My recent dining extravaganza back east

Just got back from an East Coast dining extravaganza. I had scrapple in Seaside Heights, N.J., then into New York for pizza at DiFara's in Brooklyn, a hot dog at Nathan's in Coney Island, brascia and canoli in Little Italy, bigos and pierogi at Little Poland in the East Village, a few sausage sandwiches, a dozen streamed clams and a few bagels and some falafel thrown in as well. Plus some sausage and peppers and baked ziti at the relatives.
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I just realized how much food I ate over the course of three days. I ate scrapple as a kid once but had no real memory of what it was like (pork-flavored oatmeal). I think I can hold out for another 40 years before trying it again. One big disappointment: there aren't the Dutch restaurants along the interstate in Pennsylvania like I recall as a kid in the '60s.

I did have to chuckle in thinking about the bridge toll controversy in Louisville. I paid $28.50 in tolls to get through Pennsylvania, $4.50 to get across New Jersey and $13 to cross the George Washington Bridge. That was just on the way there.

If you are ever really wanting scrapple, just drive down to Cincinnati area are get some goetta! It's not identical, but certainly close enough, especially if you haven't had any for some time.

My mother always told us that scrapple was made with the stuff they swept off the floor at the slaughterhouse. That's probably not far from the truth.

Did you have to wait long to get into DiFara? Did you like it? We will be leaving for NY soon for a wedding. I have been trying to get into Carbone. No such luck. Zero reservations available during our trip. Sigh....

This was my second time at DiFara but the first for my wife. She says it's the best she's ever had. I don't know if it's the best in the world as many claim but it's pretty darn good. The taste lingers as opposed to slapping you in the face.

I wanted to get there before they opened at noon but ended up not getting there until about 12:20. They still weren't open because they were being inspected by the health department. Apparently Dom DeMarco was battling with the inspector over the demand that he wear a hat. We were about 10th in line when they opened at about 1:00. It was raining, which I hear cuts down on the wait, We ordered two plain slices and two with sausage. We got the plain slices in about 15 minutes and the sausage slices about 20 minutes after that. I saw several people cancel their orders when it became obvious that it would take at least an hour to get a whole pie. I think they lock the door at 3 to whittle down the line, then re-open at 5.

The best thing to do, I'd say, is to get there well before noon. If you've got any qualms about cleanliness it's not the place to go. I know they've been shut down multiple times, As soon as the inspector left Dom's hat went in the trash. I think it's as much about the trek out there and the wait as it is about the pizza. Anyway, he's getting old so if you have the time it's worth a visit.

Next time I'm in that area I'd like to try a few of the kosher bakeries in the neighborhood.