Category Archives: Food

Yup

Posted in experience, Fear, Food, Mistakes, Uncategorized by

We have seven cats. No, they aren’t wild animals. They are too tame. If I sit down for ten minutes, three or four find places on me to make themselves comfortable. The thing is, I wanted them to get used to staying outside more. So, I started feeding them out on the front porch. One day, I checked on them after putting their dinner out. Amongst them was an adult raccoon. The surprise was that all of them seemed to get along. No one, even the raccoon, seemed to mind sharing. I never figured a raccoon would do that.

Needless to say, the cats now are back to eating indoors. As for the racoon, he’s found somewhere else to eat. Hopefully, he’ll not return.

Frozen Food

Posted in Food by

The young man seemed confused as he looked back at the young woman who had just asked, “Do you eat frozen food?”

The young man glanced at the meal he just put in the microwave, then back at the woman. “Of course not. Who in the world would do that. I heat it first.”

Okay, before you complain too much, remember just how much you are paying for the little bit of entertainment.

The fact is, nowadays, almost all of us eat frozen food, well heated first. It has all sorts of advantages, certainly for me. It’s fast and simple to prepare, assuming I can find a magnifying glass with enough magnification to read the instructions. (has anyone come up with a magnifying ap for my phone?)

One nice thing, I don’t have any dishes to do after eating a heated frozen diner. The serving size is good. It discourages me from overeating. It’s fast. In the microwave, 8 to 10 minutes or half an hour in the regular oven.

If you have a large family, everyone can have their choice of what they want to eat. Some can have chicken, some chicken fried steak. Personally, I like that steak that looks and eats like hamburger.

To some degree, it is something of a preppers tool. If I keep enough of the meals in a large freezer, I can go for maybe a week off the grid. As long as I have a gas stove, I can have nice hot meals. The meals will remain edible in a well insulated freezer for at least a week. If it is winter, longer.

There are, of course, other forms of frozen food. When the kids were young, we used to by a 1 lb. turkey roast, whip up some instant mashed potatoes and some frozen vegies and we had a good Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner. Maybe it wasn’t what you would get in a 5 star restaurant, but the kids went nuts over it.

Now, with the kids out of the house, we either buy a frozen turkey diner or go out. We wouldn’t mind fixing it, but we just don’t eat that much.

I think others are doing the same. When we go out to eat on a holiday, we are far from alone. Usually, we have to wait a while to get in. Most are close to the same age as us.

Frozen vegies, I am told are healthier. They can wait longer to pick them because they freeze them in less than 24 hours after they leave the field. Fresh vegies may have to last a week before they get eaten.

Going back to the question by the young lady in my story. Is it really so bad to eat frozen food, as long as it is heated first.

Really Wished I Liked Avocados

Posted in Food by

Throughout third grade and through graduation, I had a friend who had an avocado tree in his backyard. At that time, avocados weren’t the big thing they are today. From what I understand, they really are healthy, though you really need to know what you’re doing to get one of them open. A person could easily lose a finger.

I don’t really hate them. I just don’t really care for them. Maybe if I had been eating them from the cradle I might have liked them more. Some people about go nuts over them.

Nowadays, I have even less desire for them. It seems that they have gained some value. I go into Subway, and they ask if I want avocado on my sandwich. Can’t blame them. They are out to help folks get healthy.

Who knows? If I had eaten them all my life, I would maybe be healthier. I might even live longer. On the other hand, there have been doctors who have said a little chocolate is healthy. It has anti-oxidants, you know. I really do need a daily portion. Not too much, just a little.

I have really taken a liking to bell peppers lately. For years, I avoided them. I couldn’t imagine them actually tasting good. Then one day I went to a big dinner where they served stuffed peppers. I figured I should at least eat the stuffing. Then I realized that the good unusual taste that was being transferred to the stuffing was from the peppers.

Since then, I haven’t eaten many stuffed peppers. Not many folks make them and I don’t really know how. However, I have frequently eaten the peppers. I found two restaurants that make a gravy with them that would cause me to overeat if I let them. In addition, Subway will put them on my sandwich without charging me one penny more. Sometimes I can talk them into putting extra on there. I find them especially good on their tuna sandwiches.

Going back to the avocados, does anyone know any way of making them taste good, as good as bell peppers. I suppose it is asking too much to make them taste as good as chocolate. Has anyone ever tried mixing avocados with chocolate? Maybe mix chocolate chips into them.

Take Care, Things Are Not Always as They Appear

Posted in Being woke, Cancel Culture, Christian values, Communism, Deceit, Food, Going Green, Memories, Mistakes by

The prompt about making food reminded me of something that happened a very long time ago. Well, maybe not so long geologically speaking. Let’s put it this way. I am now 76 and it happened when I was yet in high school. That would make it early 60s. I am sure to some of my readers, that is ancient.

Regardless, I had made a yellow cake. While it was cooling, I started on the frosting, chocolate. I had made a syrup of coco, water, a little salt, vanilla and water. My younger sister had entered the kitchen and I could see she was eyeing the my little mixture. I warned her that she wouldn’t like it if she got any of it. I turned to prepare the confection sugar and out of the corner of my eye I saw my sister move suddenly. Yup, from the expression on her face, I could see she tried to raid the syrup.

I got a pretty good laugh and my sister got a long drink of water. She didn’t even bother with a glass. She drank it right out of the faucet. I am sure if she could, she would have liked to be able to undo that function. I suspect she wished she had a backspace key. Fortunately, five minutes later, it was just a bad memory.

I must admit, I would have been tempted too. That little mixture I made up really looks good. But it is the ultimate in bitterness. The chocolate frosting that I put on that cake was mixed with sugar. In fact, it was mostly sugar. It wasn’t truly chocolate, but chocolate flavored.

You know, a lot of life is like that. It looks so-o-o good, but, in the end, it is very bitter. I don’t know about you, but it seems I need to learn that lesson over and over again. The sweetness of chocolate is only there after the sugar is added. Somethings in life remain bitter, regardless of how much sugar is added.

Comfort Food

Posted in Fast Food, Food by

I’ve heard the term frequently, but I can’t say I knew what it means, although I guess I did have a vague idea just from context. When I decided to reply to this prompt, I decided to look it up. They had a lot of examples, most of which I must admit presses my button.

One of the examples was chicken pot pie, which I really like, for sure. However, I prefer just chicken pie. Let me explain. There used to be a few restaurants called Three Sisters and they had the best chicken pie. Then, naturally the restaurant went out of business. That is not fair. That is not right. They should have given their recipe to another restaurant… or me.

It also reminds me of. the time I was going through the line at Kentucky Fried line, I spoke to myself, “I could make a meal off mashed potatoes and gravy.” Suddenly, from behind me, I heard a woman voice her agreement. “So can I.” I didn’t know anyone was eavesdropping on my private conversation. It was alright. I looked back and saw her smiling. I love it when I can make a person smile or laugh, even when I don’t mean to. Still love mashed potatoes. I’d just about have them with every meal.

I discovered fried rice when I was stationed in Japan. My wife doesn’t like it so I don’t get much chance to eat it. Maybe it’s a good thing. I would really put away a bunch of it. That and egg rolls.

Love roast beef when it is done right. Arby’s does not do it right. Used to like Denver’s. There was one a couple of miles from here as well as four or five in Memphis. I guess they have all disappeared. That seems to be the case. I find a restaurant I like and then they go away. I have found others that have roast beef but not nearly as good.

When I was stationed at MCAS, El Toro, the PX had a restaurant the served thinly sliced roast on two slices of bread with mashed potatoes and gravy over it. I am sure they are responsible for the 5 or 10 extra pounds I carried around at the time. Incidentally, I am not the only one that ate it. They had a huge following.

I guess, right near the top, has to be pizza. There’s just nothing like a pizza with pepperoni and pineapples all over it. The trick of course is, I have to order extra pineapples. My wife steels them off the instant I look away. I also like the pizza with the works on it, but I don’t get a chance for it that much. My wife doesn’t like it.

Daily writing prompt
What’s your go-to comfort food?
View all responses

2 Days Straight

Posted in Fast Food, Food by

Does make me wonder. Last night we went to a fast food place. they had, I guess, 8 favors of fountain drinks. They ran out of Diet Coke. Strange. No one seemed to care.

Well, they had diet Dr. Pepper. Can’t stand Dr. Pepper in any way shape or form. Never could. I guess it is a conspiricy to make me drink tea. You suppose the Engish are behind it. Tea’s OK, but I paid for a soft drink, not tea. I am diabetic. All the other flavors have sugar. I settled for unsweat tea. However, be sure, I will ask next time when I go to that place before I order. If they are out of Diet Coke, I will first go to a nearby store before completing my order… or leave.

My question, why always Diet Coke. 7 other flavors they can run out of. Somehow, they must have something against the likes of me. 2nd time this happened in this restaurant in just a few months.

Today we went to a nice big restaurant for a celabration. We wanted steaks, each of us. We were prepared to pay about $40 each. For us, that’s a lot for us.

They asked us what we wanted to drink. I told them Diet Coke. You guessed it. No Diet Coke. However, this time they outdid it. They had no soft drinks at all.

After a short time, the two of us had a good meal at Chilli’s. Incidentally, we paid less and we had all the Diet Coke we wanted.

I guess I need to start carrying my own emergency supply. I’m sure they won’t mind at all.

Money, Money, Money

Posted in Abortions, Christian values, Compromise, Controllers, Food, Lawyers and Representation, Memories, Planned Parenthood by

Now that I have your attention. Actually, the prompt I have for my contribution this evening was a bit of wisdom by a little boy, I guess about 5. We were at a restaurant and settled at out table when the boy called out, loud, “You’re always worried about money.”

I couldn’t help but laugh some when I heard. It sent me back to the days when my boys said such things. By the way, they were right. Back in the day, our budget only had room for eating out, maybe once every other week. Unless it was Sunday, we frequently had left overs and not many of them.

By the way, the title above is the name of a 1976 song (approx) by ABBA. If you haven’t heard it, you might want to. It has a catchy tune and somewhat humorous lyrics. It is based on a woman’s desire for money. And, as the boy pointed out, aren’t we all interested in money and getting it. Well, some of us like to spend it too.

The big problem, of course, is that we seldom have enough of it. I mean, even the billionaires seem to have problems coming up with it at times. From what I understand, when Elon Musk decided to privatize Tesla, he was a dollar or two short. Actually had me feeling bad for him.

I don’t know what the little boy wanted that made his mother say no. It might have been pie or maybe just a cookie. Regardless, I speak from experience. I don’t think it will be the last time he hears no. On the other side of the coin (like the pun) there will likely be many times he has to tell his children no. It’s just a fact of life. Most of us, from time to time must worry about money. In some cases, some of us even need to worry about where the next meal will come from.

Sorry. It is a fact of life. The Constitution provides us with the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. It does not guarantee steak dinners or Tesla cars. For that, you must work.

By the way, some don’t even get their guarantee of life. Before they are born, some thoughtless doctor without morals take it away from them. They don’t get any cookies. They don’t get any pie. In fact, they never get any life. The don’t even get a chance to compromise. Their memories will be terminated before they begin. Planned Parenthood will do their best to see to that, them and the dems.

One more thing. They, the dems, Planned Parenthood and the abortionists all do it for one the, The Money, Money, Money.

Automated Restaurants

Posted in Customer complaints, Customer No-Service, Drive-throughs, experience, Fast Food, Food, Restaurants by

Those that report the first automatic restaurants must not have had their eyes open. I have seen automation at some level since 1975. You put the the raw burger in one end and it comes out the other fully cooked in less than 3 minutes. I saw them firsthand. This is more than twice the speed as a regular grill because the burger is cooked on both sides at once.

There is a place in Southaven that has done much to automate cooking of pizzas. I also saw on TV a machine that totally automatically pancakes. This was, I guess decades ago.

Here’s the thing. None of the machines I discibed has any real computerization. It would take very little to fully automate them. It is not that new. Building the more automated equipment is simply a matter of an increase in the demand.

As an aside, I remember seeing a McDonald’s with fry machines totally automatic. I remember watching in fastenation. The potatoes went through a peeling station then sliced. There they fell into fryer baskets.

Whenever needed, the baskets were transported to the fryers and into the oil. They were dumped under a warm light and salted. The only thing a person did was bag them.

I have no idea if any McDonald’s still does this, perhaps at busier stores. Even though the machine could take place of a couple of people, I am sure the machine would need cleaning from time to time.

Thing is, right now the automation is possible. The question is, how much business does it take to justify buying machines that must be cleaned and repaired.

Another point that I have noticed, far more important, how much time do the employees stand around talking as apposed to being productive. I guess this is a question to be resolved by management and customers. So far I have seen a significant tolerance by McDonald’s & Wendy’s management. Automated or not, making customers wait 15 to 20 minutes in a store with 2 customers is unsatisfactory from the customer’s point of view. It should not be tolerated by management either.

Caution, Hot

Posted in Fast Food, Food by

Just returned from Whataburger. Good food, good service and at a reasonable price.

However, one word of caution. Those onion rings are hot. Seems it is a lesson I must relearn every time I go there. I suppose there are people who can eat things that hot. As for me, I jump around and fan my mouth.

As I say, good hot food.

It’s a Puzzlement

Posted in CEO Princeple, Customer complaints, Customer No-Service, Fast Food, Food, Restaurants by

The title comes from “The King and I”, though it is not quite a song. Still, Yul Brenner does an outstanding job of it. Sort of makes one think. Well, at least I did consider it over the years.

Maybe they won’t mind me borrowing the title, maybe for just a while. I doubt my post will be nearly as long lasting as the King and I.

The point is this. I drive by restaurants. In Southaven, we have a bunch of them. Moreover they are very much varied. The wife and I generally go out 6 days out of the week and rarely go to the same place twice in one week. Tonight, it was Burger King. Love their fish sandwiches almost as much as the Whopper. Tonight, the wife and I had fish sandwiches. McDonald’s used to be my favorite fish sandwich, but Burger King has them beat by a mile, maybe a mile and a quarter.

Besides, Burger Kings has onion rings so hot you have to cool them a while or burn your tongue on them. The wait was just about 3 minutes. I would have expected 5 so that was a plus.

Nonetheless as I drove home, the traffic was such that I had to go slowly. As I drove past each restaurant, I realized I could tell which ones were good by the number of cars parked in the parking lot. Wendy’s had none. Just before I passed, one car entered the drive through. When we passed I Hop, there were but a few cars. Last time I visited there, I gave up after waiting 30 minutes… and I was the only one there. It was easy for me to leave as they had not yet taken my order. It’s no wonder parking lot had the look of abandonment. That is a real shame. I really liked that place.

On the other hand, even on a Monday, the Chick Fillet was packed. When we go there, we usually park across the little street and walk over. Easier to get in and out.

Well, rather than go through them all, I’ll get to my point, you know, the puzzlement. Why can’t the owners of these places drive by as I did. Perhaps they would be able to see what I saw. What has stopped them from doing the visual evaluation and realize that they are doing something wrong.

As swamped as McDonald’s used to be, it is no longer difficult to find a place to park there anymore. It’s usually a quick walk to the door. My puzzlement is simple and I puzzle just why it is that they don’t understand why they are making less money.

Then again, maybe they don’t care, as long as they can keep the customers going through the drive throughs. However, there are restaurants closing. One was recently replaced by a bank. I found that interesting. They usually had a full parking lot. I guess my method is not totally perfect. Then again, maybe the owner of the restaurant gave up and decided to close down and visit Tahiti. That sort of thing does happen.

Still, it is one more thing to add to the puzzlement.