Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Car hop incident leads to love
In July 1964, I met my husband, Carl. We only knew each other for about a month or so. I knew when I first met him that he was "The One" for me. Several of our friends met for a gathering (I do not recall what it was about) then we all traveled to the Eat'n Park located on Washington Blvd. in the East Liberty section of Pittsburgh, Pa. Carl was in his white hardtop 1960 Chevy Impala and I was in my sister's Rambler.
It was in the fall, and there were car hops that placed the tray on your opened window before they brought your order to the car, so you could eat while parked. Well, I kept (by accident) rolling down the window, and the tray would hit Carl's car parked next to mine. He had this great big smile, and he tried to look angry as he said, "Hey, watch it! You will scratch the paint." I was so nervous, it happened several times.
We will be married 43 years in August this year. And we still go to Eat'n Park at the Waterfront. We have lots of fond memories of Eat'n Park, and we keep making new ones with our grandchildren.
Kristina
Pittsburgh, PA Share
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It was in the fall, and there were car hops that placed the tray on your opened window before they brought your order to the car, so you could eat while parked. Well, I kept (by accident) rolling down the window, and the tray would hit Carl's car parked next to mine. He had this great big smile, and he tried to look angry as he said, "Hey, watch it! You will scratch the paint." I was so nervous, it happened several times.
We will be married 43 years in August this year. And we still go to Eat'n Park at the Waterfront. We have lots of fond memories of Eat'n Park, and we keep making new ones with our grandchildren.
Kristina
Pittsburgh, PA Share
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Smiley's birthday party makes family vacation even better
My story is actually a fairly recent one. I, my husband, and our four children took a vacation to Ligonier, PA in July 2006. We took a day and drove into Latrobe, PA. We decided to eat at your restaurant. We were very pleasantly surprised to find out that we just happened to be there during the week you were celebrating Smiley's birthday. You were offering 99-cent kids meals. We were ecstatic! We ate at Eat'n Park almost every day, and the kids loved the Smiley cookies as well as the Smiley tattoos from his birthday party! The kids wore those tattoos proudly!
Believe it or not, when we talk about that vacation, Eat'n Park is always part of the conversation. The staff there was REALLY friendly, and even suggested sites for us to see in the area! Ever since that summer, when the kids get to choose the restaurant, they almost always choose Eat'n Park! Thank you for making our vacation an even better one!!
Julia
Kreston, OH Share
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Believe it or not, when we talk about that vacation, Eat'n Park is always part of the conversation. The staff there was REALLY friendly, and even suggested sites for us to see in the area! Ever since that summer, when the kids get to choose the restaurant, they almost always choose Eat'n Park! Thank you for making our vacation an even better one!!
Julia
Kreston, OH Share
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Ever heard of a "Big Girl" Burger?
This is not so much of a story as it is a bit of trivia. When I was a teenager, I did not care for cheese. Consequently, I always requested my Big Boy burger without the cheese. What was the name of a "Big Boy Burger" that didn't have cheese? The answer is "a Big Girl Burger."
You may think this is a contrived question and answer. However, I can state factually that when I would order a "Big Girl Burger" at any Eat'n Park in the Pittsburgh area, that the servers always knew exactly what I wanted and always served the burger without the cheese.
Dave
Wexford, PA Share
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You may think this is a contrived question and answer. However, I can state factually that when I would order a "Big Girl Burger" at any Eat'n Park in the Pittsburgh area, that the servers always knew exactly what I wanted and always served the burger without the cheese.
Dave
Wexford, PA Share
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Car hop days provide happy memories
When I was a teenager and was allowed to use the family car, I would meet my friends at the Washington Boulevard location. I remember the servers would rollerskate up to our car and take our orders. Sometimes, when they put the tray with food and drinks on the window trays, they would spill either on themselves or on us, and they would apologize to no end. I remember we would pass food from one car to another and on warm nights sit on the hood of the car and just have a ball laughing, planning our summer nights. I remember when it rained, how they tried to keep the food dry.
When I tell my now adult children about these wonderful times, they don't believe me, but these are some of the best memories of my life and always make me smile and laugh. I wish I could turn the clock back to those wonderful days. Now we go to the McKnight Road location and are considered regulars, as your staff recognizes us and really takes care of us. We truly love going there. We go at least 2 to 4 times a month. Congratulations and Happy Birthday!
The Kaufmans
Pittsburgh, PA Share
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When I tell my now adult children about these wonderful times, they don't believe me, but these are some of the best memories of my life and always make me smile and laugh. I wish I could turn the clock back to those wonderful days. Now we go to the McKnight Road location and are considered regulars, as your staff recognizes us and really takes care of us. We truly love going there. We go at least 2 to 4 times a month. Congratulations and Happy Birthday!
The Kaufmans
Pittsburgh, PA Share
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New Kensington Mural Remembered
It was probably about 1967 or 1968 when mom would first allow us to walk down to the Eat'n Park in the Parnassus section of New Kensington. We considered ourselves lucky to live so close! Usually this treat happened on a Friday, so often our order was a delicious Eat'n Park fish sandwich. The piece de resistance, though, was walking home with strawberry pie. It wasn't Eat'n Park without the strawberry pie!
For years a very cool mural was painted on the wall depicting Eat'n Park's waitstaff. So many of those women had been there for years and years! It was a wonderful touch to honor those special ladies who greeted us kids with a smile every time we'd come for our strawberry pie and fish sandwich. To tell you the truth, it doesn't feel much different today--40 years later.
Gerra
Cranberry Township, PA Share
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For years a very cool mural was painted on the wall depicting Eat'n Park's waitstaff. So many of those women had been there for years and years! It was a wonderful touch to honor those special ladies who greeted us kids with a smile every time we'd come for our strawberry pie and fish sandwich. To tell you the truth, it doesn't feel much different today--40 years later.
Gerra
Cranberry Township, PA Share
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Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Farm Tour 2009
When spring finally rolls around and the snow on the ground begins to melt, I know it’s time to make my visits with our farmers. I always find these visits to be very educational and exciting. Even though there is nothing growing yet, my objective is to make sure our farmers understand what we are looking for in the coming year.
This year, my first stop was to Dawson Orchards (http://www.dawsonsorchards.com/), in Enon Valley, PA. When I got to the orchard, I was greeted by the owner, Carolyn McQuiston, who was ready to show me around. Carolyn’s apples can be found on our salad bar from October to May throughout our restaurants in Western PA, Ohio, and West Virginia. We started the tour at the packing house, where she showed me how the apples were washed and then packed into either bags for retail or boxes for foodservice. She informed me that apples harvested in September and October are placed in Controlled atmosphere storage (CA) until they are ready to be shipped.
From the top: Apples being cleaned, packing the apples, cold storage, me in the orchard.
Controlled atmosphere storage is a method in which oxygen levels, temperature and humidity are kept constant. The exact conditions in these rooms are set according to the apple variety to achieve the best quality. CA storage is used by all apple growers, regardless if they are from Pennsylvania, New York or Washington. So remember: the apple you eat in April was most likely harvested in September or October from the previous year.
After we left the pack house, she toured me through the orchards, and before I left she invited me inside for the best apple dumpling I’ve ever had. Unfortunately, I couldn’t talk her into sharing the recipe with me, so I convinced Regis, our head of menu development, to share an apple recipe that you’ll be seeing in Eat’n Park in September: Waldorf Salad. Scroll to the bottom of my post to get it.
A few weeks after my visit with Dawson’s, I was off to meet with a few of our farmers in Western PA: Art King from Harvest Valley Farms (http://www.harvestvalleyfarms.com/) and Don Brenckle from Brenckle’s Farm and Greenhouses (http://www.brenckle.com/). We have been working with these two farmers for the past 5 years, so they know the drill and always look for us to try to execute something new. Both of these farmers grow tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, peppers, beets and corn. In the coming months, look for these items to be incorporated within our menu and salad bar.
Top: Me, in the greenhouse at Harvest Valley Farms
Bottom: Brenckle's Farm and Greenhouse
The tour wouldn’t be complete without visiting my good friend of about 7 years, Steve Groff. Steve’s farm, Cedar Meadow Farm (http://www.cedarmeadowfarm.com/), is located in Holtwood, PA. Cedar Meadow Farm grows tomatoes for our Eastern PA restaurants. Steve’s farm is a little unique because he doesn’t till his land; in fact, some of his land has not been turned in over 30 years. Steve has pioneered the "Permanent Cover Cropping System", which includes no-tillage, cover crops, and effective crop rotations as a way to increase profits, enhance soil and water quality, and reduce pesticides.
The cornerstone of this system is a unique emphasis on maintaining a permanent cover of crop residues and cover crops on the soil surface and having something living in the soil at all times. All vegetables and crops are then seeded or transplanted into the organic mulch. This permanent cover aids in weed control, has virtually eliminated soil erosion and has increased soil and water quality.
As I looked at the barely thawed out land, I noticed many large radishes that were decomposing on the top of the soil. Steve told me they were called Tillage Radishes. These radishes are planted late in the growing season and are used to aerate the soil and bring nitrogen (an essential element for growing vegetables) to the surface. Basically, the roots of the radish grow deep into the soil and when the ground freezes, these radishes pop out of the soil from the pressure of the frozen ground. When this happens, the radish leaves a hole in the ground (providing aeration) and the root on the surface of the soil provides the nitrogen for the next crop that will be planted. To learn more about Tillage Radishes, check out http://www.tillageradish.com/.
Top: Cedar Meadow Farms
Middle: Steve's son, inspecting a Tillage Radish during the growing season
Bottom: Steve Groff, in a field of decomposing Tillage Radishes
We are so proud to work with these growers and hope that you take the opportunity to stop in and check out the local products we feature at your neighborhood Eat’n Park.
Until next time,
Jamie
Recipe: Simple Waldorf Salad
Yield: Approx. 9 cups
Ingredients:
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This year, my first stop was to Dawson Orchards (http://www.dawsonsorchards.com/), in Enon Valley, PA. When I got to the orchard, I was greeted by the owner, Carolyn McQuiston, who was ready to show me around. Carolyn’s apples can be found on our salad bar from October to May throughout our restaurants in Western PA, Ohio, and West Virginia. We started the tour at the packing house, where she showed me how the apples were washed and then packed into either bags for retail or boxes for foodservice. She informed me that apples harvested in September and October are placed in Controlled atmosphere storage (CA) until they are ready to be shipped.
From the top: Apples being cleaned, packing the apples, cold storage, me in the orchard.
Controlled atmosphere storage is a method in which oxygen levels, temperature and humidity are kept constant. The exact conditions in these rooms are set according to the apple variety to achieve the best quality. CA storage is used by all apple growers, regardless if they are from Pennsylvania, New York or Washington. So remember: the apple you eat in April was most likely harvested in September or October from the previous year.
After we left the pack house, she toured me through the orchards, and before I left she invited me inside for the best apple dumpling I’ve ever had. Unfortunately, I couldn’t talk her into sharing the recipe with me, so I convinced Regis, our head of menu development, to share an apple recipe that you’ll be seeing in Eat’n Park in September: Waldorf Salad. Scroll to the bottom of my post to get it.
A few weeks after my visit with Dawson’s, I was off to meet with a few of our farmers in Western PA: Art King from Harvest Valley Farms (http://www.harvestvalleyfarms.com/) and Don Brenckle from Brenckle’s Farm and Greenhouses (http://www.brenckle.com/). We have been working with these two farmers for the past 5 years, so they know the drill and always look for us to try to execute something new. Both of these farmers grow tomatoes, squash, cucumbers, peppers, beets and corn. In the coming months, look for these items to be incorporated within our menu and salad bar.
Top: Me, in the greenhouse at Harvest Valley Farms
Bottom: Brenckle's Farm and Greenhouse
The tour wouldn’t be complete without visiting my good friend of about 7 years, Steve Groff. Steve’s farm, Cedar Meadow Farm (http://www.cedarmeadowfarm.com/), is located in Holtwood, PA. Cedar Meadow Farm grows tomatoes for our Eastern PA restaurants. Steve’s farm is a little unique because he doesn’t till his land; in fact, some of his land has not been turned in over 30 years. Steve has pioneered the "Permanent Cover Cropping System", which includes no-tillage, cover crops, and effective crop rotations as a way to increase profits, enhance soil and water quality, and reduce pesticides.
The cornerstone of this system is a unique emphasis on maintaining a permanent cover of crop residues and cover crops on the soil surface and having something living in the soil at all times. All vegetables and crops are then seeded or transplanted into the organic mulch. This permanent cover aids in weed control, has virtually eliminated soil erosion and has increased soil and water quality.
As I looked at the barely thawed out land, I noticed many large radishes that were decomposing on the top of the soil. Steve told me they were called Tillage Radishes. These radishes are planted late in the growing season and are used to aerate the soil and bring nitrogen (an essential element for growing vegetables) to the surface. Basically, the roots of the radish grow deep into the soil and when the ground freezes, these radishes pop out of the soil from the pressure of the frozen ground. When this happens, the radish leaves a hole in the ground (providing aeration) and the root on the surface of the soil provides the nitrogen for the next crop that will be planted. To learn more about Tillage Radishes, check out http://www.tillageradish.com/.
Top: Cedar Meadow Farms
Middle: Steve's son, inspecting a Tillage Radish during the growing season
Bottom: Steve Groff, in a field of decomposing Tillage Radishes
We are so proud to work with these growers and hope that you take the opportunity to stop in and check out the local products we feature at your neighborhood Eat’n Park.
Until next time,
Jamie
Recipe: Simple Waldorf Salad
Yield: Approx. 9 cups
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs apples (Peeled, cored, and diced)
- 5 oz. celery (minced)
- 2 oz. walnuts (chopped)
- 1 cup grapes (halved)
- ½ lemon
- 3.5 oz. mayonnaise
- Place apples in a mixing bowl and squeeze lemon juice over them. Toss to coat.
- Combine all remaining ingredients.
- Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour prior to serving.
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Thursday, April 16, 2009
Celebrating 60 years together
I am also celebrating 60 years, as I was born in February 1949. Forward 16 years from then, in 1965, when I pulled into the Eat'n Park in Wexford with my $75 1957 Plymouth Belvedere.
The car smoked and had more holes than a swiss cheese sandwich, but it was my pride and joy. My AM tube radio could pull in WABC and DJ Cousin Bruce from New York at night. The tail fins and whip antenna were true Americana tackiness that I still love today. What better destination for a 16 year-old teen to seek out on a Friday night...flirting with girls and driving my buddies to a great restaurant that we could afford. The new-found independence was exhilarating.
Memories of good food and Doo Wop music still come to mind as I frequent the Cranberry Eat'n Park about once each week. My wife and I relax there and talk about changes in the world and about the good things that have never changed. We always enjoy the friendliness of the servers and management at Eat'n Park. The food is as delicious as it was in "65". The Smiley Cookies we take to our grandkids have already created fond memories that will last for a long, long time.
Don
Harmony, PA Share
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The car smoked and had more holes than a swiss cheese sandwich, but it was my pride and joy. My AM tube radio could pull in WABC and DJ Cousin Bruce from New York at night. The tail fins and whip antenna were true Americana tackiness that I still love today. What better destination for a 16 year-old teen to seek out on a Friday night...flirting with girls and driving my buddies to a great restaurant that we could afford. The new-found independence was exhilarating.
Memories of good food and Doo Wop music still come to mind as I frequent the Cranberry Eat'n Park about once each week. My wife and I relax there and talk about changes in the world and about the good things that have never changed. We always enjoy the friendliness of the servers and management at Eat'n Park. The food is as delicious as it was in "65". The Smiley Cookies we take to our grandkids have already created fond memories that will last for a long, long time.
Don
Harmony, PA Share
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