Dear Friends,

Gut Truck. Roach Coach. Mobile Food Unit. Chuck Wagon. Food Truck. No matter what you call them, the concept of a food truck, wagon or cart dates back to the early 17th century.

When I was in the Army, we looked forward to the daily visit from the Gut Truck (or Roach Coach as we lovingly called it). While the name sounds less than appealing, everyday my fellow soldiers and I would race out to see what we could get that day. Food that didn’t come from the chow hall was always appealing.

My favorite item on the Gut Truck was a chicken sandwich. It was very close to a McChicken except it came with cheese on it and other spices. The cart owner would smile at me as I made my way to the front of the line; she would say “chicky sandwich today, G.I.? “Yes, please” and she would have it ready for me before I even got my money out. Oh, those chicken sandwiches were so good, I can almost taste it now.

Fans of the show “1883” know that a ‘Chuck Wagon’ was a vital part of any long trek. For those traveling West to discover land in the yet undeveloped United States a dining wagon was essential. Sometimes these wagons would be set up along the route in makeshift towns, other times they would travel with a group. Chuck Wagons were not a traditional restaurant or food truck as we know it today. Their menu consisted of whatever they had on hand, what they could shoot or gather, and it was food that did not spoil easily. Common foods were beans, hard biscuits, dried meats, and coffee. Items like milks, eggs and perishables were hard to come by and were a special treat when they were available.

As a kid there was no better sound than that of the ice cream truck making its way through the neighborhood. The very first refrigerated ice cream truck emerged in 1923 and it featured Good Humor ice cream bars. It wasn’t until the 1950’s that advances in technology allowed for soft serve ice cream to be mobilized. When I was a kid, the sound of the ice cream truck always got us excited.

There was a level of skill needed to catch the truck. You had to hear the music early enough that you could beg your parents for money, or go to your secret stash of coins, and run to meet the truck before it got too far away. If you weren’t paying attention and missed it, you sadly watched as it rounded the corner, vowing to not miss it the next day.

The days you managed to coordinate this to perfection, you excitedly waited in line with other children from the neighborhood, deciding what you wanted that day. If you had extra money, you could consider one of the larger ice creams like the Mickey Mouse ears bar or the Dream Cone, but those were special treats in my house. My go-to’s were the chocolate crunch ice cream bar, an ice cream sandwich or a red popsicle. No other color would do – either red or nothing. I always felt like I got away with something when I chose that item because it came with two sticks, so it seemed like you got 2 treats instead of one. Kid logic.

Food Trucks have grown over the past couple of decades. Each year there is a ‘Trucks on Tracks’ festival in Binghamton at the railyard, featuring every kind of food truck you could ever want. Just this past weekend I was volunteering at the Norwich Gus Macker and they had a great selection of food trucks. I have been to a number of weddings and events where rather than a traditional caterer, they used food trucks. Our local breweries have even taken this concept to add to their business model. Last September, Commerce Chenango held their Annual Membership Luncheon at Hidden Springs Brewhouse and rather than getting a caterer, we had two food trucks onsite, and everyone loved it.

If you find yourself hungry for some food truck amazingness, you’re in luck because the inaugural Chenango County Wine, Beer and Food Festival is being held on Saturday, July 30th at the Chenango County Fairgrounds in Norwich, NY.

Not only will there be a great selection of wineries, breweries and cideries for your tasting and buying pleasure, but there are food trucks galore!

Coyote Moon Vineyards, Bullthistle Brewing, Forged Brewing, Awestruck Cider, even the Broad Street Tavern will be there serving up wines and brews. And if you’re now craving some food truck yumminess, you won’t be disappointed! We’re excited to feature some fantastic foods from The Mac Factor, Cousin’s Maine Lobster, Tuller’s Catering, Ye Olde Polke Store, Cross Country Cookin’ and Gilligan’s Ice Cream just to name a few.

For a complete list of vendors (which grows each day), check out the event website: www.chenangowbffest.com. The first 500 ticketholders will get a special bag full of WBF swag and there are still a limited number of VIP tickets available for purchase. It’s going to be a fun event with live music from local favorites Jason Wicks and Nate Gross, shop at over 30 crafters and food and drinks as far as the eye can see. I suggest wearing your buffet pants … or at least something with an elastic waistband. No judgement from me!

There are over 35,000 food trucks in the United States alone, so this trend of mobile eating isn’t going away anytime soon. They’ve come a long way since my military days, but oh those ‘chicky sandwiches’! I hope you’ll join me at the Chenango County Wine, Beer, Food Festival on July 30th.

I’ll do my part to support these business owners, buffet pants and all.

Be well,

~ Kerri

The views and opinions expressed in this publication do not necessarily reflect the views and positions of any entity that this author represents.