“WondeRoast, Revisited”

c. 2018 Rod Ice

All rights reserved

(8-18)

Rotisserie chicken.

I have had several versions of this delectable fowl, many of which came from food stores where I was a member of management during my retail career. But only one variety remains paramount in memory, still juicy and delectable enough to cause hunger pangs while composing this column.

WondeRoast!

My personal experience with this product came from a tall, self-serve case at the old Convenient Food Mart on Cheery Street, In Chardon, Ohio. A reality during the middle 1980’s. At the top of this rack was a genuine rotisserie oven, where the chickens could be seen cooking on their metal spits. At the bottom was a warmer, where cooked cluckers were bagged in foil and ready to be purchased.

My own store, across town, offered nothing so tasty. So I often stopped by on my way home for beer, soda, and a pair of spicy birds to feed the family. It was a ritual carried out for several years, until the business itself disappeared.

I wrote about the elusive bird in a newspaper column for our local Geauga County Maple Leaf, from April of 2013. Though an Internet search indicated that it was available at a store in nearby Lake County, a trip to investigate yielded no quarry. I felt like a hunting dog with a sinus condition. Somehow, I had lost the scent of this cooked critter.

I barely remembered having written the article, some five years ago, when an e-mail message arrived, this week:

“Please let me know if you’re still looking for information on WondeRoast. Thank you.” - Todd Larson

I was intrigued. The note appeared on my iPhone app, as I was having coffee in the wee hours of morning. With radio iconoclast Phil Hendrie voicing characters in the background, I read the text over and over again.

My reply went out immediately:

“Todd, thanks for your message. I am a writer and former newspaper editor in addition to be(ing) a retired supermarket manager… WondeRoast chickens were more zesty and flavorful than any of the rotisserie birds sold at the stores I managed during my career… I wondered what happened… I have not seen them in northeastern Ohio for years.”

He sent a chart of northern vendors in the state and invited me to choose which locations might be of interest. I was thrilled to see that many stores across northern Ohio seemed to include WondeRoast with their daily offerings. I noted two spots within reasonable driving distance from my home. Both were in Lake County. I passed along my preferences with a screen capture from his map, and he responded with details about each location:

“These are the closest I can find - Surfside Convenient Food Mart, 36201 Lake Shore Boulevard Eastlake, OH 44095 (440-951-9295) and Reider’s Fresh Foods Market, 7596 Fredle Drive Painesville (Concord) OH, 44077 (440-579-1400).”

My pulse began to quicken.

I answered immediately:

“Todd, I really appreciate your help. I believe the Reider’s store is closed. I will check on the Eastlake C-store. (You have) a great product. Your mix of spices made the birds red and ready for dinner! A wonderful memory opening those foil bags. Thanks again.”

A quick check of the News-Herald website confirmed what I remembered, that Reider’s had closed on October 15, 2017. Though they apparently handled WondeRoast at one time, out of their prepared foods section, I never found any on hand.

I reread the newspaper column from five years ago, with a persistent ‘jones’ for that spicy fowl revived in my belly. More online investigating revealed that the Surfside store had just gone through a change in ownership. I pondered while at the computer.

Would I ever taste a WondeRoast chicken again?

I clicked through related links, while my mouth began to water. A site called ‘The Midnight Baker’ offered yet another recipe for a dry rub mix that promised to deliver the flavor I wanted:

Rotisserie Chicken Seasoning:

Ingredients

2 tbs. Kosher salt

2 tbs. High-quality smoked paprika

3 tsp. Onion powder

1 ½ tsp. Garlic powder

3 tsp. Thyme

1 ½ tsp. Black pepper

3 tsp. White pepper

1 ½ tsp. Cayenne pepper

1 tsp. Crushed dry rosemary or crushed dried tarragon

(optional)

Directions

Mix all ingredients and store in a tightly-sealed jar, not stored in direct light

Notes

If you want a lower sodium mix, replace half or all the salt with and equal amount of lemon zest

This unexpected encounter by e-mail seemed sure to generate yet another writing project. Something always celebrated in the Icehouse home office. And in the virtual pages of the Geauga Independent. But even more satisfying was the lure of a genuine WondeRoast chicken that might be warmed and waiting nearby. Nestled in red, white and silver foil. Waiting to burst out with a taste sensation not had on my table in many years.

Hope had taken flight once again… on a wing and a prayer.

Comments about ‘Words On The Loose’ may be sent to: icewritesforyou@gmail.com

Write us at: P. O. Box 365 Chardon, OH 44024