Does anyone remember eating at a lunch counter in a Woolworth's store - or at any soda fountain? Asheville, North Carolina has preserved this piece of history for us. Back in the 1950's, when girls wore felt skirts with poodle appliques, bobby socks, and pony-tail hair styles, soda fountains were the thing. Guys lucky enough to get jobs as soda "jerks" (so called because they had to jerk the handles of the dispenser to get the carbonated water added to the cola syrup or chocolate to make the sodas, or "Phosphates" as they were originally known), those guys got to meet all the girls all the time. Adding a little extra whipped cream or cherries to their drinks made it easy to let those girls know they were special! They also got to experiment from time to time and create drinks like cherry-cream-vanilla-Cokes or sour-lime sodas.
So, I see this Woolworth store front, and I just HAVE to go in. Surprise, surprise! They still have a working soda fountain in there. It was only 11:00, and we're full from breakfast, but I'm not gonna pass up this opportunity to re-live a few memories. We take a seat and look at the menu, expecting to see maybe ice cream cones or something equally as simple. But no-o-o, they have a full menu - including Reuben sandwiches. (Now, that would be taking a chance. Reuben's can either be really, really good -- or really, really bad.) Aw, what the heck, I'll take a Reuben. John got the safer BLT (Bacon, lettuce, and tomato on toast, for you folks in Russia, Germany, the Netherlands, and Spain who are following our blog).
I watched the lady make the Reuben and was getting kind of concerned, but I was determined to think positive. Meanwhile, the rest of the store had been turned into an art gallery for local artists. Some of the things were pretty good - and some were excellent! Another good shopping experience in Asheville.
The Reuben is served! Mmmm-mmm-mmm! This thing was made with LOVE! Hand-crafted by a skilled culinary artist! Best Reuben I think I ever had! BTW, it was only $6, too. If I ever get back to Asheville, I know where I'll be havin' lunch! Mmmm-mmm-mmm!
1 comment:
we use to have a Woolworth and lunch counter downtown. It would be incredible if they would reopen it for such a thing as this. They always had the best cheesecake (not the new york style), and we always enjoyed their turkey/dressing/gravy meals when we would be Christmas shopping with mama, back in the 60's/70's. Great memories of that place. Makes me wonder if the lunch counters are still there or if someone has ripped them out of the place, which would be awful. They had the candy/nut stand there too, where you could be a pound of whatever delicacy you desired. The hot nuts were always a treat.
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