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He triumphed with waffles without vanquishing the pancake
He triumphed with waffles without vanquishing the pancake
By Scott Thurm
By Scott Thurm
Accompying the encyclopedia entry for tinkerer, there should be a picture of Frank Dorsa.
Accompying the encyclopedia entry for tinkerer, there should be a picture of Frank Dorsa.
An automatic continuous potato peeler. A fryer that doesn’t curl bacon. A large rubber squeegee for cement. Even in his 80s, Dorsa loved to retreat to the machine shop in his Saratoga California home, to toy with a lathe or drill press.
An automatic continuous potato peeler. A fryer that doesn’t curl bacon. A large rubber squeegee for cement. Even in his 80s, Dorsa loved to retreat to the machine shop in his Saratoga California home, to toy with a lathe or drill press.
Ultimately, one of Dorsa’s inventions would change America, although it gained him little fame: the frozen waffle.
Ultimately, one of Dorsa’s inventions would change America, although it gained him little fame: the frozen waffle.
The year was 1953 and Americans, flush with postwar affluence, increasingly sought prepared foods. At the Julian Street plant of Eggo Food Products, Dorsa answered the call. Within a few years, he would invent a massive “merry-go-round” waffle machine, 30 feet around that could make thousands of soon to be frozen waffles an hour.
The year was 1953 and Americans, flush with postwar affluence, increasingly sought prepared foods. At the Julian Street plant of Eggo Food Products, Dorsa answered the call. Within a few years, he would invent a massive “merry-go-round” waffle machine, 30 feet around that could make thousands of soon to be frozen waffles an hour.
Dorsa died Wednesday at age 88, after a brief illness and a life that spanned the 20th century.
Dorsa died Wednesday at age 88, after a brief illness and a life that spanned the 20th century.
A machinist trained at San Jose High School, Frank Dorsa worked at FMC Corp,, then still known as Food Machinery Company, among other places. But it was in the basement of their parent’s Oak Street home that Frank and his brothers Anthony and Sam created the business that became Eggo. They began in 1932 with mayonnaise –hence the company name- and with an infusion of $50.00, branched out into waffles.
A machinist trained at San Jose High School, Frank Dorsa worked at FMC Corp,, then still known as Food Machinery Company, among other places. But it was in the basement of their parent’s Oak Street home that Frank and his brothers Anthony and Sam created the business that became Eggo. They began in 1932 with mayonnaise –hence the company name- and with an infusion of $50.00, branched out into waffles.
When the popularity of their waffle batter reached beyond the region to which it could be transported fresh, they developed a dry mixture to which restaurants and homemakers needed to only add milk.
When the popularity of their waffle batter reached beyond the region to which it could be transported fresh, they developed a dry mixture to which restaurants and homemakers needed to only add milk.
After the Dorsas bought the Garden City Potato Chip plant in 1938, Frank invented the continuous potato peeler, which made hand-peeling obsolete. And when America wanted its waffles frozen rather then fresh, Frank found a way, using a real merry-go-round motor and dozens of waffle irons.
After the Dorsas bought the Garden City Potato Chip plant in 1938, Frank invented the continuous potato peeler, which made hand-peeling obsolete. And when America wanted its waffles frozen rather then fresh, Frank found a way, using a real merry-go-round motor and dozens of waffle irons.
In 1962, Eggo Food Products moved to spanking new digs on the edge of town, a 135,000 square foot building near McKee Road and Highway 101. Four years later, the Dorsas sold out – for what Anthony’s son Dean later called a “tempting sum” to Fearn International, which later became part of Kellogg’s. In retirement, Dorsa retreated to his home but kept inventing.
In 1962, Eggo Food Products moved to spanking new digs on the edge of town, a 135,000 square foot building near McKee Road and Highway 101. Four years later, the Dorsas sold out – for what Anthony’s son Dean later called a “tempting sum” to Fearn International, which later became part of Kellogg’s. In retirement, Dorsa retreated to his home but kept inventing.
Not all his inventions were hits. Following the success of his frozen waffles, Dorsa experimented with frozen pancakes, said Frank Dorsa Jr. but he could never develop an adequate recipe.
Not all his inventions were hits. Following the success of his frozen waffles, Dorsa experimented with frozen pancakes, said Frank Dorsa Jr. but he could never develop an adequate recipe.
Merry-Go-Waffle
Thrum, S. (1996, January 21). He triumphed with waffles without vanquishing the pancake. The Daily Sunday, p. 8.
Knight-Ridder Newspapers https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1915&dat=19960121&id=W8hGAAAAIBAJ&sjid=cPgMAAAAIBAJ&pg=4765,3651340&hl=en
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