There is more than a cultural difference between the East and West Coasts, there is a culinary one as well. I sorely miss some of the old tastes, and was delighted to get a chance to wolf them down again.
Tastykakes:
Tastykakes made it to the West Coast over 10 years ago, but in very limited availability. Real Philly Cheesesteak joints in California offer a portion of their products. The pies are my favorite and they don't get exported. It was a bonus to see the Pumpkin Pie available! I hear they still use trans fat, but I love 'em anyway.
Cheesesteaks:
Quintessentially Philly, although I don't think I've ever had a cheesesteak in Philadelphia. I didn't need to. South Jersey could more than hold it's own on the cheesesteak, pizza, panzarotti, and calzone front. My favorite pizza steak place is now a parking lot but there are still hundreds of local places to get one of these decadent treats.
Junket:
No one else in the band knows what Junket is. It was my favorite dessert as a kid. Tauted as a Rennet Custard Mix, this raspberry-flavored treat has a texture best descrided as semi-solid milk. It's sweet beyond belief and making it correctly can be challenging. I brought six boxes of it home and it just isn't enough.
Tak-A-Boost/Drink A Toast:
Most of the band didn't know "Boost" either. I grew up in Burlington county New Jersey and later moved to Cherry Hill, in Camden County. Tak-A-Boost/Drink A Toast was a stable in the Riverside/Delanco area. The name was shortened to "Boost" by most drinkers. The syrup came in a tall glass bottle with a white twist-off lid. I still have one, salvaged from the sixties, in my garage. Simmply pour in the "Boost" syrup and add water. It is the perfect summer thirst-quencher. Alas, I can no longer partake of its refreshing taste due to my adversity to caffiene. Detractors claim it tastes like a flat cola drink, but charging "Boost" with carbonated water yields a superior brew in my book.
Taylor Pork Roll:
This canvas-wrapped, Trenton, New Jersey delicacy is the first thing my brother would eat whenever he returned to New Jersey. We each returned home with a 3 lb. package during a brief visit in 2001. When cut and fried, it's like a carmalized pork patty with a sharp, sweet taste. Perfect on a powdered bun with ketchup.
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