This building, located just northwest of town at the intersection of Gulph Road and Guthrie Road, has been serving as a restaurant ever since it was built.  Brookmead farm was located on Walker Road in Tredyffrin Township, and served as quarters for General Pulaski during the Revolutionary War. Maplecroft Farm was located where the Court and Plaza at King of Prussia now stand.  The Wilson family ran Maplecroft Farm for many years, eventually selling thename to a company in Phoenixville. The building was also a dairy bar known as the Betsy Ross in the early 1960’s, and later incarnations included The Sting, The Baron’s Inn, and now Creed’s Seafood and Steaks.  The location of the building on Gulph Road, the main access to Valley Forge Park, made it a convenient stop for those coming or going.  It has barely survived the construction of both the Pennsylvania Turnpike and U.S. 422, not to mention the rerouting of County Line Road which is now Guthrie Road, again undergoing changes. (Brookmead historic image courtesy of Vincent Martino, Jr., Maplecroft historic image courtesy of Peter C. Brown)
Read more »

Suddenly a Care Giver I see them every week, sitting stone faced, staring blankly into space or quietly reading, waiting, and thinking.  And I am one of them.  We are part of that fifty-something generation of children tasked with caring for our parents, one or both, and I’ll bet not one of us has any idea how we suddenly became care givers and worse, this job didn’t come with instructions. This seems to be a universal theme with many baby boomers, and as I speak to them about it, I find that we have many things in common. My story began in 2000, when my father passed.  Ever so slowly my sister and I were sucked into taking care of our mother, and as the years passed the dependency grew insidiously until now we are counted on for just about everything, although my mother maintains that she is still in charge.  When I count up the hours we spend so my mother can live an independent (yea, right) lifestyle, I’m absolutely amazed.  Maybe it’s better that I don’t count the hours anymore. This “learn it as you go” job is an interesting one, and I am acquiring knowledge about...
Read more »

Creed’s Seafood and Steaks (499 North Gulph Road, K of P, PA) 610-265-2550 Visited 5-28-10 I’ve known Jim Creed since the early 1970’s, when he worked for the Montgomery County Convention and Tourist Bureau. I was there through the 1980’s when he began running the Baron’s Inne with his partner Victor Schmidt, and through the 1990’s when Victor passed.  Happily my frequent dining companion and I decided to visit the latest incarnation, Creed’s Seafood and Steaks. As is our custom, we arrived about a half hour early to enjoy a cocktail at the bar prior to being seated.  We do this for two reasons.  First, because we are thirsty, and second, because you can tell so much about a new restaurant by first sitting and observing from the bar.  You see how the staff interacts with not only their customers, but more importantly with each other.  In both cases, they get an “A” at Creed’s.  While we sipped our drinks (a split of Korbel’s champagne for my companion, and my signature Beefeater martini), we watched as the bartender pleasantly greeted each patron (many of whom were regulars), and made them feel welcome.  We also observed that the interaction between...
Read more »

Things I’m Learning as I Go I’m learning that there might just be a place for this website after all.  Last week the King of Prussia Courier failed to report on the grand opening of the King of Prussia Farmers Market, my headline story.  This is the most important and far reaching event that has impacted our little town in a good long time, and there was no coverage.  It just proves what I have suspected for quite some time-that our local newspaper no longer covers the local news.  Watch for more news of the day from me, as this site evolves.  The Norristown Timer Herald did a wonderful story about the Farmers Market on Sunday, May 23.  It will be interesting to see if there is anything about it in the Courier this week. I’m learning that people would like to see the address and telephone number for each restaurant I review.  I’m thinking that since this is an online piece, that I should just give a link to their website.  I’m still on the fence about this one, and more feedback would be helpful, but I’ll probably cave in and post the details. I’m learning that my...
Read more »

Another One Bites The Dust Blink, and you’ll have missed it.  It was our first shopping center, and it’s gone.  First some history: In 1954, a group of enterprising merchants created King of Prussia’s first strip shopping center in a building erected by Domenic Pasquale.  It consisted of Robert E. Lee Hardware, Morris Weisbaum’s drug store and soda fountain, Eddie Knasiak’s barber shop, Joseph’s Hair Styling, and William E. Wills Real Estate. There wasn’t a kid in town that didn’t get his haircuts at Eddie’s Barber Shop.  Eddie moved his business to the Village Mart in 1964, when Domenic Pasquale developed another retail property on Shoemaker Lane. Another merchant in the strip center was Morris Weisbaum.  Mr. Weisbaum’s drug store was the place to go for a great Breyers Ice Cream Sundae at the adjoining soda fountain, after a haircut at Eddie’s. Rounding out the crew of merchants from the first strip center in King of Prussia is Robert E. Lee.  His hardware store was the only one in town, and extremely complete.  It was mind boggling how Mr. Lee always had what you needed, and knew where everything was kept.  Robert E. Lee also moved his business to...
Read more »

I created this dish about a year ago after reading Julia Child’s recipe for Coq au Vin. Crock au Vin (4 Servings) INGREDIENTS: 1- TURKEY BREAST (the biggest you can find!) 3- STRIPS PREMIUM THICK BACON 1- ¼ TO ½ STICK OF BUTTER 3- TBSP. OLIVE OIL 2- PACKS ASST. SLICED MUSHROOMS (or approx. ¼ lb. mushrooms including Crimini, Oyster, Shitake) 3- MEDIUM SIZE ONIONS 4- SHALLOTS 2- CARROTS, PEELED 2-CELERY STALKS 1- HANDFUL OF CHOPPED PARSLEY 4- CLOVES OF GARLIC 1- ¼ TO ½ CUP OF DECENT RED WINE SALT & PEPER TO TASTE (I USE SPIKE SEASONING) This dish is prepared entirely in a crock-pot.  The trick to this dish is twofold.  First, slow cooking on low heat, and second, not too much moisture.  It is French-inspired, so if you change or eliminate an ingredient, it will dramatically alter the outcome. 1.  Turn the Crock Pot to high, and coat the interior with cooking spray (I use olive oil spray).  Add the olive oil and the butter and allow them to melt together. 2.  Coarsely chop the onions and shallots, and sweat them in the butter and olive oil. 3.  Remove the skin from the turkey and...
Read more »