Vintage Things That Have Disappeared In Your Lifetime?

[1961MJS]

Hi

I have no clue if Olive Garden is authentic Italian or now, I've never been to Italy, AND I'm mostly German.

I Love Olive Garden's soup and salad lunch special. They usually have 5-6 types of soup, including a potato soup with spinach greens and a little sausage in it (Love it). I can eat their salad, but hey iceberg lettuce is iceberg lettuce.

Later

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

What we eat here is Italian-American food, popularized by immigrants around the turn of the century. Ettore Boiardi was one such immigrant, who began selling a jarred spaghetti sauce in the 1920s and parlayed it into a packaged "Italian Food" empire by the 1940s. For most Americans not living in the North End of Boston, this was the "Italian Food" of the Era.

You know him, of course, as Chef Boy-Ar-Dee.

And Ragu spaghetti sauce was originally based on a recipe of Mafalda Capone -- Al Capone's sister who owned a deli in Chicago for many years.

 

[jamespowers]

The whole chain up and closed across Canada a number of years ago. It's an odd feeling when we see an American commercial for it on tv and go, "oh, ya, THAT place!".

I have no idea why it is still open here. We have access to so many REAL Italian restaurants around here that it is kind of like an Italian McDonalds.

 

[jamespowers]

And Ragu spaghetti sauce was originally based on a recipe of Mafalda Capone -- Al Capone's sister who owned a deli in Chicago for many years.

Well, Rago is better than Gangster sauce.

 

[sheeplady]

I have no idea why it is still open here. We have access to so many REAL Italian restaurants around here that it is kind of like an Italian McDonalds.

The same here. We have a large Italian American population, with a number of restaurants that range from really high end fare to inexpensive (but still good). I've never been to Olive Garden, however, so maybe I shouldn't knock it until I've tried it.

 

[rue]

I went to Olive Garden one time and that was enough

 

[scottyrocks]

I went to Olive Garden one time and that was enough

How's your blood pressure?

 

[rue]

How's your blood pressure?

Perfect lol

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

I went to Olive Garden one time and that was enough

How about Macaroni Grill? There's one not far from me.

 

[rue]

How about Macaroni Grill? There's one not far from me.

I've never been there, but I know my brother hates it and my daughter loves it [huh]

 

[Espee]

Waited ten years after first Olive Garden visit... they apparently hadn't seen the commercials which showed more food being brought to you as you ran low. Of course if you don't like it anyway...
Eventually went a few more times, and did at least get enough to eat.

 

[Shangas]

The discussion of Italian food and what's "real" Italian food and what's "Italian-American/Italian-Inspired" food, made me think of something else.

The issue of what's "Chinese" food. And what ain't.

Truth be told, a LOT of what we think is "Chinese" food, ain't actually Chinese. A lot of the stuff that is served in restaurants in Chinatowns around the world, is actually completely unheard of in China itself.

The classic example, of course, being fortune-cookies.

They're about as Chinese as the Chrysler Building. They're not Chinese at all. They were invented in San Francisco by Chinese immigrants during the Gold Rush years of the 1840s and 50s.

"Mongolian Beef" is another one. It doesn't come from China, and it certainly don't come from Mongolia.

On the other hand, "Chop Suey", commonly thought to be an American invention, created by Chinese immigrants to appease Western palettes, actually comes from China. It's original name is "Za Sui" ('Tsa-Suey'), which literally means "Assorted Pieces", referring to the fact that it's just a big stew where everything is mixed up.

"Yum Cha" (Cantonese - literally - 'Drink Tea') is another popular one which is actually Chinese. It originates from...Canton Province, Cantonese being the local dialect (Modern Chinese "Guandong Province") in southern China.

Another one is the "Egg Roll", which means a whole heap of things, depending on where you're from.

The traditional Chinese egg-roll is actually a snackfood. It's a sweet, crumbly, thin pastry that's rolled into a tube (sometimes filled with various sweet fillings). You buy them in tins. And trust me, these things are delicious. I could eat them all day long.

The savory egg-roll is a Western invention, generally unknown in China. Unless of course you're talking about spring-rolls (small, deepfried rolls filled with vegetables and/or meat), which are a traditional Chinese food.

 

[Espee]

I'm picturing shelf-loads of glass Ragu jars being shattered by machine-gun fire.

 

[rue]

^ :rofl:

The classic example, of course, being fortune-cookies.

They're about as Chinese as the Chrysler Building. They're not Chinese at all. They were invented in San Francisco by Chinese immigrants during the Gold Rush years of the 1840s and 50s.

So they are Chinese, but just not from China

 

[Espee]

Shangas reminds me of a remark by Al Pearce on his radio show in 1940. He said a panel had voted on the Comedian of the Year, and the winner was Confucius. (At that time, there were a ton of goofy wise-sayings, or proverbs, all preceded by "Confucius say:"
I used to hear them in grade school, but I can't remember a single one.

 

[Espee]

Rue, they're Chinese once-removed.

 

[rue]

Shangas reminds me of a remark by Al Pearce on his radio show in 1940. He said a panel had voted on the Comedian of the Year, and the winner was Confucius. (At that time, there were a ton of goofy wise-sayings, or proverbs, all preceded by "Confucius say:"
I used to hear them in grade school, but I can't remember a single one.

I can, but I can't repeat them here. I'd get in trouble

Rue, they're Chinese once-removed.

You're right! lol

 

[Shangas]

Hahaha, Chinese Once-Removed!! I suppose that's one way of putting it. But yes, they're not known in China. If you went to Peking and asked for Fortune Cookies, you'd probably be laughed out of the shop.

Confucius Say, take many nails to make crib, but one screw to fill.

Confucius Say, virginity like balloon - one prick, all gone...

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Here's a brief history of the fortune cookie. As there's more or less an ongoing debate as to whether the fortune cookie originated in L.A. or San Francisco, the almond cookie was invented in L.A. in 1951.

 

[Shangas]

Every source I ever read said that it was invented in San Francisco.