Some final memories of our visit to New York. Good deli food and Dr. Brown’s cream soda (twice in one week) topped my list. If you haven’t had cream soda, you don’t know what you’re missing. (Although, some people taste it and wish they didn’t know what they were missing.) A colleague once introduced me to a great imitation. Simply mix vanilla vodka with ginger ale. If you have more than two of the vodka versions, the tastes are identical. If you don’t like “original” cream soda, you might like the adult version.
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| DR. BROWN’S ORIGINAL CREAM SODA. BLISS. |
My Fix
Cream soda (without vodka) requires some good New York deli to bring out the flavor. We were lucky enough to have lunch twice at a place called The Stage Deli. The original Stage Deli, on 7th Avenue, closed last year; I have no idea what connection this little place has, but it was good. The sandwiches (in traditional delis, there’s enough meat for four sandwiches) are usually too much for the Dowager Duchess to consume in one (or even two) sittings. So, she and I shared a sandwich, which meant that I got to supplement my meal with a really good potato knish.
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| CORNED BEEF, POTATO KNISH, AND A KOSHER DILL. I’M OK FOR ANOTHER YEAR. |
The Duchess’s Fix
What visit with The Dowager Duchess would be complete without a visit to at least one garden center? We drove to the nearby Home Depot (our version here in Fuengirola is a store called Akí) and The Duchess swooned over the flora. There was nothing to “weed,” but back in her apartment I did find a photo of the Duchess “weeding the garden” in Germany more than 30 years ago (click here to see that story).
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| A VERY UNFLATTERING PHOTO OF THE DOWAGER DUCHESS … AS SHE TRIES TO FIGURE OUT HOW MANY CAN FIT ON HER BALCONY. |
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| THE DOWAGER DUCHESS — PULLING WEEDS IN THE BACKYARD. AUGUSTBURG PALACE, BRÜHL, GERMANY, 1974. |
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| MY FATHER, THE ROYAL CONSORT — ON HIS PEDESTAL. AUGUSTBURG PALACE, BRÜHL, GERMANY, 1974. |
I don't know which I like more… the photo of the food or the flowers. No.. it's the photos of the Duchess and especially the one of your father on his pedestal. Family always comes first!
That sandwich is making me hungry and I just had breakfast. The Dowager looks fabulous!
Nubian:
The Dowager Duchess was not happy with me for that recent photo at Home Depot! Like I said, not flattering!
Not only have I not had cream soda for over 50 years but I've not even HEARD of 'vanilla vodka'. Got some 'exploring' to do.
Btw Mitch. I only noticed an hour ago that on my last blog I mis-ascribed your recent posting of the song 'That's Amore'. Now been corrected – so you get a 'plug', eventually. Apologies.
Raybeard:
So sorry I'm behind on my reading. Thanks for the plug (but I guess you never even needed to confess)! Absolut or Three Olives are two great brands of vanilla vodka for that cream soda treat.
OMG, just had dinner and now I'm hungry again!
The Dowager Duchess looks great at Home Depot but also while working in the backyard of your summer residence.
Why is your brother hiding behind the pedastal, he should have one himself, for being independent with a handicap.
Peter:
The photo of the Dowager Duchess at Home Depot is really bad… and she let me know today.
I think my brother either thought he was out of the shot if he squatted below the pedestal or he was mortified by our behavior and was trying to hide. (I can't believe my father did that and I can't believe I took a picture of it.)
Good grief, how does anyone get their mouth around that sandwich? Do you get a knife and fork with it? I have never heard of vanilla vodka either. And I have often wondered what a knish looks like. So this is a very educational post for me!
I always make a beeline towards garden centres too. Love the photographs!
Judith:
That's a very small version of a traditional NY Deli sandwich. You wouldn't believe the size of them.
The Dowager Duchess could LIVE in a garden center… as long as there was an ice cream parlor included.
I haven't had a cream soda in so long! I used to love them.
Halifax just opened it's first authentic deli with smoked meats, knishes, matza balls etc. It is based on the Montreal delis which are similar to the NYC ones. We went to the Carnegie Deli when we were there. And you are right! We had enough meat for 2 to 3 days!! Actually we laughed out loud when the order came!!
Love the last two photos Mitch. You were a skinny fella,eh? I feel safe in saying that as I looked much the same back then in '74!
Jim:
That's my skinny brother hiding under the pedestal. But, yes, I was skinny too. 6'1" and 125 pounds when I graduated high school. A hefty 6'2" and 140 pounds when I graduated college.
I adore 1970 photos like these…….
Happy memories
John:
I'm poking through all the old photos again. I'm thinking of doing one of me through the ages (with a surprise theme in mind).
Whoooaaaa, I haven't had a cream soda in AGES and ages and ages. Thanks for the memories!
Judeet:
I love cream soda. I think I may get to enjoy it once every few years now.
You wouldn't think it from looking at me, but there are things I don't eat or drink. And at the top of my list of things to avoid is cream soda. Just the smell of it makes my hurl. Of course my college roommate was addicted to the stuff, among other things. Have a great weekend.
Stephen:
It amazes me what a love/hate relationship people have with cream soda. I've never met anyone who was iffy on it.
Your potato knish doesn't look like the one I had at Mort's deli over in Golden Valley. It was square and thicker and had potato filling.
It came with their "Oy Vey platter" (apparently the deli version of the Pu Pu platter). It also had chopped chicken liver, fried kreplach, chicken wings, rueben sliders and homemade kettle chips.
I wasn't impressed with the kreplach but the rest was really good. They also have Carnegie Deli cheesecake on the menu. I just wish it wasn't so darn far away!
Ms. Sparrow:
Reuben "sliders"… ah the modern deli! I love it. The pictured knish was delish. I think it was supposed to be rectangular but got misshapen. (Also, I had take a huge bite out of the upper left corner.)
I smiled thinking about NYC and 'soda'. When kids came from NYC to U of M in Michigan, they referred to the drinks at soda, when we all knew they were pop. Soda was for cocktail mixers !
Spo:
Upstate New Yorkers also called it pop. And in Boston, it was all called "tonic." Very confusing.
But everyone knows you use soda "water" for cocktails!
Not a cream soda fan, but now I'm hungry for good corned beef! I love the family photos from the past! You all had fun together! And still do. (I wonder where your sense of humor comes from!)
Kristi:
For better or worse, my sense of humor definitely comes from my father. I used to think my mother made the best corned beef in the world. I just found out she bought it and simply heated it up!
I'm diabetic and have to watch my sugar intake, but I know that I can have EXACTLY four sips of Dr. Brown's Creme Soda and get away with it. I LOVE the stuff.
Maria:
Now, wouldn't you think Dr. Brown would have made a sugar-free cream soda?!? After all, he's a doctor!