August 28, 2010
Seltzer in Argentina... in the U.S.!
This is a video with a gentleman from Argentina about seltzer in his country. He HAPPENED to be a contractor in my house and I showed him a new Argentinian siphon being sold in the U.S. which also JUST HAPPENED to be bottle with the waters from his home town, Bariloche.
Posted by Barry Joseph, The Effervescent Jew (bjoseph) at 10:19 PM | Comments (0)
Kelly Fox's Favorite Chldhood Memory of Growing-up in a Chocolate Syrup Family
H. Fox and Company was founded in 1900 and is best known for their U-bet chocolate syrup, known as an essential ingredient in any egg cream. Kelly Fox, who now runs H. Fox and Company with his dad (it was founded by his great-grandfather), recounts his fondest memory growing up around the factory and how, unfortunately, the Oompah-Loompas no longer give tours.
Posted by Barry Joseph, The Effervescent Jew (bjoseph) at 10:15 PM | Comments (0)
Who is the girl on the Fox's U-bet Chocolate Syrup Bottle?
H. Fox and Company was founded in 1900 and is best known for their U-bet chocolate syrup, known as an essential ingredient in any egg cream. Kelly Fox, who now runs H. Fox and Company with his dad, answers the question many people have: who is the little girl pictured on the bottle for the past 70 or so years.
Posted by Barry Joseph, The Effervescent Jew (bjoseph) at 09:46 PM | Comments (0)
No Oompah Loompa's at the U-bet's Factory
This morning I met with the makers of U-bet chocolate syrup, Kelly Fox, who runs the 110 year old business with his dad, David Fox. He quite generously gave me his time and then gave me a tour of both the factory and the warehouse.
Posted by Barry Joseph, The Effervescent Jew (bjoseph) at 12:34 AM | Comments (0)
August 25, 2010
Eli, the oldest working seltzer man, reads from his book
This past Monday I filmed Eli Miller, 78-year old seltzer man, reading from the children's book starring him, created by a client. This was filmed right outside Gomberg's Seltzer Works, where he gets his bottles filled. I didn't ask him - he just did it and I grabbed my camera!
Posted by Barry Joseph, The Effervescent Jew (bjoseph) at 08:36 AM | Comments (0)
Video excerpts from my recent seltzer talk
I recently spoke before a wonderful congregation in Great Barrington, Ma. Here are two excerpts from the talk.
The following is an excerpt from Give Me Seltzer at a reading I did in August of 2010 in Great Barrington, MA. It's called The Blizzard of 2010. It was the first time I read it to an audience, to see how they'd respond.
The following is from the start of a talk on seltzer I gave on August of 2010 in Great Barrington, MA. It's from an old children's book and, of course, about seltzer.
Posted by Barry Joseph, The Effervescent Jew (bjoseph) at 08:36 AM | Comments (0)
An Egg Cream Bar Mitzvah
Below is a lovely story shared by Joan Sussman about replacing an open bar with Egg Creams!
I used to schlep cases of glass seltzer bottles up from my cousin in NJ who had it delivered by Joy Beverage I heard your presentation at Ahavath Sholom and it got me thinking that the last time I had seltzer in glass bottles was 10 years ago when we brought up 10 cases of seltzer for my son's bar mitzvah. We decided against serving liquor as getting a liquor license for the day was exorbitant, we only had wine for kiddush and served seltzer mixed drinks. We also served egg creams, It was a hit! No one missed an open bar. I thought just the kids would want egg creams but alas everyone wanted them. Kept running out of chocolate syrup & milk and the bartender kept running out, literally, for milk & chocolate syrup.
Posted by Barry Joseph, The Effervescent Jew (bjoseph) at 12:05 AM | Comments (0)
August 24, 2010
My Day with Eli, the Seltzer Man
Eli Miller is 78 years old and has been delivering seltzer around New York City for 40 years. Today I had the honor of traveling with him on his route. A truly humbling, heart-warming, and moving experience. I look forward to posting some of the video and audio from the day but, until then, please enjoy these photos.
Posted by Barry Joseph, The Effervescent Jew (bjoseph) at 01:40 AM | Comments (0)
August 04, 2010
It can be announced: Seltzer Works to be Shown at my Berkshire's Talk!
So what was my recent surprise news? At my upcoming seltzer talk in the Berkshires, I am so excited to be premiering Jessica Edwards' excellent short film Seltzer Works, which is now listed on her web site's screening's page.
Not only am I honored for her to let me include it in my presentation, but she will be there in person as well and available for me to ask a few questions before the audience. A night not to miss.
Posted by Barry Joseph, The Effervescent Jew (bjoseph) at 08:58 PM | Comments (0)
July 26, 2010
New York Magazine: Ask a Seltzer Man
Check out the latest issue of New York Magazine for a fun interview with the NYC seltzer delivery icon, Walter Backerman:
Ask a Seltzer Man
Third-generation seltzermonger Walter Backerman on the dying art of H2O delivery.
By Sarah Bernard
Published Jul 25, 2010
With bottled seltzer at every corner store, why do people still call you?Taste. The other day, I bought a seltzer at Walmart, brought it home, drank it, and spilled it out. I tasted the plastic! I use beautiful glass bottles with metal caps, never plastic. My seltzer is five times more expensive—it’s $35 for a case of ten—but people are willing to pay for what they want.
They must feel some loyalty too.
People like to support the little man. Then there’s this thing called nostalgia. I’m going to be 58, and customers remember the day I was born because my father delivered to them. The problem is, when people die you have to hope you get your bottles back.
Describe a typical day.
My van holds 40 cases, and I drive from the Bronx to New Jersey to Brooklyn for my steady customers. Three days a week I go to fill up the bottles. In the whole city, there’s one siphon filling machine still working—in Canarsie. You start with tap water, put it through a triple filtration system, plus a charcoal filter. You have to chill the water to 38 degrees, then infuse the carbon dioxide.
Is there going to be a fourth generation of Backerman seltzer men?
All the old guys used to tell me the business won’t last five years. The route has no place in 2010. But it had no place in the eighties either, and here I am still going.
To sign up for seltzer delivery, e-mail mrbubbles105@cs.com or call 718-468-4047.
Posted by Barry Joseph, The Effervescent Jew (bjoseph) at 05:42 PM | Comments (0)
