Noon hour creamed herring

LTH,

I'm very fond of Noon Hour's pickled herring in sour cream, and prefer it to Vita. At one time, the Jewel at Clark and Division carried the 22 oz. jars, but no more since their re-do a few years ago. The two Treasure Island stores near me carry only Vita and Ma Cohens in quart size jars, but I really prefer the Noon Hour.

Our go-to grocery store, Pete's Fresh Market, carries Noon Hour, but only in the tiny 6-7 oz jars and they're expensive. I guess there aren't many herring eaters down by Western and Cermak.

So for this herring, my go-to place has become Kauffman's, which isn't a bad thing. I usually hit it before or after going to NYB&B, but it's such a schlep.

Has anyone seen the large jars of Noon hour closer to the south loop?

Thanks,

Hey Evil,

I used to like the creamed version, too.

Shot in the dark, but have you tried their main office? If you tell them how much you love the stuff, maybe you can get a few jars straight from the source...or at least they might be able to help you find another retail outlet near you:

Noon Hour Food Products Inc
(312) 382-1177
215 N Desplaines St Fl 1
Chicago IL 60661

Great idea David. Thanks.

Evil!

I was at Costco over the weekend. They were sampling Orkney herring in cream sauce and regular. It seemed ok, the price was under $5 for a pound and would please my Mom.

A few months ago, I bought a jar of Vita herring in cream sauce. It wasn't well received. To finish it off as painlessly as possible, I served it over boiled potatoes for dinner.

We had some Orkney herring this evening. I gave the label a closer inspection to find these herring in cream sauce were packed in Scotland. I'm sure these will pass out of our lives once Passover is over. You may want to try them.

Regards,

I stopped at Srulie's kosher deli the other day and picked up some house-modified spicy herring. It tastes like it starts out as herring in cream sauce but has added pepper flakes and the "cream" (it's a kosher meat deli and I'm sure it's not dairy) had the taste and texture of the Japanese mayo they put on spicy tuna. It was pretty good and I'll have to ask what's in it next time I stop by.

Evil Ronnie, Noon Hour is our favorite brand, too.

The Jewel on Howard St in Evanston is marginally closer to you than Kauffman's. They reliably have several sizes of the creamed Noon Hour in stock. They have a big kosher section so we have found the herring in the regular dairy case and also in the Kosher section.

Of course, Jewel does not have Kauffman's great rye bread so....

Jewel
2485 Howard St
Evanston, IL 60202
(847) 328-9791

--Joy

David Hammond said:

"I used to like the creamed version, too." (But not any more?)

"Shot in the dark, but have you tried their main office? If you tell them how much you love the stuff, maybe you can get a few jars straight from the source...or at least they might be able to help you find another retail outlet near you"

What a fantastic suggestion. I called today and they will sell to me.

The power of great LTH minds at work!

Evil Ronnie wrote:David Hammond said:

"I used to like the creamed version, too." (But not any more?)

For some reason, at some point, The Wife and I started getting it in the clear sauce and have stuck with it, unthinkingly, for years. So, I wouldn't say that I don't like the creamed version any more; I just haven't had it in a long time...so now, inspired by this conversation, I must procure some and try it.

FWIW, 14oz. Noon Hour creamed herring spotted at Lincolnwood Produce. They also have the smaller jars.

Hi,

I saw Noon Hour at Woodman's in Kenosha.

Regards,

At the Woodman's in North Aurora as well... I'm dangerous with that stuff, I could eat jars of it!

Also both varieties are sold at Fresh Farms in Niles in the new Smoked Fish "department" (actually, two coolers) just past the bakery where the challah rolls used to be (they are now located closer to the bakery).

I just bought a large container at GFS (Gordon Food Service) in Indy. You can probably find some locations in Chicago-land.

They have this brand at Strack and Van Til on Elston, but I didn't check the sizes available.

My grandparents would take the pickled herring and just add their own sour cream on the plate. They also would put a bunch of extra cut onions into the jar once there was room

I see this at my local Sentry (Centrella) all the time, and buy it once in awhile. Funny thing is that the small jar in the dairy section is $3.99 and the big tub in the meat section is $3.49.........

Thought I had scored for Evil Ronnie, but after rereading his post see I am off the mark with Vita Wild Herring in Wine Sauce. Good price though.

Costco, Niles 3.20.11

cell phone pic

$6.49/32oz jar at Woodman's in Kenosha.
Picked up a jar to try. Used to get my herring at Andy's but alas.-Dick

I prefer the wine sauce over the cream . Strack and Vantill stores have the large jars of both kinds.I like the fact that Noon hour is a Chicago brand and I prefer it to Vita.

Vita is also from Chicago. We have herring locked down. But I agree on Noon Hour. Best I've had, including compared to house-pickled, Euro brands etc. they just nail it for me.

Of this style of pickled herring (as compared to Polish or Swedish for instance), the best I've had comes from St. Paul Fish Company in the Milwaukee Public Market. Highly recommend--I have no idea the packer, but I've been told it's Milwaukee based as well.

Noon Hour herring in both cream sauce and the wine vinegar are at the Glenview Mariano's. And they are in 1-pound plastic containers with nice snap-on lids, not those huge glass jars with the creepy metal caps. You know what I mean.

Mariano's Fresh Market
25 Waukegan Rd, Glenview, IL 60025
(847) 724-4685

Joy wrote:Noon Hour herring in both cream sauce and the wine vinegar are at the Glenview Mariano's. And they are in 1-pound plastic containers with nice snap-on lids, not those huge glass jars with the creepy metal caps. You know what I mean.

Also at the Mariano's at Ashland and Webster. Next to the Fish counter, where their smoked fish live - including multiple whole smoked salmon. Wow!

Hi,

I recently bought a two-pound jar of Acme herring at Costco.

I am accustomed to herring fillets. Acme's approach, or at least for the jar I bought, was herring steaks. Little herring steaks with bones, a bit of extra calcium and some extra chewing to keep them in order.

It is the first time I encountered herring steaks, I will be more careful next time.

Regards,
CAthy2

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,
Acme's approach, or at least for the jar I bought, was herring steaks. Little herring steaks with bones,

Yuk

Hi,

I agree on the yuk,

While potatoes were boiling, I did a little surgery to minimize the bones. I am not won over and will forever check the jars for fillets over steaks.

Regards,
Cathy2

Cathy2 wrote:Hi,

I agree on the yuk,

While potatoes were boiling, I did a little surgery to minimize the bones. I am not won over and will forever check the jars for fillets over steaks.

Regards,
Cathy2

If you are talking about Homestyle Herring label from Acme... then it has no bone. Seriously. Looks like those steaks have a bone, but they don't. I know it may sound weird, but no bones. Maybe Costco gets them with bones. I am not talking fillets here.

Somewhere up thread someone mentioned Milwaukee. There is a company here with excellent pickled herring. It is called Ma Baensch and it is bottled in Milwaukee. They have both creamed and clear. Great stuff.

Lenny007 wrote:If you are talking about Homestyle Herring label from Acme... then it has no bone. Seriously. Looks like those steaks have a bone, but they don't. I know it may sound weird, but no bones. Maybe Costco gets them with bones. I am not talking fillets here.

Hi,

I guess it depends on how you define bones. In each herring steak, there is a spinal column 'bone' and the wee 'bones' suggesting ribs. In a fillet, you don't encounter either and much more preferred in my household.

My pre-dinner surgery effectively filleted each steak. A lot of bother I intend to avoid in the future.

Regards,
Cathy2

Cathy2 wrote:

Lenny007 wrote:If you are talking about Homestyle Herring label from Acme... then it has no bone. Seriously. Looks like those steaks have a bone, but they don't. I know it may sound weird, but no bones. Maybe Costco gets them with bones. I am not talking fillets here.

Hi,

I guess it depends on how you define bones. In each herring steak, there is a spinal column 'bone' and the wee 'bones' suggesting ribs. In a fillet, you don't encounter either and much more preferred in my household.

My pre-dinner surgery effectively filleted each steak. A lot of bother I intend to avoid in the future.

Regards,
Cathy2

Cathy, you are cool, Acme product is nothing special acidic taste little herring,
but those bones are the product of your imagination.

Lenny007 wrote:Cathy, you are cool, Acme product is nothing special acidic taste little herring,
but those bones are the product of your imagination.

It must be tiresome to be the smartest guy in the room. Everyone is wrong, thankfully you are there to correct us all.

Regards,
Cathy2