction.
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| Our Banksville team members at our ground breaking ceremony |
The all-new Banksville Eat'n Park will feature a spacious lobby and bakery, private dining room, more flexible seating for larger parties and families, and a bigger parking lot. We're also adding a pickup window, which means you'll be able to pick up your takeout order without leaving your car!
The new Banksville Eat’n Park will be opening in November. Stop back soon to see photos of our progress!
The new Banksville Eat’n Park will be opening in November. Stop back soon to see photos of our progress!
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| Draft illustration of the future Banksville Eat’n Park |
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Our Famous Strawberry Pie: Celebrating 60 Years!
It's hard to believe we've been serving up Strawberry Pie for 60 years!
I’m Bill Moore - the Director of Safety and Security at Eat’n Park. I have a lot of great memories of Eat’n Park. My grandfather, Larry Hatch, founded Eat'n Park in 1949, so, as you may imagine, this company is an important part of my family’s history.
I started with the company in 1979 as a dishwasher, and I soon met a waitress who turned out to be the girl of my dreams. I married her 10 years later. My brother in-law met his wife while working at Eat'n Park, too. My wife's parents met at the Bridgeville Eat'n Park as teenagers. In the last 60 years, more than 22 members of my family have worked for Eat'n Park. In 2008, my son Ryan became the 4th generation of our family to work for the company.
I take great pride in my family’s history with Eat'n Park, but one of the greatest contributions my family has given Eat'n Park is the Strawberry Pie. My mother came up with the recipe in our kitchen at home. My father, Bob Moore, tested many types of strawberry glazes that were, in his words, "god-awful." He came home and asked my mom, Claire, if she could do better, and boy, did she ever! She made several pies and submitted them to our neighbors in Scott Township. When the comments came back - “too sweet,” “too tart,” etc., Mom hung in there to perfect the recipe. After quite a few rounds and many taste tests later, the neighbors finally all agreed that she had produced a delicious pie. I guess our guests agree, too. It’s become a favorite of so many people.
A little known fact about our Strawberry Pie is that Eat'n Park was one of the first places ever to receive fresh strawberries (or any other produce for that matter) by air freight. In 1962, Eat'n Park served fresh Strawberry Pie throughout the winter, with strawberries shipped from Plant City, Florida. At the time, this was unheard of. Another little known fact is that I make the best Strawberry Pie in the company. It must be in my genes!
Bill Moore
Director of Safety & Security
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I started with the company in 1979 as a dishwasher, and I soon met a waitress who turned out to be the girl of my dreams. I married her 10 years later. My brother in-law met his wife while working at Eat'n Park, too. My wife's parents met at the Bridgeville Eat'n Park as teenagers. In the last 60 years, more than 22 members of my family have worked for Eat'n Park. In 2008, my son Ryan became the 4th generation of our family to work for the company.
I take great pride in my family’s history with Eat'n Park, but one of the greatest contributions my family has given Eat'n Park is the Strawberry Pie. My mother came up with the recipe in our kitchen at home. My father, Bob Moore, tested many types of strawberry glazes that were, in his words, "god-awful." He came home and asked my mom, Claire, if she could do better, and boy, did she ever! She made several pies and submitted them to our neighbors in Scott Township. When the comments came back - “too sweet,” “too tart,” etc., Mom hung in there to perfect the recipe. After quite a few rounds and many taste tests later, the neighbors finally all agreed that she had produced a delicious pie. I guess our guests agree, too. It’s become a favorite of so many people.
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| Bill and his Mom, Claire, with the now-famous Strawberry Pie. |
Bill Moore
Director of Safety & Security
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Wednesday, April 30, 2014
Job Shadowing With Jamie: A Lesson On Sustainability
Last month I received a request from one of our high school team members to shadow me for the day at work. I’ve been working with Eat’n Park Hospitality Group for 14 years and this was the first time I’ve received this type of request, so of course I agreed!
Jenni is a senior at South Allegheny High School in McKeesport and works at our McKeesport restaurant. Jenni will be graduating this year and will be studying Environmental Science at St. Vincent College in Latrobe. She selected me to shadow because she was intrigued with Eat’n Park Hospitality Group’s sustainable efforts.
During her visit, I shared with her my responsibilities as well as some of the company’s sustainable accomplishments that I’ve been involved with. We then had an opportunity to meet with some key individuals who make Eat’n Park what it is today. The latter part of the day was devoted to a tour at Turner Dairy Farms in Penn Hills.
We’ve been partnering with Turner Dairy Farms for many years, and I felt this was a good way for Jenni to really understand our relationships with our local suppliers. During the tour, Jenni had a chance to see where the milk, sour cream, buttermilk and cottage cheese are produced for her Eat’n Park restaurant.
Jenni is an ambitious young lady that has a sound understanding of environmental sustainability. She’s passionate about the environment and will be an asset to any company after she graduates. Our day ended and we both went our separate ways, but I have a feeling that this will not be the last time I’ll see Jenni I had a great time spending the day with her, and I wish her the best of luck with the next chapter in her life.
Until next time,
Jamie
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During her visit, I shared with her my responsibilities as well as some of the company’s sustainable accomplishments that I’ve been involved with. We then had an opportunity to meet with some key individuals who make Eat’n Park what it is today. The latter part of the day was devoted to a tour at Turner Dairy Farms in Penn Hills.
We’ve been partnering with Turner Dairy Farms for many years, and I felt this was a good way for Jenni to really understand our relationships with our local suppliers. During the tour, Jenni had a chance to see where the milk, sour cream, buttermilk and cottage cheese are produced for her Eat’n Park restaurant.
Jenni is an ambitious young lady that has a sound understanding of environmental sustainability. She’s passionate about the environment and will be an asset to any company after she graduates. Our day ended and we both went our separate ways, but I have a feeling that this will not be the last time I’ll see Jenni I had a great time spending the day with her, and I wish her the best of luck with the next chapter in her life.
Until next time,
Jamie
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Bean To Booth: Our Eat’n Park Coffee Story
Have you ever wondered where our coffee comes from? I’m here to tell you the story…all the way from Costa Rica!
In my role for Eat’n Park Hospitality Group, I’m responsible for knowing the sources of our foods. So I packed my bags and headed to Costa Rica to become more knowledgeable about where our coffee is sourced. The specific plantation, Hacienda La Minita is located in Central America, which is a 6 hour flight directly south of Pennsylvania.
Background on La Minita
La Minita is located in the coffee-producing area called “Los Santos,” which is roughly a 1½ hour drive south of San Jose.
The plantation consists of 1,200 acres of land, of which 680 acres currently being used for coffee production. Of the remaining 520 acres, there are 200 acres of natural forest preserve located on the south side of the farm that will never be brought into coffee production.
Although there is a section of the farm that approaches 6,000ft in altitude, the central block lies between 3,750ft and 5,000ft, the ideal altitude for growing coffee. The farm faces west, which allows for gradual warming in the morning and slow cooling in the evening.
Planting
Approximately 2,500 trees are planted per acre on the 680 acres of land currently in production. The exact number depends on the geography of the area being planted and the variety of trees used. This results in a total of about 1,700,000 trees on the farm.
There is a five-year rotational pruning system in place. Every fifth year, the coffee tree is cut down to approximately 20 inches in height, retaining the lower branches. This will encourage the tree to begin new growth. One year after this cutting, two primary shoots are selected for the next four years of production. All of this work is performed by hand. Each year roughly 350,000 trees are pruned.
After three cycles of pruning, or fifteen years, the trees become exhausted and are replaced with trees from La Minita’s nursery. This nursery is located on a small, protected area of the farm. The nursery trees are nurtured on the farm for one year prior to being transplanted to the main farm. In a typical year, they transplant about 150,000 trees.
Growing
One crop of coffee is grown each year. The cycle begins with the first rains of the year, which normally occur sometime between the end of March and the beginning of May. The timing of the first rain is essential, because the rain signals the trees to begin flowering.
Approximately ten days after the initial rains, small honeysuckle-like flowers form on the trees. This flowering is critical to the coffee crop. The node where each flower forms will produce a single coffee cherry. Within this cherry are the coffee seeds which will become the coffee bean. If the flowering is adversely affected by the weather, pollination will not occur, no cherry will form, and there will be no coffee.
From the onset of the initial rains, they enter into the seven-month rainy season. During the rainy season, there will typically be four to six hours of rainfall every day. These rains nurture the trees while encouraging the growth and development of the green coffee cherries.
The rains also encourage the growth of weeds among the coffee trees. Since they don’t use herbicides to control weeds at La Minita, they use machetes to clear the weeds by hand. Each year, every acre of the farm is weeded three times.
With the end of the rainy season (November) comes the ripening of the coffee cherries. The large green cherries begin to turn red when they are ripe and fill with the sweet miel (honey) that surrounds the seeds. Only the ripe fruit is picked, leaving the still unripe fruit for subsequent pickings. Most trees are picked up to five times to harvest the fruit. Once the fruit is harvested it’s sent to the benificio or coffee mills where it is washed, sorted by size, then dried. The dried bean is then shipped to our coffee roaster, Distant Lands, to be roasted.
People
La Minita has a core of 80 full-time employees who are provided with housing on the farm for themselves and their families. This includes managers, farm workers, clerical staff, drivers and maintenance personnel. This workforce grows seasonally; over 600 pickers join the core team to help bring in the harvest.
The plantation also assists their workers by actively supporting them in their lives outside of working hours. They contribute matching funds to the workers’ association savings plans, and operate a medical clinic right on the farm. A doctor staffs the clinic two days a week to administer to the needs of the workers and their families. Three days a week a dentist visits the farm to attend to the dental needs of the farm community.
Eat’n Park Blend
As we continue to work directly with growers and producers, our focus is to find the highest quality products, as well cultivate partnerships with companies that follow high social and environmental standards. We do that by asking many questions and visiting farms and production plants to see for ourselves how our products are produced – just as I did when I visited La Minita.
We believe that because of this commitment, each cup of Eat’n Park coffee offers a distinctive and delicious flavor – and we hope you agree! Whether you’re enjoying a cup with friends over breakfast in our restaurants, or brewing your own at home with our new Single Serve Coffee Cups, we’re hopeful that you can taste this quality in every sip.
To learn more about my visit to Costa Rica, check out this video.
Until next time!
Jamie
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Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Single Serve Coffee Cups
Did you hear? We’re now offering Single Serve Coffee Cups! That’s right folks; you can now enjoy a single cup of Eat’n Park coffee at work, home, on vacation…almost anywhere!
Available at all Eat’n Park restaurants, Single Serve Coffee Cups are just $7.99 and include 12 individual coffee cups.
Want to know what makes our coffee different? Check out this video to see where and how our beans are grown!
You can also click here to learn more about our recent visit to La Minita plantation in Costa Rica, where our coffee beans are grown.
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Available at all Eat’n Park restaurants, Single Serve Coffee Cups are just $7.99 and include 12 individual coffee cups.
Want to know what makes our coffee different? Check out this video to see where and how our beans are grown!
You can also click here to learn more about our recent visit to La Minita plantation in Costa Rica, where our coffee beans are grown.
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Tuesday, April 22, 2014
New Smiley Stuff!
Spring is officially here, which means we've got some great new Smiley items that are sure to brighten up your day!
Perk up your morning with our new Smiley "Keep Calm and Smile On" 16 ounce ceramic coffee mugs! It's always easier to smile after you've had your coffee for the day! These great mugs are only $6.99 and are available at all Eat'n Park locations.
We've got something for everyone, and our new Smiley baby bibs are the must-have accessory for your little one. They're the perfect way to keep a smile on those little faces! Bibs are available at select Eat'n Park locations (see list below) for just $6.99.
Be a Pittsburgh original! Our new vintage-inspired Smiley T-shirts will let everyone know that you're a proud Smiley and Pittsburgh fan. They're available in sizes S-XXL at select Eat'n Park locations (see list below) for $9.99.
Smiley merchandise is limited, so stop in today!
You can purchase bibs and T-shirts at the following Eat'n Park locations:
• Airport – Moon Twp.
• Beaver Valley Mall
• Belle Vernon
• Butler – Clearview Mall
• Cranberry
• Dubois
• Fox Chapel
• Franklin Park
• Grove City
• North Huntingdon
• Indiana
• Latrobe
• McKnight Road at Ross Park Mall
• Monongahela
• Monroeville
• Robinson
• Sewickley
• Shaler
• South Hills Village
• South Park/Bethel Park
• Uniontown
• Waterfront (Homestead)
• Washington
• Whitehall
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We've got something for everyone, and our new Smiley baby bibs are the must-have accessory for your little one. They're the perfect way to keep a smile on those little faces! Bibs are available at select Eat'n Park locations (see list below) for just $6.99.
Smiley merchandise is limited, so stop in today!
You can purchase bibs and T-shirts at the following Eat'n Park locations:
• Airport – Moon Twp.
• Beaver Valley Mall
• Belle Vernon
• Butler – Clearview Mall
• Cranberry
• Dubois
• Fox Chapel
• Franklin Park
• Grove City
• North Huntingdon
• Indiana
• Latrobe
• McKnight Road at Ross Park Mall
• Monongahela
• Monroeville
• Robinson
• Sewickley
• Shaler
• South Hills Village
• South Park/Bethel Park
• Uniontown
• Waterfront (Homestead)
• Washington
• Whitehall
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