Cuisine of Philadelphia
In the 20th century, Philadelphia's foods included cheesesteak, stromboli, hoagie, soft pretzel, water ice, and soda.
Originally, the cheese was melted in a separate container to accommodate their large clientele who followed kosher rules, thereby not mixing dairy and meat.
Today, cheese choices in Philadelphia eateries are virtually limited to American, Provolone, or Cheez Whiz.
It has been asserted that Italians working at the World War I era shipyard in Philadelphia, known as Hog Island where emergency shipping was produced for the war effort, introduced the sandwich, by putting various sliced meats, cheeses, and lettuce between two slices of Italian bread.
[4] Philadelphia Pepper Pot, a soup of tripe, meat, and vegetables, is claimed to have been created during the American Revolutionary War and named after the home city of its creator.
[7] Oh Ryan's of Boothwyn, Pennsylvania, claims to be the largest distributor of Irish Potatoes, shipping about 80,000 pounds to major chains and smaller candy stores, mostly in the Philadelphia area.
One of the most significant restaurateurs and caterers at this time was M. Latouche, an expert in French cuisine, whose restaurant offered expensive food and a choice wine.
The market, which runs along part of south 9th Street, includes numerous types of food vendors along with other shops.
The city saw a large emigration into the suburbs, and fine dining could be found mainly in private clubs and dinner parties.
For instance, in 1970 Georges Perrier and Peter Von Starck founded the French restaurant Le Panetiere.
The issue was surrounded by race and class overtones, but vendors have since become commonplace and even nationally renowned for serving quality food.
Major dining locations include Rittenhouse Square, Old City, Chinatown, Manayunk, East Passyunk Avenue and Fishtown.
[6] A variety of cuisine popular with Philadelphians today include Italian, Mediterranean, Chinese, Japanese, steakhouses, French, gastropub fare, tapas, diners, delis, and pizzerias.
The ban, which exempts private clubs, hotels, specialty smoking shops, and waiver-eligible bars that serve little food, had a troubled start and went unenforced until January 2007.
[24] Just a month later Philadelphia City Council passed a ban on trans fat in restaurants, effective September 2, 2007.
[32] In the industry's heyday before Prohibition, more than 90 breweries operated in city limits, with another 100 located in the greater metropolitan area.
The oldest producer of cordials and liqueurs in the U.S., Charles Jacquin et Cie, remains in operation in the city's Kensington neighborhood; the company is best known for its Pravda vodka, Jacquin's family of liqueurs and Original Bartenders Cocktails brand, well as its introduction of Chambord (sold to Brown-Forman in 2006), Creme Yvette, St-Germain and Domaine de Canton to the U.S. market.
More recently, Philadelphia Distilling opened in 2005 in the city's Fishtown neighborhood; it is the first craft distillery to open in Pennsylvania since before Prohibition,[36] and produces Bluecoat American Dry Gin, Vieux Carré Absinthe Supérieure, Penn 1681 vodka, XXX Shine corn whiskey and The Bay, a vodka seasoned with Chesapeake Bay seasoning.
