26 years ago today, we said goodbye to Ettore Boiardi - who fed the Plaza Hotel, Woodrow Wilson, millions of GIs, and - more likely than not - you. Famous Italian Dishes, published in the 1930s, is part of the Szathmary Recipe Pamphlet collection - one of the many interesting collections viewable at the Iowa Digital Library.
Some supplemental info on Boiardi from our friends at snopes.
I'd be much more of a staunch defender of his product had he managed to invent that most perfect of foodstuffs: Spaghetti-O's, however. posted by ShutterBun at 9:28 PM on June 21, 2011
I had no idea there was a real Chef Boyardi! Thanks for the post. posted by lesbiassparrow at 9:29 PM on June 21, 2011
I have real genuine affection for Chef Boyardi. Turtle pasta (with meatballs!), a glass of milk, and a potato roll was my routine Saturday lunch throughout my childhood. Cartoons + chef boyardi is like happy brain crack for me.
The "Chef Boiardi was a real person" was first introduced to me when this commercial came out in the early '90s. (poor quality, best I could find) Granted, commercials are no strangers to inventing real-life backstories for their fictitious founders, but this one was (more or less) the real deal. posted by ShutterBun at 9:44 PM on June 21, 2011
Oh man, do I have vivid memories of that commercial.
But yeah, spaghettiOs always had a distinctly foul taste to me--the sauce wasn't as sweet, and was so . . . orange. Though FrancoAmerican did have a line of spiral "gourmet" canned pasta for awhile that I liked.
This post is disgusting. posted by hal_c_on at 2:01 AM on June 22, 2011
I used to love love love their ravioli. I will not even think about eating it now for fear that I will hate hate pity hate my former self. posted by GenjiandProust at 2:57 AM on June 22, 2011
Loved Beefaroni and the beef ravioli. Can't eat it today due only to allergies, but I would always have a can on the shelf just in case of emergency. Spaghetti-Os always seemed too watery and syrupy to be real food. posted by seanmpuckett at 4:02 AM on June 22, 2011
I'm actually a little surprised to learn that he died so relatively recently. I would have guessed that he died in the 1970s. posted by briank at 6:34 AM on June 22, 2011
The ravioli, plus melted cheddar cheese, plus mustard. As a latchkey kid I would make myself a big dish of this and then take a book and a quilt out to my backyard and have a Chef Boyardee picnic. Good times... posted by showbiz_liz at 9:00 AM on June 22, 2011
The ravioli, plus melted cheddar cheese, plus mustard. and your lived? posted by stormpooper at 9:52 AM on June 22, 2011 [1 favorite]
I'd be much more of a staunch defender of his product had he managed to invent that most perfect of foodstuffs: Spaghetti-O's, however.
posted by ShutterBun at 9:28 PM on June 21, 2011