The Toddle House

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brooja

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Location: Los Gatos, CA

RE: The Toddle House - Fri, 09/22/06 10:55 PM

Hi everyone,
Got a few emails from those looking for a recipe for Black Bottom Pie. I searched, and this one sounds identical to the famous Toddle House Black Bottom Pie: chocolate cookie crumb crust, chocolate layer, vanilla layer w/rum or rum flavoring, whipped cream on top, and then decorated with shaved chocolate. Hope some of you will give it a try & report back!
Abbey

"A 'more rum than most' Black Bottom Pie"
Original recipe yield: 1 - 9 inch pie.
Servings:
8 (change)

INGREDIENTS:
• 1 (9 inch) chocolate cookie (wafer) crumb crust
• 1 (.25 ounce) package unflavored gelatin
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 1/4 cups white sugar
• 1 3/4 cups milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 1/3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup rum (or use rum flavoring extract)
• 4 egg whites
• 1/4 cup cold water

DIRECTIONS:
1. Dissolve gelatin in cold water, and set aside.
2. In a small saucepan, mix cornstarch, 3/4 cup sugar, milk, and egg yolks. Cook, stirring, until bubbly and thick. Remove from heat, and add vanilla. Divide mixture in half. Add chocolate chips to one half, and stir until melted and smooth. Pour into pastry shell. Chill.
3. Stir gelatin mixture into the other half of the hot egg yolk mixture. Stir in rum. Chill until slightly thick.
4. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining 1/2 cup sugar, and beat to stiff peaks. Fold into partially set gelatin/rum mixture. Chill until mix will mound, then spoon into pie shell on top of chocolate layer. Chill overnight.
5. Mound whipped cream over pie
6. Shave chocolate over whipped cream before cutting to serve

OKCCal

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RE: The Toddle House - Thu, 11/23/06 11:38 AM

My sister and I were just talking about the Toddle House diners and about how great the chocolate ice box pies were

when we were kids. I remember my uncle, who lived with us for a while, would bring home pies from TH all the time and we loved him for it. That would have been in the 50's. I remember the little bitty place, with, I believe, only bar stools, and the building was shaped similar to a train car and was white. I don't remember ever actually eating inside, but I'll never forget the chocolate pies. It seems as though there was, as one person said above, some pretty "seedy" looking people working there, but I vaguely remember that they were always friendly, at least to us kids. Wonderful memories here on Thanksgiving Day.

peterm

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RE: The Toddle House - Wed, 02/21/07 8:04 PM

Well, believe it or not, in 1960 I actually worked as a cook in a Toddle House! It was located in Hubbard Woods, Illinois (between Winnetka and Glencoe---north shore suburbs of Chicago). I was only 17 at the time, and was hired to train as an assistant cook. There was a counter with 8 stools...that was it! Unfortunately the 2nd night I showed up for work, the fellow who was supposed to train me never arrived. So, I was forced to handle the shift on my own. Needless to say, it was misery!! I limited everyone's orders to whatever was on the wall in the photos...As I was a regular there, most of the customers knew me, and showed great patience. Unfortunately I was fire 2 days later. I still remember their great burgers and banana cream pie!

DougMac

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RE: The Toddle House - Thu, 03/1/07 4:12 PM

I saw Wildcat1616 mention the one in Evanston, which I also went to after parties in Chicago in the mid 60's when Evanston was dry. The 'word' was that all Toddle House employees were ex-cons and the counter man in Evanston at 1 AM would not have dispelled that rumor. I am sure it was a tough job made more difficult by a bunch of noisy college guys after many beers. The pancakes were great and the tiny place was very popular for all my years at Northwestern.
I would never cook that kind of food today for the homeless people I serve at church. It's too unhealthy... probably the last thing on my mind when I frequented the Toddle House.

Cheers!

patchwork

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Location: Puyallup, WA

RE: The Toddle House - Wed, 04/11/07 1:13 PM

I worked at Toddle House on Kemp Street in Wichita Falls, TX in 1964. The food was incredible, eventhough I was a 16 year old cook ... they thought I was older ... The bacon wrapped filet melted in your mouth! The hashbrowns were yummy, the ommlets were incredible and the pies were unbelievable ... you'd think I would weigh 200 lbs! My most memorable day at work was when we had a hail storm with hail stones the size of baseballs! The restaurant had an all glass front, I was alone at the time and it sounded like someone was beating the roof with a sledge hammer. I had a brand new Dodge Dart parked in back of the restaurant ... needless to say it was "totalled" by the hail damage. I think the Toddle House concept would be well received today. Fabulous fast food that you don't have to eat in your car. I loved the fact that people ate at the counter and kept me company as I waited on them. I learn a lot about cooking and clean a kitchen while working there. We were required to keep the place spotless. You could have literally eaten off the floor! My experience at Toddle House was memorable, wish it were still around today!

Rick F.

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RE: The Toddle House - Wed, 04/11/07 1:23 PM

When I was 16 (1960) I went to one in, I believe, Baltimore en route to the airport. No real memories, but my aunt and uncle assured me that it was a real treat and they often went there from their home in Mt. Rainier.

I later went to what I'm sure was a knock-off, the Huddle House in Memphis. It was pretty good, though all I ever ate there was breakfast.

007bond-jb Total Posts : 923 Reward points : 0 Joined: 6/17/2005 Location: baton rouge, LA	RE: The Toddle House - Fri, 04/13/07 12:51 PM 0 I remember Toddle house There were 2 in Baton Rouge long ago. They closed in the 60's. Here's a photo of a Toddle house I found on the web Plus a recipe... recipe: http://www.skeeterskitchen.com/vegetarian/fried_potatoes.html

Stevemiller

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RE: The Toddle House - Wed, 04/25/07 8:46 PM

Gotta love the net. Taking a break from work, I randomly Googled Toddle House, a place I worked in the 60's while attending the University of Wisconsin, in Madison– and I discover this discussion of the chain.

We had about 10 stools and no booths. One of the most distinctive things I recall is how a lot of the walls were covered by stainless steel. In fact, we sometimes jokingly answered the phone: “Toddle a Go Go - come visit our famous aluminum room.” Go Go places were the rage back then.

We were a long way from the Southern corporate offices and anarchy often reigned in our little family of employees. And yes, as someone observed, there was something freakish about a lot of them (we used to get complaints that one of our waitresses, who was hugely overweight, would follow cute customers into the bathroom and proposition them.)

As I recall the steak it was a small nondescript piece of meat. One time a couple of us decided to cook up some nice porterhouse steaks we brought at Krogers, and got several steak orders while ours was sizzling on the grill. When we served them the customers asked, “what’s that”, pointing to the grill. “Our steak” we answered. “What’s this” (pointing to their plate) “Your steak.”

I’d worked at a number of other restaurants and it was wonderful not having to give a damn what the customers thought. There was really no one to complain to. But I think we actually attracted a lot of college kids who liked the anything-goes atmosphere.

The only preparation I recall our hash browns receiving was blanching (half cook whole potatoes by boiling.) The potatoes were then cut into pieced with a knife, and ready to cook. The person above was right about the paprika and cooking them in oil in a small skillet, flipping them from time to time.

I worked the night shift a number of times by myself (11:00pm to 7:00am) and you had to move quick to take orders, cook and serve the food, and make sure people paid their bills, all by yourself. I remember having a couple of beers myself, in preparation for the bar rush (Wisconsin bars all closed at 1:00 at the time) when the hoard of drunken students stood two deep shouting orders at me. All in all, it was a great place, met some great people and generally had a fine time. Glad someone remembers the old chain.

heb3844

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RE: The Toddle House - Wed, 05/16/07 2:46 PM

quote:
Originally posted by rsraven

Apparently there was some disparities among restaurants in the Toddle House organization.

The one that I used to frequent in the 60s was located in Kansas City on the Brookside Plaza shopping area--I believe it was on 63rd Street. It was very small--open grill, counter and maybe 6-8 stools and no tables. You were almost close enough to the grill to serve yourself. Although I remember the burgers being good, the breakfasts were the real star. Flats of eggs sat near the grill (unrefrigerated, which would bring down the Health Department's wrath today, but which is the only way to keep from having to overcook them) and the eggs were cooked in butter in small aluminum saute pans (skillets) which were never washed, but just wiped out with a terry cloth towel. Those little pans were more stickfree than any Teflon-coated pan could aspire to be.

The justly famous hash browns were not cooked in skillets. These were made from par-boiled (not baked) potatoes, grated (not diced) in julienne style. The most fascinating aspect was the device used in frying them. The cook took a handful of these grated potatoes and put them inside a metal ring in the grill. These rings were sort of two semi-circles held together with a clamp arrangement that made a circle about 3" in diameter and were about an inch thick. Once the grated potatoes were inside the ring, the cook took a metal pot with a spout (like a coffee pot) that was always sitting on a warm part of the grill and was filled with melted butter. This he poured generously over the potatoes. (This same pot provided the butter for frying eggs.) The potatoes fried until the side sitting on the griddle was crisp, then he flipped the entire ring over on the other side with his spatula. After a few more minutes of frying, he would rap on the top of the ring with the edge of his spatula--the ring would unclamp and spring open, and be moved off to the side while the hash browns continued to fry in a neat little circular patty--gold and crispy on the top and bottom, soft and buttery in the middle. I've never seen this way of making hash browns used anywhere else, and those hash browns were, to my own taste, the standard to which all potatoes should aspire--but never do.

The toast was good, the pancakes wonderful (I don't remember 6 flavors of syrup, but I do remember in addition to maple-flavored syrup, they had good ole white Karo), the eggs fluffy and the consistency of custard (I only ate scrambled), and that I was amazed once when another customer ordered poached eggs and the cook cracked them into a saucepan of steaming water--not into the little egg cups in a water bath my mother used for poaching eggs.

I don't know if this Toddle House was different from all the others, but I remember that it was my favorite breakfast restaurant in Kansas City for many years, and although I have had good breakfast experiences since, none has surpassed the Toddle House and very few have measured up to its standard.

heb3844 Total Posts : 2 Reward points : 0 Joined: 5/16/2007 Location: Blairstown, MO	RE: The Toddle House - Wed, 05/16/07 3:03 PM 0 I grew up in Kansas City, Missouri and can remember my Mother taking me to a Toddle House frequently for their banana cream Pie. I have never eaten pie like that since. I would love to have the recipe for it. It was the best.

KOK

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Location: Westminster, MD

RE: The Toddle House - Thu, 05/17/07 11:18 AM

The Toddle House in College Park, Md closed some years ago. There is/was one on Pennsylvania Ave (Rt 4) inside the Beltway but I don't know if that one is still open.

Billy Kilmer (dinosaur Redskins quarterback in the '70's) used to get his load on and then hit Toddle House at the end of his bender).

LOVED the Texas breakfast, I miss the Toddle House.

Kevin

ncmike1

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RE: The Toddle House - Tue, 07/31/07 10:44 AM

Patchwork,
I ate at that Toddle House on Kemp several times when going to Midwestern U. (Midwestern State U. now). Many nice memories. My family lived in Iowa Park.
I found this forum by googling toddle house because this morning I ate at a Waffle House, and they had Toddle House Scrambled Eggs on the menu, and it made me wonder if there was a connection.
Thanks everyone for the memories.

todd styles

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RE: The Toddle House - Tue, 09/4/07 8:14 PM

When I was a kid in the midwest, there was a Toddle House in Des Moines Iowa. Someone posted the Toddle House sign in an earlier pic and boy that brought back memories. Last time I was in TH in Des Moines was about 1970 or so. I'm not sure when it closed down. I haven't been back there in years but as I remember, even the tiny TH building was demolished at some point.

We'd always hit the place at 2 or 3 in the morning after concert gigs around the area. It was so tiny in there and so cool to watch the food being cooked. Great hash browns and huge portions. I loved the pancakes. Too bad places like that die out.

sonnyw Total Posts : 1 Reward points : 0 Joined: 9/23/2007 Location: seneca, SC	RE: The Toddle House - Sun, 09/23/07 8:19 AM 0 I have been looking for the recipe of those great hash browns. anybody have it? or can you tell me where to get it?

tiaannec

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RE: The Toddle House - Sat, 10/13/07 8:02 PM

My Dad is 92 years old and worked at Toddle House Restaurants from late 30's till his induction into the army in 1942. He went back to work for them after returning home in '46. He worked for them until the birth of my sister in 1948. He, like so many his age couldn't tell you what happened 5 minutes ago, but can tell you in great detail what happened back in the 30's. He has always said that Dobbs Houses were started by a couple that had worked for Toddle House. That cooks would quit one restaurant and move seamlessly to the other until the two restaurants made a deal not to hire the other's employees. He has some good tales to tell, and does so often lol.

prince duke

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RE: The Toddle House - Mon, 12/17/07 10:35 AM

hi everyone. i worked at a toddle house when i was a teenager. in new york. elmira new york. one of my very first jobs. i was hired to train as the new short order cook. with a very good salary i might add. i believe i was 13 or 14 years old. lied my age to get this job as i was on my own. worked there for a couple years. also at that time there was a motel associated with most toddle houses. they had nice motels. the resturants were very popular at the time. that would be in the late fifties. it was a job i often remember with good thoughts. had wonderful food and regulars you got aquainted with everyday. so i remember the toddle house very well. with fond memories

RICHARD CRYSTAL Total Posts : 4 Reward points : 0 Joined: 4/7/2005 Location: BALTIMORE, MD	RE: The Toddle House - Mon, 12/17/07 1:40 PM 0 I haven't heard "Toddle House" for decades. 40 years ago there was one near our home in suburban Baltimore. The big deal then were the waffles. It was always a special treat when we got to go there. Alas, they have gone the way of the five-cent cup of joe.

AliceW.

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RE: The Toddle House - Wed, 04/2/08 2:16 PM

My husband and I used to eat occasionally at the Toddle Houses in Oklahoma City in 1957, and in Albuquerque in the sixties. I think my parents mentioned eating in some of them in the 1930s. We couldn't afford to eat anywhere but home most of the time, but I think one of Albuquerque's Toddle Houses practically saved our lives late one night in 1965. We had had a most horrible day, packing our furniture and boxes into a U-Haul to move across town, and not taking time to eat. By the time we made our last trip, we were numb from exhaustion. We stopped at one of two Toddle Houses in Albuquerque,
and had a bowl of vegetable soup. It restored not only our physical selves, but our spirits as well. We also enjoyed "Toddle House Eggs", and I wish I could make them at home. Doesn't anyone know how they accomplished keeping them so fluffy? They mixed them up in a blender, but when I do that, they go flat right away. I really, REALLY miss Toddle Houses!

Singeli Total Posts : 27 Reward points : 0 Joined: 2/23/2009 Location: Waco, TX	RE: The Toddle House - Fri, 03/27/09 4:22 AM 0 I have fond, delicious memories of going to the Toddle House. Thanks for the hash brown recipe. Does anyone have the recipe for their wonderful puffy eggs? I recall their being blended in a milk shake machine, but what else was done to them? Thank you so very much.

MellowRoast

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RE: The Toddle House - Fri, 03/27/09 5:08 AM

If someone has already mentioned this, my apologies, but sometimes I can't read all the entries.

Interestingly, Waffle House has acquired and brought back the Toddle House name. Last time I visited WH, their menu listed "Toddle House" omelets. This probably stems from founder Joe Rogers, Sr.'s past connection to the nostalic Toddle House chain (pre-Waffle House founding).

Would be nice if they'd served Toddle House home fries, wouldn't it?

(I miss Steak and Egg Kitchen, too.)

MellowRoast Total Posts : 1695 Reward points : 0 Joined: 8/21/2007 Location: 'Nooga	RE: The Toddle House - Fri, 03/27/09 5:14 AM 0 D'oh! That should have been Steak 'n Egg Kitchen.

toptoot1938

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RE: The Toddle House The dish was called "Toddle House eggs. - Sat, 10/24/09 5:40 PM

Starlord

I used to hang out at Toddle Houses in Indianapolis when I drove taxi cabs, and an ex-wife worked at the one on North Pennsylvania. I have been trying to find out how I can replicate their signature egg dish, with no success. I have seen some call it scrambled eggs, but to call them that would be like calling Chicken Kiev breaded chicken breasts. They covered the plate, were an inch and a half thick, and tasted like eating an egg-flavored cloud.

I know they mixed it on one of those malt mixing machines, but it seems like I remember that they added some milk and maybe a bit of sugar to the eggs. If anyone knows the recipe to this glorious dish,please let me know. So far, my attempts to make them have failed miserably.

As an aside, the Toddle House on North Meridian Street had a witress on the night shift who was a dead ringer for Dolly Parton. One of the other cabbies who hung out there looked just like Porter Waggoner. We said we were going to dress them up in spangled outfits, take their picture, and sell them, with the writing on them, "With Love, P&D". Someone said that would be forgery, to which I replied, "Not necessarily. In this case it stands for Patsy and Delbert, not Porter and Dolly.

Singeli Total Posts : 27 Reward points : 0 Joined: 2/23/2009 Location: Waco, TX	RE: The Toddle House - Sat, 11/7/09 8:50 PM 0 Did anyone ever answer about the Toddle House eggs? I, too, thought them fabulous and long to have the recipe. They did whip them in a milk shake maker but I don't know what else went in there or why the whipping didn't make them tough.

Michael Hoffman

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RE: The Toddle House - Sun, 11/8/09 1:43 AM

Singeli

Did anyone ever answer about the Toddle House eggs?
I, too, thought them fabulous and long to have the recipe.
They did whip them in a milk shake maker but I don't know what else went in there or why the whipping didn't make them tough.

That was for the omelets. For scrambled eggs we did it with a spoon -- a long spoon -- in a bowl. Oh, and nothing went into the cup on the mixer for the omelets other than the eggs. At least, not in the Toddle House where I cooked.

toptoot1938

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RE: The Toddle House - Wed, 12/23/09 11:46 PM

Singeli

Did anyone ever answer about the Toddle House eggs?
I, too, thought them fabulous and long to have the recipe.
They did whip them in a milk shake maker but I don't know what else went in there or why the whipping didn't make them tough.

It not what they added, they (didn't add anything to the eggs) but the secret was in the skillit. It was coated with teflon, well before any one in the public arena ever heard of teflon, and it had a textured bottom and sides. It was coup shaped and we used clarified butter. I believe the high heat of the butter combined with the eggs gave it it's flavor and the skilit gave it the puffy and fluffy texture. I have looked all over on line trying to find one of the skilits and had no luck. If any one has a clue give me a shout.

shalompoet

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RE: The Toddle House - Thu, 01/20/11 4:41 PM

I see that no one has posted to this forum for a long time but I have just joined and wanted to place this message. My step-father worked at a Toddle House as a young man back in the late 1940's-early 1950's. This was in Louisville KY before he went in to the Marines and served in Korea during the "conflict" there. He spoke often of working at Toddle House and after his passing last month I found a few dishes he had that are the thick white mugs, a couple of saucers, & plates, that have the Toddle House logo. I have brought those home with me and enjoy drinking coffee and eating my eggs from them as a tribute to an old man with memories of the young man who worked as a short order cook at the Louisville, KY Toddle House on DixDale Ave. If anyone remembers this place please let me know.

Michael Hoffman Total Posts : 15924 Reward points : 0 Joined: 7/1/2000 Location: Gahanna, OH	RE: The Toddle House - Thu, 01/20/11 5:13 PM 0 shalompoet, that's a mighty nice tribute to your father, who happens to be one of America's heros. I thank him and you for his service.

MellowRoast Total Posts : 1695 Reward points : 0 Joined: 8/21/2007 Location: 'Nooga	RE: The Toddle House - Thu, 01/20/11 9:53 PM 0 Shalompoet, you're indeed fortunate to have those great Toddle House mementos, and, no doubt, they have extra-special meaning to you. That's wonderul. I'd love to have some authentic Toddle House plates and mugs.

ces1948 Total Posts : 1392 Reward points : 0 Joined: 8/6/2003 Location: Port St Lucie, Fl	RE: The Toddle House - Thu, 01/20/11 10:28 PM 0 I was just going through this thread and the picture on page 3 of the interior with all the people sitting at the counter with no food could be a sit in from the civil rights movement days.

MellowRoast Total Posts : 1695 Reward points : 0 Joined: 8/21/2007 Location: 'Nooga	RE: The Toddle House - Fri, 01/21/11 6:36 AM 0 Ces1948, methinks you're right.

Ellen Puder

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RE: The Toddle House - Sun, 01/29/12 7:55 PM

I realize the message I am referencing is about 5 years old, but I am hoping you can help me. I live in Wichita Falls, TX. I only remember going to Toddle House one time, but the flapjacks were memorable! They were NOT regular pancakes, & I can still almost taste that wonderful flavor. I was hoping maybe you or someone you know or someone who reads this post might be able to give me the recipe for the flapjacks Toddle House used during those great years they, & you, were in Wichita Falls. I am from Archer City, TX & moved to Wichita Falls in the early 70's. Thanks for ANY help!! Have a wonderful day!!

ncmike1

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RE: The Toddle House - Sun, 01/29/12 8:33 PM

Ellen, I lived in Iowa Park and went to Midwestern U. a loooong time ago. I now live in the mountains of Western North Carolina. The best equivalent to Toddle House here is a place called Huddle House. Really good food at a reasonable price.
I ate at Toddle House at that shopping center several times and loved it. I wish I could help you with the pancacke recipe, and even googled it, but I couldn't find it. Good luck, and if you do find it, post it.

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