Hamilton’s famous Chicken Roost restaurant had food magic going for it. Do you remember? Opened in 1948 by restaurateur Max Mintz, it closed to widespread disappointment in 1986

People still rave about its chicken on a bun, cherry cokes, pies, spareribs, fries with gravy, steaks, chicken soup, butter tarts, ice cream puffs with hot fudge, tea biscuits and graham wafer butterscotch pie.

FAMOUS RECIPES FROM THE CHICKEN ROOST

Creole Soup

Makes 1 gallon

* 1 1/2 to 2 cups alphabet noodles
* 3 cups diced celery
* 1 1/2 cups diced onion (medium)
* 1 large carrot (diced)
* 1/2 cup diced green pepper
* 1 1/2 whole bay leaves
* 2 whole cloves
* 3 1/2 ounces vegetable oil
* 1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic
* 1 ounce tomato paste
* 1 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
* 2 ounces tomato puree
* 25 ounces chicken stock
* salt and pepper to taste.

Reserve chicken stock to thin soup if necessary. In oil, braise garlic, celery, onions, carrots and peppers until tender (about 10 minutes). Add tomatoes, puree and paste. Add chicken stock, bay leaves, cloves, salt and pepper. Simmer until celery is tender. Add alphabets about 7 to 10 minutes prior to serving.

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Ice-Cream Puffs

Makes 2 dozen

* 1 cup flour
* 1 cup water
* 1/4 pound butter
* 4 eggs
* 1/4 ounce baking soda

Combine butter and water. Bring to a boil. Add flour, backing and one egg at a time. Pipe or drop in even rounds on baking sheet. Bake at 400 for 12 minutes. Cool and slice in half horizontally. Add scoop of vanilla ice cream. Add top and fudge topping.

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Hot Fudge Topping

* 1 1/2 cups water
* 1 1/2 pounds of Baker’s semi-sweet chocolate
* 4 cups icing sugar
* 1/3 cup of Crisco shortening
* 1/3 cup of butter
Boil water and add ingredients in this order:
1 – Crisco shortening
2 – butter
3 – icing sugar
4 – Baker’s chocolate
Beat with electric mixer or by hand until smooth. Store in refrigerator. When ready to serve reheat over top of double boiler. Ladle 3 to 4 ounces of sauce over ice cream and cream puff. Strawberries A La Roost
Serves 4

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Chicken Roost Barb-B-Q Sauce

This sauce is not a glaze. It is a sauce used on a bun or side dipping sauce. Makes 1 gallon, can be frozen in small portions.

1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
1 large clove garlic, chopped fine
28 ounces tomatoes
1 teaspoon tomato paste
8 ounces tomato puree
1/4 teaspoon ground chili peppers
Salt and pepper to taste
2 1/2 cups chicken stock or 20 ounces consomme
2 bay leaves
3 cloves
Saute garlic in butter until brown. Add celery and onions and saute 5 to 7 minutes more. Add tomatoes. Add tomato paste and puree. Add cloves, chili peppers, bay leaves, salt and pepper to taste. Let simmer in chicken stock 2 1/2 to 3 hours or until celery is tender. In separate pan, add cornstarch to cold water, mix until smooth, Pour into sauce. Let cook for five minutes. If sauce is too thick, add more chicken stock.