Non-Rant: Food/Drink Friends

"There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship."
--Thomas Aquinas 

As 2024 begins, I want to add some positivity rather than start the New Year with any negativity. I want to highlight an important aspect of food and drink, one which you may know about but one which you might not give enough thought. As I recently reviewed my food and drink experiences of 2023, selecting my Favorites of the past year, there was a common element which I didn't highlight in those end-of-the-year articles. 

That common element is friendship.

It is a given that the circumstances surrounding us when we eat and drink will affect our perception of that food and drink. If you're vacationing in Europe, drinking local wine at a picturesque cafe, you'll probably think the wine is stunning, partially a reaction to your amazing surroundings. If you had that same wine at a dirty, noisy and crowded little restaurant, you might not enjoy it as much. Besides your surroundings, the people with you at the time will also play a role in your enjoyment. When you are dining with the people you most love, those closest to you, you're more likely to have a better experience.

As I have repeatedly said before, good food and drink is even better when shared. My best dining and drinking experiences have always been with good friends and/or family. I sincerely hope that you have at least one good friend who enhances your own dining and drinking experiences. As this new year begins, maybe you should thank those friends for enriching your life. I also hope that you do the same for your own friends, making their own food and drink taste better. Appreciate the friends in your lives and make your life even better. Without friends, your life is empty and shallow.

On Facebook, I posted a link to my recent article, 10 New Year's Resolutions For My Readers, and one of the comments I received was from food-lover Gary Goldblatt. He stated, "Good list that covers all the bases. If there’s one thing I’d add, it’s to be a better food friend: invite people to try a cuisine or item you’re familiar with and they are not. And, as I’ve quipped before, use your food knowledge as a bridge, not as a wall. While it’s great to have that knowledge, it doesn’t make you better than the rest. But sharing that knowledge with the rest does make you better. 

That's an excellent addition, dovetailing well into this post. Sharing your knowledge of food and drink is beneficial for many reasons. It will enhance your own experiences, as well as those who dine and drink with you. I love introducing people to new foods and drinks, providing them interesting information to make them a better educated consumer. We need more people to do so, rather than keep their food and drink knowledge to themselves. I'll note that Gary is a fine food bridge, always open to sharing his food knowledge with others, and I have benefited from his shared information in the past. 

Cherish your food and drink friends, and try to be a better one yourself. 

"Friendship improves happiness and abates misery, by the doubling of our joy and the dividing of our grief."
--Marcus Tullius Cicero 

National Whipped Cream Day: Its Origins, Aaron Lapin & Reddi-Wip

Who doesn't love whipped cream? 

It tops so many different desserts and dishes, from a mound atop an ice cream sundae to a dollop atop a Belgian waffle. You'll find it atop hot chocolate and frappes, creme brûlée and bread pudding, and so much more. I'm certainly a huge fan of whipped cream, especially home-made, though I won't turn down almost any type.

Today, let us celebrate National Whipped Cream Day, giving even more love to this tasty treat! I haven't been able to pin down the exact origins of this holiday, but its first known reference extends back at least to the end of 1983, forty years ago. The earliest reference I found (mentioned in a late 1983 newspaper) was to a calendar, The 1984 Calendar of Self Indulgence, by Sandra Boynton. The calendar listed numerous food holidays, including National Whipped Cream Day, which was celebrated on January 5. 

Did Sandra actually invent this holiday, and maybe other food holidays, just to fill up her calendar with interesting items? It's possible, although I haven't found anything yet to confirm it. In addition, it's likely that this holiday is connected in some respect to Aaron Lapin, the creator of Reddi-Wip, the first canned whipped cream. It seems more than coincidental that National Whipped Cream Day occurs on Aaron's birthday.

Whipped cream has existed at least as far back as the 16th century, although it wasn't called "whipped cream" until the late 17th century. Although the Oxford English Dictionary claims the first use of the term "whipped cream" was in 1673, I found an earlier reference. In The Closet of the Eminently Learned Sir Kenelme Digbie Kt. Opened, an English cookbook from 1669, there was a recipe for Crème Fouettée, the French term for "whipped cream." However, within the recipe, it was also referred to as "whipped cream." The passage stated, "If you would have your whipped cream light and frothy, ..." 

It's also interesting to note that the recipe called for the sweet thick cream to be whipped with "...white hard rushes (of such as they make whisks to brush coats) tied together,.." This use of branches and such was apparently common for at least a couple centuries. The metal whisk wouldn't be invented until around 1840. 

The 20th century would see the significant influence of technology on this sweet whipped topping, and Aaron Lapin spearheaded those changes. 

Who was Aaron Lapin?

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch (MO), January 5, 1951, provided an abundance of information about Lapin, with The Los Angeles Times (CA), July 13, 1999, adding some additional details. Aaron Soffer Lapin was born on January 5, 1914, and as January 5 is National Whipped Cream Day, it's very likely the date was chosen by the inventor of this holiday to honor Lapin's birthday, especially considering his significant contribution to the whipped cream industry.

Lapin graduated from the University of Missouri, Columbia, and then attended the Washington University Law School. It was during this time that he acquired the nickname "Bunny" as his friends realized that his surname, Lapin, meant "rabbit" in French. However, in 1935, Lapin decided not to take the bar exam, and become a lawyer, but instead chose to work in his father’s clothing business. Certainly a major change in careers, and he probably couldn't have predicted the major changes that would come to his career. 

 

As a brief note, the Chula Vista Star (CA), June 24, 1932, reported on a new local product, Sta-Whip, a "healthful vegetable gelatin mixture." It was being marketed by C.C. Inskeep, a scientist and prominent Chula Vista business man. “The new product is decidedly unique in that it may be used with evaporated milk as well as cream and its use as an agent for whipping cream that ‘stays whipped’ is said to be unsurpassed.” In addition, the article noted, “It has the advantage of having a sweet taste only, so there is no conflict with the most delicate flavors of the food in which it is used.” It was apparently a product that made whipped cream last longer. 

In 1941, after six years in the clothing business, Lapin traveled to Chicago, to see Mark Lipsky, his brother-in-law, who worked in the milk business. While there, he met Thom Saehlin, a salesman who selling Sta-Whip. They talked for a time, with Lapin quite intrigued about the product. Finally, Lapin decided to buy Saehlin out, taking everything, including the formula for Sta-Whip. 

Unfortunately, during World War II, whipped cream was rarely made as it usually required a minimum of 30% butterfat. War time restrictions prevented the production of cream over 19% butterfat, making it far more difficult, if not impossible, to make whipped cream. Sta-Whip though could be used instead of the butterfat, and was also much cheaper. Lapin concluded a deal with the Valley Farm Dairy to make the Sta-Whip, and then Lapin would sell it, with them splitting the profits.  

The Sta-Whip started selling well, and he even sold a franchise to make Sta-Whip. There were some negative issues though. Some legal restrictions arose and there were problems with the heat during the summer. Lapin tried to overcome these problems, and one of his experiments was to use a drug store gun to spray out the Sta-Whip. This idea obsessed Lapin, who decided to go the next step, to design a throwaway spray gun. 

In December 1947, he started approached the largest can manufacturers with the idea of creating canned, whipped cream, but they told him it was impossible. However, he eventually convinced Knapp-Monarch Co, St. Louis, an appliance manufacturer, to produce the item. “In due time, a special valve came forth which traps the gas that whips the cream inside the can and forces it our as you want it.” What was in the can? “The can you buy contains only cream of 30% butterfat content, the Redd-Wip stabilizer, some vanilla and so-called whipping cream gas.”

Thus, in 1948, Lapin formed a corporation, Reddi-Wip, Inc., with Mark Lipsky, each owning 50% of the stock, although they took on a third partner too, Lou Lang who contributed  $15,000 to the company. Lapin filed for a patent (pictured above) for his new dispensing container for "fluffed cream." And for a number of years, their whipped product would more often be referred to as "fluffed cream" rather than "whipped cream."

The St. Louis Globe-Democrat (MO), July 6, 1948, reported on the new product, canned whipped cream from Reddi-Wip, Inc., which would soon be available from licensed dairies. The whipped cream would last for two weeks, if refrigerated, making it convenient to use at any time. 

This might be the first newspaper advertisement for the new Reddi-Wip. The St. Louis Globe-Democrat (MO), July 22, 1948, printed an ad for Reddi-Wip, which noted it sold for 43 cents a can. Contrary to the prior article, the ad stated it stayed good only for one week, not two, in the refrigerator, and other articles around this time would repeat that it only lasted one week. 

There was a legal notice in The State (SC), November 30, 1948, where Aaron Lapin, on behalf of Redd-Wip, Inc, which was headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, applied for a trademark.

In Life Magazine, September 26, 1949, there was an ad for Reddi-Wip. The ad stated the cans were 7 ounces, and could provide almost a quart of whipped cream, which they considered to be "about 31 generous servings." The ad also stated Reddi-Wip was a "boon to busy housewives" and that "Men love the extra glamor that Reddi-Wip gives to plain desserts." There was also a warning that consumers should only get genuine Reddi-Wip, and not any of the imitators. 

In the course of three years, the Reddi-Wip business boomed and they had an annual income of $7 Million, producing about 40 million cans each year. They also had 52 licensed plants in the U.S. and Canada producing Redd-Wip with their formula, as well as employing about 750 people across the country. 

Lapin claimed that whipped cream consumption had doubled since Reddi-Wip first came on the market. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch also stated “Even embittered competitors cannot deny that in three short years this upstart from St. Louis has become the king of sweet white fluff.” Canned whipped cream was a game-changer so it's only appropriate that National Whipped Cream Day takes place on Lapin's birthday. 

Making your own whipped cream isn't difficult but using a can of Reddi-Wip is so much easier, and there's no mixing bowl to later clean. In addition, who hasn't sprayed a can of whipped cream directly into their mouth? I have done so on multiple occasions, and probably will do it again in the future. Interestingly, Cool Whip is currently the most popular whipped dessert topping, and Reddi-Wip is now in second place. However, I'd much rather have Reddi-Wip than Cool Whip.  

What's your favorite dessert topped with whipped cream?

(Updated/revised from a prior post.)

Thursday Sips & Nibbles

I'm back again with a new edition of Sips & Nibbles, my regular column where I highlight some interesting, upcoming food and drink events. I hope everyone dines out safely, tips well and are nice to their servers.
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1) Kane’s Donuts is ringing in the New Year with a new array of seasonal donuts, available throughout the month off January at all three Kane's locations. These include a Sugar Raised, Blueberry Filled, Almond Joy, Vegan Funfetti Donut, and a Gluten-free Cookies and Cream Donut.  

The Sugar Raised Donut is a simple, yet delicious, light and fluffy yeast dough rolled in granulated sugar. The Blueberry Filled is a light and fluffy yeast donut rolled around in confectionery sugar, then filled with a blueberry pie filling. The Almond Joy is Kane’s chocolate cake-style donut dipped in a coconut glaze, then topped with shredded coconut and toasted almonds drizzled with dark chocolate. The Vegan Funfetti is a vegan donut with rainbow sprinkles folded in the dough and then dipped in a glaze topped with sprinkles. The final flavor is a Gluten-free Cookies & Cream Donut. This is a chocolate cake-style donut frosted with a light, fluffy vanilla cream frosting and then dipped in chocolate cookie crumble.

2) Forcella Boston, in the North End, has recently expanded, adding two new dining areas, including an area for private parties. The private dining room can accommodate up to 14 people, either for a seated dinner or cocktail party style.

The Forcella Wine & Cocktail Bar soft opened in late summer and is now in full swing and also offers the full dinner menu. The space can also be booked for private parties of up to 20 people. A wide variety of wines are available, all imported from Italy, along with cordial cocktails. Signature cocktails that can always be found on the menu include Espresso Martini, Negroni, Aperol Spritz, Old Fashioned and more. Both wine and cocktail offerings will also expand and rotate in 2024.

Additionally, Forcella has a year-round outdoor dining patio, privately nestled in the rear of the restaurant - a unique offering in the North End. Pending weather, heaters are set up outside for those who choose to dine outside in the winter months.

With a primary focus on traditional Italian meals and signature wines, Forcella does not serve coffee or dessert. The restaurant is closed on Mondays, open Tuesday through Thursday from 5 p.m. - 10 p.m., Fridays from 5 p.m. - 11 p.m., Saturdays from 3 p.m. - 11 p.m. and Sundays from 3 p.m. - 10 p.m. Dinner starts at 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, although guests can enjoy a drink in the wine bar before dining.

3) On Wednesday, January 24th from 6 to 9 p.m., Chef/Owner Will Gilson and the Puritan & Co. will be serving up lots of bubbles and lots of dance moves, for a fun (and fizzy) take on the classic wine tasting! They invite guests to don their best 80's look for a "Risky Fizzness" champagne and sparkling wine tasting party.

Guests will enjoy samples of over 40 bottles of bubbles alongside an over-the-top fun soundtrack and over-the-top-fun menu of reinvented, nostalgic favorites like mortadella hot pockets, eggo waffles with caviar and creme fraiche, passion fruit gushers, and so much more!

Tickets cost $75 per person, including gratuity, and can be purchased HERE. 

Quinta do Bomfim: A Tasting Flight

During my vacation in Portugal, and while we were still in the Douro region, we had a little free time available, after our incredible lunch at Quinta da Pacheca. So, we made a brief stop at the Quinta Do Bomfim tasting room. This tasting room is part of Symington Family Estates, a family business whose history extends to the 19th century and which currently owns port houses, including Graham's, Dow's, Warre's, and Cockburn's. They also have a portfolio of Douro wines including Quinta do Vesuvio, Quinta do Ataíde, Altano, and Prats & Symington. They own 26 Quintas in the Douro region, with over 2500 acres of vineyards. 

Quinta Do Bomfim, located on the Douro River, receiving its name from "Vale do Bomfim," the "well-placed valley." The quinta was acquired by Dow's in 1896, and in 1912, Andrew Symington became a partner in Dow's. It became a famed quinta, and many of Dow's best Ports come from grapes from this Quinta, and they are all crushed in traditional lagares. 

At the tasting room, where you can taste most Symington ports and other wines, there are a few different wine flight options, and you can also select a number of wines by the glass.  I opted for the Specialist Flight, which included four wines: one White, one Red, and two Ports.  

I began with the 2020 Altano White Reserva (about $14), a blend of Viosinho, Gouveio and Rabigato (primarily Viosinho), which was aged for about 8-9 months in 2nd-use French oak. The aroma brought some citrus and tropical fruit but also some oakiness. On the palate, the wine had good acidity, plenty of fruity flavors, from citrus to pineapple, but also a prominent oaky note. The finish was moderately long but the oak presence was too prominent for my own preferences.  

The 2020 Quinta do Vesuvio Red ($60-$65) is a blend of 75% Touriga Franca, 22% Touriga Nacional, and 3% Tinta Amarela, which was aged for about 16 months in French oak (80% new oak). The grapes are from the Quinta Nova vineyard, which was acquired in the mid-19th century. With an alluring aroma, of black and red fruits, enhanced with spice notes, this wine was impressive. On the palate, it possessed a complex melange of appealing flavors, including ripe plum, blueberry, black cherry, dark spices, a hint of vanilla, and a backbone of minerality. Excellent acidity, well balanced, rich and silky smooth. It expressed elegant power, and possessed a long, lingering and compelling finish. This is a wine best paired with a steak or other hearty meal. Highly recommended and well worth the splurge.

The 1995 Quinta do Vesuvio Vintage Port ($95-$100) is from a very good vintage, whose reputation may have suffered in comparison to the 1994 vintage which was considered exceptional. This Port was made in a more modern approach, and was full-bodied, rich and silky smooth, with a pleasing blend of flavors, including cherry, plum, caramel, subtle spice notes and a mild floral aspect. It was nicely balanced, sweet but with a nice counterbalance of acidity, and possessed a lengthy, satisfying finish. Would like to pair this Port with blue cheese, one of my favorite Port and food pairings.  

The Dow's 30 Year Old Port (about $160) is made from a blend of traditional Port grapes from Quinta do Bomfim and Quintada Senhora da Ribeira, two top vineyards. The grapes were foot-trodden in traditional lagares. This is an impressive aged Port, with an intriguing nose of dried fruit and nuts. On the palate, it presents a complex melange of dried fruits and raisins, accented by notes of nuts, caramel, chocolate and black tea. Each sip brings something new to your mouth. It's elegant, but with a certain intensity, and is also well-balanced, and more dry than sweet. The pleasing finish just goes on and on and on. Definitely a Port to linger over, to slowly sip and marvel at the different flavors which will come to you over time. 

Rant: Forget Useless Predictions

It's now 2024 and you'll hear plenty of predictions for this New Year, but not from me.

As I've said before, predictions for the New Year are basically useless. At the end of the year, nearly all of those predictions will have failed to come to fruition and even those that did are probably due more to luck than any actual ability to predict the future. You would have just as much success by reading tea leaves or the entrails of goats. I know that if I devised my own predictions, they too would probably fail. 

We all hope that 2024 will usher in positive changes to the local food & drink industry. Instead of offering any predictions, I'm going to provide a list of ten of my desires, those trends, issues and items which I would love to see step forward and take precedence in 2024, though I'm not predicting they will actually come to fruition. Some of these items I've been wanting for many years to happen and they still haven't become a trend. I think we would all benefit if any of these desires were fulfilled.

We possess the ability to make these desires come true. They pose valuable opportunities for entrepreneurs and others to step up and make their mark. They are matters we can demand and promote, matters we can hound restaurant owners, legislators and others to pursue. We can make our future become a reality.

1) More French Toast Sandwiches
The Monte Cristo sandwich, ham, turkey and cheese on French Toast, is popular but why haven't there been more sandwiches on French Toast? Iron Town Diner, in Saugus, has an excellent Monte Cristo, but they are also willing to make special orders, including several other sandwiches on French Toast, including a cheeseburger, chicken cutlet and pastrami & cheese. They were all delicious, and enhanced by the eggy French Toast. More restaurants should add such French Toast sandwiches to their menu, and I suspect they would be very popular. 

2) More Savory Pancakes

I've previously enjoyed savory pancakes, made with ham and cheese, and it was very tasty. So why don't more places offer savory pancakes rather than the sweet concoctions that are so common? Rather than have a pancake covered in powdered sugar, chocolate and whipped cream, I'd much rather have one stuffed with small cubes of ham and melted cheese. Such a savory pancake could come in many different forms and its unique nature might interest many restaurant patrons. 

3) More Bread Pudding  
Bread pudding is relatively easy to make and can be inexpensive as it can be made with day old bread. Plus, it's a diverse dish that can be made in a wide variety of flavors, with different sauces, and accompaniments. I've had some superb bread puddings at local restaurants, and would like to see more restaurants offering it on their dessert menus. However, I also think there is a great opportunity for an enterprising baker to open a Bread Pudding Bakery. They exist in other parts of the country so why not in the Boston area? Skip opening another damn cupcake bakery, think outside the box, and opt for a bread pudding bakery instead. I've been pushing for this for numerous years and it still hasn't caught on. Why not?

4) Less Powdered Sugar
Stop using so much powdered sugar, covering pancakes and French toast, adding even more sweetness to sweet desserts. It doesn't make those dishes look more appealing to have a plain white powder on them. In fact, it acts to hide the natural look of the desserts, concealing their true nature. And adding it to sweet desserts is unnecessary as they are already sweet enough. It's overkill. Yet chef after chef still uses it and that needs to stop, especially its use on pancakes and French toast. Find other ways to make your food look better. Find a better way to make your desserts sweeter if that is what you really want to do.

5) More Breakfast Pizza
A breakfast pizza, such as a white pizza with thin slices of potato, bacon (and/or sausage), cheese and a fried egg (or scrambled), can be absolutely delicious. It isn't a difficult dish to create yet you won't find it available on many menus. Think of all the pizza joints you know and then consider which ones make a breakfast pizza. You might know one or two, at best. So why isn't it more popular and widely available? It's puzzling to me and it seems such a no-brainer. People love pizza so why wouldn't they also love a breakfast pizza? Breakfast pizza is fine for lunch and dinner too. This also seems to be a missed opportunity for many, so I hope more restaurants decide to add these to their menu.

6) More Duck Wings & Legs

Chicken wings get all the attention and you can find them in many different restaurants, often as an appetizer. There are even restaurants that specialize in chicken wings. Part of the reason for their ubiquity is likely that they are usually inexpensive. However, duck wings or legs can be so much tastier than chicken wings, yet it's very difficult to find restaurants which offer them. A Tavola, in Winchester, sometimes has duck legs on their menu and they are quite scrumptious. Let's see more restaurant start offering duck wings and legs on their menu, showing their taste and versatility. 

7) More Filipino Restaurants & Dishes 

This is another matter I've been ranting about for several years. There is a dearth of Filipino cuisine both locally as well throughout the U.S., though a few regions seem to be opening several new Filipino restaurants. With only a few Filipino restaurants in the Boston area, there is a huge opportunity here for more Filipino spots. Or if even not an entire restaurant, maybe we could see more Filipino inspired dishes on other menus. This is also applicable to a number of other cuisines of which Boston doesn't have enough representation, like Israeli, Peruvian, Croatian and Georgian.

8) More Sake At Non-Asian Restaurants 
In the Boston area, Sake is largely confined to Asian restaurants and there is no reason why that should be the case. Sake pairs well with all sorts of cuisines, from Italian to French, Barbecue to Burgers. I've previously written about The Science of Sake & Food Pairings, explaining reasons why it pairs so well with varied cuisines. For Sake to become more popular and mainstream, we need more non-Asian restaurants to carry and promote Sake. And they need to promote Sake for more than just Sushi. Seafood restaurants could promote Sake for everything from oysters to fried clams. Let's see a pizza or burger joint offering Sake. And hopefully customers will expand their palate and try Sake with their meals. 

9) More Love For Niche Wines
So many excellent wines get largely ignored by the general public, and even by a significant number of wine lovers. I want to see more people willing to expand their palates and explore these niche wines, from Sherry to Georgian wines, from Crémant d'Alsace to Croatian wines, from White Port to Greek wines. Why do you restrict your drinking when you could be sampling all of the world's wine bounty? We need more restaurants adding these niche wines to their lists, and then promoting them to their customers. We need more wine writers to cover these wines, persuading their readers to check out these niche wines. You'll find so many interesting and delicious wines if you break out of your usual drinking patterns and try something new.

10) More Food Pairings With Bubbly

Sparkling wine actually pairs well with numerous food dishes yet most people drink it only as a celebratory wine or as an aperitif. More people should try pairing sparkling wine with a variety of dishes, to learn how well it can pair with their dinner. We also need restaurants and wine sommeliers to start making recommendations for sparkling wine for various menu items. Whenever I've sought a wine pairing recommendation from a sommelier, only rarely have they suggested a Sparkling wine. Sparkling wine even pairs well with simple foods, like potato chips! Why not set up a Sparkling Wine tasting with various flavored potato chips?

What food & drink trends would you like to see in 2024?