eG Foodblog: MarketStEl - Today in History

[ghostrider]

Read my bio?  I think I'm the only eGullet Society member who bothered putting one up.  However, don't read too much into the St. Louis references.  For me to admit anything of worth existing in St. Louis would be tantamount to a Pittsburgher saying, "Well, Philadelphia isn't that depraved after all."   

--Sandy, forever Kansas Citian in a corner of his heart

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Sandy, I remember very well where you're from, & I would never try to argue against KC's supremacy in the realm of Q. However, StL has several things that KC doesn't:

1) Generous citizens who don't disparage that stockyard town at the other end of the state;

2) The best baseball fans in the country;

3) Some darned good gelato (this is a relatively new development, so it may have reached KC as well by now);

4) The City Museum (for that matter, there's no place like it in the country);

5) Chuck Berry.

I also can point to some good Indian, Thai & Vietnamese food, which certainly wasn't there when I was growing up.

Again I digress. I remain fond of your adopted city. I'd give a lot to have places like the RTM & DiBruno's near where I live, and I really enjoy the tours that you've given us.

Thanks to all for the Khyber-related dining tips!

[MarketStEl]

Saturday, 6 p.m.

After getting off the R5 Doylestown-bound train and thanking the conductor who complimented me on my sharp tuxedo, I find myself after a short walk of about 5 minutes in Keswick Village, a charming little shopping district in the Glenside section of Abington Township that was developed in the 1920s.

Keswick Avenue, the district's main drag, was closed off for a children's Halloween parade.

My destination is the Keswick Theatre, originally a vaudeville house, then a movie theater, and a concert venue since the early 1990s. "Smooth jazz" artists and other acts that appeal to a more mature crowd tend to play here. Which is why I'm here tonight: comedienne Joan Rivers has asked the Philadelphia Gay Men's Chorus to open her show here. (She did the same thing with the San Francisco and New York City gay men's choruses when she played those cities.)

Miss Rivers, as things turned out, was very down-to-earth and accessible, and her humor sharp-edged. After she did her preliminary run-through between our rehearsal and the start of the show:

she sat for a group photo with us.

(Sorry, no photo! The photo was taken with another PGMCer's camera, not mine, and I haven't gotten the link to his photo site yet.)

While waiting for our stage call, I decided to wander around the area. Failing to convince any of my fellow choristers to follow suit, I ambled across Keswick Avenue and stumbled across this little brewpub:

G.G. Brewers -- the G.G. stands for Gerry and Gina, the proprietors and may-as-well-be-married partners -- opened here in March and has already developed a loyal following despite some minor setbacks in the first few months, judging from the patrons in the pub when I went in.

You can also get wine and mixed drinks here, but the specialty of the house is beer -- their own, brewed right inside the pub, a very cozy space that already has its own crowd of regulars.

Behind these plywood doors is the brewhouse. Gina explained to me that they had to keep it locked because curious customers kept tampering with the equipment.

There were four brews on tap this evening:

For efficiency's sake, and because I knew I couldn't sing if I were all hopped up, I ordered the sampler -- a 4-ounce glass of each brew.

From left to right, the beers are as listed on the sign: Nut Brown, Keswick Lite, What's Up Weisenbach, Naughty Boy Stout.

For a pair of relative neophytes at brewing, these two have done quite well. My favorite of the four was the What's Up Weisenbach, a wheat brew that packed a punch -- 13.5% alcohol by volume, according to Gina -- and had a malty flavor with a hint of strawberry. All the beers at this pub were on the malty side, which isn't a problem for me -- I prefer them that way. The stout was unusually mild for a dark brewed beer, and the Nut Brown had a nice honey-like flavor. But the biggest surprise for me was the Keswick Lite -- a light beer that tasted like actual pilsener rather than hop-flavored water.

Gina explained to me that they brew Keswick Lite in response to customer demand. If it were up to them, they probably wouldn't serve a light beer at all.

The brewpub offers a menu of classic pub fare that I imagine must be as good as the beer.

I wouldn't know, for I didn't try it -- I was saving my appetite for dinner after the performance.

Gina's partner Gerry is the head chef and brewmaster. After a slightly wary introduction in which he explained that someone who had come in a little while ago and taken pictures and notes ended up dissing the place and the owners on another forum, he warmed up after Gina explained what I was doing and even agreed to appear in a picture.

In retrospect, I probably should have ordered something to eat at GG Brewer's, for this is what I returned to backstage at the Keswick:

Okay, I shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth, and the pizza was filling. But were I judging these pies with my fellow Pizza Clubbers, they would have been mere five-block pies.

GG Brewers' Brewing Company

282 N. Keswick Avenue

Glenside, PA 19038

215-887-0809

Nearest SEPTA service: Bus Route 22 from Olney Terminal (Olney station, Broad Street Line) or Willow Grove to Easton Road and Keswick Avenue. Or take the R1 Airport, R2 Warminster or R5 Lansdale/Doylestown Regional Rail lines to Glenside station and walk north (to the right relative to an outbound train) up Easton Road for about 5 blocks to the second signal at Keswick Avenue. The pub is about 1/2 block down Keswick Avenue on the right.

Still to come: Dinner!

[Kobi]

This has been great, Sandy. Thanks so much for sharing. Sometimes it is painful how hard it is to get a great cheesesteak outside of Philly.

- KOBI

[helenjp]

Gosh, drop in here to see the hoagies, and I get an eyeful of bottle rockets as well! They are regulars on engineering university and high school campuses here in Japan too.

Question: apart from the various hoagies nouveaux, is the meat for a hoagie supposed to be some type of preserved meat? Sorry for the ignorant question, and thanks for all the details, including the Hog Island photo.

What did your group sing for the show-opener?

[oneidaone]

Aloha Sandy! Thanks so much for your blog! I have a couple things, can you come live with us

and cook - especially late at night and make cheesesteaks?!!! I can't tell you how much I

have really enjoyed your week! You made mine! It was great that you had to include your stint in

jury duty - did you know when you planned this blog that it was happening? Also over on Maui

they have some funky liquor laws. No infused alcohol (pineapple vodka, lychee vodka for example)

no BYOB, only hotel employees can serve (at the Kapalua Wine & Food Festival for example the

master sommeliers can work a tent - guide you toward various wines and their merits but are not

allowed to pour else they get shut down). I went to Northwestern in Evanston home of the WCTU

and my dear friend had stolen from the porch of the WCTU headquarters a doormat that had their

logo and was purple and gold and proudly spelled TEMPERANCE across it, she still has it and although it is getting threadbare sure is a conversation starter at her parties! Again thanks so much

for sharing with us, I will miss you this week! a hui hou and Hauoli La Hanau (Happy Birthday!) P.S. I noted Bootsy Collins b-day during the week, I think I'll go put on some

of his music and also Parliment and have a martini in your honor in my hot tub!

[MarketStEl]

And that, Kobi, is why I didn't mess with that cheesesteak place Karl Bricker and I drove past on Shawnee Mission Parkway in Merriam the last time I was in Kansas City. Oh -- and thanks for triggering a flashback to "Philly Mignon" in Independence Center way back in the '70s, before I knew what a cheesesteak was supposed to taste like!

Now for the last act....

Saturday, 9:30 p.m.

I'd invited three of my fellow chorus members -- Vince, who you've met, baritone Giang Nguyen and fellow second tenor Bryan Scheckman -- to join me for dinner at Bump and help me burn off a gift certificate I won at a Philly AIDS Walk fundraiser earlier in the month.

Just about every gay bar in the city serves food. It's the only way they can legally open on Sundays. (This is how the city managed to make the smoking ban nearly universal: The ordinance exempts only those bars that get 10% or less of their revenues from food. Since food must account for at least 30% of revenues for a bar to obtain a Sunday sales permit, that means that there's not a bar in the gayborhood where you can smoke.)

Most of the food served in Philly's gay bars is decent but unremarkable, variations on the standard pub-fare or Olde Steake House menu. Bump, with its aspirations to Fabulousness, is the notable exception. Fortunately, this being Philly, even the Fabulous places can't get away with having too much attitude, so it was no problem for the three of us -- three of the nicest people you'd ever want to meet but far from Fabulous -- to be seated by the Locust Street windows:

That's Giang on the left and Bryan on the right.

and served by a too-cute waiter dressed for the restaurant's Halloween theme, which seemed to revolve around sports.

The menu at Bump mixes elements of Fabulousness with elements of the everyday, just rendered upscale.

And we mixed and matched these elements in our dining choices.

Whenever I eat out at Bump, I can usually be counted on to order the fried calamari appetizer. It's a dish they do very well -- lightly breaded squid fried until the coating is just crunchy, served with spicy remoulade and marinara sauces.

But I wanted to try something I don't usually order this time, so it was quite a relief to hear Giang say that he wanted to order the fried calamari. That left me free to order the cheesesteak spring rolls:

There were three of these delicate but substantial little rolls on my plate when I ordered them, and I had to remind myself that I was here to photograph the food as much as eat it. I think these might have been even better as cheesesteak hoagie spring rolls, with julienned veggies (lettuce and tomato might not work in a spring roll wrap) along with the beef and Monterrey jack cheese. Still, these were pretty tasty creatures, and as a result of my eating them, I set a personal record for most cheesesteaks or cheesesteak-like foods in a 24-hour period.

For the main course, Giang ordered something fairly old school but with an updated twist: Chicken Boursin.

Note the artful presentation, with the breaded chicken cutlets arrayed atop the mashed gold potatoes and bracketed by the spinach.

Bryan had something no less artful but more contemporary -- the Southwestern chicken quesadilla, with roasted veggies taking the place of the fries.

And as for me? I decided I'd also go old-school luxe and order the half roast duckling with sweet cherry glaze, wild mushroom risotto and fried noodles. In at least this little corner of the planet, tall food lives!

Chris -- who had joined us by this point -- kept it real simple and real old school, ordering a Caesar salad.

The duck was not only Fabulous, it was fabulous -- moist without being greasy. The cherry glaze complemented the gaminess of the duck. Giang and I exchanged bites, and the chicken boursin wasn't bad either, though given that the sauce contains no cheese (it's a garlicky cream sauce), I can't figure out how they gave it that name.

Even though we spent much of the meal railing against the snootiness of the Fabulous -- or at least the guys who are pretty and know it, many of whom make pretty poor conversation partners -- I must admit that we had an absolutely Fabulous time at Bump, enhanced when the treasurer of the chorus showed up dressed as a priest, accompanied by a friend of his and a member who's not singing this time around, as he has had to care for his ailing mother back in Iowa.

And with that, an absolutely fabulous week -- sometimes even a Fabulous one -- drew to a close. One for the history books, you might even say. I haven't had this much fun since the weekend I returned to Kansas City back in June. Of which speaking: moosnsqrl, this parting shot's for you:

As he shot this picture, my friend Rick asked me, "What's 'Rock Chalk'? Some kind of chalk?"

See you all online. I will check later for any last-minute questions.

[MarketStEl]

I see I took long enough to post this that some late questions got in.

Gosh, drop in here to see the hoagies, and I get an eyeful of bottle rockets as well! They are regulars on engineering university and high school campuses here in Japan too.

Did I tell you I love my job?

Question: apart from the various hoagies nouveaux, is the meat for a hoagie supposed to be some type of preserved meat? Sorry for the ignorant question, and thanks for all the details, including the Hog Island photo.

You're welcome.

Hoagies are indeed supposed to be made from preserved, processed or cured meats of the sort you'd find at any delicatessen counter. In addition to the "Italian" hoagie described above, the "American" (ham and American cheese) is also common, as are roast beef, turkey and tuna. However, you can also find "cheesesteak hoagies" and "cheeseburger hoagies" at places that serve both kinds of sandwiches.

What did your group sing for the show-opener?

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We did a seven-song set:

"Miss Twinkleton's School for Sensitive Boys"

"It's A Good Thing He Can't Read My Mind"*

"Java Jive" (performed by our small auditioned ensemble, Brotherly Love)

"Rhythm of the Fire" (I'm not sure I have this title right; also sung by BroLo)

"Love Don't Need a Reason" (popularized by the Flirtations, this song, which we sing in an arrangement created for the New York City Gay Men's Chorus, sounds to me like the theme from a TV dramatic series)

"Something Inside So Strong" (a favorite of mine)

"That Old Black Magic" (backed up by the band that backed up Joan, composed of local session musicians. We thought that the song would bomb based on the one rehearsal, but these guys and gals were pros -- everything jelled perfectly when it came time to perform for real)

*paging mizducky -- I think your chorale performs numbers by the woman who wrote this song regularly...

[mrbigjas]

fun blog, sandy.

but man oh man, up from a dead sleep for a 3:30 a.m. cheesesteak run and/or a midnight cheesesteak preparation? you're a significantly more patient soul than i am.

[MarketStEl]

Aloha Sandy! Thanks so much for your blog! I have a couple things, can you come live with us

and cook - especially late at night and make cheesesteaks?!!! I can't tell you how much I

have really enjoyed your week! You made mine! It was great that you had to include your stint in

jury duty - did you know when you planned this blog that it was happening?

I knew I'd have to report for jury duty the Wednesday before the start of the blog, but I didn't know in advance that I would be chosen. (Like many counties in the US, Philadelphia has a "one day or one trial" jury selection system. If at the end of the day, you aren't chosen for a jury, you're done for at least the next 12 months; if you are, you're done for at least the next three years at the end of your trial.)

(Happy Birthday!) P.S. I noted Bootsy Collins b-day during the week, I think I'll go put on some

of his music and also Parliment and have a martini in your honor in my hot tub!

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That's quite a tribute! Thanks, and tear the roof off the sucker!

[oneidaone]

I'll burn the mother down!

[judiu]

Happy belated birthday and many many more! Thanks for this blog; it's taken me to where I once have been, but many years ago. A delightful remembering! Thank you!

[racheld]

Thank you, Sandy---you're always a treat to read and watch. What a fun, interesting life you lead!!

It's been a lovely week tagging along with you to court, through so many night-lit streets in search of a sandwich, into clubs and pubs and bars and restaurants.

The history lesson was enjoyable, your perambulations quite adventurous, and the food---Enough cheese and meat to last a month, with some good salads to balance the scale.

Til next time---

[mizducky]

What did your group sing for the show-opener?

←

We did a seven-song set:

"Miss Twinkleton's School for Sensitive Boys"

"It's A Good Thing He Can't Read My Mind"*

"Java Jive" (performed by our small auditioned ensemble, Brotherly Love)

"Rhythm of the Fire" (I'm not sure I have this title right; also sung by BroLo)

"Love Don't Need a Reason" (popularized by the Flirtations, this song, which we sing in an arrangement created for the New York City Gay Men's Chorus, sounds to me like the theme from a TV dramatic series)

"Something Inside So Strong" (a favorite of mine)

"That Old Black Magic" (backed up by the band that backed up Joan, composed of local session musicians. We thought that the song would bomb based on the one rehearsal, but these guys and gals were pros -- everything jelled perfectly when it came time to perform for real)

*paging mizducky -- I think your chorale performs numbers by the woman who wrote this song regularly...

←

Actually, I think both GALA choruses I've sung with, the Seattle Lesbian and Gay Chorus, and recently the San Diego Women's Chorus, have done that particular Christine Lavin song. I think it must be making the rounds of the various musical directors.

Happy birthday once again, and thank you for sharing another week of your city and your jam-packed life with us all. 'Twas fun!

[MarketStEl]

Well, since this thing is still open, and I'm up (blame Miss Curiosity, who apparently has not heard that Daylight Savings Time has ended; however, I had set my alarm for 5 am anyway), you're all welcome, and do look me up should your travels take you to Philadelphia, which I hope they will someday.

And if you're in the area, won't you come hear us sing? Our first concert of the regular season is Dec. 2 at the Lutheran Church of the Holy Communion in Center City, and you'll have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see me "dance" as a Sugar Plum Fairy in our rendition of The Nutcracker: Men in Tights!.

All you need to know about the Philadelphia Gay Men's Chorus

I've enjoyed this as much as you have. Now I'm off to Central Europe, vicariously.

Edited October 30, 2006 by MarketStEl (log)

[helenjp]

Thanks for the interesting blog, the sandwich ideas, and too many reasons to buy new CDs! .