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Every month or two, I dedicate a column to answer a few reader inquiries. This week I’ll explore the history of pizza in Hawaii, Lucky Luck’s tavern, the 1949 Merci Train, Henry Berger and automats.
Pizza is paradise
Salome Shin Sato wrote, “Hawaii expats living here in Medford, Ore., were having a discussion about the origin of the ‘Hawaiian pizza’ with pineapple. Who invented it?
“Also, wasn’t the first pizza oven in Kress or Woolworth’s in the early 1950s?”
Here’s what I have found about the history of pizza in Hawaii.
The word “pizza” can be traced as far back as A.D. 997 and the Byzantine Empire. It probably comes from “pita,” the round flat bread, but alternatives include “petites” — “bran bread” — or “pizzo” — “mouthful.”
In the 1930s, articles in Hawaii newspapers began describing it as an interesting and tasty dish that was gaining popularity on the mainland.
It didn’t show up on the menu of local restaurants until 1946, when Fred Rocco, who had trained at Caruso’s in Brooklyn, N.Y., served pizza at his Honolulu restaurants: Filoni’s (736 S. Beretania St.), Rocco’s Farm House (McCully Street and Kalakaua Avenue), Rocco’s Drive Inn (Ena Road) and Little Joe’s Spaghetti House (1067 Alakea St.).
Woolworth’s, on Hotel and Fort streets, offered “Italian pizza pie” in an advertisement several years later, in 1955. A 12-inch pie was 79 cents.
“Hawaiian Pizza” first appeared in U.S. newspapers in 1958 as a dessert. It combined a can of crushed pineapple, slivered almonds, brown sugar, whipped cream and vanilla on pizza dough.
Many sources say that Sam Panopoulos, a Greek-born Canadian, created the first Hawaiian pizza in 1962 at the Satellite Restaurant in Ontario. He was inspired by Chinese dishes, which often paired sweet and savory elements. His version had pineapple, ham or bacon.
Panopoulos said the name “Hawaiian Pizza” came from the Hawaiian brand of canned pineapple he first used.
Author John Green summed up its cosmopolitan roots this way: Hawaiian Pizza was invented by a Greek immigrant to Canada who took inspiration from Chinese cuisine and put a South American fruit on an Italian dish.
However, another source many of us enjoyed and relied on dates to the Pineapple Pizza two years earlier, 1962. I’m referring to that great compendium of American culture, “The Adventures of Rocky and Bullwinkle” TV show.
In a 1960 episode the duo visited an island that displayed a sign that offered “Pineapple Pizza” as well as “poi burgers.”
So, did Hawaiian Pizza originate in Canada or cartoons? You decide.
Lucky Luck
George Butterfield asked about Lucky Luck, who was a deejay at a few radio stations and had his own TV show in the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s.
“Didn’t he once own a tavern in Hawaii Kai at the Kalanianaole Highway and Lunalilo Home Road intersection? I think it was called Okole Maluna.”
Yes, he did, but for a very short time. I believe it was officially named Lucky’s Koko Head Tavern, but I found a few references to Okole Maluna (“bottoms up”).
It sat on 1 acre at 7504 Kalanianaole Highway. Robert “Lucky” and Ruth Luck signed the lease in 1954.
Unfortunately, they were cited for several Liquor Commission irregularities and closed in September 1957. It looks like he wasn’t good at filling out government forms. They put it up for sale but were unable to find a buyer to take over.
In 1961, Kaiser set up a temporary headquarters there while it developed Hawaii Kai. Today it’s the Koko Marina Shopping Center.
1949 Merci Train
Kathy Ebey said “merci” means “thank you” in French. “I am reaching out to you in hopes your readers will help me locate at least one 1949 Merci Train gift that was given to Hawaii.”
She provided some background information. In 1947, newspaper columnist Drew Pearson started a movement to raise money and supplies to help the people of France recover from World War II.
“Food, money and supplies, valued at an estimated $500 million in today’s dollars, were collected from all 48 states, the District of Columbia and the territory of Hawaii, which sent two train boxcars of island sugar valued at $150,000.
“In 1949 the people of France reciprocated by sending 49 Merci boxcars to the United States. There was one car for each of the 48 states and a 49th car which was to be shared by the District of Columbia and the territory of Hawaii.
“These cars, known as ‘The Merci Train,’ arrived in New York Harbor in February 1949.
“The cars contained a variety of items that had been donated by the French people. There was jewelry, artwork, children’s toys, ladies’ gowns, etc. One car was delivered to each of the 48 states.
“The 49th car arrived in Hawaii in November. Inside were many goods including French china, books, paintings and even vials of French earth said to be tinted with American blood.
“Hawaii’s schoolchildren went to the ‘Merci’ boxcar to look at the gifts. Some gift dolls were given to the Children’s Museum in Ala Moana Park,” Ebey continued. “A committee oversaw the distribution of other gifts.
“I have located a fair amount of information on the subject of the Merci Train, and know that the 49th car is located at the Hawaiian Railway Society site in Kapolei, where I am currently a volunteer.
“I am hoping that somebody may step forward with an item or information from the 1949 Merci Train.”
Do any readers know where any of these gifts ended up?
Automats
Chase Maxwell said, “I just watched the documentary called ‘The Automat’ and was wondering if we ever had one here in Honolulu.”
Automats were a fad that swept the country from New York. Food was put into coin-operated compartments. Customers could open the compartment and take a serving.
Hawaii had one. It opened in 1964. It was called the Pushbutton and was downtown at 69 S. King and Hotel streets.
A newspaper story said, “A tasty bit of Broadway, the automat has moved to Hotel Street. It has a different name, a different format and different foods but it’s still an automat — Hawaii’s first automatic cafeteria.
“The Pushbutton is undoubtedly the first automat in the world to serve laulau, poi and crack seed. It also serves rice, potato salad, beef stew, sandwiches, canned soups, hot and cold drinks and ice cream sundaes.
“I think it serves a purpose between a restaurant and a standup counter,” said Robert Fong, who owned the Pushbutton. “It provides faster service than a restaurant and more flexibility in the menu.”
Jeffrey Young remembers the Pushbutton on Hotel Street, not far from where Fisher Hawaii is on the corner of Fort Street today.
“It was a novelty, very sterile-looking. Everything was aluminum, glass and stainless steel. Customers put coins in the slot and slid open the door to the food they wanted. It was contactless.
“I bought an egg salad sandwich. There were about six to eight tables. It was pretty empty. No one else came in to eat while I sat there alone.
“I thought there was a kitchen behind all the vending machines, until I saw an employee come in the front door with a box and fill all the empty spots with pre-made sandwiches.”
The Pushbutton didn’t last long — less than a year, I believe.
GERMAN OFFICIAL TO SPEAK OF HENRY BERGER, EXPATRIATE ROYAL HAWAIIAN BANDLEADER
I wrote about Henry Berger in November. Berger first came to Hawaii in 1872 to take over the Royal Hawaiian Band. He fell in love with Hawaii and retired 43 years later after performing more than 30,000 concerts.
Berger presented Queen Lili‘uokalani’s “Aloha ‘Oe” to the American public for the first time at a band competition in San Francisco in 1883, launching it to immediate popularity on the mainland.
Axel Clauss, the mayor of Coswig, Germany, somehow read the article and contacted me. The Royal Hawaiian Band leader grew up in his town, which is 60 miles south of Berlin, he said.
Clauss will be in Honolulu this month and will speak to two groups about Henry Berger, Queen Lili‘uokalani and his dream of having a sister-city relationship between Coswig and Honolulu. The public is invited with advanced reservations to attend:
>> The Downtown Exchange Club on Thursday, noon-1:30 p.m., at the Old Spaghetti Factory at Aloha Tower.
>> The Honolulu Rotary Club on March 14, noon- 1 p.m., at the Outrigger Canoe Club.
Both cost $40 for lunch. Email me at Sigall@Yahoo.com if you are interested in attending.
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Have a question or suggestion? Contact Bob Sigall at Sigall@Yahoo.com.
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