This weekly column, “Adventures in Good Eating,” by Back Door Café chef/owner Fran Ginn usually appears each Thursday in the Marion County Informer. It is appearing today because of technical issues that occurred last week.

……I relish the opportunity of finding something new and different to eat wherever I go.  I love to explore why people eat what they do and how food has shaped their lives.  Adventures in Good Eating is my way of sharing the pleasure of culinary discovery and also the anticipation of tables and tastes yet to be found.

Several people have asked me where the ideas for this column come from.  There really isn’t any rhyme or reason for the most part.  However, this week’s subject came from a trip I took over the Memorial Day weekend.  My son and I traveled to Indiana to a family wedding.  In the interim between the wedding day brunch and the wedding, several of us went shopping.  In a small antique mall, I found a book I’d been wanting for a long time.

The book is the original Trader Vic’s cookbook,  Trader Vic’s Book of Food & Drink, published in 1946.  It was written by Victor Bergeron, aka Trader Vic himself, not a ghost writer.  Lucius Beebe, who was a culinary rock star of the 1940’s and 1950’s, wrote the preface.  The book was in great condition and still had the dust jacket – and for a price much less than any I’d found on ebay.  I have an absolute fascination reading about pioneers in our food culture, especially in their own words. 

Victor Bergeron was a man with a zest for life. Victor’s father was a waiter at the Fairmont Hotel in downtown San Francisco and also had a grocery store in Oakland, across the bay from San Francisco.  Young Victor grew up in an apartment above the grocery store.  From his father Victor got a love for food and a  knowledge of the food business.  In 1932  he opened a bar across the street from his father’s store and called it “Hinky Dink’s”.  In 1934 he made his first trip to the South Pacific and became completely enthralled with everything Polynesian.  He became a man on a mission to bring the pleasures of Polynesia to the United States.  In 1936 he opened Trader Vic’s in Oakland.

A gifted raconteur, Trader Vic spun stories to enhance the atmosphere of his restaurant.  He had lost a leg in childhood, but somehow the leg was lost to a giant shark in the South Pacific.  The artifacts he brought back to the restaurant had fantastic stories attached, to whet the appetites of diners.  He was among the first to have a totally themed restaurant.  In the interest of authenticity,  his restaurant had a special Chinese oven, whose design dates back to the Han Dynasty.

A milestone in the career of  Trader Vic’s was his invention of the drink known as a “Mai Tai”.  The name of the drink, which means “the very best” in Tahitian, became the watchword for his restaurant.  This rum-based drink, along with others such as the Zombie,  Scorpian, Between the Sheets and Missionary’s Revenge, set Trader Vic apart from the competition.  The Polynesian and Cantonese cuisine proved to be a recipe for success.  By 1946, the year this book was published, Pulitzer award winning journalist, Herb Caen commented “the best restaurant in San Francisco is in Oakland”.  Trader Vic went on to open twenty-five Trader Vic restaurants all over the world. 

Although Victor Bergeron died in 1984, his concept for Trader Vic’s has continued to prosper today.  The Trader Vic’s concept celebrated its 75^th anniversary last year.  Although some of the original locations have closed, others have opened up.  As one of the first themed franchised restaurants, Trader Vic succeeded where many have failed. His idea of delicious food served in exotic surroundings with extraordinary service has stood the test of time.

Cha Sui  – from Trader Vic’s Book of Food and Drink

2 pounds pork tenderloin

3 Tblsp. bourbon

1-1/2 tsp. salt

3 Tblsp. Soy Sauce

3 Tblsp. sugar

Cut pork tenderloin into two long strips; mix seasonings into a paste and rub into the meat.  Let stand for an hour or two, then barbecue of broil slowly for one hour.  When cold, cut into very thing diagonal slices and serve with Chinese mustard or catsup mixed with a little horseradish.