Cunningham’s show gives a taste
of Philly's food traditions

By Diane Prokop
Times Staff Writer

Everyone knows there’s nothing like Philadelphia food. Cheesesteaks, hoagies, soft pretzels and Tastykakes are just the beginning.
Food historian William Woys Weaver documented more than 200 foods that the Quaker City gave to the world, and he expects that, in time, he could document 1,000.
According to WHYY’s Ed Cunningham, the City of Brotherly Love is one of the few American cities whose names are directly associated with food.
Cunningham, known as the "voice of WHYY" and producer of such favorite local documentaries as Things That Aren’t There Anymore, South Philly Italian Style, Workshop of the World and, most recently, Philly’s Favorite Kids Show Hosts, lent his talents and taste buds to The Philly Food Show as its producer.
FOX-29 meteorologist Sue Serio hosted the program, which premiered on TV 12 on March 4. It also will air at 4 p.m. Saturday, March 15, and at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday.
From August through January, Cunningham and crew traveled throughout the Delaware Valley to taste and talk about the very best local fare.
The documentary shows the big Italian influence on the city’s cuisine, as well as the importance of the Pennsylvania Dutch and such culinary contributions as scrapple and soft pretzels.
"The quintessential Pennsylvania Dutch dish is pork and sauerkraut," Cunningham said during a premiere party for the new program at WHYY studios last week.
The lifelong Philadelphian explained that pork and sauerkraut is considered such a lucky New Year’s dish because pigs root forward, or turn over soil with their snouts while on the move.
"You wouldn’t want to eat chicken because chickens root backward — you don’t want to go back over old things in the new year. You want to go forward," Cunningham explained.
Station members and their guests moved forward from one food station to the next while sampling cheesesteaks from Tony Luke’s, Italian sausage prepared by Fiorella Brothers, pepper-pot soup, hoagies and sweet potato biscuits made by City Tavern chef Walter Staib.
There were soft pretzels, Amoroso rolls and even Campbell’s tomato soup from across the river. Tastykake Butterscotch Krimpets were piled high as mascot Kirby the Krimpet waved to feasting folks. Goldenberg Peanut Chews and Fralinger saltwater taffy also were there for the taking.
While there weren’t any cherries on top, WHYY members lined up for a taste of Bassetts chocolate and vanilla ice cream. As part of its benefits of membership, WHYY offers members (and one guest) invitations to special events, like the food festival, throughout the year.
WHYY and Bassetts Ice Cream are partnering to create a new ice cream flavor called the "WHYY Experience," with part of the proceeds aiding the public television station.
The flavor should embody the taste of Philadelphia and have a vanilla or chocolate ice-cream base. How about vanilla ice cream and chocolate-covered soft pretzel chunks?
You can submit your ideas by e-mail to icecream@whyy.org or mail them to WHYY, c/o WHYY Experience Ice Cream Contest, 150 N. Sixth St., Philadelphia, PA 19106.
Entries must be received by noon on March 31.
Bassetts president and great-great grandson of the company founder, Mike Strange, is looking forward to the flavor combinations that are submitted.
"I work in a little box. The fun thing is they’ll come up with ideas that I couldn’t even imagine," Strange said of the public.
You’ll have to travel to Bassetts’ store at the Reading Terminal Market, 45 N. 12th St., to taste the winning concoction. However, Bassetts offers dry ice to ensure safe delivery home no matter how far you have to travel — as long as you don’t eat it first.
Attendees also got a chance to watch the premiere of The Philly Food Show and received a behind-the-scenes look at Cunningham and WHYY’s vice president and chief marketing officer, Kerri Hanlon, as they conducted a station pledge drive and encouraged viewers to call in with donations that can make possible more documentaries with a local flavor.
So what’s the next project for Cunningham?
"Ruminating and cogitating," he replied. ••
If you’d like a sneak peek at the show, visit the Web site at www.whyy.org/community/edsphilly.html
Reporter Diane Prokop can be reached at 215-354-3036 or dprokop@phillynews.com