erie county fair Archives

Are You Grilling Or Are You Barbecuing?

By Chris Carosa on July 5, 2022

Ages ago an errant stroke of lightning struck a dry woodland. The ensuing fire consumed not only the trees, but several animals too slow to escape. A curious caveman meandered into the still smoldering forest. He stopped. What was that he smelled? It smelled… “delicious” would have been the word he would have used if he could speak English.

He looked all around for the source of that compelling aroma. Amidst the pockets of remaining flames, he found it. It looked ugly, a blackened char. Yet, it was unmistakable. The sumptuous scent came from what looked like what used to be an animal.

Salivating, he grabbed it and took a big deep bite.

Then promptly spit it out. “Yeech!” How could something that smelled so good taste so bad.

But the bite revealed the hidden treasure. Beneath the charred surface the caveman saw Continue Reading “Are You Grilling Or Are You Barbecuing?”

Posted in Gray Matter Musings, The Compleat Carosa Commentaries Tagged Bar-B-Q, Bar-B-Que, barbacoa, barbecue, barbeque, BBQ, Edward Ward, erie county fair, fire, Fourth of July, France, Frank Menches, George Washington, grill, Independence Day, July, July 4, July 4th, National Grilling Month, Robert F. Moss, Society of Cincinnati, Spain, The Culinary Institute of America

First Hamburger: The Top Ten Myths About Who Invented It

By Chris Carosa on May 24, 2022

For some reason (and probably a good one if you think about it), the powers that be have decreed May 28^th as “National Hamburger Day.” This coincides nicely with the month of May either being “National Hamburger Month” and “National Burger Month,” depending on whose press release you read.

As a result, no doubt you’ve read, listened to, or watched something about the almighty burger at your favorite news outlet. The question you should ask (but won’t know to) is whether what you’re reading, hearing, or seeing is true. Unfortunately, in all likelihood, probably not.

To help set the record straight, here are the top ten myths about the origin of the first hamburger:Continue Reading “First Hamburger: The Top Ten Myths About Who Invented It”

Posted in The Compleat Carosa Commentaries, Western New York State of Mind Tagged 1885, 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, Athens, beefsteak tartare, boulette, Buffalo, Charles Menches, Civil War, Clint Murchison, cotton candy, Dallas cowboys, Dallas Morning News, erie county fair, Fairy Floss, Fletcher Davis, Frank Menches, frikadelle, Germany, hamburg, Hamburg Fair, Hamburg Steak, Hamburger, James H. Salisbury, John C. Kunzog, Louis' Lunch, Menches Brothers, National Burger Month, National Cheeseburger Day, National Hamburger Day, New Haven, Ray Kroc, Salisbury steak, September 18, Tartars, Texas, World War I, World War II, Yale

So Long, Hal. We Hardly Knew Ye…

By Chris Carosa on February 2, 2021

The signs were ominous.

As I pulled into the familiar parking spot, I couldn’t help but notice the unbroken blanket of fresh fallen snow. No one had parked here. In fact, save for a long pair of footprints making a path in the snow to the door, there was no sign of life.

I glanced up at the storefront windows to see if the lights inside were on. But the blinds shuttered the windows completely, barring any spying eyes from the outside.

On one hand, the daily hours remained posted in their usual spot. On the other hand, there was neither a “We’re Closed” sign or a “We’re Open” sign.

That was strange.

I told my father to wait in the warm car and that I’d check out the situation. I got out of Continue Reading “So Long, Hal. We Hardly Knew Ye…”

Posted in Memoir of a Real Life, The Compleat Carosa Commentaries, Western New York State of Mind Tagged barber, Covid, Cuomo, Dad, erie county fair, Hal, Hamlet, Mendon, pizza

Mike Alcorn: A Helluva Guy

By Chris Carosa on December 31, 2019

There’s something about a fraternal bond that is indescribable. It’s like a secret sauce that forever bands brothers together. And I’m not talking “brothers” in the genetic sense. It’s more a sense of kindred, a fundamental commonality that goes back, way back. It goes so far back our conscious mind can’t explain, can’t predict it.

But we know without a doubt when it’s there.

Like many, I knew Mike Alcorn. For certain not as well as others, but I knew him as a fellow-traveler, like most parents with kids the same age know each other.

Perhaps a little more given our shared entrepreneurial experience.

I can’t remember when I first met Mike, but I’m almost certain it was well before we knew Continue Reading “Mike Alcorn: A Helluva Guy”

Posted in Memoir of a Real Life, The Compleat Carosa Commentaries, Western New York State of Mind Tagged 50 Hidden Gems, beer, CBS, Custom Brewcrafters, Dan Poliziani, erie county fair, HFL Youth Football, Honeoye Falls Chamber of Commerce, Josh Alcorn, Luanne Alcorn, Mike Alcorn, West is best

The Stormy Beginning When the Erie County Fair First Waded Into The Rock and Roll Craze

By Chris Carosa on August 13, 2019

On the subject of Pat Boone. It’s really interesting. It’s so interesting I thought readers might have a fun time with it.

I found this out while researching the history of my grandfather’s pizzeria in Blasdell, New York. Specifically, I discovered this little factoid when I began reading about my grandparents various marketing efforts. One of those ventures turned into a wholly separate business. To promote their new pizzeria, they accepted an invitation to operate a pizza stand at the Erie County Fair.

The first year they were at the Fair (1956) featured the Erie County Fair’s first ever Rock and Roll concert on its first two nights (Saturday, August 18^th, 1956 and Sunday August 19^th, 1956). Box seats for the concert were $1.50; grandstand and front row bleacher seats were $1; and other bleacher seats were 50 cents.

Remember, Rock and Roll was a relatively new phenomenon at the time. Elvis had his first big hit in 1954 and Little Richard (“Tutti Frutti”) and Chuck Berry (“Maybellene”) had big hits in 1955. In many ways, though, 1956 was to become a breakout year for Rock and Roll. It Continue Reading “The Stormy Beginning When the Erie County Fair First Waded Into The Rock and Roll Craze”

Posted in The Compleat Carosa Commentaries, Western New York State of Mind Tagged Bill Haley, Blackboard Jungle, Blasdell, Blue Suede Shoes, Butera, Carl Perkins, Chuck Berry, Donna Rice, Elvis Presley, erie county fair, Gary Hart, Gene Vincent, grandfather, Happy Days, Heartbreak Hotel, Hound Dog, Johnny Burnette, Jump the Shark, Lassie, Lillian Briggs, Little Richard, Maybellene, Milton Berle Show, Monkey Business, Pat Boone, pizza, Rock and Roll, Rock Around The Clock, Ron Howard, Sonny Dae and His Knights, Stage Show, Steve Allen Show, Superman, The Ed Sullivan Show, Tutti Frutti

What’s in a (Middle) Name?

By Chris Carosa on June 18, 2019

Bart Starr passed away a few weeks ago. If you don’t know him, he was the quarterback of the Green Bay Packers during their glorious Vince Lombardi years when the Packers won the championship five out of seven years, including the first two Super Bowls. He was old time football. Perhaps not brilliant like Johnny Unitas, or as glamorous as Y.A. Tittle, or as athletic as Otto Graham, Bart Starr was workmanlike and effective. He was like the IBM of quarterbacks when IBM was the kind of company “no one would ever get fired for choosing.”

What you might not know about him is Bart Starr is the reason why I have the middle name I have.

Truth be told, Starr’s era had peaked by the time I Continue Reading “What’s in a (Middle) Name?”

Posted in Memoir of a Real Life, The Compleat Carosa Commentaries Tagged 1970 Topps Football, Baltimore Colts, Bart Starr, Buffalo Bills, Chuck, erie county fair, Errol Morrall, Green Bay Packers, Heidi Game, Joe Namath, Johnny Unitas, Kansas City Chiefs, Kenny, Mercedes Benz, New York Jets, Oakland Raiders, Otto Graham, peace symbol, Superbowl, Superbowl III, Tommy, Vince Lombardi, Y.A. Tittle

Hamburger WhoDunIt Part VI: A Day In Hamburger History – September 18, 1885 – Everything is the Same, Except, “You Are There!”

By Chris Carosa on September 11, 2018

(The sixth part in a series of seven)

“What sort of day was it? A day like all days, filled with those events that alter and illuminate our times… all things are as they were then, and you were there.”

– Walter Cronkite, at the conclusion of each episode of the CBS Series You Are There

On this day, September 18^th, 1885, the last day of the Erie County Fair, Hiram P. Hopkins woke up to threatening skies. While the weather appeared ominous, he breathed a sigh of relief. He didn’t see the clouds as presaging rain. Rather, he saw the southwesterly breeze as ushering in unusually warm temperatures. In exchange, he’d accept the oppressive humidity.

In the early morning, before the expected thousands of fairgoers arrived, Hiram strolled the grounds. Just a day earlier, the place was packed, the crowd so dense it was difficult to move. This morning the only people Hopkins could see were the many vendors prepping their booths for the final day. Popcorn, peanuts and candy sellers had a brisk business the day before. The same was true of those selling lemonade, pop, and sandwiches.

As he passed close to the grandstand, he noticed two young men fretting about. It was Continue Reading “Hamburger WhoDunIt Part VI: A Day In Hamburger History – September 18, 1885 – Everything is the Same, Except, “You Are There!””

Posted in The Compleat Carosa Commentaries, Western New York State of Mind Tagged Andrew Stein, Charles Menches, erie county fair, Frank Menches, hamburg, Hamburg Fair, Hamburger, Hiram P. Hopkins, Menches Brothers

Hamburger WhoDunIt Part V: CSI: Hamburg(er), N.Y.

By Chris Carosa on September 5, 2018

(The fifth part in a series of seven)

“Some circumstantial evidence is very strong, as when you find a trout in the milk..”

– Henry David Thoreau

And then there was one. Charles and Frank Menches were born in Canton, Ohio. Their father, Jacob Menches, an engineer in Prussia, immigrated to America and became a grocer in Canton. Their mother, Charlotte Hahn Menches, was originally from France. As young men, both boys were quite athletic. Charles as a well-regarded gymnast who travelled with a popular circus as a trapeze artist and high wire walker before he turned twenty.¹ Frank, six years younger than Charles, was an award-winning bicycle racer.^2,3

While the brothers’ lives contain several amazing stories, our focus here is on only one: Their role as (potentially) the first to sell a hamburg sandwich. How this story became known is itself a story. The brothers’ claim was widely known (the headline of Frank’s 1951 obituary reads “‘Inventor’ of Hamburger Dies.”⁴ The real story, however, lay hidden for half a century and was published decades after the brothers had passed away.Continue Reading “Hamburger WhoDunIt Part V: CSI: Hamburg(er), N.Y.”

Posted in The Compleat Carosa Commentaries, Western New York State of Mind Tagged 1885, and Ice Cream Company, Andrew Klein, Andrew Stein, Charles Menches, Corn, Crackerjack, Dan Rice, Domestic Hall, Erie County Agricultural Society, erie county fair, Frank Menches, Gee Whiz, grandstand, Hamburg Fair, Hamburg Sandwich, Hamburger, James Swinnich, John C. Kunzog, Liberty Theater, Menches Brothers, Octagon Building, Premium Candy, Tanbark and Tinsel, Waffle Cone, William M. (Pop) Robinson

Hamburger Helper – Solving the Greatest WhoDunIt? In Culinary History

By Chris Carosa on August 7, 2018

(The first part in a series of seven)

“I’ll gladly pay you Tuesday for a Hamburger today.”

When J. Wellington Wimpy first voiced that phrase on December 28, 1934 in Fleischer Studios short “We Aim to Please,” Popeye’s 17^th theatrical cartoon, [http://popeye.wikia.com/wiki/We_Aim_to_Please] the White Castle hamburger chain had already been around for 13 years. By the time E.C. Segar added the character of Wimpy to his King Features Syndicate cartoon Thimble Theatre in 1931, White Castle was well on its way to selling 50 million hamburgers. It would achieve that mark in 1941.

A year earlier, brothers Dick and Mac McDonald moved their father’s food stand from Route 66 in Monrovia, California to the streets of San Bernardino. They rechristened their Continue Reading “Hamburger Helper – Solving the Greatest WhoDunIt? In Culinary History”

Posted in The Compleat Carosa Commentaries, Western New York State of Mind Tagged 1904 World's Fair, Burger King, Charles Menches, Charles Nagreen, Dave Thomas, David Edgerton, Dick McDonald, E.C. Segar, erie county fair, Esther Snyder, fast food, Fletcher Davis, Frank Menches, Hamburger, Harry Snyder, In-N-Out Burger, Insta-Burger King, J. Wellington Wimpy, James McLamore, King Features Syndicate, Louis' Lunch, Mack McDonald, McDonald's, McDonald's Bar-B-Q, Old Dave, Outagamie County Fair, Popeye, St. Louis, Thimble Theatre, Wendy's, White Castle

Twins Never Part

By Chris Carosa on July 3, 2017

This is the second of four parts of an older brother’s eulogy to a beloved younger brother.

I was barely a year old when I first met Kenny. My parents brought this bundle home from the hospital. I saw a small foot poking through the blanket. Elated, I tugged the tiny toes. Still grasping the diminutive digits, I smiled broadly and looked up at my parents. “Goggie!” I said.

Yes, I had thought my parents got me a new puppy. Instead, I got something better – a baby brother. Had I been more eloquent then and as versed in classic cinema as I am today, I might have more aptly said, “Kenny, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship.”

You may know him as “Ken,” “Kenny,” or even, as he signed every greeting card he ever signed beginning at age – I don’t know, 7? – Kenneth P. Carosa. To me, he’ll always be Continue Reading “Twins Never Part”

Posted in Memoir of a Real Life Tagged Abbott Parkway, Angelo, Cubscouts, Dad, Daryll Lamonica, erie county fair, grandma, grandpa, Hamburg Fair, Kenneth P. Carosa, Kenneth Patrick Carosa, Kenny, L-Pattern, Pizza Stand, South Park Avenue, The Interception Kid, The Mad Bomber, Uncle Sammy

Are You Grilling Or Are You Barbecuing?

First Hamburger: The Top Ten Myths About Who Invented It

So Long, Hal. We Hardly Knew Ye…

Mike Alcorn: A Helluva Guy

The Stormy Beginning When the Erie County Fair First Waded Into The Rock and Roll Craze

What’s in a (Middle) Name?

Hamburger WhoDunIt Part VI: A Day In Hamburger History – September 18, 1885 – Everything is the Same, Except, “You Are There!”

(The sixth part in a series of seven)

“What sort of day was it? A day like all days, filled with those events that alter and illuminate our times… all things are as they were then, and you were there.”

Hamburger WhoDunIt Part V: CSI: Hamburg(er), N.Y.

(The fifth part in a series of seven)

“Some circumstantial evidence is very strong, as when you find a trout in the milk..”

Hamburger Helper – Solving the Greatest WhoDunIt? In Culinary History

(The first part in a series of seven)

“I’ll gladly pay you Tuesday for a Hamburger today.”

Twins Never Part

Welcome to ChrisCarosa.com

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(The sixth part in a series of seven)

“What sort of day was it? A day like all days, filled with those events that alter and illuminate our times… all things are as they were then, and you were there.”

(The fifth part in a series of seven)

“Some circumstantial evidence is very strong, as when you find a trout in the milk..”

(The first part in a series of seven)

“I’ll gladly pay you Tuesday for a Hamburger today.”

Welcome to ChrisCarosa.com

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