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For some of us old locals, the crossroads service station diner known as 401 Lunch, once located at the corner of Pinebush Road and Eagle Street, was the start or end of the commuting day.
It became a popular stop in the '60s after the new Hespeler Road cloverleaf was completed for Highway 401. It was the last pit stop for food and fuel before heading onto the freeway.
As the truckers would say "this is a great place to put on the feed bag."
The 401 Lunch was operated by well-known couple Josef and Flora "Flory" Freund.
Flory was the chef and Joe also drove the delivery van for Fishers Bread between Galt and Guelph, delivering fresh bread to many families and businesses on his route.
Flory was a good cook and did some mighty fine scratch baking. Her great fruit pies, muffins, cookies and tarts were hard to pass up.
Flory cooked a great comfort food style menu at 401 Lunch with all our favourites. Her daily blue plate features didn't change.
On Monday you'd get Hot Hamburger. On Tuesday it was Chili and Toast. On Wednesday, the blue plate special was Hot Turkey. On Thursday, Roast Beef. On Friday, Fish and Chips. Saturday, Ham with Scalloped Potatoes.
All meals were hand crafted and served fast and hot, sided with delicious mashed, roasted or french fried potatoes and seasonal vegetables.
Every day she made these most excellent soups. I really enjoyed a bowl of the split pea and ham bone.
I always saved room for a slice of her pie ala mode or fresh baked butter tart.
You could get a wax paper wrapped fresh sandwich for take out to enjoy later on your journey.
Toasted Denvers, grilled cheese, three-decker clubhouse, roast turkey, roast ham and cheese, egg salad or her famous roast beef with horseradish mayonnaise, all of it served on or with Fisher Bread, of course.
Some of us remember singing; "Fisher Bread tastes like lead, Once you've eaten it you'll feel fed!" and several other versions, with a laugh.
As Hespeler Road became "the golden mile," a new PetroCan gas station took over the corner spot and Joe and Flory moved to Galt's Whistle Stop Cafe at Beverly and Samuelson, keeping us all well fed till they retired.
Maybe you are one of lucky citizens who were their customers and remember all the great food and camaraderie.
Here is a recipe like Flo would use to make her chili con carne.
401 Chili
This recipe tastes mighty fine if you only have minimal time one day to cook an easy entree. So why not make a simple meal that hits all the right flavour buds!
You will need the following for this recipe:
2 lb of ground beef chuck
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tbs. of fresh ground chili powder.
1 tbs. paprika
1 tbs. garlic powder
1 tbs. onion powder
1 16 oz can of red kidney beans.
1 16 oz can of stewed tomatoes
6 oz of beer
1 large cooking onion diced into bite size pieces
1 large green bell pepper diced
2 celery stalks diced
3 cloves of minced garlic
1 bay leaf
1 tsp of kosher salt
1 tsp of ground black pepper
1 healthy pinch of hot chili flakes to taste
1 dash of tobasco sauce
1 dash of worchestershire sauce
In a large thick-bottom stainless pot on medium heat, add the olive oil.
Add the ground meat and sauté stirring till the juices start to appear.
Add the bay leaf, chili, garlic onion and paprika powder along with salt and pepper and continue to stir.
Add the diced onion, peppers and celery. Give it a dash of Tobasco and Worchestershire sauce and mix till all is blended well.
Add the stewed tomatoes and the kidney beans along with the beer.
Continue to mix the ingredients till they are simmering and then reduce heat to low.
Cover and continue to cook for about one and a half hours, stirring periodically and making sure not to stick and burn. Serve
topped with some chopped green onion, grated cheese and sided with some bread or toast.
Chef Wayne Conrad Serbu writes monthly for CambridgeToday. The former executive chef also shares recipes and memories from his more than five decades in the hospitality industry on his blog, the kitchenman.
