Baked Stuffed Apples 113
Introduction
The year was 1959. I was eight years old and a third grader at St. John’s School in Middletown, Connecticut. Little did I know that the events of that year would forever change my life.
St. John’s School is located at one of the busiest intersections in Middletown—the junction of St. John’s Square, Main Street, and Hartford Avenue. The school property actually sits at the base of the Arrigoni Bridge, which spans the Connecticut River and links Middletown with Portland, Connecticut. Hartford Avenue leads to Route 9, a major north-south artery that hugs the Connecticut River.
On most days my father, Bernie O’Rourke, who was the recreation director for the town of Middletown, took me to and from school. St. John’s had no transportation system, and all the students were dropped off or would walk or bike to school.
Diagonally across the street from the school stood O’Rourke’s Diner, which was owned by my uncle John. When he bought in 1941, it was a wooden structure. Shortly after purchasing the diner, John went off to war and served as a captain in the U.S. Army. While he was away, his wife Kathleen (my aunt Kay) assumed the responsibilities of the family business.
When John was discharged from the army, he stopped at the Mountain View Diner Company in New Jersey, which specialized in aluminum-and-steel diner facilities. He purchased a new diner to replace the wooden structure. Today Mountain View #221 still sits on the corner of Main and Hartford.
One fateful afternoon my father was delayed in coming to school, and he asked that I cross the street and wait at the diner for him. Three crossing guards at the busy intersection helped me traverse the constant stream of cars. Once I was inside the diner, Uncle John put me to work bringing up supplies from the basement storage area. I could manage everything on the supply list with the exception of the milk crates, which were too heavy. In addition, he supplied me with a broom and had me sweep the floor of the diner.
That trip across the street from school was so enjoyable that it began a lifelong affiliation with O’Rourke’s Diner. From that point on I would regularly traverse the street each day to work at the diner. In the late fifties and sixties, the diner was open twenty-four hours a day and served typical diner food and a variety of specials. There was always a blue-plate special, which cost ninety-nine cents, and a less expensive menu option that cost forty-nine cents. Monday was the pork loin special; Tuesday, the daisy ham special; Wednesday, the roast beef special; Thursday, corned beef and cabbage; and Friday, seafood casserole. Less expensive blue plate specials were typical comfort foods like macaroni and cheese and meatloaf. During my elementary school years, one of the head cooks, Pat Magnano, would hide a quarter somewhere in the diner. If my cleaning expertise was worth anything, I would find the twenty-five cents, which was mine for the keeping. Besides earning twenty-five cents a day, I also had a paper route. Quite an income for someone my age!
As my elementary school years continued, I was given greater responsibility in the diner, including a wide variety of food preparation chores. I can remember peeling potatoes, almost on a daily basis. When I reached high school age, I was given my first opportunity to “work the grill.” Suddenly I felt like a little man doing a big man’s job. I became the grill man on the night shift like a professional short-order cook. In those days the grill was part of the counter, so food was actually cooked in the “front of the house.”
In 1976 Uncle John retired, and I purchased the diner in partnership with my cousin, John Sweeney O’Rourke. During the next several years many changes occurred in my personal life. My son, Patrick, was born. I bought a home, sold it, and bought a second home. The diner remained a twenty-four-hour operation with Cousin John and me each working a twelve-hour shift. Then, in 1985, I had the opportunity to purchase John’s share of the diner. From that point on, we began to make fundamental changes in the operation of O’Rourke’s. We were no longer a round-the-clock operation and were open instead just for breakfast and lunch. We continued to feature all our own homemade breads, soups, and breakfast and lunch specials, but we closed each day mid-afternoon.
Much of the inspiration for the creative success of the diner was homegrown. My maternal grandmother, Noonie, lived with us in Middletown from 1951 until the mid- 1960s when I was growing up. Noonie brought her culinary talents to America from her birthplace in Sicily. Each day after school, first I did my paper route and then, when I came home from school, Noonie would have baked bread, made a homemade soup and a pasta, whether homemade ravioli, tortellini, or some other type, and, of course, there was always a pot of sauce simmering on the stove. Now, each day when I go to the diner, I think of Noonie. The smells and tastes that emanated from our house were an incredible source of inspiration for me.
In addition to what I learned at home, I had the opportunity to visit and spend time with a number of restaurateurs or bakers in the Middletown area. From them I learned the incredible craft of baking. Manny Marino owned a restaurant and bakery around the corner from the diner. I would stop in at Marino’s and see Manny proofing rolls and breads.
SASHA RUDENSKY 2006
On August 31, 2006, a fateful event occurred. Our steam cheeseburger oven was left on overnight, overheated, and caused a fire in the diner. The fire roared out of control, destroying the entire interior. The only thing that was salvaged, thanks to the heroic efforts of the local fire department, was the shell of the Mountain View #221.
A rebuilding committee, which featured a number of loyal customers, including Wesleyan University employees, was formed to rebuild the diner. On February 11, 2008, the rebuilt diner opened, to the delight of many.
Over the years the diner began to attract local, statewide, regional, and national recognition for its creative and delicious, upscale, gourmet meals. O’Rourke’s Diner has been selected as “Best of Connecticut” by Connecticut Magazine and “Best of New England” by Yankee Magazine. In addition, it has been featured on the Food Network’s Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.
Since it is a diner, our busiest time of the day is often in the morning. The customers value our warm welcome, our homemade breads, and our extensive breakfast menu. On weekends our menu expands to include approximately sixty breakfast choices and specials. On a typical weekend day, the line of new and familiar customers extends out the door and down the sidewalk.
As O’Rourke’s Diner enters its eighth decade, we take special pride in sharing with you some of our most popular breakfast recipes.
Omelets
