Comments on: Exclusive Excerpt from “Save the Deli” in the National Post http://www.savethedeli.com/2009/10/17/exclusive-excerpt-from-save-the-deli-in-the-national-post/ Dedicated to the preservation of all salted and cured Judaic meats Sun, 01 Aug 2010 04:40:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1 By: Warren http://www.savethedeli.com/2009/10/17/exclusive-excerpt-from-save-the-deli-in-the-national-post/#comment-40972 Warren Sun, 18 Oct 2009 13:16:54 +0000 http://www.savethedeli.com/2009/10/17/exclusive-excerpt-from-save-the-deli-in-the-national-post/#comment-40972 Love the first glimpse. Love it. Well done. Love the first glimpse. Love it. Well done.

]]> By: Dr. Jerry Pell http://www.savethedeli.com/2009/10/17/exclusive-excerpt-from-save-the-deli-in-the-national-post/#comment-41010 Dr. Jerry Pell Wed, 21 Oct 2009 12:54:16 +0000 http://www.savethedeli.com/2009/10/17/exclusive-excerpt-from-save-the-deli-in-the-national-post/#comment-41010 As a native Montrealer now living in Washington, DC, I am filled with nostalgia and a desperate longing for smoked meat (la viande fumee?). Many were the hours I spent in Dunn's Famous on St. Catherine St., just a stone's throw from McGill University where I was a student and graduate student. I wonder if your book records the fact that Dunn's created a really wonderful delicacy in the form of smoked meat pizza -- a regular cheese and tomato sauce pizza smothered with delicious shmaltzy smoked meat. Truly a machiah! Unfortunately, this culinary delight failed to catch on and has never been duplicated elsewhere -- not even in Toronto (or Hogtown, as we Montrealers used to call it before the mailbox bombings when everyone fled to that haven). That was such a long time ago! Thank you! As a native Montrealer now living in Washington, DC, I am filled with nostalgia and a desperate longing for smoked meat (la viande fumee?). Many were the hours I spent in Dunn’s Famous on St. Catherine St., just a stone’s throw from McGill University where I was a student and graduate student. I wonder if your book records the fact that Dunn’s created a really wonderful delicacy in the form of smoked meat pizza — a regular cheese and tomato sauce pizza smothered with delicious shmaltzy smoked meat. Truly a machiah! Unfortunately, this culinary delight failed to catch on and has never been duplicated elsewhere — not even in Toronto (or Hogtown, as we Montrealers used to call it before the mailbox bombings when everyone fled to that haven).

That was such a long time ago!

Thank you!

]]> By: Michael Elkin http://www.savethedeli.com/2009/10/17/exclusive-excerpt-from-save-the-deli-in-the-national-post/#comment-41027 Michael Elkin Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:17:15 +0000 http://www.savethedeli.com/2009/10/17/exclusive-excerpt-from-save-the-deli-in-the-national-post/#comment-41027 Ha! As a friend of Jerry's (above), all I can say is that the best smoked meat and salami came from the Snowdon Deli (aka DeliSnowdon). And now - here - in Toronto - the Centre Street Deli, run by a family member of the Snowdon Deli, has most of what Montreal has. Now that's a machiah! It's way on the other side of town, but I make sure to get there every couple of months. Ha! As a friend of Jerry’s (above), all I can say is that the best smoked meat and salami came from the Snowdon Deli (aka DeliSnowdon). And now - here - in Toronto - the Centre Street Deli, run by a family member of the Snowdon Deli, has most of what Montreal has. Now that’s a machiah! It’s way on the other side of town, but I make sure to get there every couple of months.

]]> By: Marvin Butch Blauer http://www.savethedeli.com/2009/10/17/exclusive-excerpt-from-save-the-deli-in-the-national-post/#comment-41031 Marvin Butch Blauer Fri, 23 Oct 2009 04:17:13 +0000 http://www.savethedeli.com/2009/10/17/exclusive-excerpt-from-save-the-deli-in-the-national-post/#comment-41031 To all Deli Mayvens: Mike is absolutely correct. Nothing ever touched or touches the Snowdon Deli. A few things should be stressed. First: Brisket is one thing, pastrami comes from another (better left un-named) part of the cow and this plus the fact that Montreal smoked meat is both pickled and smoked as opposed to merely being pickled (or "corned") is why nothing in the States can touch it. Second: Smoked meat was the piece de resistance in a Montreal deli - but the good ones beginning with the Snowdon Deli (naturally) and the others - Schwartz's, Dunn's, Van Horne, etc. also sold/served Jewish salami and knowledgeable customers were always asked whether they wanted Montreal salami (Levitt's, Drach's, etc.) or (American) State National salami which came from Albany New York and was made by relatives of the Aberman family - now partially settled in Toronto but still alive and kicking in Montreal. Third: The Quebec language police tried to convince Montrealers to use the expression boeuf marinée (not viande) but no one, French-, or English-speaking ever really went for it. MBB To all Deli Mayvens:

Mike is absolutely correct. Nothing ever touched or touches the Snowdon Deli. A few things should be stressed.

First: Brisket is one thing, pastrami comes from another (better left un-named) part of the cow and this plus the fact that Montreal smoked meat is both pickled and smoked as opposed to merely being pickled (or “corned”) is why nothing in the States can touch it.

Second: Smoked meat was the piece de resistance in a Montreal deli - but the good ones beginning with the Snowdon Deli (naturally) and the others - Schwartz’s, Dunn’s, Van Horne, etc. also sold/served Jewish salami and knowledgeable customers were always asked whether they wanted Montreal salami (Levitt’s, Drach’s, etc.) or (American) State National salami which came from Albany New York and was made by relatives of the Aberman family - now partially settled in Toronto but still alive and kicking in Montreal.

Third: The Quebec language police tried to convince Montrealers to use the expression boeuf marinée (not viande) but no one, French-, or English-speaking ever really went for it.

MBB

]]> By: Marvin Butch Blauer http://www.savethedeli.com/2009/10/17/exclusive-excerpt-from-save-the-deli-in-the-national-post/#comment-41032 Marvin Butch Blauer Fri, 23 Oct 2009 04:26:41 +0000 http://www.savethedeli.com/2009/10/17/exclusive-excerpt-from-save-the-deli-in-the-national-post/#comment-41032 Deli mayvens all: Mike Elkin is absolutely correct. There are also some other facts about Montreal deli's that should be mentioned. First: The difference between Montreal smoked meat and pastrami lies in two areas. The former is pickled and then smoked while the other is merely pickled (or corned as our Yankee friends say) and comes from the brisquet while the other comes from a better-not-mentioned part of the cow. Second: Good Montreal delis beginning with the Snowdon Deli ( and including others such as Schwartz's, Dunn's, Van Horne, Chenoy Brothers - some of whose kids were school mates of Mike's and mine, etc.) offered many other delicacies including kosher salami. Every knowledgeable customer ordering the latter was always given the choice between (obviously superior) Montreal salamis produced by Levitt's, Drach's, etc. and the inferior US version supplied usually by State National of Albany NY. Third: the Quebec language police tried to force use of t the term "boeuf marinée" but smoke meat lovers - French- as well as English-speaking - always ignored them. MBB Deli mayvens all:

Mike Elkin is absolutely correct. There are also some other facts about Montreal deli’s that should be mentioned.

First: The difference between Montreal smoked meat and pastrami lies in two areas. The former is pickled and then smoked while the other is merely pickled (or corned as our Yankee friends say) and comes from the brisquet while the other comes from a better-not-mentioned part of the cow.

Second: Good Montreal delis beginning with the Snowdon Deli ( and including others such as Schwartz’s, Dunn’s, Van Horne, Chenoy Brothers - some of whose kids were school mates of Mike’s and mine, etc.) offered many other delicacies including kosher salami. Every knowledgeable customer ordering the latter was always given the choice between (obviously superior) Montreal salamis produced by Levitt’s, Drach’s, etc. and the inferior US version supplied usually by State National of Albany NY.

Third: the Quebec language police tried to force use of t the term “boeuf marinée” but smoke meat lovers - French- as well as English-speaking - always ignored them.

MBB

]]> By: David Sax http://www.savethedeli.com/2009/10/17/exclusive-excerpt-from-save-the-deli-in-the-national-post/#comment-41037 David Sax Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:00:30 +0000 http://www.savethedeli.com/2009/10/17/exclusive-excerpt-from-save-the-deli-in-the-national-post/#comment-41037 actually MBB, you are dead wrong about pastrami not being smoked. the process is exactly the same as smoked meat. actually MBB, you are dead wrong about pastrami not being smoked. the process is exactly the same as smoked meat.

]]> By: Jerry Pell http://www.savethedeli.com/2009/10/17/exclusive-excerpt-from-save-the-deli-in-the-national-post/#comment-41043 Jerry Pell Fri, 23 Oct 2009 22:39:00 +0000 http://www.savethedeli.com/2009/10/17/exclusive-excerpt-from-save-the-deli-in-the-national-post/#comment-41043 Great fun! Keep it going, guys, I love it! ... almost as much as smoked meat! BTW, I've eaten at Snowdon Deli a great many times and still go there when visiting Mtl. Good food, no question. It's just that it wasn't very convenient when I was going to McGill. Actually, I lived in the same area as the Snowdon Deli. (Hungry) Jerry Great fun! Keep it going, guys, I love it! … almost as much as smoked meat! BTW, I’ve eaten at Snowdon Deli a great many times and still go there when visiting Mtl. Good food, no question. It’s just that it wasn’t very convenient when I was going to McGill. Actually, I lived in the same area as the Snowdon Deli.

(Hungry) Jerry

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