Vanishing Roadside Icon

"M-m-m-m 28 flavors of ice cream" - was the HoJo 1950's Life Magazine advert. which presented the fun, popular destination for families while traveling on vacation. It was easy to recognize those bright orange roofs from most highways, and stood for a comforting venue to stop and take a wholesome bite for the entire family.

in 1925, with an ice cream crank, Howard Johnson of Wollaston, Mass. built a billion dollar empire from ice cream cones to over 230 roadside restaurants. With such signature menu items as fried chicken, sea scallops and the ever popular "Tendersweet" clam strips, a person could enjoy a dinner for about a dollar + a slice of pie that would cost a mere 20 cents. "Do you want a cup of coffee with that pie, that'll be 10 cents please."

Where have all the orange roofs gone? Road trips will never be the same. 

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Buzz on London Broil

It's a valued added steak—costing less, but delivering all the steak jazz on your dinner table. Don't be confused, it’s not a cut of beef, but rather a method of cooking which became popular from restaurant menus. Originally, the cut of meat was flank steak, but it’s common to find London Broil applied to almost any cut of beef that is very lean and less tender, often found in the market as labeled Top Round. The top secret to making a tasty London Broil is a great marinade or rub, grilled on high heat, allow it to rest a few minutes before slicing thin pieces of meat across the grain.

To make a tasty London Broil Steak this weekend get my recipe now, so you can marinate the steak for at least 24 hours!

George's London Broil

Makes 6-8 servings | From George Hirsch Living it UP! TV series

2 pounds hanger steak, sirloin, flank, or top round  

1 cup orange juice

8 cloves garlic, chopped 

1 Tablespoon Balsamic Vinegar

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 Tablespoon cilantro, or other aromatic herb like rosemary

2 teaspoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons hot sauce

Fresh ground black pepper

Place orange juice, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, cilantro, soy and hot sauce in bowl and blend well.

Pour blended marinade over beef and marinate 24-48 hours in refrigerator.

Preheat a cast iron pan grill pan or outdoor grill to high heat.  Remove meat from marinade, dry off with paper towels and grill on high heat for two minutes on each side, brushing with marinade while cooking.  Lower heat and allow to cook slowly to desired doneness. Remove from grill and allow meat to rest 3-4 minutes before slicing. Slice meat thinly against the grain. 

Serve London Broil sliced steak with optional toppings:

sour cream

sliced avocados

roasted peppers 

chopped plum tomatoes

grilled onions

chefgeorgehirsch.com

Buck Moon

This Friday, July 15th at 2:39:36 am (EDT) the moon will be in it's full phase. The July full moon is aka "Hay Moon' and 'Buck Moon'. You say you will be sleeping? Before you nod off under the brightness in the sky, you may want to consider the magical occurrences that take place during a full moon. I'm not talking folklore like werewolves or the loony effect on human or animal behavior—I'm referring to the making of a great artisanal cheese.

One Monday night in February under a full moon, using milk just coaxed from the cow, Tim Welsh and Pat Ford decided to skip the pasteurization process and stay up late to make cheese, while the milk was most fresh. After letting it age 60 days (a federal health requirement for unpasteurized milk cheese) and giving it a final approving taste test, they named the cheese Beehive's Full Moon Cheddar and hit the market running. The cheese is made with clean, raw milk from Wadeland South Dairy. Full Moon Cheddar carries earthy flavor undertones that reflect the unique four season climate of their farm in Utah.

Celebrate this lunar phase with a full moon late night picnic. Serve Beehive Full Moon Cheese—a Good Stuff pick—with my spiced nuts, a good crisp rose, and sliced crunchy baguette bread. Just kick back and enjoy the magical power of the summer solstice.