As immigrants flocked to Pittsburgh and settled into neighborhoods, most of those new communities had a bakery, often owned by a baker who had brought their scrumptious recipes for baked goods from the old country. As time went on and supermarkets, with their own in-store bakeries, came into fashion, many of those local, family-owned bakeries closed. A few of those treasured bakeries survived, and in
Read the Full Article →This is a wonderful treat and makes quite a bit. I have given it as gifts during the holidays. One caution: unless you like taking risks, use a candy thermometer. If you don’t have one, invest in one. It is very easy to burn the toffee and ruin the whole batch. Ingredients: 1 cup butter 2 1/2 cups sugar 1 1/2 cup sliced almonds 1
Read the Full Article →I remember the first time I tasted a Pierogi. It was 1967 and I was about seven years old. One Saturday afternoon I followed my neighbor and friend, Marilyn, into her kitchen on the way to her backyard to play. I came upon a scene I’d never encountered before. Massive pots of boiling water burbled on the stove, while her mom, who was dusted in
Read the Full Article →Assisting Our Neighbors in Need It seems almost inconceivable, when we hear so often about Americans having an obesity problem, that there are people in this country who are hungry, but according to the most recent Hunger America report conducted in 2014, more than 15 percent of the residents of the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank’s 11-county service area need food assistance. Headquartered in Duquesne,
Read the Full Article →“Beer spans 10,000 years of human history and culture, and our intention is to tell that story in such a way so that you have fun while learning it,” said Matthew Sherwin, Director of Business Development for National Beer Museum Development Group, LLC, the entity working to bring Brew: The Museum of Beer to Pittsburgh. A Bright Idea Approximately three years ago, Joe McAllister, Principal
Read the Full Article →Tucked away just up the street from the statue of Seneca Chief Guyasuta in Sharpsburg is the Gran Canal Caffe. Since 1995, owners Michele and Antoinette Bonaventura have been serving freshly-made and cooked-to-order delicious Italian cuisine. How this restaurant escaped my attention baffles me, but I’m beginning to suspect that their loyal diners must have been keeping this gem to themselves for fear if word
Read the Full Article →Welcome to Popular Pittsburgh’s “Autumn Recipes” Section! A perfect place to find that easy to follow recipe sure to make it easy to fall right into the holidays! Linda McCaleb’s Pumpkin Bread Combine dry ingredients in separate bowl and set to one side. Then combine the other ingredients in another bowl. Stir dry ingredients into batter gradually and bake 1 hour at 325 degrees. Marvelous
Read the Full Article →Since Pittsburgh welcomed the Sesame Inn into its dining scene, it has `garnered many accolades both from diners and restaurant critics. I first visited the Sesame Inn several years ago, and after that initial experience, I left feeling sure that all those awards were well deserved.Since that initial visit, I’ve returned to the Sesame Inn a half-dozen times, and I have never left disappointed. I
Read the Full Article →If you Google fictional bars, a long list of watering holes comes up, ranging from The Sopranos’ The Bada Bing, Harry Potter’s The Hog’s Head, Archie Bunker’s Kelsey’s to the iconic television show set in a bar, Cheers. Whether we like to admit it or not, bars, taverns, pubs, biergartens and whatever else you choose to call them, play an important part in most of
Read the Full Article →Welcome to Popular Pittsburgh’s “Summer Recipes” Section! A perfect place to find those easy to follow recipes. Roasted Carrots I love recipes that have just a few ingredients, that take just a few steps, where you end up with something that’s absolutely delicious. You can cook frozen carrots in a few minutes, but you’re not going to get the flavor that the following recipe delivers.
Read the Full Article →