Sometimes the stars align. With my 60th column for the Hamiltonian, I get to honour the Diamond Anniversary of (another) Hamilton Institution: Denninger’s Foods of the World. (A recent column congratulated Tim Hortons on the fifty golden years since their first store opened in Hamilton. So we move from gold to diamonds!)
Not just that, but I get to reflect on my own roots in what is close to the 60th year of operation of the Parade Delicatessen in London, England. My parents, immigrants from post-war Poland, built that business, and I worked there most Saturdays and holidays as a lad. My parents are gone, and I’ve moved on: the Parade, a local landmark, continues to prosper.
The parallels (see even the cover picture for this column) are striking: they may explain why I get such a deep sense of satisfaction, and yes, sense of place, when I walk into a Denninger’s store. The sights and smells pull me back in time; familiar aromas of cured and smoked meats and fresh baked goods, the taste of generous
