"Hero" & Brooklyn Navy Yard; Big Omelet; Boat Show Webster

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"HERO" AND BROOKLYN NAVY YARD

   From Clementine Paddleford's column in the NEW YORK HERALD TRIBUNE, 27 March 1954, pg. 11, col. 6:

_Antolette's Grew From Hero Sandwich_
(...)
   "What did you folks do before you came here?" "Ever hear of the Ross Steak House on Liberty St.?  We had that and before then Delphi Steak House in Brooklyn.  But we got our start serving hero sandwiches down by the Navy Yard.  Every move we make the places get nicer."

(Ah!  The Brooklyn Navy Yard!  The NYPL's catalog shows a periodical, NEW YORK NAVAL SHIPYARD SHIPWORKER, 1941-1964.  I've got work on Friday, but I'll check it out on Saturday.  This is not to be included in the OXFORD ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN FOOD & DRINK.  No one else could possibly know about this, so I don't feel like giving it for free to a competitor--ed.)

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THE BIG OMELET

   From the NYHT, 5 February 1954, pg. 14, col. 1 (editorials):

   _The Big Omelet_
   The casual reader may have assumed that State Sen, Pliny W. Williamson was indulging in a private joke when he suggested that a legislative committee look into the idea of dividing New York City into five cities, one for each borough.  Well, whatever may be the Westchester lawmaker's private thoughts, and however impracticable may seem the unscrambling of the metropolitan omelet, the proposal is not as silly as it sounds.

(No way.  New Yorkers are hard-boiled--ed.)

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MACARONI NAMES

   From the NYHT, 18 March 1954, pg. 14, col. 1:

   There are so many variations that companies publish little encyclopedias (Not for use by the OXFORD ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN FOOD & DRINK--ed.) showing the shapes and telling the names.  The names are Italian for the most part and sound more musical than culinary: fettuccelle, lasagnetti, capelletti, maruzze, mostaccioli, rigari, spiedini occhi di lupo.  Usually the names are descriptive of the product: farfalle (butterflies), stellini (little stars), fidelini (faithful ones).

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CROXIGNOLLE/CROQUIGNOLES

   A Creole recipe, and reader comments.  This is why you have to read all of Paddleford's columns.
   From the NYHT, 10 March 1954, pg. 16, col. 7:

_Search Grows Warmer_
  _New Orleans Is Keeping_
  _The Croxignolle Secret_
By Clementine Paddleford
(...)
   "Mrs. John J. Long on the phone, insisted that croxignolles are always ablong or diamond shaped with two small slits but not regular doughnut hole in the middle, but Andre Duval says his great-grandmother used to fry them in odd shapes, almost gingerbread-style.  And Mrs. Seraphone Roussel Vivas reports that her grandmother made them with holes in the center exactly like doughnuts.
   Rita Davis added that her Negro grandmother, Josephine Belle, was a cook for Creole families along Esplanade and always cut croxignolles in dough strips about 2 1/2 by 3 inches, which 'swole' up when fried in deep fat.  A beauty shop operator informed: A crozignolle is a type of permanent wave.
  "'We always called our croxignolles "frogs" at my house,' stated another informant, 'but the name in English is "crullers."  In Scandinavia and Germany they are "krullers."  And I'd just as soon eat a croquignole as a croquet ball."
   "Mrs. Joseph E. de la Houssaye says there is no such word as croxignolle, that croquignol is the spelling given in the French dictionary and Mrs. George F. Tucker emphatically agrees.  But Mrs. Maria Louise Jones says the true Creole word has an 'x' in it."
   "Roy Alciatore, proprietor of world-famed Antoine's restaurant, gets the last word. He (Col. 8--ed.) writes: 'Dear Maud--Very interesting business, this item on recipe for croxignolles.  My grandmother, Mrs. Antoine Alciatore (widow of the founder of Antoine's), used to make these delicacies, but unfortunately did not (to my knowledge) hand down the recipe.  If you are successful in locating one, I most certainly would like to have a copy.'
   "Mrs. Delaware K. Vollrath, of Franklin, the lady who advertised for this recipe, writes that she's been swamped with 'croxquignolle" recipes and also one for 'croquignole,' the latter being something different--a special almond meringue made into little balls and baked, not fired."
   But nobody has sent us a recipe yet.  Never mind!  During our stay on Avery Island we found the following in one of the old cook books of the McIlhenny family.
   Croquignoles: Sift two cups sifted flour once, measure; add two teaspoons baking powder, one-fourth teaspoon salt, one-half teaspoon nutmeg and one-half teaspoon cinnamon.  Sift together three times.  Combine one-half cup sugar and one egg, well beaten, add one tablespoon butter or other shortening, melted.  Add flour mixture alternately with one-half cup milk, a small amount at a time.  Beat after each addition until smooth.  Knead lightly two minutes on slightly floured board.  Roll one-third inch thick.  Cut with dough cutter.  let rise for several minutes. Fry in deep fat, until golden brown.  Drain on unglazed paper.  Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.  How many?  We don't know; we haven't tested this yet.

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BOAT SHOW WEBSTER

   FWIW.  From NYHT, 17 January 1954, section 3, pg. 7, col. 3:

   _The Boat Show Webster_
(...)
AQUABLADE: a hsaved down outboard motor lower unit.
AQUASONIC POWER: outboard engine power head mounted in resilient plastic to reduce vibration and noise.
BAIL-A-MATIC: a bilge pump which pumps while the engine runs.
DE LUXE RUNABOUT: one with cushioned seats and much bright work.
FINGER-TIP CONTROL: can be moved without help from another person.
FULL HEADROOM: you can stand up if you are not too tall.
FULL JEWELED POWER: needle and roller bearings are used in this engine.
HYDRA-POWER STEERING: hydraulic steering for those too weak to turn the wheel.
IMRPOVED DESIGN: usually applied to cruisers, means toilet rooms are painted Nile green instead of coral pink and that curtains over ports match covers on bunk cushions.
JACK RABBIT ACCELERATION: the engine turns faster when you give i more gas.
MAGNAPULL STARTER: you still have to pull the string.
MILE MASTER: fuel tank for outboards which holds more than a smaller tank.
OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT: everything a boat needs to be comfortable, properly found and ready to meet Coast Guard requirements.
PILLOWED POWER: see Aquasonic power.
SPACIOUS CABIN: one in which a Singer midget would get claustrophobia.
SUPER DE LUXE RUNABOUT: floating chrome-plated counterpart of snappy sports convertible automobile, complete with imitation leather upholstery, banjo-type steering wheel, dashboard cigarette lighter, spotlight, retractable bar, secret privy and padded instrument panel to protect skulls of passengers thrown forward by sudden stops or arguments with piers and other stationary objects.
UTILITY RUNABOUT: austerity afloat; also minimum amount of work.
WHISPERING POWER: see Pillowed Power and Aquasonic Power.