Can Portland Use A Great NY Style Knishe? (house, quality of life)

[sickofnyc]

nancy thereader,
It is funny that you mention an egg cream. I was thinking of offering chocolate and vanilla. I did read that you can get one somewhere in Portland already..I'll try to find the article and get back to you. My mom intoduced and egg cream to a friend in Philadelphia whose parents owned a luncheonette many years ago and they went over in a big way. There is a knack to making them you know.

[sickofnyc]

aplwh
I'll try to check out the knishes in Queens. Thanks. Haven't made bagels, but I wonder why it is so difficult to replicate the NY bagel. I read that it is not really the H2O that makes the difference. Is it true that you cannot get a bialy in Portland?

[sickofnyc]

nancy thereader

oops, you are on the Island and not in Portland yet. Well, you can make it youself, but the best is made with seltzer from a real seltzer spritzer bottle and not from a soda bottle type seltzer.

[sickofnyc]

Wisteria

Thanks for the good luck wishes and good info. I will keep posting as the knish venture proceeds. Thanks again.

[oldtintype]

Originally Posted by nancy thereader

Dear Oldtintype , I have heard that Portland is like the San Francisco of twenty five years ago. Do you find that to be true?

Maybe in terms of easier to live but I don't think that really describes it...it's quite different in many ways and it's easier to live here/less stress/not as crowded but things are changing rapidly and Portland is very similar to the SF of today in many ways. Some of the changes that I like the most--level of sophistication, restaurants, city improvements, etc. are probably going to make things worse long term too as it keeps encouraging people to move here and things just get more and more expensive.

I moved here too so I'm "one of them" but I moved here because I LIKED it here way back in 1999 when it wasn't as "cool" and I like the nature/trees/scenic aspect of it, little bit of a slower lifestyle, don't mind the weather, etc.

What kills me are the people who act like they're doing everyone a big favor by moving here and only come because it's cheaper and they can't afford to stay where they are (i.e. they really want to stay where they are but can't so they come here and are bitter and want things to be the same as where they came from). I think these are the people who are going to change Portland for the worse not better because they're the ones who complain about the weather, think if it's not sitting in rush hour traffic for an hour it's not bad traffic so they won't use public transport, want Portland to change for THEM rather than try to embrace things here, etc. I see a lot of that now and find it kind of disturbing.
I guess people can argue that since I moved here I'm part of the problem too but...I didn't come with that attitude.

[oldtintype]

Originally Posted by sickofnyc

aplwh
I'll try to check out the knishes in Queens. Thanks. Haven't made bagels, but I wonder why it is so difficult to replicate the NY bagel. I read that it is not really the H2O that makes the difference. Is it true that you cannot get a bialy in Portland?

I'm pretty sure that even Noah's bagels makes them! Not authentic obviously but...

[nancy thereader]

hi Oldtintype (and where does that name come from, I was thinking),
No. I would not be one of those people who is thinking that I am going to be doing anyone a favor by coming to Portland. I feel very lucky to be able to move to a totally new place (for me) & to start the second chapter of my life. I'm thrilled that for now, at least, I can actually afford to move there . I just want to know everything that I can about my new home
because I am so boringly methodical . It also makes the time pass until I can actually move (this June when I retire) . I have even begun reading Portland-based writers just to get another feel for the town. I also ordered the local magazine Portland already. Sooooo, how dopey is that?

[Nature Girl]

I am intrigued, can you describe what Knish is? Is it a dessert food?

[nancy thereader]

oh, dear. A knish is a large potato pancake (baked) w/ onions and (I guess) other secret ingredients thrown in. They really reflect the Lower East Side (Jewish) section of early 20th century NY. I don't think that I have had a really good knish in a long time. You pronounce it k-n-ish . I'm sure you would like them. What's not to like ? (as they would say on the Lower East Side).

[oldtintype]

Do you know what a samosa is? If so, it's a similar concept.

Nancythereader--
a tintype is a type of antique photograph. A LONG time ago I needed a photo name for an email and everything was taken but oldtintype and so I just used it and it stuck.