Calm Before The Storm: The Grocery Store Crowd

Dropped by Ralphs tonight to pick up some provisions as we head toward lock down. But below, one thing we *didn't* get: "Poke at Home." Nope. I don't care if the other shelves are empty.

Ralphs Ditches 'Van de Kamp's' Name, Rebrands Its Store-Brand Bread Under 'Kroger'

Van de Kamp's Holland Dutch Bakeries was once a staple of Southern California, particularly thanks to the bakery/restaurant chain's trademark blue windmills. Founded in 1915, Van de Kamp's evolved into a chain of more than 300 bakeries and restaurants up and down the west coast. A grand headquarters was even built in Glassell Park. The building still stands (today it's the LA City College's Innovation Center, and also home to a charter school) — but Van de Kamp's went out of business in 1990.

The name has lived on via local grocer Ralphs, which holds the license to sell its in-house bakery items under the Van de Kamp's name. But that may now be changing.

Eagle-eyed Friend of Franklin Avenue Jim Ellwanger posted on his Twitter feed that it looks like Ralphs is ditching the Van de Kamp's brand in favor of its parent company, Kroger. That would bring items like bread, buns, and pastries, in line with its other Kroger-branded in-house store items. Here's what he found:

"Van de Kamp's bread has a new look. Same Great Taste! Now... KROGER." I guess chalk it up to another end of an era.

Big Brother Ralphs Knows When You've Purchased Salmonella-Laced Groceries

Earlier today my friend Joe Flint sent out this tweet:

Got call from food company telling me dip I bought (and ate) is contaminated. Torn between being appreciative and amazed at lack of privacy.

Turns out it was a container of Dean's Guacamole Dip, which he had bought at Ralphs. The grocery chain found him through his Ralphs club card. Creepy/Big Brother move on the part of Ralphs? Perhaps -- but it did keep Joe from scarfing down some not-so-tasty salmonella.

According to Ventura Foods, which manufactures the product for Dean's Dip, a flavor enhancer may be contaminated with salmonella:

The voluntary recall involves a flavor enhancer called hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP), which is used to make Dean’s Creamy Taco Dip. The other six Dean’s Dip products were manufactured on the same equipment.

"Flavor enhancer"? Turns out Dean's Guacamole Dip is one of those "guacamole" products that is almost totally manufactured. Here's what is listed on the ingredient list:

Skim Milk, Soybean Oil, Tomatoes, Water, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil (Coconut Oil, Safflower and/or Corn Oil), Eggs, Distilled Vinegar, Avocado Pulp, Onions, Salt, Nonfat Dry Milk, Egg Yolks, Lactic Acid, Sugar, Whey, Sodium Caseinate, Mono and Diglycerides, Gelatin, Soy Protein Isolate, Xanthan Gum, Corn Starch, Guar Gum, Mustard Flour, Black Pepper, Red Chili Pepper, Potassium Sorbate and Sodium Benzoate (Added to Retard Spoilage), Coriander, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Cellulose Gel, Cellulose Gum, Locust Bean Gum, Disodium Phosphate, Cilantro, Gum Arabic, Extractives of Garlic and Black Pepper, Paprika Oil, Oregano, Thyme, Bay Leaf, Calcium Chloride, Citric Acid, Dextrose, Artificial Color (FD&C Blue No. 1, FD&C Red No. 40, FD&C Yellow No. 5, FD&C Yellow No. 6).

Joe: I think Ralphs just saved your life.

"Mad Men" Gets Its L.A. Logos Right

Gotta love the attention to detail on AMC's critically acclaimed "Mad Men." On one of the second season's final episodes, Don Draper is seen retreating to San Pedro -- and the home of the widow of the man whose name Don took after the war. In one scene, Don is carrying a bag of groceries from Ralph's -- and yes, the chain's old, mid-century logo is featured on the bag.

Meanwhile, above, Don is given a bag of clothes... from now-defunct department store The Broadway. Nice touch.