There’s nothing like a NY Times food critic to validate an icon of food nostalgia. William Grimes, worried by a report that Times Square’s Howard Johnson restaurant may be closing, made a pilgrimage to relive the old times. Grimes reveals the reason why I was so enamored of the mint chocolate chip ice cream under those orange roofs. In the 1920’s, long before those gourmet brands we know and love today, Mr. Johnson bought an ice cream recipe from a German peddlar. It contained double the butterfat of the typical ice cream and used natural flavorings. I had thought it was yummy mostly because of the treat of eating out, but now I know the real secret, as do those guys Ben & Jerry. Grimes also mentions that Jacques Pépin, one of HoJo’s original consultant chefs, has written a memoir which will include reminiscences of his days at the restaurant. As for the Times Square location, the parent company says it will stay put. But the future for the chain as a whole still seems bleak. The total HoJo’s count is down to 11, plus one in Puerto Rico. (What I wrote about HoJo’s one year ago.)