As discussed in another thread, we have agreed to settle the question of who has the better Italian hot dog by making a field trip to both Jimmy Buff's and Dickie Dee's. All that remains is to firm up a date and finalize the roster of judges. So far we have:
Myself
Bobby Jones
Bobby Davis
Mike McLafferty
Joe Bilby
Pat Purcell
Don Scher
All are welcome to participate, bearing in mind that the judging will necessitate eating two Italian hot dogs within an hour or so. Ideally, we will wind up with an odd number to avoid a tie vote. This question must be settled!
As for a date, I have suggested a Saturday, perhaps April 2 or 9. Are we all available on those dates?
This message has been edited by cbonaire from IP address 64.24.27.82 on Mar 28, 2005 7:07 AM
John, We didn't go to Jimmy Buff's that often, probably because it was further away, but I do remember them being much more greasy so there for probably tasting that much better. Somebody should bring the "TUMS".....
Well, bring the digestive aid of your choice. Myself, I plan to skip breakfast, take two Zantac a couple hours beforehand and do a bit of stretching and meditation.
We could meet at my place -- I'm a couple blocks from Dickie Dee's. We could carpool to Jimmy Buff's first, then DD's, then back here for beer and balloting. Sound OK?
Sorry Guys Dick Dees is still Number One in my book. I went to Jimmie Buff's (East Hanover) last Friday (4-1-05) and had a Double. First the potatoes are sliced flat not in chunks, second the bread is not real pizza bread. It has like a hamburger bun type cover on it's side. It was good, but not up to par, not a Dickie Dees style Double. Usually I like to have a double, and then maybe five minutes later have a single. I didn't have a single that day. I wish I could join you next week, but as they say "I have a previous committment scheduled" Good Luck and do yourselves a favor have the Dick Dee Hot Dogs second then you'll know what I mean.
Dan,
YIKES... sounds like the East Hanover Jimmy Buffs has gone to the dogs!
For the sake of a fair competition, we've got to sample the Jimmy Buff's on Rt 22 Next to Bowcraft. It's still run by the Raciope family; the potatoes are cubed, the bread is authentic, and the grease is greasy!
JC if the road trip is on the 9th I won't be able to make it. I'll be driving all over the East Coast looking at colleges--get me a sub. If it's on the 16th I'll dig in with everybody else.
Sorry you can't make it, Bobby. We will be thinking of you as we exhaust the napkin supply.
The rest of you guys need to confirm the date and time, if you would be so kind. Please call me or leave a message at 973 485-4219. In addition, there are still slots open on the judging panel, so it's not too late to join in.
We have a snag, though: A couple of us have conflicts for this Saturday. Frankly, a final vote without the participation of Bobby Jones and Pat Purcell would be dismissed in the court of public opinion, or at least branded with an asterisk in the official records kept at the Italian Hot Dog Museum in Brooklyn.
Can you guys make it next Saturday instead, the 16th?
Absoluely. I have an appointment Saturday evening anyway, and it could get tight running back and forth to Newark. So we will make it the 16th. You've still got to email me your address, John.
Did Bruno work for Dickie Dee or was he a partner? The guy I thought all these years was Dickie Dee, was actually an employee. All this hot dog talk has me hunrgy.
Is the contest going to be judged on a single, double, or combo?
If they are "single's" , is extra mustard allowed?
If they are "double's" , is a large seltzer allowed??
If they are "combo's" , are a couple of pepcids allowed???
These questions need to be answered , so a fair and (urp) equatible judgement can be quantified,,,(urp) statistically formed,,,(urrp)
and the next of kin notified in advance.....( brauuppp ! )
have fun....i can't wait for the outcome...
my prayers are with you's
Johnny, it'll be a single at each place, mustard optional. Of course, potatoes, peppers and onions will be mandatory, or else it wouldn't be an Italian dog! There will be a medic on duty. Wish you could join us.
Also, you Jimmy Buff's fans have to decide which one to go to. Route 22 is a mess on Saturday, but we can always take 78 to Scotch Plains and double back. Up to you guys.
Aw, I thought we were doing two doubles. :-) I would recommend the West Orange Buff's for the Buff sample as being more convenient, although Scotch Plains is ok as well for me. It's sort of on the way home.
JOHN, Men!! and they talk about women!!
If you decide on Rt22, Don will meet you there since it is half way between our house and yours. however,West Orange would be okay too. Just decide! Don can't wait much longer for those hot dogs!
Doris
OK, to reiterate the drill: Assemble here at my house in Newark at 11 a.m., carpool to Buff's, then to Dickie Dee's, then the couple blocks back to my house for balloting and fist fights. It's fine with me if anyone wants to meet up at Buff's. But let's decide soon which Buff's. Is West Orange OK with everyone?
Do they deliver? Have fun guys but don't forget the case of Bromoseltzer...I couldn't believe my eyes when we all met at Dickie Dees what, three years ago? and I went to the restroom in the back through the kitchen and the potatoes were just sitting there in gallons of grease (eek). My mom found a place down here near my sister's house where they can some what compare to DD's taste. Only allow myself one indulgence a year. The year's not up yet! I should be ready again mid June...........Munga (you know what I mean, enjoy)
Good luck to all participants. John, please give my best to Ricky Dee.
In the summer of 1970 we had a weight lifting competition in the Essex weight room. Rudy Guevara / me, versus Steve Tobia (13th & 1st Ave) / Mark Murro ( 68 Olympian). The losers brought the winners to Dickie Dee's and had to pay for an 'all you can eat' session. Talk about an incentive.
My vote always goes towards Bloomfield Ave & Double Dee's.
And for memories sake, let's not forget to mention another great Newark Italian Hot Dog provider,Sally's Luncheonette on 4th Street & Sussex Ave. Many a lunch was had there before the school made us stay inside the building. Anyone remember what year SRL started keeping us 'in' for lunch?
The worst Italian hot dogs- Casino in Trenton, NJ. Located in the "Burg" short for Chambersburg. They rant n rave
about them here. They stink! What they do have that can't
be beat is "tomato pies". World famous is Delorenzo's on
Hudson St. They have served every president since Roosevelt
The place dosn't have a bathroom for the patrons. You have to go down the street to the bar> The pies are worth it!!!!
I think the decision to keep students in the building and on property during lunch was for safety. That may not be accurate. Does anyone remember the facts surrounding that decision? Also what year did it start? My guess-timate is '65.
Living on Second St- it was a heck of a walk home and back- so I do recall eating on Orange St until about 5th grade or so... maybe 1963-64???
I remember fasting all night before Holy Communion, so on First Fridays walking home for breakfast- one time our dog followed us back to school- and SrRegina made me walk her home.
About the same time lunch changed so did the FF breakfast-- they let us bring in a snack after church that we ate in classroom. It probably was a safety issue thing- but I had heard that certain groups were just staying in Grunnings and Bodholts and cutting class.
We have a wiener, I mean winner, in our Italian Dog Day Afternoon competition, but I will ask the participants to not reveal the results until I have compiled my comprehensive report. Thank you.
I don't think it is revealing anything that must remain secret to confirm that, to the best of my knowledge, there were no fatalities, although I do admit to taking a Pepcid on the way home. :-)
I was reminded of that recent documentary film "Supersize It," where the guy eats nothing but McDonalds for a month and is monitored by doctors on a weekly basis. He gains something like 30 pounds and his liver enzymes (among other statistics) go off the charts. Fortunately no one took blood tests in the immediate aftermath of our eatathon. :-)
We all ate singles, except for my son, who ate two doubles. He's a tough kid who'll be an army officer when he graduates from Rutgers next year, but he looked a little green in the car on the way back "down the shore." :-)
Sorry I couldn't make the contest but my "write-in" vote is for Jimmy Buff's. I'm also voting for '64 as the year we were banished to in-school lunches.
Pre '64 we were allowed to bring our lunch and eat downstairs in the cafeteria if both parents worked. We were also allowed to eat in the neighborhood if we didn't want to brown-bag it. The luncheonette across the street next to the Tivoli had pizza for 15c and cherry water for a dime. If we ate in the basement, we'd scoff down or throw out our lunch and be out in the streets in minutes... probably the reason for the change in policy.
Were lunches ever actually cooked in the kitchen? What year did that end? I only remember the kitchen as being used for cooking the spaghetti dinners, drum practice on the tables, and crafts in kindergarten. There were some pretty big roaches down there too.
Desk lunching also produced another form of punishment. If we were bad or if it was raining we'd be kept in totally. There are probably laws against that today. If we were good on rainy days, we'd get to watch Jeopardy.
Laura, I think we still were 'let out' during our 6th grade. I remember still making the 'run' to 4th Street and back with Jimmy's...Egan, Accousti and Joey Russo. That would've been 64-65. So the lock down would've started with Sept. 65, our 7th grade. Does that make sense?
Seventh Grade I had SrCeline the Submarine and recall that we stayed inside to be tortured. She gave the most homework in the history of the school and my back is still killing me from taking home every book in my desk- if you made one mistake you couldn't go to the playground after eating- needless to say
just about the entire class stayed in the class
Hey Joey Fueller, Phyllis or Marty- help us out here. Inquiring minds want to know.
Oddly I had been thinking of the "outside school lunchtime at StRose" since nowadays kids are so supervised. I couldn't imagine allowing any kid to walk that far(or take the bus to downtown Newark!) which is what we did all the time.
Well, in 1964 I was a junior in college, so I don't recall that.:-)
In the 1950s, I used to walk home for lunch. Most of us did if I recall correctly. Frankly, I don't think they had any idea where we went during lunch, as long as everyone showed up back at school for the afternoon.:-) I think some kids ate in the basement cafeteria, though.
Well, I have been working all day and just got in, and as it will take me awhile to properly set up the photos Joe Bilby was so kind to process for us, I may as well announce the results.
In a vote that shocked industry insiders and stymied this writer, Jimmy Buff's was selected as Northern New Jersey's best place to get an Italian Hot Dog.
The vote was 4-3, with veteran troublemaker Don Scher casting the deciding vote. Frankly, I don't know how I can show my face in Dickie Dee's after this.
A full, illustrated report will follow.
This message has been edited by cbonaire from IP address 68.136.198.76 on Apr 17, 2005 5:50 PM
Absurd, ridiculous. Florida's "hanging chads" was acceptable. This is not! The 'BUFFS' must have stacked the deck. I hope the Vatican doesn't hear about this...it might sway the way they'll vote. What's next? Ting-a-Lings ice not good enough?
Would someone second the motion for a voter recall?
John, Thank you for sending Don home safe and sound after disagreeing with you on the best hot dog. DICKIE DEE'S just needs better potatoes. He did not have to take GAVISCON, because he said the oil was too young! He did want to go to JIMMY BUFF'S on Rt22 for dinner to complete the test, but I talked him out of it. It was a good day, sorry I missed it. Doris
My sister and I started in St Rose in 1963 and we were allowed to leave the school grounds at lunch time. Our favorite place without our mom's knowing was Dairyland for a HOT FUDGE SUNDAE! I can still picture the waitress's face that usually took care of us. She always wore a dark black hair net. Think her name may have been Betty....Linda
Hi, Laura! As I recall, there was a little Irish girl that was hit by a car and killed in front of Grunnings. She was very petite and had a very strong Irish accent. They said she flew through the air like a rag doll. I'm sure Eileen Strallow or Patty Ryan would remember her name. That was around 64-65. Anyway, with that happening and the influx of bums sleeping in the church basement, times were changing. We were all told to bring a lunch to school and the church would be locked during non-event periods.
The funniest lunch I ever saw, was when Bob Baumgart bit into a ham & cheese sandwich and his Mom forgot to take the wrappers off the cheese! I'll never forget the look on his face! Haha! Love to all, Joe
