Life's Little Adventures

Katz's Deli

The other day a friend and I became ravenously hungry for a really good Rueben sandwich, a treat that is difficult to find here in the Philadelphia suburbs. Okay, you can get a good one locally, but not a really, really, superlatively good one. One that just oozes Russian dressing, melted Swiss cheese, sauerkraut, and plenty of sliced corned beef — all between freshly baked rye bread.

 

So we headed over to New York City, to its Lower East Side, and thence to Katz’s Deli on East Houston Street. Long a favorite of both New Yorkers and in-the-know visitors, Katz’s has been at that location since 1888 and is widely considered to be among the city’s best sandwich joints.  A visit there is a real experience, one that is quite rare in this age of chain eateries whose only interest is the bottom line.

Not that Katz’s is especially cheap. It isn’t. Nor is it fancy or even comfortable. Upon entering the premises you are handed a ticket, which you present at each food station as you assemble your meal. On this is kept a running total, which you present to the cashier on the way out, making payment there.

 

 During World War II Katz’s advertised with the phrase “Send a Salami to Your Boy in the Army,” a tradition they still honor with free shipping to overseas U.S. military addresses including Iraq and Afghanistan. Another catch phrase from the 1950s became part of a popular Tom Lehrer song with the words “Remember Mommy, I’m off to get a Commie, so send me a salami, and try to smile somehow.” 

Well, we didn't get a commie, but we did smile after sharing that delicious Reuben (way too big for one person!) and washing it down with two large beers.

www.katzdeli.com

The top photo is by Ernesto Andrade via Wikipedia Creative Commons. The other snaps are by me.

 

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Another Stroll Into the Past …

 McSorley's on East 7th Street. That's Charlie and John on the right.

… With a Delicious Ending.

9 a.m., Wednesday, April 21, 2010. My friend Charlie Reilly and I took off from suburban Philadelphia by car to Hamilton, N.J., where we boarded a Jersey Transit commuter train to New York City's Penn Station. Incredibly, every paved parking spot at the station was already filled, so we had to park in an old overspill lot. When we asked the conductor why so many people were heading for the Big Apple he replied "because it's Wednesday." It turned out that Wednesday is Matinée Day on Broadway, attracting thousands of Jersey housewives.

Once there, we took a Fifth Avenue bus past my old studio down to Washington Square, where by prearrangement we met Charlie's friend, John. From there we more-or-less followed a variation of the route I described in my 2004 guidebook, Daytrips New York. 

After soaking up the atmosphere of Greenwich Village we headed over to the less-explored East Village, following The Bowery up to Astor Place and the old Cooper Union building of 1859. It was here, on February 27, 1860, in the Great Hall, that Abraham Lincoln delivered the historic anti-slavery speech that won him the presidency later that year. The very next day following our walk another president spoke here. That was Barack Obama, who addressed a group of Wall Street bankers, chiding them for their "failure of responsibility" and calling for tighter regulation of their industry. Lincoln and Obama were not the only presidents to have given speeches in this room — others include Grant, Cleveland, Taft, Teddy Roosevelt, Wilson, and Clinton.

By now we were hungry and, more to the point, thirsty. Fortunately, just around the corner from Cooper Union stands the world-famous McSorley's Old Ale House, here since 1854 and virtually unchanged since then. Oh, they do allow women in now, following a 1970 lawsuit. Tradition has it that Honest Abe imbibed here after his famous speech.

McSorley's serves their own ale, and only their own ale, dark or light, two mugs at a time. The prices are quite reasonable, but don't ask for any other beverage because they don't have it. They do have food, a selection of inexpensive sandwiches and hot meals from a daily menu on a chalkboard.

Ten dark ales coming up … our table was the one to the right, but that's not us. This photo was swiped from Wikipedia..

Prohibition, that vile social "reform" of the 1920s, hardly affected McSorley's, which continued to serve their own ale as if nothing had happened. The fact that this was a popular hangout for politicians probably helped avoid police raids. Back then it was brewed in the basement; today it's made by a major brewery and sold in bottles throughout the nation.

With an atmosphere reminiscent of Olde New York, McSorley's walls are covered with faded memorabilia, none of which has been removed since 1910. The floors are still covered with sawdust, the waiters and bartenders still emphatically Irish. And the suds, called "the ale which never lets you grow old," by the poet e.e. cummings, remains unchanged to this day. 

McSorley's old motto, "Good Ale, Raw Onions and No Ladies," however, is no longer in effect following a 1970 court ruling concerning gender discrimination. Its remaining mottos are "Be Good or Be Gone" and "We Were Here Before You Were Born."

The definitive book about McSorley's (and a few other New York oddities) was written in 1943 by Joseph Mitchell under the title McSorley's Wonderful Saloon. It is still in print and available on Amazon (see below). To learn more check out McSorley's own website (click here).

 Thirst sated, we wandered through Cooper Square, passing Lafayette Street and Broadway to LaGuardia Place, where we stopped at an outdoor café for a final libation before returning to Penn Station and home. Near the café stood a statue honoring the "Little Flower," Fiorello H. LaGuardia, New York's exceedingly colorful mayor from 1934 to 1945. That's him on the right.

Text, top 2 photos and bottom photo copyright © 2010 Earl Steinbicker

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Beers and Wines

All throughout this blog there are references to beer and wine, two of the great joys of life. The most significant postings are listed below — just click on their titles to read. Prosit!

Bamberg, Germany: Germany's highest beer consumption, home to a great beer museum, and home to the famous Rauchbier.

Bokrijk, Belgium: The Flemish Open-Air Museum serves real country beers at outdoor tables as horse-drawn wagons go past.

Faversham, England: Tour the famous Shepherd Neame Brewery and sample their "real Ales," then explore the delightfully unpretentious little town not far from London.

Germany's Ammersee & Andechs Beer: Germany's finest is made by monks on a hill south of Munich, and served in their beerhall.

Lüneburg, Germany. Visit the town's old Brauereimuseum, where beer has been brewed since 1485, then enjoy a glass or two of Krone Bier!

McSorley's Old Ale House: New York's oldest Irish pub serves their own ale, and only their own ale, in this East Village landmark.

Northern Burgenland, Austria: The tasty wines of the Neusiedler See district are best appreciated in the delightful village of Rust.

Rüdesheim & Bingen, Germany: Germany's favorite wine village has been pressing the grapes for well over two thousand years. There's even an old castle with a wine museum!

Salzburg, Austria: End your tour at the Stielkeller beerhall overlooking the city, then visit Stiegl's Brauwelt to explore the history of brewing.

Strasburg, Pennsylvania: After a day with the old trains and a visit to the Amish Village, repair to the Twin Brook Winery for some local vintages.  

The Beers of Oji: Celebrating the wonderful beers we devoured while serving in the U.S. Army in Japan during the 1950s.

Vienna's Kahlenberg Heights: End your day in one of the many wine taverns of Grinzing and Heiligenstadt with a glass or two of the local new wine.

Wachau Valley, Austria: Float down the Danube and explore Krems, a gorgeous old wine town with the Weinstadt Museum and a Weingut where you can sample the local vintages.

MORE TO COME AS I DIG THROUGH THE FILES!

 

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Germany's Ammersee & Andechs Beer

I'd like to celebrate the publishing of my latest guidebook, Daytrips Germany (7th Edition) by posting one of its most popular one-day adventures. This one is about a lovely lake near Munich, but mostly about Beer, Glorious Beer. What is often considered Germany's finest brew is made in a monastery high atop a hill overlooking the Five Lakes Land, and served in a lively beer hall right next to the church. What a way to celebrate mass! Visitors come from all over the world to sample this marvelous golden brew — so here's how to do it:

Trip 4

The Ammersee

A Daytrip from Munich

Another lovely lake within easy commuting distance of Munich is the Ammersee. More secluded than Lake Starnberg and virtually unkown to foreign tourists, it has the added attraction of a gorgeous rococo monastery at Andechs (photos, above and below right), which brews what many consider to be Germany's finest beer. This is the perfect daytrip for anyone who loves riding boats, walking quiet trails, and drinking fabulous brew in a convivial atmosphere.

Like Starnberg, the Ammersee region has fine hotels and guesthouses that offer lower prices than those in Munich — a practical alternative to staying in the city.

GETTING THERE:

Trains on the S-Bahn commuter service leave frequently from the lower level of Munich's main station, after first making underground stops at Marienplatz, Karlsplatz, and other midtown stations. Take the S-5 line all the way to the last stop, Herrsching, a journey of about 45 minutes. Those without railpasses should follow the ticketing instructions on page 00. The tasty, strong beer at Andechs is a good reason to take the train.

By Car, leave Munich on the A-96 Autobahn in the direction of Landsberg to the Oberpfaffenhofen exit, then follow local roads past Wessling and Seefeld to Herrsching. You can drive to Andechs instead of walking if you prefer, but remember to have a designated driver.

PRACTICALITIES:

The Ammersee should be visited on a fine day in the summer season. This is a good weekend trip, especially on Sundays. The local Tourist Information Office(Verkehrsamt), T: (08152) 52-57, W: sta5.de, is near the Herrsching train station at Bahnhofplatz 2. Herrsching has some 10,000 inhabitants.

FOOD AND DRINK:

Chalet am Kiental (Andechs Str. 4, a few blocks east of the station) Exquisite International cuisine in an old farm house. T: (08152) 982-570. €€€

Ammersee Hotel (Seepromenade, just south of the dock in Herrsching) Regional specialties and classic cuisine. T: (08152) 53-74. €€

Andechs Klosterbrauerei (in Kloster Andechs) Simple food and the monks' own beer, indoors or outdoors. T: (08152) 37-60. €

SUGGESTED TOUR:

Numbers in parentheses correspond to numbers on the map.

Leaving the Herrsching train station (1), stroll over to the pier (2) and check the schedule of boats to Diessen. If you have a wait before the next departure you may want to visit the Kurpark (3) with its picturesque little castle.

The boat ride to Diessen (4) takes a little over 30 minutes. T: (08143) 940-21,W:seenschifffahrt.de. Roundtrip €€. Sights to see there include the sailing school and the Stiftskirche (Abbey Church), a masterpiece of the Bavarian rococo style. If you're there on a weekend you might want to visit the small Carl Orff Museum, which explores the life of the famed 20th-century composer of the Carmina Burana and other works. Hofmarkt 3,T: (08807) 91-981. Open Sat.-Sun. 2-5.

Return to Herrsching by boat. Before continuing on, you might want to visit the nearby Archaeological Park (5) with its reconstructed stone church from around AD 625, but inquire at the tourist office first to gain entry.

Now follow the map to St. Martin's Church, where the woodland trail to Andechs begins as Kientalstrasse. The two-mile walk to the monastery takes you through a lovely ravine and alongside a little stream. At the end it climbs up the Holy Mountain, a place of pilgrimage for centuries. You can also get there by bus from the Herrsching station; ask at the tourist office for schedules. Those with cars can, of course, drive.

*KLOSTER ANDECHS (6), T: (08152) 376-167, W: andechs.de. Open daily 7-7. Tavern, beer garden, restaurant.

The Benedictine Monastery of Andechs overlooks the surrounding countryside from its lofty perch (photo, top of page). Originally a castle dating from the 12th century, it was later rebuilt as an abbey due to the discovery of important relics in its chapel. The present church was first constructed in the 15th century. In the mid-1700s, however, it was completely redone in the rococo manner, with frescoes and stuccoes by the famous artist J.B. Zimmermann. The result is simply dazzling — one of the very best examples of that style anywhere. While exploring the interior, be on the lookout for the tomb of the 20th-century composer Carl Orff (1896-1982), world-famous for his Carmina Burana.

From here it is only a few steps to the Beer Garden, where the second reward of your pilgrimage awaits. The potent (11.5% to 18.5% alcohol!) brew is renowned all over the land. Join the queue for a one-liter stein (maß) and some snacks, then sit down at one of the indoor or outdoor tables for a rest before returning to Herrsching. For a full meal, try the adjacent full-service restaurant (Klostergasthof), where the prices are a bit higher but still very reasonable.

Prosit!

Text and map copyright © 2009 by Earl Steinbicker.

 

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Working for the Airline

FLYING HIGH WITH AIR FRANCE

Back in the summer of 1984, when I first began work on my guidebook Daytrips in France, I made a deal with Air France that in turn for free transportation I would write a mini version of the book for them to print and hand out to passengers. This was to be a 20-page booklet, 4" x 9" in size, summarizing many of the daytrip descriptions. Of course, this would also promote the book, so it was win-win for all concerned. That's its cover on the left.

The booklet went over big with both the airline and its passengers, so the next summer they asked me to write two similar guides for good-value dining in France. For this I would be paid, plus have my transportation and car rental covered. At the same time I could gather information for expanding my Daytrips France book in its second edition. And I would eat well. Free.

Now, I am no restaurant critic and hardly a foodie, but I do know what tourists like. Atmosphere and service are as important as tasty cuisine. Before taking off for France, I researched the red-cover Guide Michelin and both the Gault-Millau and Hachette guides — looking for well-rated restaurants where an entire good meal could be had for around 100 francs (then about US$14). These I would visit, armed with a letter of introduction (shown below) from the airline. I also devised a questionaire for the patron, or owner, to fill out. Air France translated this into French and had it printed.

On September 26, 1985 I left New York on Air France flight 070 to Paris CDG, changing there for flight 2407 to Nice. The Hôtel Alfa on rue Masséna was a bargain at only 170 francs (about US$24 at the time) a night, well located and perfectly comfortable.

My routine was to first case each restaurant on the list, checking off those that were not attractive or had poor locations. I also checked the posted Carte and Menu to see if it really fell in the good-value price range. Then I approached the owner, letter in hand. Most (not all!) were friendly once they got over that very French suspicion of strangers, and usually waved their hand toward the bar, exclaiming Choisir! — meaning choose a free drink. Quite a few also invited me back for a free meal.

The first working day, however, I spent exploring Beaulieu-sur-Mer and St.-Jean-Cap-Ferrat as I wanted to add them to my book. Then it was off to Monaco, where I found several surprisingly inexpensive restaurants with plenty of atmosphere, one of which was right next to the Prince's Palace and another close to the Monte Carlo Casino.

After another few days in Nice itself, I picked up a tiny Ford Fiesta that the airline arranged for me at Europcar and took off for Aix-en-Provence. There I discovered a small family-style restaurant where a full meal could be had for 42 francs (under US$6 then). Another place was very friendly and brought me free drinks, but begged not to be included in the guide because they already had more business than they could handle and didn't want hordes of tourists descending on their doorstep. I honored their request.

Avignon was next. I was about to park in the municipal lot when someone warned me about car thieves, so I found a closed parking garage instead. The Hôtel Central was a converted old mansion, well hidden in a courtyard in the center of town. I requested a room with bath, but that evening I couldn't find any door to a bath, so I just used the one "down the hall." Wondering later why the plastic clothes cabinet had a button marked "pousser ici," I pushed the button and was startled when the whole thing moved out of the way, revealing the hidden bathroom! I did manage to find five excellent good-value restaurants, including a crêperie where you could have a full meal, including wine, for 50 francs (under US$7!).

The next day involved a lot of driving, up to Orange, then down to Pont du Gard, where I found a wonderful old inn near the ancient Roman aqueduct. The prices there were just a bit over my upper limit, but I included it anyway as a special splurge. From there I headed to nearby Nîmes, spending the night there and covering three restaurants.

Then it was off to Arles, the ancient Roman town where van Gogh cut off his ear. I stayed at Le Cloître, an old monastery that had been converted into a hotel. Among the other eateries I found there was one that offfered full meals for as little as 47 francs (less than US$7). While there, I drove up to Les Baux-de-Provence, an isolated fortress of a mountaintop village with at least two good places to dine without breaking the bank.

Finding anything inexpensive at the next stop, Saint-Tropez, was a challenge, but I did come across one where it was just barely possible to eat for under 100 francs (US$14). The rest were definite splurges, but two of them got included just because they were so attractive.

Not finding any reasonable place to stay the night, I took off on the Autoroute hoping to find a motel. There were none, so I wound up in Cannes where I spent three nights checking out restaurants there and in Grasse. The amazing thing is that there were actually plenty of inexpensive places to dine right in the heart of Cannes — I included eight of them in the guide!

On the way back I stopped at Vence, mostly to flesh out my guidebook but also to find a few restaurants. It was still morning when I arrived back in Nice, so I continued eastward on the Moyenne Corniche, a thrilling road high above the Mediterranean that led to Èze-Village, a very strange settlement carved out of the rocky mountainside. The one outstanding restaurant there was a bit above my limit, but I knew that the airline would certainly want it included as it offered one of the most spectacular views to be found anywhere along the Riviera.

Back in Nice and once again staying at the Hôtel Alfa, I spent a few days adding more local eateries, plus short trips to Antibes and Menton, both done by commuter train as I had returned the car.

Saturday, October 12, 1985 — I'm off on Air France flight 2477 to Paris to begin 11 days of work on the other dining guide (cover, left). And also to expand my Daytrips in France book with walking tours of the city. But first I looked for cheap accomodations, which I found for 270 francs (about US$35 at the time) a night on the rue des Martyrs, a few blocks below Montmartre.

In total, I included 56 restaurants spread all over the city. Among the more memorable ones was L'Incroyable, hidden between the Palais Royal and the Louvre. This was truly an incredible bargain, where a full meal could cost as little as 37 francs (under US$5) including wine and tip!

Another real find was Au Gourmet de L'Isle on the little island in the Seine just behind Notre-Dame Cathedral. Here dishes from the Auvergne and Limousin were featured along with country wines, and still remained within the target price range. The owner-chef invited me back for dinner, and produced a fabulous meal.

You should not expect modest prices at the top of the Montmarte hill, and you won't find many. But a great splurge can be made at La Crémaillère 1900, an extremely romantic garden restaurant on place du Tertre, where it was possible to put together a meal for 200 francs (US$26), wine and tip included. Their publicity director, a most charming lady, joined me for lunch there. I had the Confit de Canard (duck), followed by a dessert made of chocolate.

On October 23rd I returned to New York and began writing.

Air France later asked me to write a booklet aimed at business travelers, giving them ideas about what to do between meetings in Paris. Before I could finish it, however, all such projects were cancelled in an economy move. But I did get paid.

 

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