Rice-A-Roni Inventor Dies at 92

[eric&gen 0]

SAN FRANCISCO (Oct. 23) - The son of Italian immigrants who turned an Armenian recipe into Rice-A-Roni, the popular dish known to Americans since the 1960s as "The San Francisco Treat," has died, his family said on Monday.

Vincent DeDomenico died on Thursday of natural causes at his home in Napa, California, north of San Francisco, his daughter Marla Bleecher said.

DeDomenico worked in his family's pasta business when he was inspired in 1958 to create the mix of vermicelli, macaroni and flavorings that millions of Americans came to know by its advertising slogan as "The San Francisco Treat."

"My uncle Tom's wife got the recipe from an Armenian neighbor and served it one night for dinner," Bleecher said. "My dad had been making dried soups for the Army ... When he tasted it he said maybe we can make something like this in dry form."

"He went back to the plant and they started messing around with it, starting with the soup base they made for the Army," she said.

Rice-A-Roni was soon found on American tables coast to coast following the television advertising campaign in the 1960s that featured scenes of San Francisco and its cable cars, along with a catchy jingle to promote the easy-to-make dish. The ads also gave the city much publicity.

"It's a brand that's been great for the city and is a vestige of my childhood," San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom told the San Francisco Chronicle last year. "Just the sight and sound of the cable car bell evokes the old jingle."

The DeDomenico family in 1986 sold their firm, the Golden Grain Macaroni Company, to Quaker Oats as part of deal worth about $300 million, Bleecher said. It is now owned by PepsiCo.

Even after creating the U.S. packaged food classic, DeDomenico continued to tinker with new culinary ideas, using his family as tasters. "He brought all these test products home," his daughter said. "We ate these products until we were all sick of them."

[MissStacey 1]

Maybe the company will make a giant Rice a Roni box to bury him in.

[*julez* 124]

Maybe the company will make a giant Rice a Roni box to bury him in.

I seriously laughed right out loud over your comment!! A San Francisco treat for sure!!!!

[eric&gen 0]

One of my favorite San Francisco treat back in my single days easy quick meal for me lol. Still have it once in awhile lol.

[Sister Fracas 5]

awww, I just had rice for lunch... RIP Rice-a-Roni guy.... I grew up on the stuff.

I wouldn't eat it now though... too much sodium and other stuff I don't want to ingest. ...

[JODO 2]

Rice a Roni, the San Francisco treat

[peejay 327]

Rice a Roni, the San Francisco treat

Rice-a-Roni....the flavor can't be beat!

[MrsBruce5 0]

How sad...I love the stuff !

Chicken & Garlic rocks !!!

I think I am going to make some as a side tonight with my roast, in his honor.

RIP, Rice a Roni Guy.

Edited October 23, 2007 by MrsBruce5

[almaty 19]

Rice a roni....got me through college..along with mac and cheese and ketchup soup

[Amby 490]

I like the pasta roni tomato parmesan

[yassmine2878 1]

Maybe the company will make a giant Rice a Roni box to bury him in.

Oh good gracious. I almost peed myself laughing at this comment.

What happens when Mr. Kraft dies? Or Chef Boyardee? Dump 'is azz in a tin can and have everyone stand around throwing Spaghetti-O's on the grave?

[almaty 19]

Maybe the company will make a giant Rice a Roni box to bury him in.

Oh good gracious. I almost peed myself laughing at this comment.

What happens when Mr. Kraft dies? Or Chef Boyardee? Dump 'is azz in a tin can and have everyone stand around throwing Spaghetti-O's on the grave?

lol...you should work in the field....

[yassmine2878 1]

Maybe the company will make a giant Rice a Roni box to bury him in.

Oh good gracious. I almost peed myself laughing at this comment.

What happens when Mr. Kraft dies? Or Chef Boyardee? Dump 'is azz in a tin can and have everyone stand around throwing Spaghetti-O's on the grave?

lol...you should work in the field....

Which one?

[almaty 19]

Maybe the company will make a giant Rice a Roni box to bury him in.

Oh good gracious. I almost peed myself laughing at this comment.

What happens when Mr. Kraft dies? Or Chef Boyardee? Dump 'is azz in a tin can and have everyone stand around throwing Spaghetti-O's on the grave?

lol...you should work in the field....

Which one?

marketing

[yassmine2878 1]

Maybe the company will make a giant Rice a Roni box to bury him in.

Oh good gracious. I almost peed myself laughing at this comment.

What happens when Mr. Kraft dies? Or Chef Boyardee? Dump 'is azz in a tin can and have everyone stand around throwing Spaghetti-O's on the grave?

lol...you should work in the field....

Which one?

marketing

Nah, then Id have to lie to people. Id rather do the traffic report:

Barbie-like news anchor: Whats going on out there on the highway today?

Me: ITS 730 IN THE MORNING, EVERYONE LEFT THE HOUSE AT THE SAME FRIGGIN TIME!

There. Job done. Lets go home and have some cherry Jolly Ranchers.

OMG. What if Mr. Jolly Rancher dies? Instead of wrapping him up in a nice clean sheet, would they just twist him up in a cellophane wrapper? I bet he'd be in the one with the green ends.

Edited October 24, 2007 by yassmine2878