# Buttered roll-- a New York thing? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 18, 2012, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttered-roll-a-new-york-thing/638137 "2012-10-18T16:34:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Normal\_Phase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Normal\_Phase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Normal_Phase)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttered-roll-a-new-york-thing/638137/101 "2012-10-21T16:58:47Z")
Buttered hard roll – just one of many things you can’t get done right (if at all) more than about 100 miles from New York City. Growing up about 75 miles away, with parents who were both born there and grew up in the New Jersey suburbs, I always took them for granted. Go any further away and even if they have something they call a hard roll, it’s not the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttered-roll-a-new-york-thing/638137/102 "2012-10-21T17:38:09Z")
> [@Who\_me\_1](#): > > From NE Pa., and I knew exactly what you meant. One of my pleasures when visiting family up there… because I’m usually the first one up… is to run to the grocery store and get a couple dozen hard rolls for breakfast. Providing you go to the correct store, there will be bins full of them for everyone wanting them as early as 7:00 AM. In Philly, [Amoroso’s Bakery](http://www.amorosobaking.com/products/bakery) in South Philly created- and still creates- the gold standard in kaiser rolls. Not to mention the sub rolls used for Philly Cheesesteaks. And, of course, Lee’s Hoagie House sammiches. Your average 7-11 or WaWa in Philly is using Amoroso’s if it has a shred of self-respect. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttered-roll-a-new-york-thing/638137/103 "2012-10-21T19:07:42Z")
I am very familiar with buttered rolls. I always figured it was a Jersey thing. But for breakfast I prefer the only Jersey staple, Pork Roll, egg and cheese on a roll. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2012, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttered-roll-a-new-york-thing/638137/104 "2012-10-21T20:10:57Z")
> [@](#): > > Now if you are talking about diets like Atkins and its ilk, or about the morning news telling you one morning how bad coffee is for you and next week telling you the benefits of a morning coffee, that’s a different story. The coffee usually comes from inconclusive studies, but they sound great on sound bites and get viewers attention. This is precisely what I’m talking about. The little popular science articles in newspapers or general interest magazines or the TV news, NOT the in depth studies that you will get from what I consider real science sources. The sort of “science” that leads restaurants to offer such things as a hamburger patty sandwiched between two grilled chicken breasts, or a chicken breast between two hamburger patties. In the meantime, I’m trying to get a beef patty, plain, with two non-starchy vegetables. Oh, and I don’t want the veggies battered and deep fried, either. Fortunately, a lot of places serve broccoli, which I like, and I can have two servings of it. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2012, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttered-roll-a-new-york-thing/638137/105 "2012-10-22T12:49:19Z")
Re: “regular coffee”, I would always take “regular” to be a specification of size and nothing else. In the old days, you’d get small, regular or large. Nowadays, regular seems to be the smallest size, so you have regular, large, and venti/bucket/whatever. But you still have to specify what tyupe of coffee you want. E.g., a regular white coffee, no sugar; or a large black coffee with two sugars. ---
**Author:** ![Lust4Life](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecc23a/32.png) [@Lust4Life](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lust4Life)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2012, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttered-roll-a-new-york-thing/638137/106 "2012-10-22T13:35:13Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > You eat buttered rolls for breakfast? Never heard of it. Ontarian. > Next you’ll be telling me you had buttered scones for tea. LOOK ,I ASKED JUST ONCE, for a buttered roll. I was young, I was confused, I didn’t know what direction I was going in. One night, after running away from home, I was scared, I WAS SCARED ! OK I asked for a roll, and then getting more confident I asked for a BUTTERED roll. OK I know that I was wrong, but I wanted to experiment. Now don’t throw that back in my face DAMN YOU ! ---
**Author:** ![robardin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/43a26b/32.png) [@robardin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robardin)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2012, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttered-roll-a-new-york-thing/638137/107 "2012-10-22T13:39:20Z")
> [@Colophon](#): > > Re: “regular coffee”, I would always take “regular” to be a specification of size and nothing else. In the old days, you’d get small, regular or large. Nowadays, regular seems to be the smallest size, so you have regular, large, and venti/bucket/whatever. But you still have to specify what tyupe of coffee you want. E.g., a regular white coffee, no sugar; or a large black coffee with two sugars. The tradition of shorthand (shortspeak?) ordering of coffee in the NYC area is to use a descriptor like “regular” for “milk, 2 sugars” in conjunction with the size of the cup given as small, _medium_ or large (typically 8, 12 and 16 oz. cups). You’d say “Buttered roll, medium coffee, regular” or something like that. Or the way I’d order it, “Large coffee, skim with one Splenda”. If you said “One regular coffee, please” the return question might be, “what size?” The whole “tall, grande, venti” crapola at Starbucks still irritates a lot of people. (Why yes, I’m one of them.) It’s also made the ordering of coffee and whatnot a lot less uniform so all of this is, at least in part, talking about a bygone era. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2012, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttered-roll-a-new-york-thing/638137/108 "2012-10-22T16:03:45Z")
Maybe I’m lucky, but I’ve never been in a Starbucks that hasn’t recognized small/medium/large when ordering. Only once or twice have I ordered “large coffee” and had the counter person come back and ask “what type?” Dammit, just give me coffee! Other than that, 100% agree with **robardin** , including how he orders his coffee (or she/her, as the case may be). ---
**Author:** ![Brad\_the\_Impaler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8dc957/32.png) [@Brad\_the\_Impaler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brad_the_Impaler)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2012, 5:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttered-roll-a-new-york-thing/638137/109 "2012-10-22T17:06:31Z")
I grew up in Connecticut, and we called it a “hard roll with butter”, but we got them most weekends, and sometimes for a treat before school. I never realized it was a regional thing. I have noticed they aren’t as common as they used to be. ---
**Author:** ![Mike8615](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/59ef9b/32.png) [@Mike8615](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike8615)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2013, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttered-roll-a-new-york-thing/638137/110 "2013-03-09T13:58:36Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > A co-worker of mine is from California and, until today, she did not know what a buttered roll was. Not a dinner roll with butter on it but a big, soft in the inside, chewy on the outside roll. Usually eaten in the morning with a cup of coffee. Regular\*. Another co-worker confirmed that when she was in Georgia she asked for a buttered roll and they looked at her as if she told them she was sticking them up. > > So now the question. Do you know what I’m talking about? Where are you from? > > \*a regular coffee has milk and sugar in it. This, I’ve learned, is a New York thing. I’m still not convinced a buttered roll is, though. Like my co-worker said to the guy in Georgia, “A roll with fucking butter on it!” I knew that “buttered rolls” was a regional thing, because all the rest of the country eats is donuts. Also, try to get coffee with milk outside of the Tri-state area…you can’t. It’s cream. Nasty. I did not realize that a “regular” coffee was a ny thing. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2013, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttered-roll-a-new-york-thing/638137/111 "2013-03-09T17:03:09Z")
> [@Lynn\_Bodoni](#): > > I was quite puzzled by their references to dungarees and cardigans, when they clearly meant blue jeans and sweaters. One of the reasons they refer to blue jeans as ‘dungarees’ is the predominance of Navy and merchant shipping ports here, dungaree was the original term for sailor’s pants. If you walk up to any US merchant marine, coast guard or navy veteran and say dungaree they will immediately think of their old working uniform. > [@](#): > > Dungarees Dungarees were the working uniform worn from 1913 through the 1990s. Unlike the utility uniform, dungarees were not allowed to be worn outside of military installations. Service members were allowed to wear the uniform to and from the installation in a vehicle, but were not authorized to make any stops between while in the dungarees. > Dungarees consisted of a short or long-sleeve blue [chambray](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambric) shirt, white t-shirt, and boot-cut denim jeans (the jeans in question had heptagonal “patch” pockets sewn on the front of the pant-legs rather than the traditional “slash” pockets often seen on civilian-worn jeans). Head gear was the white “[dixie cup](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sailor_cap)” cover for men and an early form of the black garrison cap or a black beret for women. During cold weather a black watch cap was allowed. The command [ball cap](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ball_cap) was optional. Names were hand-stenciled and the rating badge was “iron on.” Only petty officers wore a rating badge on this uniform, on the left arm. The sailor’s last name was affixed in white on the pants just above the back pocket on the right side. The name was also affixed in black on the shirt just above the right breast pocket. An iron-on surface warfare or submarine warfare insignia iron-on was authorized to be placed over the left breast pocket. > Low black leather boots called “boondockers” were worn with the dungaree uniform. Flight deck personnel were issued a type of taller cap-toe boot similar in design to paratrooper [jump boots](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jump_boots) known colloquially as “wing walkers”. These types of boots had zig-zag patterned out-soles to avoid gathering _FOD_ (Foreign Object Debris) between the ridges that could litter the flight deck and cause potential damage to aircraft. “[Dealer/Chelsea](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chelsea_boot)” style ankle boots (known colloquially as _Lox boots_) with elastic-sides were issued to personnel working with [Liquid oxygen](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liquid_oxygen) for easier removal in case the boots would freeze upon contact. mrAru probably has 40 or 50 pair of dungaree ‘jeans’ knocking around the farm, he bought a [triwall](http://www.tri-wall.co.th/images/column_1281491935/unipak.gif) of them at a [DRMO auctio](http://www.dispositionservices.dla.mil/)n once to have seomthing to wear around the farm that was durable and cheap. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2013, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttered-roll-a-new-york-thing/638137/112 "2013-03-09T17:38:57Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > Maybe the rest of the country doesn’t eat kaiser rolls with butter on it. I think **robardin** hits it here. > [@robardin](#): > > These are typically coffee cart items only, I don’t think I’ve seen anyone order a buttered roll at a diner or something. That’s probably a part of this story - it’s an on-the-go food sold to pedestrians from non-permanent, outdoor points of sale. In other words, it could only really exist in a dense urban area where storefront real estate is expensive. Big cities need street food that is fast and portable; people who accustom themselves to such foods think of them as a standard, even preferable way to eat. People who don’t live in big cities have more time and space to eat; the terms of street food are just constraints: \*a buttered roll for breakfast? That’s all? \* ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2013, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttered-roll-a-new-york-thing/638137/113 "2013-03-09T17:56:58Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > You can walk in to any 7-11 in the morning and they’ll be pre-made on the counter wrapped in plastic wrap right next to the pre-cut and buttered bagels. Why would anyone put butter on a bagel? If I can’t get cream cheese, I’d just as soon have it dry. ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2013, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttered-roll-a-new-york-thing/638137/114 "2013-03-09T18:08:56Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > I think **robardin** hits it here. > > Big cities need street food that is fast and portable; people who accustom themselves to such foods think of them as a standard, even preferable way to eat. People who don’t live in big cities have more time and space to eat; the terms of street food are just constraints: \*a buttered roll for breakfast? That’s all? \* I disagree with \*\*robardin \*\*in only one respect - buttered rolls are not coffee cart only items. They are also available at delis/bodegas/corner stores (or whatever you call the place that sells non-prepackaged cold cuts, freshly-made sandwiches, coffee, lottery tickets,cigarettes and a small selection of groceries and household products). They’re almost like convenience stores, but not quite. ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2013, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttered-roll-a-new-york-thing/638137/115 "2013-03-09T20:17:23Z")
Eastern Connecticut - I can get one at the local 7-11. I have occasionally had one as breakfast which is so totally not good for me, it is like 2 days worth of carbs on one fairly bland package. And I have been known to bring back a couple bags of [weck](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beef_on_weck_sandwich) when visiting my mom in western NY. I can and have made my own weck, but it is easier just to hit the Geneseeo Wegmans on the way out of town and pick them up, because I can also pick up some horseradish and sliced roast beef 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2013, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttered-roll-a-new-york-thing/638137/116 "2013-03-09T22:37:59Z")
> [@Peremensoe](#): > > I think **robardin** hits it here. > > Big cities need street food that is fast and portable; people who accustom themselves to such foods think of them as a standard, even preferable way to eat. People who don’t live in big cities have more time and space to eat; the terms of street food are just constraints: \*a buttered roll for breakfast? That’s all? \* A buttered hard roll AND _coffee._ The coffee is an important part of a well balanced NY breakfast on the go. ---
**Author:** ![Anonymous\_Coward](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/94ad74/32.png) [@Anonymous\_Coward](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anonymous_Coward)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2013, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttered-roll-a-new-york-thing/638137/117 "2013-03-09T22:42:33Z")
> [@Biggirl](#): > > A buttered hard roll AND _coffee._ The coffee is an important part of a well balanced NY breakfast on the go. ‘regular’ coffee is also a thing here in Atlantic Canada. It’s usage is not as common as a ‘double-double’ but it’s definitely used here. ---
**Author:** ![Jersey\_Warren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@Jersey\_Warren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jersey_Warren)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttered-roll-a-new-york-thing/638137/118 "2017-04-07T20:19:53Z")
First of all, I would never order a buttered hard roll “to go” because it is too sloppy to eat anywhere except at home if you eat it properly. The only way to appreciate all the flavor is to dunk it in your coffee. A true hard roll is only found within 100 miles of New York City. It resembles what is called a Kaiser roll in most of the country or a bulkie roll in New England, but it is firmer, has a slightly crisp crust, and a mildly sourdough taste. My favorite variety usually has poppy seeds on top, as well. Most Mom & Pop stores in Bergen County, New Jersey, where I grew up sell hard rolls every weekend morning. You buy a half dozen or however many you want. To butter the hard roll, you first slice it horizontally, then butter both the top and bottom halves, then stick the halves back together. You then cut the roll vertically, producing two half-moon shaped butter sandwiches. These are the perfect size to dunk in your cup of coffee. The roll soaks up the coffee like a sponge. When you bite into it, you get this indescribable amalgam of the roll, the butter, the poppy seeds, and the coffee, all together. Since this tends to drip coffee, it is pretty messy to eat, which is why I always ate them only at home. They are the perfect compliment to a breakfast that also includes crumb cake. Growing up, I thought everyone ate buttered hard rolls, but then I moved to Massachusetts, and then to California, and then to Texas, Wisconsin, and Florida. It is only a New York-New Jersey thing. ---
**Author:** ![Jersey\_Warren](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@Jersey\_Warren](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jersey_Warren)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2017, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttered-roll-a-new-york-thing/638137/119 "2017-04-07T20:23:50Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Why would anyone put butter on a bagel? > > If I can’t get cream cheese, I’d just as soon have it dry. Q. Why would anyone put butter on a bagel? A. When I lived in Florida, I couldn’t get hard rolls, but they did have very good bagels called Ray’s New York bagels, in Publix supermarkets. So I treated them like hard rolls, buttered them, and dunked THEM in my coffee! ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2017, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttered-roll-a-new-york-thing/638137/120 "2017-04-08T01:09:26Z")
I hope you realize this conversation ended over 4 years ago. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttered-roll-a-new-york-thing/638137.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buttered-roll-a-new-york-thing/638137.md?page=7)