Yes, that was me on Throwdown! with Bobby Flay on the Food Network last night. And yes, that was me NOT voting for the Philly version of the soft pretzel, but for Bobby Flay’s surprisingly delicious alternative. Before you rabid localists start a petition to get me thrown out of the city on grounds of culinary treason, take in the whole tale.

A few months ago, I got an email from a production company asking if I would appear as a ’soft pretzel expert’ on a new, unnamed, host-free Food Network show that traveled the country, focusing on local specialties…

Read the rest of this entry »

Audrey and Mark head down to Washington Avenue in South Philly for a date that includes some Philadelphia stereotypes (soft pretzels and mummers) as well as some Vietnamese food.

Illadates: Washington Avenue [UWISHUNU]

The soft pretzel often takes a back seat to the cheesesteak in the city so it’s good to see the wonderful snack getting its due. Today at noon at the Independence Visitor Center is the Battle of the Soft Pretzel.

Some of the best pretzel makers from the region will be battling it out for the three usual categories; Best Traditional Soft Pretzel, Best Flavored Soft Pretzel, and Most Interesting Shape, as well as a new one this year, Best Decorated Table. Participating local pretzel companies include Philadelphia Soft Pretzel, Center City Pretzel Company, and Soft Pretzels Unlimited.

Battle of the Soft Pretzel [UWISHUNU]
Photo by Stevie Flamingo

There are few foods that are as identified with Philadelphia as the soft pretzel and nowhere can you find a soft pretzel as good as the ones found at Fisher’s Soft Pretzels in the Reading Terminal Market. Kneaded into form by an assembly line of young Amish women, then baked and shoveled into the waiting bin. You’re asked if you would like yours with butter or not. Say yes. Decadence is its own reward. The fresh crisp crust on the outside breaks way to steaming warm bread on the inside. The butter, salt and pretzel all melting on your tongue.There’s no other pretzel that even comes close.

Uwishunu is pumping out the content, here is the last week of interesting food and drink related postings.

• Cranking Them Out In the Dark of Night – Night-vision video of the Pretzel Factory on Washington Avenue.
• Go Ahead, Kiss the Chef – Kisso, the Old City spot to head with a six pack for a 20 piece spicy tuna roll.
• When Not Any Sushi Will Do – Offered in three serving sizes—a $35, $55 and $75 portions—and a la carte, Morimoto’s extensive sushi and sashimi list includes an impressive array of urchins, shellfish and fishes.
• Get Naked…. Chocolate – Hot chocolate without the paper packet at Naked Chocolate Cafe.

What’s more Philly than a cheesesteak? How about a cheesesteak served up on a Philadelphia soft pretzel in tribute to Sylvester Stallone? What? They couldn’t get a Benjamen Franklin impersonator to fly a kite outside? Well the Café, the sibling spot to the Irish Pub at 20th and Walnut Street, has launched a special Sunday series, “Dinner and a Movie” tribute to Sylvester Stallone now through the end of the month.

And the star plate in all this Rocky regalia is chef Colleen McAvaddy’s creation of a Philadelphia Pretzel Cheese Steak. It’s made up of “shaved prime beef, caramelized onions, and melted cheddar cheese on a fresh baked pretzel roll.”

Thom’s Table [aroundphilly.com]

As you probably know it’s Rocky week. And as much as we may cringe at Philadelphians being portrayed as cheesesteak chomping, kite flying, pretzel biting, Art Museum steps running, wooder drinking, hoagie breath stinking, snowball tossing, krimpet stuffing, long suffering, underdogs all the time, we do like cheesesteaks, hoagies and pretzels. So as long as you’re going to be doing these stereotypical Philly food things, do it up right.

Cheesesteak

Get:It may say pork in the name but the steaks have turned John’s Roast Pork from a sleepy little spot to a star on Philadelphia’s culinary map. It’s worth fighting through the ongoing construction on Snyder Ave, but bring a friend, it’s a lot of steak for one person.
Avoid: Rick’s Steaks in the Reading Terminal. It’s kind of unbelievable that in the Mecca of food that is the Reading Terminal you can’t find a good cheesesteak.

Hoagie

Get: There are a lot of great hoagie spots in Philadelphia but for our money the best is Sarcone’s. It of course comes on Sarcone’s bread and the Italian hoagie with the slices of fresh mozzarella, well call us in love.
Avoid: Subway. When the original Subway closed on South Street many years ago, we looked at it as a personal triumph.

Pretzel

Get: Fisher’s Pretzels in the Reading Terminal are second to none. And don’t think about skipping the butter.
Avoid: Any street vendor who just licked hot sauce off his hand before grabbing a pretzel.

Photo via Philly.com