Anyone remember them? The original bakery went belly up a long time ago, but the name, or at least the baked goods part of the company is now owned by Ralph's/Kroger. In the markets I've noticed reintroductions of a few VDK originals, and I was wondering if anyone had favorites they remember. Mine were their date nut bread, also they made a square sugar cookie that was amazing (but I forget what they were called), and my all-time fave was their light chocolate frosted angel food cake.
Van de Kamps baked goods
- Thread starter jeffg
- Start date
Help Support :
Bran muffins . . . mmmmmm . . .
Their Danish pastries, like all pre-packaged pastries, left a lot to be desired. But I could see their cookies and fruitcakes doing well on the shelf.
I think Danish needs to be fresh baked to be of any quality.
I think Danish needs to be fresh baked to be of any quality.
My grandmother used to buy some sort of Van de Kamps bread, the loaves were smaller than most and the slices were very thin too. I can't remember exactly what (type) it was, but it was REALLY tasty, especially toasted! She may have bought other products too, but that bread is the only thing that sticks out in my mind.
Hey, we are talking 35 + years ago here.
Kevin
Kevin, they had something called salt-rising bread that makes awesome toast.. I'm wondering if that's what you remember? In case you or anyone else wants to try:
Salt-Rising Bread
1 medium potato -- peeled and thinly sliced
2 cups boiling water
2 tablespoons cornmeal
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt -- divided
2 packages dry yeast
1 cup milk -- scalded
7 cups unsifted flour
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
STARTER: To make the starter place the potato slices in a bowl.
Pour the boiling water over the potato slices. Stir in cornmeal,
sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Set the bowl in a warm place (such
as gas oven with pilot light on or an electric oven with the
interior light on), not covered for about 24 hours to develop
the starter.
DOUGH: Strain the starter mixture and discard the potato. Add
enough water to make 1 3/4 cups of liquid. Add dry yeast and
stir to dissolve. Stir in 3 cups of the flour, milk, oil,
1 teaspoon salt and the baking soda. Beat well. Cover and let
rise in a warm place until very light, about 1 hour. Stir in
enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead dough
until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes. Divide dough
in half. Cover and let rest 10 minutes. Shape into 2 loaves.
Place in greased 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pans. Let rise in a
warm place until nearly doubled, about 45 minutes. Bake in a
375-degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until loaves sound
hollow when rapped with the end of wooden spoon. Turn out of
pans onto rack to cool. Makes 2 loaves.
Salt-Rising Bread
1 medium potato -- peeled and thinly sliced
2 cups boiling water
2 tablespoons cornmeal
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt -- divided
2 packages dry yeast
1 cup milk -- scalded
7 cups unsifted flour
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
STARTER: To make the starter place the potato slices in a bowl.
Pour the boiling water over the potato slices. Stir in cornmeal,
sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Set the bowl in a warm place (such
as gas oven with pilot light on or an electric oven with the
interior light on), not covered for about 24 hours to develop
the starter.
DOUGH: Strain the starter mixture and discard the potato. Add
enough water to make 1 3/4 cups of liquid. Add dry yeast and
stir to dissolve. Stir in 3 cups of the flour, milk, oil,
1 teaspoon salt and the baking soda. Beat well. Cover and let
rise in a warm place until very light, about 1 hour. Stir in
enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately stiff dough.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead dough
until smooth and elastic, about 6 to 8 minutes. Divide dough
in half. Cover and let rest 10 minutes. Shape into 2 loaves.
Place in greased 9-by-5-by-3-inch loaf pans. Let rise in a
warm place until nearly doubled, about 45 minutes. Bake in a
375-degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes or until loaves sound
hollow when rapped with the end of wooden spoon. Turn out of
pans onto rack to cool. Makes 2 loaves.
The old 1930 bakery building on Fletcher Road in Glassell Park is still there, right across the 5 from Slither . . . er . . . Silverlake. It's now used as a charter school building. It was in use until about 20 years ago so likely the goodies being recalled were baked there. I think there is still a Van de Kamps store with the windmill in the San Gabriel Valley but, like the bakery, it has been renovated for another use.
I am a little bit confused-
was this company any connection to the frozen fish people?
Lawrence/Maytagbear
was this company any connection to the frozen fish people?
Lawrence/Maytagbear
Lawrence, originally yes, but they sold their fish filet business separately (to Pinnacle Foods). The bakery part of the company was dormant for many years but was eventually bought by Ralph's Supermarkets (Kroger), and that accounts for the new VDK baked goods.
Van de Kamp's was One and the Same
The Van de Kamp’s brand began in 1915 as part of a Los Angeles potato chip stand founded by Theodore J. Van de Kamp, his sisters Marian and Henrietta, and Lawrence L. Frank. They expanded the business to baked goods and by the mid-1950s evolved into a local restaurant chain specializing in batter-fried halibut. (And let's not forget the baked goods).
Walter van de Kamp and Lawrence Frank also owned the very famous Lawry's the Prime Rib, the Five Crowns and the Tam O' Shanter restaurants - among others. And the restaurants remain under control of both families.
As JeffG mentioned, the Van de Kamp name, as associated with baked goods, now seems to be owned by Ralphs/Kroger. (Pity-!) The Van de Kamp line of frozen fish products is now owned by Pinnacle Foods - who are responsible for the following 'food products' : Duncan Hines; Aunt Jemima; Log Cabin; Vlasic; Birds Eye; Mrs. Paul's; Lender's; Tims, etc., etc., etc. Chow down.
The Van de Kamp’s brand began in 1915 as part of a Los Angeles potato chip stand founded by Theodore J. Van de Kamp, his sisters Marian and Henrietta, and Lawrence L. Frank. They expanded the business to baked goods and by the mid-1950s evolved into a local restaurant chain specializing in batter-fried halibut. (And let's not forget the baked goods).
Walter van de Kamp and Lawrence Frank also owned the very famous Lawry's the Prime Rib, the Five Crowns and the Tam O' Shanter restaurants - among others. And the restaurants remain under control of both families.
As JeffG mentioned, the Van de Kamp name, as associated with baked goods, now seems to be owned by Ralphs/Kroger. (Pity-!) The Van de Kamp line of frozen fish products is now owned by Pinnacle Foods - who are responsible for the following 'food products' : Duncan Hines; Aunt Jemima; Log Cabin; Vlasic; Birds Eye; Mrs. Paul's; Lender's; Tims, etc., etc., etc. Chow down.
I do not recall Van de Kamps baked goods. Maybe they were distributed regionally and weren't available here. Fish products, yes.
yeah, in California they branched into supermarkets in the same way that Heinemann's did in Chicago or Sanders' in Detroit...before in-store bakeries this gave the supermarkets a common-branded, uniform looking bakery offering which traded on the bakery's good local name. Generally the bakery stuck to a single supermarket chain. Most analogous thing now is Entenmann's. As in-store bakeries have proliferated, this isn't done as much any more. Most supermarkets now have some variation or combination of in-store scratch baking, off-premise baking, bake-off (frozen dough), or thawed programs in their stores; depending on store size and clientele.
