Baked Alaska
You probably know the name, but do you recognize this Manhattan-made dessert? Baked Alaska started at Delmonico’s in 1876. The name honored the $7.2 million purchase of Alaska a few years prior—maybe taking inspiration from the climate of the new territory.
Corning Glass Works
It started out in Williamsburg as the Brooklyn Flint Glass Works before moving to 73 Hudson St. in Lower Manhattan. In 1868, Corning Glass Works moved upstate to Corning, NY, and changed names again. Until recently it made Pyrex, a fixture of kitchens around the world. The company is still going strong today, as a major supplier of smart phone glass.
The Reuben
The origin story of this classic sandwich is somewhat contested, but we’ll run with a highly plausible rendition: Arnold Reuben (1883-1970) of Rueben’s Restaurant (1908-2001) created it in 1914 in a late-night improvisation. The first customer was a Charlie Chaplin leading lady, Annette Seelos, who could have gone down in history with her name on menus everywhere. But Arnold Reuben thought better of it, and the rest is sandwich history.
Source: “Made in NYC,” City Guide, March 20, 2024
Contributed by Bobbie Roggemann