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Tuesday, March 15, 2011

1936: GEORGE CASE'S PORK ROLL - A PROUD TRENTON TRADITION


Back in the distant past, (1955-1958 to be exact,) when I was in the U.S. Army cloak and dagger gig, the talk was usually girls, army gripes, and food. On the latter subject, Tom Glover, RA 12480163 had many conversations with my bunk mates when it came to our respective tastes in food. Lloyd Hodgkins, one of my best buddies from Jefferson Maine told of Maine Lobsters. Jimmy Herndon from Ada Oklahoma regaled us with his breakfast that always included home mad grits. Sam Steckbeck from Lebanon Pennsylvania told of his love for good old fashioned Lebonan-made Lebanon Balogna. Tom Glover? Well he was sure that Sam's Lebanon Balogna was excellent, but it could never compare to a DeLorenzo Tomato Pie or a long canvas wrapped roll of Case's Pork Roll. To my amazement, none of those guys ever heard of Tomato Pie nor Pork Roll! Well, to make a long story short, a roll of that Trenton-made pork came to Detachment "D" in Aviano Italy by air mail, and with a bit of coaxing to our cook after one of our midnight shifts, we succeeded in partaking of a Trenton made Case's Pork roll breakfast with our choice of eggs on the side. Did my buddies agree that the Trenton made delicacy was the best......even better than old fashioned bacon, run of the mill sausage, Philadelphia Scrapple, and yes, even steak? Let's just say they went back for seconds!
By the way: I can't tell you how many times I had to explain what a Trenton made DeLorenzo tomato pie was! Those guys had no idea that there was anything other than what they called a "pizza!" To this day there are those who don't know the difference, even as I explained that the pizza is a cheese-encrusted flat disk, usually very little tomato that tastes like a cheese sandwich with a just a touch of tomato. On the other hand, a tomato pie was made only by those culinary artists who knew how to blend just the right amount of tomatoes and cheese on a very thin and tasty crust! I told those guys that only in Trenton would they find restaurants who serve original Trenton Tomato Pies!
Blogger Ralph Lucarella said...
HI TOM....I DON'T BELIEVE IT WAS GEORGE CASES'S PORK ROLL. GEORGE WAS THE BIG LEAGUE BALL PLAYER BUT IT WAS IN HIS FAMILY. IT COULD HAVE BEEN CLIFF CASE. I LIVED IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD FOR YEARS AND WE ALL LOVED THE PORK ROLL. BETWEEN THEM AND THE TOMATO PIES, TRENTON STOOD ALONE IN PRODUCING TWO OF THE BEST TASTING FOOD PRODUCTS AROUND. BEST REGARDS.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
HI RALPH:
ACTUALLY IT WAS GEORGE CASE SENIOR (GEORGE JR'S. DAD) WHO WAS THE MOVER AND SHAKER AT THE "PORK PACK" FACTORY. AS I RECALL, THE FORMULA ORIGINATED FROM A FARMER IN BELLE MEAD N.J. IN THE LATE 19TH OR EARLY 20TH CENTURY. CLIFFORD CASE CAME ON LATER IN TIME.
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Anonymous omad said...
Here's the skinny on this one === Pork roll is a type of sausage-like meat product commonly available in and around New Jersey and Philadelphia. In North Jersey it is usually called Taylor Ham.[1] The product, as it is made today, was developed in 1856[2] by John Taylor of Trenton, New Jersey, though several firms produce their own versions. Got this from Wikapedia. When I first left NJ and moved out west, the two things I insisted my son bring when he came out to ski were Pork Roll and Tastycakes. HI OMAD: TAYLOR (JHN TAYLOR) WAS A SEPARATE ENTITY WHO ALSO MANUFACTURED PORK ROLL.
Anonymous Sally Logan Gilman said...
Hi Tom: We also load up on Tastykakes and pork rolls when we come to Trenton. My sons and grandson love the pork roll but the Butterscotch Krimpets are an acquired taste -- but that means more for me. We also bring back Krispy Kreme doughnuts from Acme Mrkt. on Route 1. They box them for us and have them ready when we stop by before heating north. Oh how I miss all my favorites from NJ. Regards
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
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Anonymous Anonymous said...
Hi Tom, how about fresh versus smoked pork roll to separate the men from the boys. If you are not a Trenton native you may be aware of Taylor since they now ship to retirement venues. A fellow on an auto site gave himself away with his avatar of Taylor's logo. He wondered how I knew where he had roots. Sadly, I think the old fashioned pie is going to fade. Much of what we loved had to be in the quality of the cheese and such. The big companies dominate the market anymore.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
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Blogger Mack said...
Hi Tom::) NOW I know why my Grandma always called it prepared Ham. Thats what it was once called:) ALSO: The BREAKFAST only theme of Pork Roll did not exist in my house and I have only come across that after starting the blog. We might have pork roll for lunch or supper as well:)
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Anonymous Bob said...
Stop with the food! It's driving me crazy. There were so many small places that knew how to make a great tomato pies in the Trenton area. Taylor smoked pork roll was the best, especially with baked beans and home fries. And I lived on Tasty products all through high school and college. Whenever I get down there I stock up but now it's time to start having them shipped to me, hell with the expense. And yes, it has be difficult to explain tomato pies and pork roll to people in Mass and Maine.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Aww, c'mon Bob. Go back and read your comment above. You're making me crave a Taylor Provision Pork roll and egg sandwich for lunch today, a DeLorenzo's take out tomato pie for dinner tonight, topped off with a TastyKake "TandyTake" peanut butter delight. Thanks for being a visitor......I hope you return often,
Tom Glover
Anonymous Omad said...
Nothing like food to bring out lots of discussion. My son, who lives in Morris County, is a true Pork Roll devotee and has his three boys all addicted to it. I'm a little confused, is Charlie Gaudette, Nancy's dad, also Mike Kuzma's uncle? Nancy and I are still in regular contact, especially since I moved back to NJ from Seattle.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
No Omad,Nancy ( "Dell") is my cousin, daughter of my Uncle Charlie and Aunt May. I lost contact with Nancy. I had a computer replacement and lost all my email addresses when Verizon fouled up when I signed on to Verizon WiFi., and cancelled Verizon DSL. In cancelling Verizon DSL, I lost all my email contacts. I assumed that Verizon WiFi was the same as my Verizon DSL and they never told me they were the same name but a different company! The bottom line, I lost all of my email contacts and had to start from scratch. Nancy and I were in regular contact, and I assumed that Nancy lost my email address as I lost hers.
Tom
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12 comments:

  1. Ralph LucarellaTuesday, March 15, 2011

    HI TOM....I DON'T BELIEVE IT WAS GEORGE CASES'S PORK ROLL. GEORGE WAS THE BIG LEAGUE BALL PLAYER BUT IT WAS IN HIS FAMILY. IT COULD HAVE BEEN CLIFF CASE. I LIVED IN THAT NEIGHBORHOOD FOR YEARS AND WE ALL LOVED THE PORK ROLL. BETWEEN THEM AND THE TOMATOE PIES, TRENTON STOOD ALONE IN PRODUCING TWO OF THE BEST TASTING FOOD PRODUCTS AROUND. BEST REGARDSS.

    ReplyDelete
  2. omadTuesday, March 15, 2011

    Here's the skinny on this one ===
    Pork roll is a type of sausage-like meat product commonly available in and around New Jersey and Philadelphia. In North Jersey it is usually called Taylor Ham.[1] The product, as it is made today, was developed in 1856[2] by John Taylor of Trenton, New Jersey, though several firms produce their own versions.

    Got this from Wikapedia. When I first left NJ and moved out west, the two things I insisted my son bring when he came out to ski were Pork Roll and Tastycakes.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Sally Logan GilmanWednesday, March 16, 2011

    Hi Tom: We also load up on Tastykakes and pork rolls when we come to Trenton. My sons and grandson love the pork roll but the Butterscotch Krimpets are an acquired taste -- but that means more for me. We also bring back Krispy Kreme doughnuts from Acme Mrkt. on Route 1. They box them for us and have them ready when we stop by before heating north. Oh how I miss all my favorites from NJ. Regards

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousWednesday, March 16, 2011

    Hi Tom, how about fresh versus smoked pork roll to separate the men from the boys. If you are not a Trenton native you may be aware of Taylor since they now ship to retirement venues. A fellow on an auto site gave himself away with his avatar of Taylor's logo. He wondered how I knew where he had roots.

    Sadly, I think the old fashioned pie is going to fade. Much of what we loved had to be in the quality of the cheese and such. The big companies dominate the market anymore.

    skip

    ReplyDelete
  5. MackWednesday, March 16, 2011

    Hi Tom::)
    NOW I know why my Grandma always called it prepared Ham. Thats what it was once called:)

    ALSO: The BREAKFAST only theme of Pork Roll did not exist in my house and I have only come across that after starting the blog. We might have pork roll for lunch or supper as well:)

    ReplyDelete
  6. BobWednesday, March 16, 2011

    Stop with the food! It's driving me crazy. There were so many small places that knew how to make a great tomato pies in the Trenton area. Taylor smoked pork roll was the best, especially with baked beans and home fries. And I lived on Tasty products all through high school and college. Whenever I get down there I stock up but now it's time to start having them shipped to me, hell with the expense. And yes, it has be difficult to explain tomato pies and pork roll to people in Mass and Maine.

    ReplyDelete
  7. OmadThursday, March 17, 2011

    Nothing like food to bring out lots of discussion. My son, who lives in Morris County, is a true Pork Roll devotee and has his three boys all addicted to it.

    I'm a little confused, is Charlie Gaudette, Nancy's dad, also Mike Kuzma's uncle? Nancy and I are still in regular contact, especially since I moved back to NJ from Seattle.

    ReplyDelete
  8. omadFriday, March 18, 2011

    Tom, if you will give me an address that I can send Nancy's e-mail address to you, not on this website, I will do that.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Steve Csorgo JrSunday, January 15, 2012

    Tom,
    Not sure how I missed this post but after reading it I agree. But I beleive Farmcrest was the best taste in Pork Roll.

    ReplyDelete
  10. ron boundWednesday, August 29, 2012

    The first time we got a break at Basic Training, in 1959, we wondered what to do. I had to have a Tomato Pie, or a Pork Roll sandwich. My GI buddies, had no clue. We get Case's Pork Roll shipped to Nebraska, every year, thru their web site. Sorry to see they had a fire. Played hide and seek on their roof many times in the 40s and 50s, before moving to Hamilton Township, and Redfern St. My father in law, George Erdy, even carried Pork Roll when they first visited us in Hawaii. :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. time1865Wednesday, November 20, 2013

    Farm Crest pork roll was right at the back of our yard on Greenwood. I still remember when it burnt down the fire company had to come through our yard. Whenever we needed pork roll or sausage we would call and they would bring it out the back of the building and hand it over the fence.

    ReplyDelete
  12. AnonymousWednesday, August 16, 2017

    Tom - In your answer to the question about Case's Pork Roll, you were absolutely correct - It was George Washington Case Sr. who began the production of prepared ham or pork roll on his farm in Belle Mead. His family later included Sen. Clifford Case, and George Washington Case Jr. the baseball player. All the same family, but the elder Case began the company that bears the name. The Goldy name is associated with this family as well. Lakeside Girl

    ReplyDelete