Wednesday Is Prince Spaghetti Day

[launderess]

Yes,we had a boy in our block named "Anthony" (several in fact) and after this televison commercial came out we never let them forget it! *LOL*

"Hey Anthony"!
"What?"
"Your Mother Is Calling You"!

*LOL*

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[frigilux]

Growing up in an Italian (mom) household, I have a soft spot in my heart for that commercial. There were so many meals with spaghetti or lasagna as one of several entrees, especially on Sundays or when there was company. My sister and I always joke that in our house, lasagna was a side dish, LOL. Our mom loved to cook, and would often sing her favorite opera arias at the top of her lungs in the kitchen. She would pine for particular Italian brands or certain products that she missed from the old country. She would have loved settling in NYC, where imported foods were at hand.

I honestly don't recall seeing Prince brand spaghetti or pasta sauce on the shelves in our small-town upper-midwest grocery store back in the day. Was this a regional brand? I'm remembering Creamette (often mushy, as the wheat they use isn't hard enough) and American Beauty from that time period.

To this day, my very favorite meal is spaghetti and meatballs with a nice slice of garlic bread and a glass of Chianti (although I no longer drink, so scratch the Chianti).[this post was last edited: 11/27/2012-05:11]

 

[nmassman44]

Prince pasta is a regional brand and its here in New England. I buy it once in awhile but most of the time I buy Barilla. And only when it's on sale. I do remember that commercial. It was shot in the North End in Boston.

 

[launderess]

Several Things Get Me About This Commercial

First is the little boy in short pants grabbing onto his mother's apron for dear life as he follows behind.

Next that cannot be a coal fired range or is it? Otherwise what is up with that huge vent leading off the side?

Finally back in the day if mother or anyone else yelled out of a window "Annnn-to-neee", more than just one boy would come running home! *LOL* Especially in that part of Boston.

Strange in our area Sunday was usually the day most Italian families had big pasta dinners. Usually it was a big family affair, more so after children grew up, married and had children of their own.

That is nice sized "old school" apartment. Good sized kitchen and dining area as well.

 

[joeekaitis]

Thursday was spaghetti day at our house. Now it's whatever day I can get off my butt long enough to make meatballs.

 

[passatdoc]

I'm not Italian, but lived in Rhode Island for eight years which almost qualifies me as Honorary Italian.

I remember the Prince radio jingle from the 70s:

"Wednesday is Prince Day
Hey what a treat
Wednesday is Prince Day
Up and down the street
Gals making noodles,
Spaghetti and sauce
Put those elbows on the table
Even .... is able (don't remember the middle words of this line)
Start Wednesdays right with Prince"

The factory was in Massachusetts but I don't remember which town (Lawrence?). I arrived in RI in '74, probably after the classic Anthony tv ad was history, and didn't have a tv as an undergrad. So it was mostly radio for me, and Prince advertised heavily on WPRO radio in Providence.

 

[bajaespuma]

Good cheap food of the people

I buy Barilla most of the time also, but I'm beginning to turn back to DeCecco which was our family brand from the Eighties on. The last couple of boxes of DeCecco were so good in that it took at least 3 minutes more cooking and it even withstands a little overcooking. When you sample their pasta without any sauce you really taste the durum its made from and the texture is as good as most of the "Artigianale" pastas that cost 3 times as much like Rusticella d'Abruzzi, and some Italian store brands that are made, probably in the same old factory with brass dies somewhere in the Marches.

 

Also, I love "Wagon Wheels" and DeCecco seems to be the only brand left that produces them. Occasionally I luck out and find boxes of DeCecco pastas at our local cheap store Ocean State Job Lot that are imported from Italy and with some weird and wonderful shapes you never see here.

 

I could eat a platter full of Spaghetti and Meatballs. I'd feel sorry for it afterwards, but I'd enjoy ever second of eating it.

 

[twintubdexter]

Where I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area Tuesday was "Red's Tamale Day."...frozen and "gringo-ized" for everyday tastebuds. Boy they were good!

 

[jeffg]

DeCecco uses old-style copper extruders instead of steel or aluminum. They give the pasta a texture that holds sauce better than most other brands.

 

[wayupnorth]

I dont think that stove is coal. It looks alot like one my neighbor had when I was a kid that was gas on one side with a kitchen heater on the other, thus the stovepipe. That old B&W ad does bring back memories

 

[miele_ge]

not copper but bronze ...

i think most of the higher quality imported Italian pastas are made in factories that still use the older bronze dies. The bronze makes for a rougher texture which better holds onto the sauce. Also, the higher quality brands have something different when it comes to the drying process. Also, the quality of the wheat used is better (and makes for better nutrition) with DeCecco and Delverde and similar brands. I used to buy Barilla but then they started making it in Iowa and selling it in Costco.

For everyday pasta, I use nothing but DeCecco or Delverde (when I can find it in CT). There is an Italian deli/store near my office that has a ton of imported goods from Italy and a huge selection of the fancier artisan pastas which are pricey but a real treat.

Never had Prince much (if at all) growing up.... Mom and a lot of others in our area and the greater NYC area used Ronzoni exclusively.

 

[mattl]

Just watched the commercial, vaguely recall seeing it growing up.  We had Prince Spaghetti here in MI too.

 

One thing I noticed it appeared the woman cooking pasta had it covered while cooking --- something I'd never do.  I always cook pasta uncovered.

 

[launderess]

Ours Was A Ronzoni Household

When Mother made any sort of pasta. Strange OTHO she preferred Muller's for noodles.

Don't eat that much pasta as one tries to watch carb intake, and when one does it is whole wheat instead of the plain "white" type.

Would purchase a warehouse full of Barilla if this chap came along to cook it!

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[whirlcool]

I remember Prince pastas from Chicago stores when I was growing up. It came in a cardboard box.
Haven't seen if ever here in Texas. What we get here are the store brands, American Beauty and some ultra expensive stuff that I never buy. Oh, there is a lot of that "no yokes" brand stuff too.

 

[danemodsandy]

Oh, Brothah!

"Oh, there is a lot of that "no yokes" brand stuff too."

To each his own, but I personally never thought that stuff was fit to serve to a hog one cared about.

My late partner, OTOH, thought it was grand stuff, so healthy and tasty!

This was because every time he brought it home, I thanked him, put it away, and the next time pasta was on the menu, I used Barilla instead. This little game went on for some years, until after he died in '09.

When I was clearing out the house, I discovered that the "No Yolks" pasta had accumulated to the point of some twenty-something pounds worth! The cleaning guy I'd hired to help me made out like a bandit that day.

 

[appnut]

Due to special dietary needs, I pretty much eat whole wheat pasta. The choices and flavor have improved in the past 11 years I've been having to eat. Ronzoni's Start Taste has the high fiber, low carb figures and taste just about the same as white pasta. Otherwise I will opt for Dreamfields or Barilla Plus or Barila Whole Wheat. Local store brands of whole wheat don't hold up well in freezing for leftovers and really turns mushy when baked. But the fiber content is what I"m needing.

 

[mattl]

I've tried the whole wheat versions of various pastas and I have never found one I could tolerate for long.  I bought a pasta machine and made some fresh pasta and was not impressed with it either, reminded me of Kluski.  I stick with Barrila and other name brands for now.

 

[appnut]

The whole wheat definitely was a taste one had to get used to.  But diet restrictions and needs kind of didn't leave me with a whole lot of options.  As stated, fortunately, the options have increased as well as the taste is getting better since began 11 years ago. 

 

[petek]

Speaking of home made pasta.. Who else all got into the pasta machine making fad? Remember Ron Popeil hawking them on tv.. I made it a few times and it was surprisingly very good, much better than store bought. Just a lot of work, even with the machine.