Valentine Diner Fare . . . as featured in KANSAS! magazine

 In a nod to by-gone days and a tribute to the owners who are currently operating Valentine diners, I wrote an article titled “Space Age Diners” for the vol. 80, issue 5 2024 issue of KANSAS! magazine (pp 50-57). It was easy to get caught up in the history of those diners that were manufactured in Wichita  I discovered that ValentineManufacturing Company constructed portable, self-contained, prefabricated metal units in Wichita from the late 1930s into the mid-1970s. It has been estimated that 2,200 Valentines were built and shipped across the country; over 90 of those remained in Kansas. 

While over 90 Valentine structures have been documented in Kansas, I discovered just 17 that are either still serving food or have plans to open in the near or distant future (see list that follows the recipes). 

 After many years of wear and tear, they are showing their age and are in various states of repair but on our trek across Kansas, Barry and I ate some fantastic food. We didn’t make it to all but we have hopes of sampling more diner food in the future. 

As always, recipes were included with the Taste feature . . .  

SWEET TREATS — Behind the front counter in the LoMar Diner in Eureka is a vintage Taylor Soft-Serve Ice Cream machine that is used to crank out all kinds of sweet treats—cones, cups of ice cream, hand-blended milkshakes and malts made with real malt powder. A diner reviewer from Texas called their chocolate milkshake “the best from here to the west coast.” Owners and operators Daniel & Desiree’ McVey tout other ice cream favorites that include Tornados (soft-serve ice cream mixed with a large choice of candies), Peach Milkshake (a LorMar original milkshake made with real peaches and the same secret ingredient used by the original owners Loy and Mary Browning), and The Marshmallow Nut Cup. Specialties such as these were just one of the reasons this iconic diner represented Kansas as “The Best Drive-In Restaurant in Every State” in the May 2023 online edition of Mash.

 

LoMar Drive In MARSHMALLOW NUT CUP

Yield:  1 serving

Total preparation time: About 2 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

1 (9-ounce) clear plastic PET cup or any clear cup/glass

4-ounces (1/2 cup) marshmallow crème 

4-ounces coarsely chopped roasted and salted peanuts

6-ounces (3/4 cup) soft-serve ice cream, vanilla, chocolate or twist ice cream

 

DIRECTIONS

1.   Drizzle 2 ounces of gooey marshmallow crème around the sides of the cup. 

2.   Sprinkle 2 ounces of the peanuts around the sides of the cup, allowing it to stick to the marshmallow crème. 

3.   Fill cup with 4 ounces of soft-serve ice cream (most popular is vanilla). 

4.   Pat the cup 2 to 3 times lightly on a hard surface in order to shift the ice cream into the cup more evenly and push out any air pockets. Fill the cup with the remaining ice cream, allowing a gap around the inside rim of the cup, forming a peak in the middle. 

5.   Drizzle the remaining 2 ounces of marshmallow crème over the peak, allowing it to drip into the open gap. 

6.   Top with the remaining peanuts. 

7.   Add a spoon and serve immediately!

 

The Grinder Man Tuna Salad Sub is based on a sandwich that Paul Donyon’s Italian grandmother made for him back in Rhode Island. It features simple ingredients punched up with the addition of chili sauce and crunchy celery. Like all their subs, it is served on locally baked white or wheat Italian rolls.

THE GRINDER MAN TUNA SUB

Yield: 4 to 6 serving 

INGREDIENTS 

3 small (5 –ounce) cans water-packed tuna, drained  

10  ounces (1 ¼ cups) mayonnaise

2 ½ ounces (heaping ¼ cup) chili sauce

2 ribs of celery, finely chopped

 

INSTRUCTIONS

1.     Combine all ingredients and lightly mix. 

2.     Serve on Italian sub rolls with lettuce. 

 

Travel guide to vintage Valentine Diners that still serve food or are in the process of renovation. (Details about each are included in the article.)   

1.     Dighton — Frigid Creme, 433 E. Long St., (620) 397-5512. 

2.     Eureka — LoMar Drive In, 916 East River, (620) 583-7810. 

3.     Galena — Hotrod Hangout, Speed Shop & Diner, 201 S Main, (785) 577-9752.  Opening later in 2024.

4.     Grandview Plaza (near Junction City) — Stacy's Restaurant, 118 W Flint Hills Boulevard, (785) 238-3039. 

5.     Hugoton — Acosta’s & Nieto’s Café, 110 W 4th St, (620) 544-4004. T 

6.     Meade — Bob's Drive-In, 801 Carthage St, (620) 873-2862. 

7.     Ness City — Frigid Cream, 501 E. Sycamore St., (785) 798-2424. 

8.     Mission — The Snack Shack on Johnson Drive, 6018 Johnson Drive, (913) 381-3200. N 

9.     Parsons  — Big Sky Bistro, 1500 Main St. Undergoing major remodeling and renovation, this Valentine Burger Bar model is set to reopen in 2024.   

10.  Overland Park— Grandstand Burgers, 4942 Merriam Dr. (913) 362-0111.

11.  Pleasanton — Cookee's Drive-In, 102 E 12th St, (913) 352-8789. 

12.  Smith Center — Pete’s, 114 E. Hwy 36, (785) 686-3223. 

13.  St. John  — The Diner, 106 N. Main. In the process of a major renovation. 

14.  Wichita — Chicken Chicken, 2419 E 13th St, (316) 295-3848.

15.  Wichita — Grinder Man, 510 E Pawnee, (316) 264-3462. Cash only. 

16.  Wichita —Mr. Taco/Tacos Alex, 711 W 25^th St N., (316) 663-5019. 

17.  Wichita — Sport Burger Drive-In, 134 N Hillside, (316) 350-7679. 

Comeback for more sauce! Comeback Sauce

Full to the very top -- a pint jar of Comeback Sauce.

     Who wouldn’t be attracted by a name like Comeback Sauce? When I saw both the name and a pint jar full of the stuff on Pinterest, I just couldn’t resist checking it out. Discovered that the recipe originates in the South, One source refers to Comeback Sauce as the “queen mother of all Mississippi condiments.” Another source calls it a cross between a rémoulade sauce and Thousand Island salad dressing; the ingredients seem to be fairly standard with slight variations. The original recipe is credited to The Rotisserie, a Greek restaurant that was located in Jackson, Mississipi.

    A very versatile condiment; here are just a few of the uses I found listed on several internet sites: burger condiment, sandwich spread, salad dressing, veggie dip, seafood sauce, sauce for onion rings or fried green tomatoes. Others use it in place of plain mayo . . . like in deviled eggs. I used it over Quinoa Patties.

Comeback Sauce was really good over Quinoa Patties.

     Yes, it is good and I will keep it on hand in the fridge so we can comeback to it whenever we need a dipping sauce, salad dressing or flavor boost.

Comeback Sauce (The recipe is pretty standard but Syrup & Biscuits blog is where I first saw it and I couldn’t resist using that blogger's instructions for assembling – don't they just sound Sooooo Southern?)

1 cup mayonnaise

The sauce is easy to mix up by hand.

1/4 cup ketchup

1/4 cup chili sauce*  

1 heaping teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon hot sauce (such as Tabasco®)

1/4 cup olive oil

Juice of one lemon (2 to 3 tablespoons)

1.     Mix all ingredients well.

2.     Store in refrigerator overnight. Sauce needs to sit to let the flavors meld.

*To make a homemade chili sauce, combine 1 c. tomato sauce, ¼  c. brown sugar, 2 Tbsp. vinegar, ¼  tsp. cinnamon, dash of ground cloves & dash of allspice (this can also be located in the Substitution chart under the MIXES & MORE tab at the top of the page – scroll down the page to locate the chart).

Romaine Leaves w/ Thousand Island Dressing

     The inspiration for this salad was the Iceberg wedge, popular in the 1950s and ‘60s. Literally a wedge of crisphead lettuce drenched in a thick dressing and topped with chopped tomatoes, the salad seemed to lose its popularity in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Spring green mixes and light vinaigrettes eventually took its place. However is the last few years, the wedge has resurfaced as a trendy menu item, often accompanied by bleu cheese dressing and nuts.

     I watched Paula Deen the other day and she made a wedge salad with a homemade Thousand Island dressing as a tribute to one she had eaten as a child. It looked good, but I didn’t have Iceberg, so I used Romaine leaves and made a few changes in her dressing and this was the result . . .

Romaine or Wedge Salad

Romaine or wedges of Iceberg lettuce

Thousand Island Dressing

Chopped tomatoes (allow ¼ to 1/3 of a large tomato per person)

Hard cook egg (allow ½ of a finely chopped egg per person)

Crouton toast*, if desired

(Other possible salad additions: bacon bits, chopped green onions or chives, grated Cheddar cheese or, add slices of grilled chicken or grilled shrimp for a main dish salad)

1.     Wash and dry lettuce. Separate Romaine into leave and pile onto a salad plate. Or, remove any wilted outer leaves from Iceberg lettuce; cut into wedges and place on plate.

2.     Ladle dressing across leaves or wedge so that it runs over one side. Sprinkle with chopped tomatoes and chopped onions and any other additions of your choice.

3.     Add a couple of crouton toasts to the side of the plate, if desired.

Thousand Island Dressing     Makes 1¼  cups

½ clove garlic, minced

¼  teaspoon kosher salt plus more to taste

3/4 cup mayonnaise

¼ cup bottled chili sauce**

2 tablespoons ketchup

1½ tablespoons minced onion

2 teaspoons sweet pickle relish

1/2 hard-cooked large egg, pushed through a sieve or finely chopped

Freshly ground black pepper

1.     Make a paste with the garlic and ¼ teaspoon of the salt by crushing them with the side of a chef's knife.

2.     In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the garlic, mayonnaise, chili sauce, ketchup, onion and relish Season with salt and pepper to taste.

3.     Use now or store covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

*Crouton Toast – Cut French, Italian, or herbed bread into thin slices. Place on a cookie sheet; brush lightly with olive oil; turn bread and brush the other side. Sprinkle with dried herbs that compliment the other flavors in the salad + a little Kosher salt, if desired. Put cookie sheet in a preheated 350° oven and bake about 10 minutes (checking frequently) or until croutons are golden brown and crisp. Cool and store in an air-tight container until ready to use.

**To make a homemade chili sauce, combine 1 c. tomato sauce, ¼  c. brown sugar, 2 Tbsp. vinegar, ¼  tsp. cinnamon, dash of ground cloves & dash of allspice (this can also be located in the Substitution chart under the MIXES & MORE tab at the top of the page – scroll down the page to locate the chart).

Origins of Thousand Island Dressing

Finding the origins of food and tracking their history is another one of my interests. A great resource is The Food Timeline (http://www.foodtimeline.org/index.html). The info that follows is an edited version of what I discovered at that that website.

    Many food historians credit Sophia LaLonde, of Clayton NY, with the invention of Thousand Island dressing. Her recipe, as legend has it, was popular with vacationers summering in the Thousand Island region between New York and Canada. LaLonde's hotel, now renamed the Thousand Island Inn, stills serves the "original product."    

     Historians also credit another originator — Chef Theo Rooms of Chicago. According to the “National Culinary Progress” magazine, “It was first produced in The Blackstone of Chicago, when this hotel was first opened, and Mr. Rooms was the chef de garde manger. The magazine quotes Mr. Rooms to the effect that it was first called Blackstone Dressing. Later, Mr. Rooms, in collaboration with Albert Awater, maitre d'hotel of the Blackstone, gave to it the name Thousand Island Dressing.

     Yet another story of its creation is that it originated in the home of George C. Boldt, in the Thousand Islands of the St. Lawrence River, and that it was served under the name of Thousand Island Dressing in the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel, New York, before being served in The Blackstone."