Outdated Potato Crisps at the Gas Station Mini-Mart

Pringles are everywhere these days. Whether it be at a large supermarket, small bodega, gas station, pharmacy or online retailer, there's a pretty good chance you'll find these canned potato products there.

For approximately two years now, I've been purchasing different varieties of Pringles from a range of different businesses. After years of buying ridged Utz potato crisps from the bodega around the corner from my apartment, I didn't appreciate the way the price of their chips doubled there a couple of years ago.

When I was a kid, my Family would often have State Line potato chips on hand, and they still make some very good chips, but they can be hard to find. Munchos are also pretty awesome, but they're usually even harder to find.

Even though they can sometimes taste a little greasy, the different varieties of Pringles are pretty consistent in size and flavor. Most of the time, they're also unbroken chips.

A couple of weeks ago, I stopped at a local gas station/mini food mart in my neighborhood to buy lottery tickets and a can of pizza-flavored Pringles. Keep in mind that this is one of the largest and most well-known gas station brands, with locations everywhere.

A small rack containing two shelves of various Pringles varieties was situated in the mini-mart section. On the top shelf were small, half-size cans of the potato crisps, and on the bottom shelf, approximately 25 full-sized cans of different Pringles varieties were displayed.

For decades now, I've been checking the expiration dates on most of the food items I purchase. When I looked at the bottom of one of the cans of Pizza-flavored Pringles from the shelf, I thought I was seeing things.

The expiration date on the bottom of the can read October 2022. After looking at the date several times, to confirm what I saw, I put the can back on the shelf, and picked up another one. The second can also had an expiration date of October 2022.

By that point, I was pretty freaked-out at discovering the two pizza-flavored cans of Pringles having expiration dates that were more than a
year out of date. Just for ha-ha's, I checked the expiration date on a can of Pringles BBQ-flavored chips, and it was in early-2023.

After discovering that the three regular-sized cans of Pringles were almost 1.5 years past the expiration date, I decided to check the freshness of the half-sized cans of Pringles on the top shelf of the rack.

All three of the half-sized cans that I checked had early-2025 expiration dates. Go figure.

So far, I haven't had a chance to mention the prehistoric Pringles to the staff members at the gas station/mini mart, but I hope to do so soon.

The employees at the gas station seem pretty honest and ethical (I hope), and my guess is that they don't even know about the outdated potato crisps. Maybe, when the chip vendor brings their products in for re-stocking, nobody is regularly checking expiration dates and/or rotating stock.

Whatever the reason may be, it's always unacceptable to sell outdated food items.

Is it worth the effort to check the expiration dates on food products?

Definitely, yes.

ZZ Top: The Little Ole' Band from Texas that Chugs and Rolls Like no Others..RIP Dusty Hill.

 

Kid Rock - Only God Knows Why [Official Music Video]

A Kid Rock Masterpiece

In Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont and New York, there are geographical locations named Podunk. The very popular Bluegrass Festival was founded in East Hartford, CT, in the mid-1990s, and now takes place every year in Goshen, Connecticut.

Recently, I was turned-on to the one and only Kid Rock's musical definition of "Podunk," and it is one wild place! As time has gone on, I've increasingly grown to appreciate Kid Rock's music, and the subtle humor his songs often contain.

The band playing on the porch is too cool, especially the single snare drum. Check it out!

The one song that I instantly think of when Kid Rock is referenced is "Only God Knows Why" from 1998. It's the first KR song I heard, and it's still my favorite. 

Hank Williams Jr - If You Don't Like Hank Williams

Sometimes, this fast-paced, challenging world can bum people out. There are times when an upbeat country song by Bocephus can help anyone to have a positive attitude adjustment.

The CVS Store on Farmington Avenue in Hartford was Once a Thriving, Community-Oriented Business. Now, it's Just a Memory

 On May 1, 2023, the CVS Pharmacy at the intersection of Farmington Avenue and Whitney Street in Hartford, CT, permanently closed its doors.

While the West End CVS store may  have appeared to be just another one of the thousands of cookie-cutter stores the chain operates, it represented much more to those of us who live in the neighborhood.

In a food desert such as the West End, the Farmington Avenue CVS served as a grocery store of-sorts for many people of all ages. 

Even though pharmacy hours had recently been reduced, local residents of all ages have been able to get their prescriptions filled there seven days a week. In conversations with the pharmacists at that CVS, I was informed more than once that well over 1,000 prescriptions were filled there every week.

In the past few years, security guards were stationed in the front of the store, and an increasing number of items were being kept under lock and key at the West End CVS. Whether you were seeking air freshener, toothpaste, an anti-perspirant/deodorant, cologe/perfume, allergy pills or a host of other items, you would have to ask an employee if someone could open the locked display case.

Many times, employees of our neighborhood CVS told me about people coming in the store, grabbing multiple items, then walking out the door, seemingly oblivious to activated alarm systems. Staff members at the store also told me that the shoplifting issue there was a factor in the store's closing.

If you discovered that you needed a ruler, Sharpie marker or notebook, you knew that CVS would probably have something to fit the bill. When some thumbtacks, packaging tape, dishwashing liquid, laundry detergent, children's toys and games, greeting cards, stuffed animals, over-the-counter medicines, beauty and grooming products and even small hand tools were needed, CVS was often the place where these items could be purchased.

For years, I purchased at least two 2-liter bottles of A & W Zero Sugar root beer every week at the Farmington/South Whitney CVS store. Even though I could get most of the items at supermarkets or other CVS stores, the convenience of being able to walk across the street to get some ice cream or a loaf of Pepperidge Farm bread will be sorely missed.

The former CVS property is situated diagonally across from the apartment complex where I've lived for more than 20 years. That store was a  regular destination-point for people of all ages, and in my opinion, brought a sense of positive action and stability to an area that can definitely use both attributes.

If you take a look at Farmington Avenue between South Whitney Street and Sisson Avenue now, in May 2023, you will see a lot of empty storefronts. The clothing store next to Amigo's Market, at least two businesses in the building that houses West End Pizza, the bar and store next door at Farmington and Sisson, the former Cinerama/Braza property and now, CVS are all empty.

Hopefully, a small grocery store, dollar store or restaurant will occupy the former CVS property before too long. The South Whitney location would be ideal for a Dollar Tree, C-Town or 7-11 outpost, or as a new location for the Family Dollar that now sits at the intersection of Farmington Avenue and Sigourney Street.

As with other West End residents, I grew to value the importance of a business like CVS in an urban environment, and I got to meet lots of employees who were friendly, knowledgeable and helpful.

At the New IHOP Restaurant in West Hartford, CT, the Chocolate Chip Pancakes Save the Day!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

Back in the mid-to-late 1970s, my first real job was that of busboy and dishwasher at the former West Hartford, Connecticut, International House of Pancakes (IHOP) restaurant.

For several decades, a traditional, Swiss-chalet-style IHOP was situated at the corner of New Britain Avenue and South Main Street in West Hartford.

Getting hired at that IHOP was almost a rite of passage for many West Hartford teenagers and young adults, especially residents of the Elmwood section of town. Working there was actually a lot of fun, and I went back to work there again, after completing a chef-apprentice program.

Earlier this year, when I read that IHOP was opening a new restaurant in West Hartford in 2022, I was thrilled. Countless times, I had wondered if the chain would reopen in West Hartford, and I looked forward to ordering chocolate chip pancakes, French toast, blueberry pancakes and boysenberry syrup. 

Not Your 1970's and 1980's IHOP 

                                        

Located on Kane Street in West Hartford, Connecticut, the new IHOP is housed in the former home of the Gold Roc Diner. The exterior has a modern look, and the interior is bright and fairly large.

When I visited, the new restaurant had only been open for a couple of weeks, so it hadn't really formed a personal atmosphere yet. There were lots of uniformed employees running around, and the manager was clearly overseeing the operation, from the cash register area.

This definitely wasn't the old West Hartford IHOP, where I had my 1968 Triumph 650 chopper motorcycle parked in the back room, next to the ice machine. At the old restaurant, plenty of partying was going on, and some of the waitresses and cooks were romantically involved with each other.

Most of the time, I worked on the night shift at the old West Hartford IHOP. At night, the assistant managers were usually in charge, and the atmosphere was more relaxed than during the daytime.

On the night shift, at least one of the cooks would make a regular run to the package store across the street. The cooks and dishwashers would give their beer order and money to the designated runner. After he returned with the alcohol, most of us kitchen workers would then put some of our beers inside of the restaurant's ice machine. It was very common for us kitchen workers to be partying throughout our entire work shifts.

When I visited the new West Hartford IHOP, my intention was to try several different dishes. It was my hope that everything was going to be great, and I'd be able write a very positive review.

2x2x2=A Disappointing Breakfast 

When I looked for breakfast-combination plates that contained pancakes, eggs, choice of protein and potatoes, I decided on the "2x2x2" plate

The two scrambled eggs were decent enough, but the bacon was a definite let-down. Even though I specifically asked for well-done slices, what I received were two slices of limp, under-cooked bacon.

As a former restaurant cook, I can't help but wonder why more restaurants don't bake their bacon instead of frying it. When you bake bacon in a conventional oven, the meat cooks evenly every time.

When it comes to rating the flavor of different brands of bacon, I generally compare them to the flavor and texture of Oscar Mayer bacon. The flavor of the bacon slices I received yesterday was nowhere near as good as the pleasant, reliable flavor of Oscar Mayer.

The two buttermilk pancakes that were served with the 2x2x2 plate were the best part of the meal. The IHOP flapjacks were good-sized, and were cooked to a deep, golden color.

While the IHOP menu does offer a choice of regular or crispy hash browns, I decided to go with the regular variety. The basic flavor of the potatoes was okay, but they were very loose, and decidely not crispy.

A strange, Twilight Zone-thing happened after I began eating the pancakes. After I had eaten three or four bites out of each pancake, they suddenly separated, from top to bottom.

With decades of experience eating and cooking pancakes, I'd never seen the entire top half of one separate from the bottom before. As for the boysenberry syrup, it appears that it's no longer on the menu at the pancake house.

                                                              

                  

The Classic Burger

When I worked at the old West Hartford IHOP many years ago, their burgers were actually very good, and I enjoyed cooking them as much as I liked eating them.

The Classic Burger that I ordered at the new West Hartford, CT, IHOP looked great in its plastic to-go container. The good-sized burger was served on a Brioche roll, with fresh lettuce, tomato and red onion slices and a pickle slice adorning the top. 

After taking one bite of the Classic Burger, however, I was unhappy with the flavor. For months, I'd been looking forward to eating a burger and fries from IHOP, and I was pretty disappointed.

The French fries served with the burger were okay, but I ate less than half of the Classic Burger. My favorite parts of the meal were the Brioche roll and the pickle slice. Ha.

                                        

Chocolate Chip Pancakes Save the Day (Almost)

Being the International House of Pancakes, it's only fitting that the best of the three meals was a pancake dish. If you're a fan of chocolate, IHOP's Chocolate Chip pancakes are a truly decadent breakfast treat. If you're familiar with them, then you already know just how good these flapjacks are.

Sweet, but not too sweet, IHOP's chocolate chip pancakes have been a popular menu item there for decades. The flapjacks are served with a small ramekin of a very tasty chocolate syrup, as well as another small container of extra chocolate chips.

When I saw the menu price of $11.49 for four chocolate chip pancakes, I was quite surprised. That works-out to roughly $2.87 per pancake. Since I was already getting two pancakes with the 2x2x2 breakfast, I asked the manager if I could order a half-portion. Fortunately, the manager said it was no problem.

IHOP's chocolate chip pancakes are not only delicious, but they're also pretty large. Large enough to eat one at a time, and still be mostly satisfied. On a flavor and texture scale of one through ten, I'd definitely assign these treats a solid rating of 9.5.

Checking my receipt, I notice that the charge for the chocolate chip pancakes was only $3.19. Not sure why the price is so low, but I'm not complaining.

There was supposed to be a points program bar code on the bottom of the receipt that could be used for validating free, future food orders. For some reason, no bar code was on my receipt. When I called the restaurant to see if I could still receive the free pancakes without the bar code, I was told there was nothing the restaurant could do.

Somewhat of a Letdown

After waiting years for IHOP to return to West Hartford, I'm pretty disappointed with the food and overall service provided by their new restaurant there. Having previously worked at IHOP, I think the overall dining experience at the new eatery could certainly be improved. 

The prices are high, the portions are so-so, and, unfortunately, the flavors of the different foods are not as good as they used to be. If the restaurant's management at least honored the advertised points program, that could somewhat offset the negative aspects of the situation.

It was also surprising to see that the various to-go dishes in my order were packaged in very large, difficult-to-open, platic containers. From environmental and cost perspectives, the packaging seemed excessive.

To be fair, the new West Hartford, Connecticut IHOP had opened for business shortly before I visited. It takes time to get new businesses in-shape. If the menu items were tastier and less-expensive, I'd give this new spot a higher rating. For now, however, I have to give this restaurant a rating of 7 out of 10.