Jump to content
  • Welcome to the eG Forums, a service of the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters. The Society is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the culinary arts. These advertising-free forums are provided free of charge through donations from Society members. Anyone may read the forums, but to post you must create a free account.

Frango no more


Recommended Posts

I've found I can always provoke a spirited discussion (i.e., "mamster is such a jerk") by mentioning how much I hate Frangos. Somehow, "I hate those Frederick and Nelson Originals" doesn't have the same ring to it.

Matthew Amster-Burton, aka "mamster"

Author, Hungry Monkey, coming in May

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Frederick & Nelson's The Original?.......Dumbest......Name.......Ever......

They will always be Frangos to me.

Mamster, I always knew there was some small, yet profound, flaw in your character, but I couldn't put my finger on it. Now I know....

Most women don't seem to know how much flour to use so it gets so thick you have to chop it off the plate with a knife and it tastes like wallpaper paste....Just why cream sauce is bitched up so often is an all-time mytery to me, because it's so easy to make and can be used as the basis for such a variety of really delicious food.

- Victor Bergeron, Trader Vic's Book of Food & Drink, 1946

Link to comment
Share on other sites

as tradition dictates, i purchased a box of mint frangos this christmas. they are still hanging around the house because they really don't tate good. at all. stale, old, and dry (they used to melt so nicely in one's mouth). what happened to the candy i loved? growing up in seattle, frangos were a christmas staple. i don't think i'll ever buy them again.

lemony

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've found I can always provoke a spirited discussion (i.e., "mamster is such a jerk") by mentioning how much I hate Frangos. Somehow, "I hate those Frederick and Nelson Originals" doesn't have the same ring to it.

I side with mamster here. Frangos were notable in '77 when the only other chocolate available was Hershey's. Nowadays, why bother when you have Fran's, Valrhona, etc.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

my MIL gave us a tub of frangos with the new F&N lable on them at xmas. The lable looks really old fashion, I thought maybe they were found in an old basement somewhere! At least now I know they were fresh.

I got a box of Frangos for xmas and they are still in the same old green Frango box :hmmm:

haven't opened them yet either :huh:

Born Free, Now Expensive

Link to comment
Share on other sites

mamster is such a jerk. :laugh:

I lived in Chicago until moving out here in 1991 and was surprised that they were available here. I thought they were owned/operated by Marshall Fields. :raz:

BTW, they're very popular in Chicago.

Drink!

I refuse to spend my life worrying about what I eat. There is no pleasure worth forgoing just for an extra three years in the geriatric ward. --John Mortimera

Link to comment
Share on other sites

mamster is such a jerk.  :laugh:

I lived in Chicago until moving out here in 1991 and was surprised that they were available here. I thought they were owned/operated by Marshall Fields.  :raz:

BTW, they're very popular in Chicago.

I'm from Chicago, too, and I also thought the same thing. Turns out you're right... kind of. Fredrick and Nelson was owned by the same company as Marshall Fields so the Frangos followed. I got a 1lb box of the mints every year for Xmas throughout my entire childhood.

I wonder if the name will be changing in Chicago, too? Seems the name "Fredrick and Nelson" would mean nothing to people in the windy city.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wonder if the name will be changing in Chicago, too?  Seems the name "Fredrick and Nelson" would mean nothing to people in the windy city.

It's unlikely the name will change in Chicago. Marshall Fields actually owns the name. The Bon was just licensing it from them. The license is running out (and apparently they were unable or unwilling to renew it), so they have to change the name of their version.

At least, that's my understanding of the issue.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

my very first job in Seattle was working the xmas season at Frederick & Nelson... I still remember late on xmas eve, closing time, some poor desparate guy scrambling to buy all his presents, rushing into F&N as we were literally locking the doors, him screaming "but.. but.. I HAVE to HAVE SOME FRANGOS! This is FREDERICK AND NELSON! its Christmas Eve!! YOU CAN'T SAY NO TO ME!! I NEED SOME FRANGOS!!!"

We'd already closed all the registers. He was s*** outta luck. :biggrin:

Born Free, Now Expensive

Link to comment
Share on other sites

my very first job in Seattle was working the xmas season at Frederick & Nelson... I still remember late on xmas eve, closing time, some poor desparate guy scrambling to buy all his presents, rushing into F&N as we were literally locking the doors, him screaming "but.. but.. I HAVE to HAVE SOME FRANGOS! This is FREDERICK AND NELSON! its Christmas Eve!! YOU CAN'T SAY NO TO ME!! I NEED SOME FRANGOS!!!"

We'd already closed all the registers. He was s*** outta luck.  :biggrin:

I believe it was exactly this kind of customer-centered attitude that led to F&N's demise. :raz:

Most women don't seem to know how much flour to use so it gets so thick you have to chop it off the plate with a knife and it tastes like wallpaper paste....Just why cream sauce is bitched up so often is an all-time mytery to me, because it's so easy to make and can be used as the basis for such a variety of really delicious food.

- Victor Bergeron, Trader Vic's Book of Food & Drink, 1946

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...