My dad, like me, loves a good meal

I traveled to Florida last week to spend time with my mom and dad. My dad's not well. About all he had the energy for was sitting and chatting. We talked about a lot of things, most of which were memories. My four brothers and sister have covered a lot of ground -- so we had tons of stuff to laugh and cry about.

At least once during each of our conversations, talk would wander to memories of his childhood and my ancestors. He and my mother grew up in West Moreland County, in Western, PA., in coal mining villages -- he's from Crow's Nest, she's from Carpenter's Town. It was a ton of fun listening to new stories about his friends -- Woody, Ding, Joe and so many others. As always, we also talked about the places he loved to eat. My dad, like me, loves a good meal.

The "Hot Dog Shop" (Warren Ohio)
The earliest food memory that my father and I share is the "Hot Dog Shop." Warren is my home town. It's where my mom and dad moved to from PA to work and raise kids. The "Dog Shop" is a Midwest landmark. I don't think anyone can pass by without stopping in for dogs, fries and a Coke. Its straight out of American Graffiti architecture is something to behold. It's a circular brick building topped with a brightly colored shingles and a gigantic rotating hot dog resting in a bun.

It seemed to me that the Dog Shop was always packed. Of course we usually went there after football games or some other big night on the town. We’d sit at the counter -- I'd order a hot dog with ketchup, side of fries and a chocolate shake. He would order two dogs with chili and cheese, a side of fries and a Coke. Our orders would be up in a matter of minutes. We agreed wholeheartedly that there is no place in the world that can match the wonderful flavors of those hot dogs and fries.

"Alberini's" (Niles Ohio)
Not very far down Route 422 from the Dog Shop is Alberini's Restaurant. This landmark is known far and wide for its excellent quality Italian cuisine. My father talked about how he and my mom would go there with friends for cocktails and dinner on weekend nights -- I'd be home with an older brother or another sitter. Once in a while I'd get to come along for a fancy white tablecloth dining experience.

My dad's Alberini's order was always veal-parm. To this day, veal-parm is his dish of choice. He's never been politically correct or any sort of adventurous eater. These traits, and many others, are what make him special. Instead of salad, he'd opt for Gilda Alberini's famous Italian Wedding Soup. Memories of dipping fresh Italian rolls into that savory chicken broth brought a welcome smile to his face.

Our memory of Alberini’s included more than meals – it’s the place where we gathered for family weddings, anniversaries and funerals. We met there before big games and after graduations. I worked there for four years as a server during college. According to my dad, without Alberini's “I'd be in jail.” He's referring to the fact that Alberini's is where I met my wife, Gillian. She worked there during college, too. We fell in love with good wine and each other. (Gillian and I have shaped our PR business on principals introduced to us by Richard and Gilda Alberini -- they put family first, supported their hardworking staff and worked tirelessly to make certain that no aspect of the business came up short in the eyes (or stomachs) of customers.)

As my dad dined on truly lousy hospital food last week, thoughts of Gilda's soup and veal parm were almost too much to manage.

"Mahoning Valley Pizza"
My hometown of Warren Ohio is located in what's called the "Mahoning Valley." This is steel country. Today it's the "rustbelt." Steel made in Warren (and in Niles, Gerard and Youngstown) supported the automotive industry. The area's mostly working-class population consisted mostly of Greeks, Italians, Irish and Polish. A standard Midwest town, I guess. Warren was and remains a wonderful ethnic melting pot. My dad and I agreed that of the vast assortment of delectable ethnic flavors or aromas, fresh baked pizza wins first place. The pizza of the Mahoning Valley cannot be outdone. (Sorry Portland Pie.)

My dad's favorite pizza is "Mr. R's." They served it thick and topped with tangy plum tomato sauce. He loved the way they served pies with small, chunky cut pieces of pepperoni. Their cheese was a flavorful locally made mozzarella. Unlike my dad, I don't have a singular best pizza -- my favorites changed as I grew up. As a child I loved "Carmen's." Carmen's was located at the end of our block (on Oak Knoll S.E.). I used to walk there with my dad. We'd carry home big white boxes filled with sheets of pizza for the whole family. What a wonderful and carefree time that was. The crust was thick and the sauce was spicy sweet. I'll never forget racing to grab a corner square -- two sides of crust was a special treat for a curst lover like me.

During middle school and high school I ate "white pizza," at "Leo's." Leo's crust was similar to Carmen's, thick and chewy. White pizza toppings though, are altogether unique. No red sauce here, just garlic, olive oil, basil, oregano, thyme, mild mozzarella and sliced banana peppers (cubanelle peppers). The mildly oily fragrant spicy flavor of white pizza is wonderful -- I miss it dearly.

I tried hard to convince my dad that Leo's topped Mr. R's. No chance. For him, Mr. R's can never be replaced. I could go on but I'll stop here. I'm getting hungry.

Thanks for letting me tell you a little about some of my food loving history -- eating dogs and fries at the Hot Dog Shop; veal parm, wedding soup and the romance of Alberini's; and pizzas of Mahoning Valley. I hope it reminded you of some of your childhood favorites.

Cheers.