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Iconic Dayton Bartender to Retire after 50+ years

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Rick Busch, legendary Dayton Bartender at Franco’s

Some Daytonians are unforgettable characters.  Such is the case with lifelong barkeep, Rick Busch.  He is set to retire from Franco’s Ristorante Italiano on Tuesday February 7th, after over 50 years in the business, the last 15 years at Franco’s.

If you have seen or met Rick, you would never forget him.  He has a quick wit, and is well known for his sarcastic jokes.  His trademark mustache and beard are throwback style.  His deep, rich voice and laugh are unmistakable.  Rick is sharp, and is a treasure trove of information about the Miami Valley restaurant scene.  He is a lifelong Dayton foodie, and always up for a Food Adventure.

Rick says “Franco’s World Famous spaghetti” is a Must Eat !

Whether talking about a past or present local eatery, he usually has a great story or insight on the place.  We chatted with Rick about old restaurants like the “Cork n Cleaver” and shared recent memories from this past year’s Italian Festival.  His infectious smile is a testament to his craft as a bartender.  He is knowledgeable, and makes you feel at home.  No wonder he has had a successful career spanning five decades.

Moretti Beer at the bar served by Rick

The long days of standing on your feet for several hours in a row, and the toll it takes, caused Rick to decide it was time to retire at this point in his life.  He also works for clients through a Dayton senior service care company.  We assume he may continue that part time.

So how did he become this legendary bartender??  Let’s find out!

 

HERE’S THE SKINNY on ICONIC DAYTON BARTENDER, RICK BUSCH:

—He grew up in West Carrollton and regularly meets with a group of classmates from his high

Tuesday Feb 7th, 2007 ends 50 years of bartending

school class of ’64.  With his wisdom, he explains the importance of time with good friends, because life is way too short.

—Rick started bar tending at the 400 Club in the mid 1960’s, which was Dayton’s first gay bar on 400 Warren St.  He said “if people knew some of the stories that went on in that place, oh boy…”

—He also worked bar at the legendary Stockyards Inn on Springfield Street in Dayton and a stint at Frigidaire in 1976.

Steve and Rick at Dayton’s Italian Fall Festa

—His next move was the Bar Manager at the Daytonian Hotel at Third and Ludlow Streets from 1980-1984.  During that time, first lady Nancy Reagan paid a visit and dined.

—Over the next 17 years, Rick would work at the TWA Ambassadors club at the Dayton Airport, tending bar.  Oh, the stories he must have heard and shared over the years.

—In 2001, he started working at Franco’s Italian restaurant, on Fifth Street, where he was an immediate fixture.  This is where the Food Adventure Crew first met him.  The food and drink are always good, but Rick puts his special touch on service that you can’t describe.  You

Rick running the Cash Register at Franco’s on Fifth Street

have to experience it yourself.  An era is truly coming to an end (insert one of Rick’s jokes here).
We decided to put some stats together based on averages, to estimate of the number of people Rick has served over the last 50 years.  We figured out that Rick has served approximately 780,000 customers.  We figured 234,000 which would have been served at Franco’s alone.  That is an amazing feat.

 

We estimate Rick has served 234,000 people in his 15 years at Franco’s

—On a personal level Rick loves good food & wine.  He loves to explore local eateries, & loves to travel.  He loves to dine in locally owned & operated, small town restaurants.  He is also known for hosting some epic parties at his Beavercreek home.

 

Food Adventures has our favorite “Must Eats” at Franco’s, but today, we thought, “who better to seek that expertise from, than Rick Busch?”  He has 2 favorites from his 15 years working with the menu.

Rick serving up calamari and garlic bread

RICK BUSCH’S “MUST EATS” at FRANCO’S RISTORANTE ITALIANO:

—FETAGO di MANZO (CALVES LIVER AND ONIONS):
Liver sliced and sautéed to perfection in Franco’s kitchen.  Served either Italian-style with sauce or American-style with onions.  Rick says this dish is fantastic.

 

—FRANCO’S WORLD FAMOUS SPAGHETTI:
Spaghetti noodles tossed is a combination of Romano cheese, fresh roasted garlic and olive oil.

Peroni Italian Beer

We love to add mushrooms, but Rick says, instead, add Franco’s homemade, special Italian sausage (insert one of Rick’s joke here).

 

 Are you hungry?  Want to try some of these dishes yourself?  Well, come out to Franco’s Ristorante Italiano at 5pm  this Tuesday, Feb 7th for Rick’s retirement party.  Whether you knew him or not, it is a perfect chance to try some authentic Italian recipes and visit with Rick at Franco’s one last time.

Last time we dined at the bar, Big Ragu got a Moretti Italian Beer with his appetizer, which is his tradition.  When he told Rick he was ordering Lambrusco with his meal, Rick said he

Lasagna at Franco’s

would have to get rubber gloves out to protect himself from serving that crap.  Ragu ordered another Moretti Beer instead.  This Tuesday, Big Ragu promises to toast him with a glass of Lambrusco.

Congratulations on your your retirement, Rick!  It is well deserved.  Thank you for all of your hard work and service over the years. The ole’ Italian place won’t be the same without you.
For more Food Adventures, please “like” us on Facebook here.
Feel free to browse the photos below from our visits to Franco’s Restaurant.

A view from a beer

Lasagna

Bar Seating

Hand breaded mozzarella cheese balls from Franco’s

Chocolate Cake at Franco’s

Manicotti

Ravioli with Marinara

Entrance to Franco’s

Congratulations on your retirement, Rick Busch !

Secrets of Cassano’s and The Dough Plant

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Chip Cassano inspects the hi-tech equipment in the dough plant

***** WIN A FREE PIZZA WITH THE FOOD ADVENTURES CREW ***** JUST COMMENT BELOW FOR A CHANCE TO WIN – winner will be chosen at random on Monday
For decades Daytonians have taken pizza for granted.  We don’t realize that Dayton, Ohio is one of the most important cities in the world when it comes to the history of pizza.  And it is all because of Vic Cassano and his mother-in-law Caroline “Mom” Donisi.

Now, 63 years later, The Cassano’s franchise is going strong, and not just in the pizza restaurants.  Cassano’s headquarters on Stroop Road in Kettering is also a facility for dough production.

Vic Cassano Sr. in his early Pizza Days during the 1950’s

— SECRET 1: What most Daytonians don’t know is their dough is produced here, and sold nationwide.  Whether balls of dough or sheeted pizza crusts, hundreds of restaurants serve products made with Cassano’s dough.  We are not allowed to name the companies, but let’s just say they are some big wig, national restaurants, that you definitely would recognize.  There are also hundreds of small restaurants that use Cassano’s, dough as a shortcut for great pizzas, calzones, breads and more.

After a year of preparation, Food Adventures is ready to tell you a story, much of which is unknown to Miami Valley residents.  It is the untold insight into the dough plant, the history and personal triumphs of the Cassano family.

Hand cutting hundreds of pounds of dough from the mixer

Before we get to secrets inside the dough plant lets get the scoop on Cassano’s history:

 

HERE’S THE SKINNY ON CASSANO’S

— JUNE 4th, 1953 – At the urging of a friend in New York, Vic Cassano decides to sell pizza at the Kettering grocery store of his in laws, Mom and Pop Donisi.  Using a thin crust recipe developed by Mom Donisi from her days in Italy, they make pizza available for the public.  It is a huge hit, and they sell 400 pies the first day on Schantz Avenue.  It is Dayton’s first introduction to pizza.  Needless to say the grocery store, soon became a

The Cutter presses 6 inch to 18 inch crusts for freezing

pizza shop.

— SECRET 2: THIS SUMMER DATE in 1953 ALSO MARKS THE INVENTION of THIN CRUST PIZZA in THE UNITED STATES.  Don’t let anyone tell you different, Dayton, Ohio is the center of that storm.  That would have been a hell of a day for a Food Adventure.   

Dough Balls are produced through a mostly automated system

— SECRET 3: Vic Cassano decides to cut the pieces in tiny squares.  WHY?  Because in 1953 it wasn’t “lady like” to be holding and handling big slices of pizza in your palm.  Cassano’s square slices were the polite and dainty way to enjoy the Italian treat.
— SECRET 4: Vic Cassano was not only a pizza genius, he was a mechanical genius.  He patented the first self cleaning oven.  To this day, his family  still finds dozens of papers in the office, detailing patented inventions from cooling and refrigeration systems to appliances.

Vic Cassano Jr. streamlined operations efficiently

 — SECRET 5:  Cassano’s was the first franchised restaurant in Ohio and possibly the United States.  The early 50’s were a time of business and law challenges, as many scenarios were never seen before.  Cassano’s was instrumental in the development of what we know today as franchising laws.  This allowed Cassano’s to steadily grow in the 50’s and 60’s.

Heart Shaped Pizza option in February

— SECRET 6:  Vic Cassano’s company was the first to ever freeze dough on a large scale.  He experimented with recipes and developed a full Italian menu.

— Owners of the local iconic pizza places like Marion’s Pizza and Ron’s Pizza, originally had affiliations with Cassano’s.

— In the 60’s and 70’s,  Cassano’s added affiliated restaurants like Sandy’s Hamburgers and London Bobby’s Fish and Chips.  They now had over 100 stores in total.  They served pizza on a cardboard slate, and “to go” orders were slid into bags and crumpled at one end, while leaving a”puff” in the bag, so not to damage the pizza or its toppings.

Unforgettable Tour of the Dough Plant – and Dough Samples !!

 — Here comes THE BIG CHEESE: In the early 80’s Cassano’s introduced their masterpiece pizza, the Big Cheese Pizza.  This was their deluxe pizza with double the cheese on top.  This became a menu staple and you can still order the Big Cheese “Vic’s Way” (with black olives) or “Mom’s Way” (with green olives).   During this time, Cassano’s started serving their “to go” and delivery pizzas in boxes.

—  In 1986, Vic Cassano sold the business.  A year later Mom Donisi passed away.  As the family saw their former business struggle in other people’s hands, so Vic Jr. decided to buy it back in 1989.  It was a short hiatus and the pizza business atmosphere was saturated with saturated with national and local companies.  To say it was extremely competitive is an understatement.

Side view of a legendary Cassano’s Pizza in the making

— With Vic Cassano Jr. at the helm, the 90’s were the start of a new, efficient direction of cutting waste and streamlining the business.  It worked.

— Vic Cassano Sr passed away in 2002, at the time his son kept rebuilding the brand and would expand operations at the dough plant.

Sheeted Pizza Crusts, stacked and ready to be packaged

— The amazing strides and improvements in efficiency, allowed more investment in equipment.  A centralized call center was finished in 2003.  Vic Cassano Jr. had turned the corner and was working on bringing back some nostalgia back to Cassano’s like the Pizza King logo, the London Bobby Fish and Chips and more.  In, 2010, Vic Jr. unexpectedly passed away.  To his credit, he had prepared his children Lora, Chip (aka Vic the 3rd), and Chris over the past decades to take on the new leadership role.  They did just that, carrying on the vision of their father and adding even more to the legendary name.

An up close look at the one and only BIG CHEESE PIZZA !

— Today, under the management of the third generation Lora Cassano-Hammons, Vic Cassano III, and Chris Cassano, there are almost 40 pizza shops and over 600 employees.

— Product developments included bringing back “Pizza Packs to go” and a new “Home Edition” Frozen Pizza line found in stores and available to be shipped nationwide.   The Stroop Rd. location has gone back to carry the “London Bobby Fish and Chips” meals again.

London Bobby’s Fish and Chips available at the Stroop Rd. Cassano’s

— About 3 years ago, The Cassano’s Cares Foundation  was set up.  It is the charitable arm of Cassano’s set up in memory of Vic Cassano Jr.  Their purpose is to give back to local charities and organizations.  Memorable events included an evening with Pete Rose and a Corvette giveaway.  There is also an annual golf outing to support the foundation as well.  There is even a Vic Cassano Health Center on Edwin C Moses Blvd.

— In June 2016, almost 63 years to the day after the first pizza was sold, the Ohio Historical Connection declared the Cassano’s Stroop Rd. office a historical site.  Now your Food Adventures on Stroop Rd, can be truly historical !

 

Now, let’s go from modern history to secrets inside the Dough Plant …..

These two flour silos hold 75,000 pounds of flour… EACH !

INSIDE THE DOUGH PLANT:

— SECRET 7:  The dough plant, located at 1700 East Stroop Rd.  produces approximately 50,000 – 70,0000 pounds of dough daily.  Only about 20 percent of that is for Cassano’s restaurants.  The remaining 80 percent is sold to other food establishments.

— SECRET 8:  The plant uses 30,000 pounds of flour each day.  The facility is equipped with 2 huge flour silos that each hold 75,000 pounds of flour.  WOW,  this place would make Willy Wonka proud.

Caroline “Mom” Donisi. Her recipe from Italy was the spark

— SECRET 9:  The plant has a capacity to produce about 8,000 pounds of dough in an hour.  Depending on the size, that can equate to 100-200 dough balls per minute during the morning shift.  In the afternoon shift, the plant switches gears to produce pizza crusts from 6 inches to 18 inches in diameter.  The crusts are shrink wrapped to prevent breakage and boxed and loaded into a freezer or  refrigerated delivery trucks.

The Chopped Steak Sub

— SECRET 10: The dough recipe has been tweaked slightly over the past 20 years.  When making pizzas these days they even “tack” the dough with a docker to control bubbling of the dough.  Remember those bubbles in the 70’s and 80’s on Cassano’s pies ?  You don’t see those anymore.

All this talk about dough has us a bit hungry.. may Food Adventures suggest some “Must Eats” from our decades of devouring Dayton’s original thin crust pizza?  CASSANOS !

Cassano’s Headquarters is named a Historical Site, June 3rd 2016

MUST EATS:

— THE BIG CHEESE “VIC’S WAY”:  Mounds of cheese, Pepperoni, Sausage, Mushrooms, Onions and Red & Green Peppers, Black Olives and more cheese!  This is it.  This is the Cadillac of the Cassano’s menu.  So good, it will make you sleepy afterwards.  A flavorful, filling, and unforgettable pie.  As Vic used to say.. “It’s one heck of a pizza!”

— THE CLUB CASSINI: Ham, Pepperoni, Bacon, Lettuce, Tomato, Provolone Cheese and Italian dressing on a Mediterranean flat bread bun.  This was a great

Packaged Dough, ready for the freezer

surprise and has such a meaty and creamy, delicious flavor.  This is an unknown menu gem.

— PEPPERONI PIZZA WITH EXTRA SAUCE:  The Big Ragu has been using this trick since 1986.  He suggests you always order your Cassano’s pepperoni pizzas with extra sauce. They take their time and spend a little more time on your pizza.

— THE CHOPPED STEAK SUB:  Get your messy groove on with this Steak patty, topped Provolone Cheese, Pizza Sauce,  dripping with Mushroom Gravy, sprinkled with Onions and Banana Peppers.

Dough off the conveyor belt

— THE 30 INCH PARTY PIZZA:  Get it, you only live once.  Perfect for parties – birthday or super bowl.  $100 gets you a deluxe and 80 bucks gets you a one topping pizza pie.   This humongous pizza is a party in a box…. a pretty big box.

We are honored to be able to take a behind the scenes view at the Cassano’s pizza and dough plant.   The factory employees and management are always friendly and

Top it with sauce and you got something going….

accommodating.  Thank you for letting us see the legendary Dayton magic firsthand.  Congratulations to the Cassano family on all of their accomplishments.  They are a great family and we are lucky to consider them friends.  We are excited to see what the future holds for this Dayton original.

Honorable Mention: The Spaghetti Dinner:  Sometimes we just crave the simple pasta and sauce combo.  So pure, so peasant, so good….

Don’t forget to check out our weekly Food Adventure feature articles on MostMetro. com

For daily Food Adventure updates, hit us up on Facebook and LIKE US HERE….

Pizza Kings and the Hit King – Pete Rose

1970’s pic of Mario Andretti with the famous pizza pie in a bag – old school

Now available frozen – cooked 80% for you to finish cooking at home

Frozen Dough ready to go

Chip has given us a few tours of the plant,.

Stroop Rd Headquarters

Part of the Cassanos Call Center

Chicken Parm

Trimmed dough gets recylced

Sheet Pizza Dough

Dough cutters

Sauce it up

Compressing the Dough to crust thickness

Look at those pallets

True dat

Hungry Jax’s kids were Cassano kids for a day !

THE BIG CHEESE – VICS STYLE

Dough balls

Pepperoni pie

Chip, PIzza King and Chris Cassano

Pizza with Pete Rose

London Bobby Fish and Chips Dinner

Did you know Cassanos has hand tossed pizza ?

Our friend Mike explaining the dough process

sealed !

Shrunk wrapped to prevent breakage

All those pizza crusts …..

The Big Cheese is the way to go …

Cassanos ships these all over the USA

Into the freezer

The Pizza King, Lora Cassano and Big Ragu !

Chip talking about the automated processes of the plant

Ravioli app

Dough coming through

Cassanos – always testing the dough

A pepperoni Cassini – Ragu loves them….

THE BAD JUAN: A Dayton Legend

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Outside of the Kettering Elsa’s

Hey Gringo, looking to tie one on during Cinco De Mayo? Then take a sip of a true Food Adventure in a glass. Oh yes, the legendary Bad Juan margarita served exclusively at Elsa’s Mexican Restaurant and Cantinas around town.

Whether on the rocks or frozen, salt or no-salt, every Daytonian has a “Bad Juan” story about themselves or a friend. Hungry Jax, Chef House and The Big Ragu are no different. We have had to push stumbling pals into backseats of cars, or help lift some drunky pants ladies into the back of an SUV after a couple of these drinks. We have felt the wrath of Juan ourselves, having numb lips and the buzz that suddenly creeps up on you with this devilish drink.

Let’s be candid, Bad Juans are a Dayton icon. This badass drink even has its own website, badjuan.com. Here is some more on the man, the myth, the legend.. BAD JUAN !

 

HERE’S THE SKINNY:

— Since 1981, Bad Juans have been served frozen or on the rocks. They also come in a few flavor variations, but the original Bad Juan remains the most popular.

—Elsa’s has various locations in Centerville, Kettering and Dayton

A Bad Juan on the Rocks: The Legend

— Rumors have swirled about the ingredients. People have been trying to figure out the recipe for years. Food Adventures  may have some inside scoop on the recipe, and although we can’t post it here, we can give you some info. Our inside source tells us that the Bad Juan is made up of only 3 secret ingredients: Triple Sec, Tequila and Lime Juice. We cannot tell you the brands used or the amounts. We can, however, confirm that Mountain Dew is NOT an ingredient, so lets finally put that rumor to bed.

— We believe the secret to the great taste is not only in the ingredients, but in the preparation. The Bad Juan’s are constantly mixed in those plastic, see-through drink machines you are used to seeing at convenient stores or food counters. The thorough mixing of ingredients in these machines blend the drink into that perfect drunken mixture.

— Elsa’s does limit the amount of Bad Juans that a customer can consume (usually 2 or 3 depending on your server). However, urban legends and tall tales have surfaced about people drinking a couple mini pitchers of Bad Juans, or somehow downing a half dozen of them unbeknownst to their waiter or waitress.

— You can even buy Bad Juans in the store, bottled.  Yes, by the bottle in liquor  and grocery stores from as far away as Covington, Kentucky’s famous Party Source. The bottled drink is 21 percent alcohol, or 42 proof.  We believe that the in-house version mixed at the restaurants is a little higher than that. Heidelberg Distributors stats confirm that Bad Juans hold the all-time distributor record for the fastest selling new product.

Time for a breakdown of the baddest drink to grace the Gem City… here is our patented.. “Must Drinks”

 

MUST DRINKS:

— BAD JUAN on THE ROCKS: Simple, pure and lethal. This is for the heavy hitters who like to get down to business and gulp ’em down. They are however served with a tiny straw and a lime wedge for those who like to sip these slowly and savor the experience.

— FROZEN BAD JUAN: The chilled, traditional version of the legend are just as strong as the ones on the rocks. Served with a lime, it is curiously tasty when the mixture begins to melt. If you drink these too fast, beware of ‘brain freeze’ or a condition known as drunky pants.

— STRAWBERRY FROZEN BAD JUAN: Not big on tequila or margaritas? This flavored Bad Juan masks the alcohol taste, and is probably our favorite version of the iconic drink. Give it a try, we bet you like it! It is also available on the rocks for you purists.

— BLUE JUAN: This holiday season is a good time to give one of these a try. You may have a blue Christmas without it. It has a great taste and is available on the rocks only.

Honorable Mention: The Raspberry Bad Juan, the Watermelon Bad Juan and the calorie conscious “Skinny Juan”

 

THE BIG JUAN DEBATE: FROZEN OR ON THE ROCKS???

Miami Valley residents have long debated whether Bad Juans are better frozen or on the rocks. For the most part, guys tend to have them on the rocks, while girls seem to prefer the frozen margaritas. But we say…. hell, try them all and get a designated driver.

 

DO YOU HAVE A GOOD BAD JUAN STORY?? PLEASE COMMENT BELOW!

Have an opinion on Bad Juan? Be heard and post it below !

After more than 30 years Elsa’s is still having fun, and this drink is “Still the Juan.”

ARE YOU A DAYTON FOODIE ?? Then “like” FOOD ADVENTURES on Facebook by clicking HERE !! 6500 fans can’t be wrong !

Blue Juan and a Frozen Bad Juan

The Myth, the Legend – want Juan ?

Watermelon Margarita with all the trimmings

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This will spin your mind – Tequila, Lime Juice and Triple Sec

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The usual suspects

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Blue Juan – hello, lover

Bad Juans make people crazy !

Frozen Strawberry Bad Juan – it is the only way the come…

Saleted or unsalted rim ?

 

The Bad Juan: A Dayton Legend

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The man, the myth the legend ...

Click to enlarge: Mr. Bad Juan

Hey Gringo, looking to tie one on during the holidays?  Then take a sip of a true Food Adventure in a glass.  Oh yes, the legendary Bad Juan margarita served exclusively at Elsa’s Mexican Restaurant and Cantinas around town.  Whether on the rocks or frozen, salt or no-salt, every Daytonian has a “Bad Juan” story about themselves or a friend.  The Food Adventures Crew are no different.  We have had to push stumbling pals into backseats of cars, or help lift some hotties into the back of an SUV after a couple of these drinks.  We have felt the wrath of Juan ourselves, having numb lips and the buzz that suddenly creeps up on you with this devilish drink.

Let’s be candid, Bad Juans are a Dayton icon.  This badass drink even has its own website, badjuan.com.   Here is some more on the man, the myth, the legend.. BAD JUAN !

 

HERE’S THE SKINNY:

— Since 1981, Bad Juans have been served frozen or on the rocks.  They also come in a few flavor variations, but the original Bad Juan remains the most popular.

Outside the Kettering location

Elsa’s has various locations in Centerville, Kettering and Dayton

— Rumors have swirled about the ingredients.  People have been trying to figure out the recipe for years.  Food Adventures believes they have some inside scoop on the recipe, and although we can’t post it here, we can give you some info.   Our inside source tells us that the Bad Juan is made up of only 3 secret ingredients: Triple Sec, Tequila and Lime Juice.  We cannot tell you the brands used or the amounts.  We can, however, confirm that Mountain Dew is NOT an ingredient, so lets finally put that rumor to bed.

— We believe the secret to the great taste is not only in the ingredients, but in the preparation.  The Bad Juan’s are constantly mixed in those plastic, see-through drink machines you are used to seeing at convenient stores or food counters.  The thorough mixing of ingredients in these machines blend the drink into that perfect drunken mixture.

— Elsa’s does limit the amount of Bad Juans that a customer can consume (usually 2 or 3 depending on your server).  However, urban legends and tall tales have surfaced about people drinking a couple mini pitchers of Bad Juans, or somehow downing a half dozen of them unbeknownst to their waiter or waitress.

— You can even buy them by the bottle in liquor stores from as far away as Covington, Kentucky’s famous Party Source store.  The bottled drink is 21 percent alcohol, or 42 proof.  We believe that the in-house version mixed at the restaurants is a little higher than that.  Heidelberg Distributors stats confirm that Bad Juans hold the all-time distributor record for the fastest selling new product.

Blue Juan !

Blue Juan – Tasty Twist on an Iconic Drink

 

MUST DRINKS:

— BAD JUAN on THE ROCKS:  Simple, pure and lethal.  This is for the heavy hitters who like to get down to business and gulp ’em down.  They are however served with a tiny straw and a lime wedge for those who like to sip these slowly and savor the experience.

— FROZEN BAD JUAN: The chilled, traditional version of the legend are just as strong as the ones on the rocks.  Served with a lime, it is curiously tasty when the mixture begins to melt.  If you drink these too fast, beware of  ‘brain freeze’  or a condition known as drunky pants.

— STRAWBERRY FROZEN BAD JUAN:  Not big on tequila or margaritas?  This flavored Bad Juan masks the alcohol taste, and is probably our favorite version of the iconic drink.  Give it a try, we bet you like it!  It is also available on the rocks for you purists.

Strawberry margarita

Strawberry Frozen Bad Juan – Delicious !

— BLUE JUAN: This holiday season is a good time to give one of these a try.  You may have a blue Christmas without it.  It has a great taste and is available on the rocks only.

 Honorable Mention: The Raspberry Bad Juan, the Watermelon Bad Juan and the calorie conscious “Skinny Juan”

Miami Valley residents have long debated whether Bad Juans are better frozen or on the rocks.  For the most part, guys tend to have them on the rocks, while girls seem to prefer the frozen margaritas.  But we say…. hell, try them all and get a designated driver.

DO YOU HAVE A GOD BAD JUAN STORY??  PLEASE COMMENT BELOW!  Have an opinion on Bad Juan?  Be heard and post it below !

After more than 30 years Elsa’s is still having fun, and this drink is “Still the Juan.”

ARE YOU A DAYTON FOODIE ??  Then “like” FOOD ADVENTURES on Facebook by clicking HERE !!  Over 2200 fans can’t be wrong !

Don’t forget to browse our photo album below for some incredible pics of Dayton’s legendary drink !

[flagallery gid=73]

 

The Rickey Medlocke Interview

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The Guitarist for Lynyrd Skynyrd Speaks Out

May 9th, 2007

During a recent telephone interview, I caught up with Rickey Medlocke, one of the three lead guitarists in the current Lynyrd Skynyrd line up. Rickey was one of the original drummers for Lynyrd Skynyrd back in the early seventies who eventually went on to form the southern rock band Blackfoot, so named due to his American Indian heritage.

J.T.: Now, if I remember right, years ago you were in Skynyrd, but you were playing drums.

Rickey: Yeah, I was one of the original drummers, yeah.

J.T.: Do you ever miss being a little more in the background?

Rickey: No! No! No! No! Ha ha! Well, of course not! I was the lead singer and lead guitarist for Blackfoot. I mean, I love to play guitar, I love to entertain people. I just wasn’t…I guess I was a good enough drummer, but I wasn’t a great drummer.

J.T.: How is the current tour holding up. Everything still going good?

Rickey: Yeah, yeah. Oh yeah! Everything is going real good, man. We’re just taking it one day at a time, and so far so good. The crowds have been great, it’s a good package. I mean, Hank (Williams Jr.) has a little bit older fans and our fans are a little bit older, but we also get Lynyrd Skynyrd girls from fifteen to fifty-five now, so I think it works out O.K.  The deal is, it’s going good, the crowds are great, they’re all pumped, you know. Hank is Hank and Lynyrd Skynyrd, you know…(Laughs)…what can you say, what can you say!

J.T.: Now, with the younger audiences, do you think your bringing something new to them as well as the presenting the extensive history of Lynyrd Skynyrd?

Rickey: Well, I think so. Last year, we had Three Doors Down out there with us and that was phenomenal. Like I said, the audiences range from fifteen to fifty-five, so, uh, what can you say?

J.T.: With some of the collaborative stuff you guys have been doing with younger artists as well as some of the tour billings with, like you mentioned, Three Doors Down, does that change Skynyrd’s direction at all?

Rickey: Well, that’s really interesting. We’ve been writing for a new CD right now and we’ve been writing with a lot of different writers. We’re involved with a guy that’s been writing and been involved with Velvet Revolver and people like that. We’re writing with a guy that is the guitar player right now for Rob Zombie. On the other side of it, we’re writing with people that’s been, you know, that’s had hits with…country (artists). We’re involved with a bunch of writers and what I think it does is, whatever we put our hands on, it comes out as Lynyrd Skynyrd. Because I think Skynyrd music has a broad spectrum anyway.

J.T.: Yeah, it definitely crosses boundaries. From rock to blues to country…

Rickey: Oh yeah! Sure does, man.

J.T: I know there was some controversy among Skynyrd fans when you introduced the Travelin’ Man duet, where Johnny VanZant sings along with the vocals from the deceased Ronnie VanZant. Is that still part of the performance?

Rickey: Well, this year…I’m not going to let any secrets out, but we’re doing some really different stuff. You know, that came about back on the Thyrty record, and we introduced that and we’ve used it every once in a while, but we’ve got some other surprises in store for everybody on this thing. You know, they’re going to have to come out and check it out.

J.T.: Along those lines, with the song Red, White and Blue, is there more of a patriotic reaction to that song now then when it was released?

Rickey: Well, I think that it’s about the same, maybe a little bit more.  I mean, the one thing that I do know that’s going on in this world today is everything is so polarized, you know? It’s a damn shame, you know? It seems like our country is being pulled completely apart, and for Lynyrd Skynyrd, we’ve been the American band for all these years…and it’s really sad for us to see how this country is being so polarized and pulled apart. When, in reality, a few short years ago, you couldn’t break this country apart… it’s interesting. Now, it’s like everybody’s losing their damn balls, man, and nobody wants to stand up and do anything. So, you know, that’s the whole thing about it; instead of getting stronger, instead of having some damn balls about ourselves, the country’s getting softer, being weaker. I, for myself don’t like to use the band as a platform to talk about politics, because I think that entertainers should definitely stay the hell out of politics, you know what I mean? Because, entertainers…we got our own kind of gig and a lot of Hollywood, those people don’t know what the hell they’re talking about when they get into politics. I mean, Ronald Reagan was a rare case, you know? Ha! That guy was a very rare case, you know? But the point of what I’m getting at is instead of pulling this nation apart, we should be pulling it together, you know? Whether you’re a Republican or a Democrat or an Independent or whatever, we’ve got one of the best countries in the damn world, and guess what? It seems like the damn thing’s being ripped in two.

J.T.: Yeah, it’s like everybody is in their own camps and you can’t say anything cause you don’t know if you’re going to end up in a fist fight.

Rickey: Yeah! Right! Also, its like, just think about it…guys have been cracking jokes for years and years and years and everybody kind of took it in stride. Now, you got to be real careful with what you say because you’re going to end up without a gig, your family is going to be broke, you’re going to be homeless, or whatever. It’s like, this country has become so politically correct, it’s sickening.

J.T.: Well, like what happened with the Dixie Chicks. A two-second comment cost them gigs and appearances.

Rickey: Yeah, I mean, I got my own opinions of the Dixie Chicks, man. You know what? We live in one of the greatest countries in the world, and that’s how they can become as wealthy as they’ve become. You know what I mean? By living in a place where they’ve had the opportunity to do that. But you know, man? At the end of the day, when it’s all said and done, we live in a great nation and we should learn to appreciate what we’ve got. People…just take everything for granted, you know, and that’s a damn shame, man.

The prolific powerhouse that is Lynyrd Skynyrd rolls on, playing town after town with various acts such as Saliva, Hank Williams, Jr. and Kid Rock. The group has faithfully released new material, starting with the album Vicious Cycle in 2003 and the most recent edition to their eclectic repertoire, Gods And Guns, was released in September, 2009. While there are those fervent purists who believe that the real Lynyrd Skynyrd perished in a flash of flames in a swamp in Magnolia, Mississippi, the true tradition of Southern Rock has been loyally carried on, with still one more from the road just around the corner.

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