Bart: Unckie Herb, what advice would you give to a young boy who would most likely become a bum like yourself?
Herb: Discarded pizza boxes are an inexpensive source of cheese.-The Simpsons episode [8F23] Brother, Can You Spare Two Dimes?
Everyone can agree eating fast food has its pitfalls. You really don't know what you're getting into when you chow down at your favorite on the go eatery. You don't know what is in that burger and usually eaten on the fly you don't always have at your disposal "fine dining". People eat food in many places. People eat it in their car, a movie theatre, their couch, a sidewalk, and classrooms just to name a few. I even remember hearing as child the local police department would bring the incarcerated criminals an
Egg McMuffin and coffee in the morning or a Cheeseburger in the afternoon from McDonald's as their Meals. (Free McDonald's? I wanted to be locked-up!) Rarely do you have any utensils. Don't even think about flatware. At your disposal are usually an abundance of napkins (if they remember to put them in the bag) and the containers/wrappings/bags your food comes served in. When eating a messy or an involved meal this usually results in a recipe for disaster. Throw etiquette out the window when you are in the car as that
Taco Bell will end up in your lap. There are environmental hazards.
In some cases the debris from your meal is just as prized as the meal itself. The leftovers are just as cherished and treated as "bonus" food. 'Urban Scavengers' as I'd like to refer to them are those brave few who take no shame in making a meal out of these morsels. "Lettuce" examine a few. Just when you thought you were through, there's more! You'll get desert once you've finished...
1. Bag Fries - The loose fries that have become dislodged from their container and fallen to the bottom of the food bag during transport. They are excellent for stealing. Those unfamiliar with the concept rarely check the bottom of the bag and throw them out. It breaks my heart to hear of all the forsaken
bag fries throughout the world. Beware as small wars have been fought over who claims the discarded potatoes. The boys at
Five Guys Burgers and Fries have embraced this concept. Here, when ordering fries with your burger, the server will scoop additional fries into the bag nearly filling it to the brim with oily love. They feed the world regardless of the size of the order and there's always enough to go around. Five Guys serves up peace on earth with every satisfied customer.
2. MacSalad - This is a term I have recently
defined. It is the remnants of a Big Mac hamburger sandwich from McDonald's left-over after a meal. They may consist of one or more of the following: all-beef patties, special sauce, shredded lettuce, cheese, pickles, finely diced onions, sesame seed bun. Usually found in the box from which the Big Mac was served. I recommend asking for a fork when ordering a Big Mac these days. The special sauce being a thousand island variant is a fantastic dressing. No one should let it go to waste. Who cares if it is only shredded lettuce.
3. 'Sonic the Hedgehog' or 'The Lord of the Rings' - These are the names given to the recipient of the coveted misplaced onion ring often found among fries. This occurs when eating at a fast food restaurant which sells both, more specifically the aptly named
Sonic or
Burger King. It isn't so much a leftover "hazard" as it is an epic quest.
One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them!
-The Lord of the Rings, J.R.R Tolkein
4. Pizza Crusts (Pizza Bones) - I've been raised with the belief that it is a mortal sin to discard uneaten pizza crusts. This is mostly because where I come from (
New Haven, CT) the crusts are often the best part of the Pizza. (I'll save the debate over superior pizza for another time.) What I will say is that just because the pizza crust is "a little burnt" doesn't mean that it tastes bad and should be thrown away. That's the way it is meant to be made 'round these parts. If you're not going to eat 'em pass 'em down!
5. Dumpster Diving - Am I serious? Yes. There are those who take urban scavenging to an extreme.
'Freeganism' is a relatively new movement based on an anti-consumerist lifestyle. One practice involves salvaging discarded, unspoiled food from supermarket dumpsters, known as 'dumpster diving'. 'Freegans' salvage the food for political reasons, rather than out of need, so you and your buds may want to read up on the
social theory before 'Freegan' out.
No matter what your motivation is for scavenging, be aware. Pay close attention to the next meal you're having as you might find a treat amongst the used napkins. Be attentive to your leftovers for they could quickly become your buddy's meal. Do you want to change the world? Here's some food for thought: Try, offering up those bag fries, next time you're eating on the run. You're sure to gain a few friends.
Peace!
This could mark a huge change to bacon mania. It could be the beginning of a series of health conscious foods flavored with bacon. I'm sure there's a successful protein shake out there somewhere. There's the diet soda market, and I've always enjoyed the irony of Vegetarian Bacon.
Founding father/inventor/foodie Thomas Jefferson invented Macaroni & Cheese. Well, he did in the same sense that Vice President Al Gore invented the internet. Rumor has it that Jefferson returned form a trip to Paris with a macaroni mold. His cousin, Mary Randolph (AKA "The Virginia Housewife"), first published the recipe he served in the White House in 1824. While popular in England since the Victorian era, the casserole wasn't a staple of American comfort food until Kraft Foods popularized it as a dried boxed food in war-rationed 1937.
The situation brings to mind the movie War, Inc.. Here we find a hot sauce shooting John Cusack as a hit man posed trade show producer in the US outsourced military occupation of the fictional country Turaqistan. A theme remnant of the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The climax surrounds Cusack's character (Hauser) confronting the Viceroy in a secret location hidden in a Popeyes restaurant. (Don't worry. I haven't given away the ending.)
A strange thing happened today. I posted on facebook that I was making a tuna melt for lunch. To my surprise I quickly received numerous posts from friends that they either had food made with tuna or had even made a tuna melt themselves. I'm sure this can be attributed to pure coincidence but what if it wasn't.
A tuna melt strikes a nostalgic chord in me. It takes me back to a simpler time of my childhood when I had the world ahead of me and finding happiness was as easy as getting in the hot lunch line in the school cafeteria. I remember later on in life of so many late night diner sessions where tuna melts provided sustenance after a long day's rehearsal. It is no wonder that on a dreary March afternoon, when I'm barricaded in my living room with my laptop and dog as my closest companions, I want nothing more than a tuna melt to escape.
10. Lemon Meringue - Meringue is made when egg whites are beaten some the protein's hydrogen bonds break causing the protein to unfold. Potassium bitartrate (cream of tartar) is added to add further stiffness and sugar is added for sweetness. Baking seals the deal. While 'lemon' is the most common meringue there is also the very popular non-pie ice cream dish 'Baked Alaska' (or Bombe Alaska). Often rum is splashed on top of the meringue and set on fire. The meringue acts as an insulator to the ice cream. That's hot!
9. Pecan - While some pies have only hints of flavor, the pecan pie's flavor is unavoidable. Whole pecans adorn the surface of this custard-style pie. A traditional southern U.S. pie it is rumored to be invented by the French after settling New Orleans. My favorite version adds bourbon to the recipe.
7. Chicken Pot - I'm finding 'gourmet' versions of this pie on menus more and more these days. This savory pie is the epitome of comfort food and the inexpensive frozen version is a staple of the college student diet. The American style typically has gravy and mixed vegetables (often potatoes, carrots, green beans and peas).
5. Pumpkin - Have you ever noticed that pumpkin pie rarely tastes like pumpkins? The very fragrant spices of nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves and ginger often overpower the mild pumpkin. As pumpkins are native to North America, the pumpkin pie is more American in origin than any other pie. The pie is most popular around Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Wherefore there are many seasonal commercial foods that are flavored to resemble pumpkin pie. The Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks and the Post Road Pumpkin Ale by Brooklyn Brewery are two of my favorites.
2. Banana Cream & Chocolate Pudding - A 'cream' pie is any pie filled with a custard or pudding then topped with a whipped cream topping. A very quick and easy version can be made with a ready-made graham cracker crust, and instant or cook and serve pudding. Canned whipped cream or cool whip is an honorable addition to any pie.
A Florida woman last November thought her fried chicken green salad tasted odd. She couldn't quite put her 'finger' on it. As reported by The Smoking Gun, she was correct in her assumption but it wasn't her finger. Eww...
"I don't know. Fish sandwich..."
Ingredients:
1. Bag Fries - The loose fries that have become dislodged from their container and fallen to the bottom of the food bag during transport. They are excellent for stealing. Those unfamiliar with the concept rarely check the bottom of the bag and throw them out. It breaks my heart to hear of all the forsaken bag fries throughout the world. Beware as small wars have been fought over who claims the discarded potatoes. The boys at Five Guys Burgers and Fries have embraced this concept. Here, when ordering fries with your burger, the server will scoop additional fries into the bag nearly filling it to the brim with oily love. They feed the world regardless of the size of the order and there's always enough to go around. Five Guys serves up peace on earth with every satisfied customer.
2. MacSalad - This is a term I have recently defined. It is the remnants of a Big Mac hamburger sandwich from McDonald's left-over after a meal. They may consist of one or more of the following: all-beef patties, special sauce, shredded lettuce, cheese, pickles, finely diced onions, sesame seed bun. Usually found in the box from which the Big Mac was served. I recommend asking for a fork when ordering a Big Mac these days. The special sauce being a thousand island variant is a fantastic dressing. No one should let it go to waste. Who cares if it is only shredded lettuce.
This resulted in a restless night for me. As usual, there were dreams of new and exciting McDonald's value menu items. There was the McMedallion (a large warm chocolate chip cookie), a series of Hostess snacks, a Sloppy Joe sandwich, and a vegetarian hummus snack wrap. To wash it all down I ordered a medium Shamrock Shake. The next morning the first thing I did was instant message John asking if he would join me on a quest: "The Quest for the Shamrock Shake". Here's how it would have gone down in Arthurian legend:
We walked in through the doors and right up to the counter (it was after the lunch rush). To our relief there (next to the sundae, apple-pie, and chocolate chip cookies) was a promotional poster for the Shamrock Shake. Success.
While those anticipating the ol' Shamrock Shake of yore may be disappointed, I still would venture to McDonald's this St. Patty's day if you're looking for something special. It is closer than a pot o' gold at the end of the rainbow and you don't have to deal with those pesky leprechauns.
