# Another example of a New Yorker thinking they are the center of the Universe **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 25, 2016, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-example-of-a-new-yorker-thinking-they-are-the-center-of-the-universe/758361 "2016-06-25T22:37:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2016, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-example-of-a-new-yorker-thinking-they-are-the-center-of-the-universe/758361/61 "2016-06-26T23:45:08Z")
Oh, and I have lived in NYC for my entire life. I was born in 1963 and graduated HS in 1981, a year before Planet Rock was released. But people’s musical tastes seem to been more distinct back then- the disco/rock divide was like the Yankee/Met divide. Most people listened to one or the other and not many people listened to both. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 26, 2016, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-example-of-a-new-yorker-thinking-they-are-the-center-of-the-universe/758361/62 "2016-06-26T23:46:18Z")
In a world where pizza takes so many forms there has to be some designation for the most common form. I don’t find ‘cheese pizza’ to be redundant in the way ‘ATM machine’ is. ‘ATM’ starts out redundant without adding ‘machine’, and it doesn’t haven’t non-automatic or non-machine form. Pizzas don’t all have cheese, it’s rare in my experience outside of Rhode Island but here we have something called a ‘Party Pizza’ which is just sauce on crust. Pizzas get defined by their variance from a ‘cheese’ pizza, with either more or less ingredients. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2016, 12:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-example-of-a-new-yorker-thinking-they-are-the-center-of-the-universe/758361/63 "2016-06-27T00:40:15Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Yes. That is exactly what I’m saying. Well out here in flyover country, we don’t have any trouble understanding “cheese pizza”. Anywhere out here in the wasteland, you ask for a cheese pizza, yoiu get what you wanted, no problems. ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2016, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-example-of-a-new-yorker-thinking-they-are-the-center-of-the-universe/758361/64 "2016-06-27T00:43:50Z")
“Biggirls Pizza - We give you just what you asked for. Don’t ask us about no stinkin’ boxes. Is it on the menu? No. We don’t have no stinkin’ boxes, OK?” ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2016, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-example-of-a-new-yorker-thinking-they-are-the-center-of-the-universe/758361/65 "2016-06-27T00:54:54Z")
New Haven, Connecticut, food terms are almost as weird as Rhode Island’s. Almost. A long sandwich is a “grinder,” whether it’s hot or cold. And I remember a place on Wooster Street, halfway between Sally’s Apizza and Pepe’s, with a sign that just read “Tomato Pies.” I assume you had to ask for cheese. “Southern New England” usually means Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts…as opposed to Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. But I concede that Boston food is called lots of different things than the same in New Haven. A Boston “frappe” is a New Haven “milkshake” is a Narragansett “cabinet.” I try to indulge in a coffee cabinet any time I’m in Rhode Island, as a tribute to the state’s love for coffee syrup. ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2016, 12:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-example-of-a-new-yorker-thinking-they-are-the-center-of-the-universe/758361/66 "2016-06-27T00:57:26Z")
And a New Haven ice cream parlor/luncheonette is a “Spa.” ---
**Author:** ![Ukulele\_Ike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/df788c/32.png) [@Ukulele\_Ike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ukulele_Ike)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2016, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-example-of-a-new-yorker-thinking-they-are-the-center-of-the-universe/758361/67 "2016-06-27T01:10:19Z")
> [@doreen](#): > > But people’s musical tastes seem to been more distinct back then- the disco/rock divide was like the Yankee/Met divide. Most people listened to one or the other and not many people listened to both. Yeah, this. Entered college, New Haven, in 1978, and folks either 1) disco-danced; 2) did punk/new wave with Sex Pistols, Talking Heads, Brian Eno; or 3) “old-schooled” it with the Grateful Dead, the Band, Little Feat, Allman Bros., etc. NO crossover, and spirited arguments about why what YOU liked was utter horseshit. ---
**Author:** ![WreckingCrew](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wreckingcrew/32/4080_2.png) [@WreckingCrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WreckingCrew)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2016, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-example-of-a-new-yorker-thinking-they-are-the-center-of-the-universe/758361/68 "2016-06-27T02:24:41Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Pizzas don’t all have cheese, it’s rare in my experience outside of Rhode Island but here we have something called a ‘Party Pizza’ which is just sauce on crust. Pizzas get defined by their variance from a ‘cheese’ pizza, with either more or less ingredients. With three kids in the house, I encounter party pizza more than I want to. Usually at parties at least, but you can still find it in its purest shrink-wrapped form on many a convenience store counter. Don’t bother removing the shrink wrap, that is where the nutrients are. You can also find spas in Rhode Island - and many of them used to sell Bromo seltzer along with coffee milk and cabinets. ---
**Author:** ![actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e79b87/32.png) [@actualliberalnotoneofthose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/actualliberalnotoneofthose)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2016, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-example-of-a-new-yorker-thinking-they-are-the-center-of-the-universe/758361/69 "2016-06-27T06:05:58Z")
I am familiar with the song, but that’s my sort of music. I still don’t get the roll thing- especially since New York is supposed to be the only place to get real bagels, right? I guess I’ve picked up the roll might be the default breakfast sandwich bread, too? (breakfast for me has to contain eggs and or meat in some form, not just bread…so the only acceptable use of bread has to be for a sandwich. Or maybe French toast). This does explain one thing I remember from when I was working in a restaurant, though. The Chef went away to culinary school in NY and then got a job there for awhile, before coming back. When he came back he started having his scrapple sandwiches on Kaiser rolls. Subs, grinders, hoagies, whatever… pretty much all the names were used and understood where I grew up (Maryland). I will never forget the time I tried to order a cheesesteak sub in CA, though. We also mostly had “NY style” pizza. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2016, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-example-of-a-new-yorker-thinking-they-are-the-center-of-the-universe/758361/70 "2016-06-27T15:08:02Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > I’m pretty sure I’ve seen people putting butter on dinner rolls outside New York. What are dinner rolls? You mean the warm, soft bun you get with your soup? Yes we absolutely put butter on ours. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2016, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-example-of-a-new-yorker-thinking-they-are-the-center-of-the-universe/758361/71 "2016-06-27T15:45:51Z")
Inspired to curiosity by this thread, when I was at the supermarket yesterday, I picked up a Kaiser roll and some butter. This morning I had it for breakfast. It felt like eating a sandwich whose filling had fallen out. I can’t imagine choosing this over toast, English muffins, bagels, bran muffins, croissants, or absolutely any other kind of breakfast bread or pastry. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2016, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-example-of-a-new-yorker-thinking-they-are-the-center-of-the-universe/758361/72 "2016-06-27T15:59:59Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Inspired to curiosity by this thread, when I was at the supermarket yesterday, I picked up a Kaiser roll and some butter. This morning I had it for breakfast. > > It felt like eating a sandwich whose filling had fallen out. I can’t imagine choosing this over toast, English muffins, bagels, bran muffins, croissants, or absolutely any other kind of breakfast bread or pastry. I believe the utter blandness of the dish is it’s purpose. N’Yawkuhs are too busy to stop and appreciate the flavor of a quick breakfast. If they have time on their hands they’ll eat the best bagels in the universe for breakfast. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2016, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-example-of-a-new-yorker-thinking-they-are-the-center-of-the-universe/758361/73 "2016-06-27T17:16:35Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > A buttered roll is also a New Jersey thing but not as New Jersey as pork roll. Also a hard roll isn’t particularly hard and is what people elsewhere would call a Kaiser roll. Kaiser is not really good New Yorkese since WW1. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2016, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-example-of-a-new-yorker-thinking-they-are-the-center-of-the-universe/758361/74 "2016-06-27T17:37:40Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > Inspired to curiosity by this thread, when I was at the supermarket yesterday, I picked up a Kaiser roll and some butter. This morning I had it for breakfast. > > It felt like eating a sandwich whose filling had fallen out. I can’t imagine choosing this over toast, English muffins, bagels, bran muffins, croissants, or absolutely any other kind of breakfast bread or pastry. What’s sold as a Kaiser roll elsewhere in the country may not be the same as a good New York hard roll. In texture, it’s actually very similar to a baguette, or what’s called in New York “Italian bread.” Unless you’ve had a good one in New York you probably don’t have a good basis for comparison. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2016, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-example-of-a-new-yorker-thinking-they-are-the-center-of-the-universe/758361/75 "2016-06-27T17:44:51Z")
How does a New York hard roll compare in consistency to a French \*baguette \*or \*pistolet \*(basically, a “round _baguette_”)? “Fatter” baguettes are known as “French bread” in New Orleans. French bread should have a “hard”, crispy crust … the inside can range from almost as crispy as the crust to positively pillowy. What’s known as “pistolettes” (note spelling) locally are basically mini-French breads, typically 5 to 8 inches long. Anyway … looking at the picture of the NY buttered hard roll made me think of people slathering butter on a cut piece of French bread or else a pistolette. While those are not popular breakfast choices, people around here do eat bread and butter for a snack with some frequency. Most places will have culinary equivalents for most kinds of foods (especially staples like bread + butter), but those foods will occupy different cultural niches. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2016, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-example-of-a-new-yorker-thinking-they-are-the-center-of-the-universe/758361/76 "2016-06-27T17:53:14Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Also a hard roll isn’t particularly hard and is what people elsewhere would call a Kaiser roll. Some folks call it a sling roll. I call it a Kaiser roll. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2016, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-example-of-a-new-yorker-thinking-they-are-the-center-of-the-universe/758361/77 "2016-06-27T17:53:57Z")
I’ve had one in New York. The bread is not wonderful. The butter is worse. It’s definitely a “cultural niche” to consider the, erm, dish _good,_ as opposed to just I-don’t-care cheap, fast, and dull. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2016, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-example-of-a-new-yorker-thinking-they-are-the-center-of-the-universe/758361/78 "2016-06-27T18:14:33Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > I’ve had one in New York. The bread is not wonderful. The butter is worse. It’s definitely a “cultural niche” to consider the, erm, dish _good,_ as opposed to just I-don’t-care cheap, fast, and dull. French bread and butter can be very satisfying … even in it’s “plainness”. Fancy-poo butter is certainly not required – the store brand is A-OK. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2016, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-example-of-a-new-yorker-thinking-they-are-the-center-of-the-universe/758361/79 "2016-06-27T18:18:30Z")
> [@bordelond](#): > > French bread and butter can be very satisfying … even in it’s “plainness”. I agree. A great bread is satisfying all on its own. > [@bordelond](#): > > Fancy-poo butter is certainly not required – the store brand is A-OK. Depends on the store, I suppose. Are you in the US? ---
**Author:** ![drad\_dog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@drad\_dog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drad_dog)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2016, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-example-of-a-new-yorker-thinking-they-are-the-center-of-the-universe/758361/80 "2016-06-27T20:11:45Z")
Try this: Get your favorite bread (I like Trader Joes italian pane loaf. You can put it in the fridge for a month and make great toast out of it) and toast slices. Put lots of butter on it after a little cooling to prevent total melting. Then put Allfruit or some no-sugar jam on it to taste. To me it’s better than a lot of desserts or pastries. Butter is not plain. It’s a rich delicious food IMO. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-example-of-a-new-yorker-thinking-they-are-the-center-of-the-universe/758361.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/another-example-of-a-new-yorker-thinking-they-are-the-center-of-the-universe/758361.md?page=5)