I make a lot of interesting sandwiches at my apartment. And by interesting, I mean "really, really good." It's a bit of a stretch to call making a sandwich cooking, but the amount of time and dedication that I put forth in making my sandwiches definitely has me feeling like a sandwich expert.
That being said... I'm not really sure how I would actually define what a sandwich truly is. First and foremost, a sandwich has to be designed to be eaten by hand. Some sandwiches - like the ones seen on Man V. Food - simply have to be eaten with a knife and a fork. But since I am rarely going to put myself in such a ridiculous situation, in my opinion, sandwiched have to be eaten by hand. Secondly, there has to be bread. And besides that, I'm not really sure; I've never been analytical about sandwiches before, so this should be interesting.
Hot Dogs: I want to say that hot dogs are sandwiches, because they pass both of my criteria, but something is holding me back. Hot dogs truly have their own unique identity - they have a lot going for them, and there is enough variety in how they are prepared that they exist in their own unique bubble. Not a sandwich.
Hamburgers: Eh, I guess you can say that hamburgers are sandwiches in an extremely traditional sense. They really are sandwiches in an extremely traditional sense: buns, token lettuce and tomatoes to present the idea of eating healthily, meat. If anything on this list is a sandwich, its the hamburger. I kind of want one from McDonald's right now.
Quesadilla: No way in hell are quesadillas going to pass as sandwiches. The cheese factor just totally makes them exist in their own stratosphere; a very delicious stratosphere to be sure, but they just aren't sandwiches. Sure, you can eat them with your hands. Sure, they have bread. But I'd liken them more to giant stuffed tortilla chips, because they are generally consumed by getting dipped in various salsas. Not a sandwich.
Crepes: Nope. While I love crepes, especially stuffed crepes, I'm kind of baffled that we are even discussing their validity on this list. They clearly are more of a pastry than anything else; to be fair, I've never had a crepe stuffed with anything other than foods that compliment its sweetness, and I know that they can be served in a more sandwich-y fashion. For me, though, crepes will always be more of a dessert than a breakfast, and more of a breakfast than a sandwich. Sorry.
Piroshki: What? I've never even heard the term piroshki before. Based on the picture, it looks like a meat-filled pastry, kind of like a classier version of a hot pocket. Regardless, I don't want to call this a sandwich; it looks like something that you would toss in a microwave. Not saying I wouldn't eat it, but I defintiley wouldn't refer to that as a sandwich.
SO, in review, I'd consider the hamburger to be a sandwich, while every other option on the list is something completely different. I guess I'm kind of a stiffler about my sandwiches.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Week 8: Myer's is right!
I've taken pretty much everything that we've covered in this course for absolute fact, agreeing with the arguments being made simply because they were the only ones to listen to. Never thinking to question the pretentiousness of the authors, stories or cooking shows, I blindly subscribed to every idea and thought passed through me. And, while I've learned a lot in this class, B.R. Myers brings up some very valid points about the snobbery of so-called 'foodies,' people that, in their own mind, are the best representatives that food culture has to offer.
First thing I thought of when Myers begins calling out this sub-cultural group was the ever-growing 'hipster' caricature - essentially the new millennium's most prominent counter-cultural movement, they are people that enjoy being ironic just a little too much, pushing themselves to great lengths to prove that they don't subscribe to cultural norms and fads. They will perpetually be out of reach to a normal person, spending most of their time bathing in their own arrogance while wearing skinny jeans, riding fixed-gear bikes and telling you that your favorite band was their favorite band before they sold out.
This same kind of elitist douchebagery is very present in the 'foodies' culture that Myers describes. Similar to hipsters, foodies apparently love to live a life that a normal person can't imagine. I've never met somebody this obsessed with food (pretty sure that you have to be a bit older than twenty, though), but if I did, I'm sure that I wouldn't enjoy their company. It's one thing to have a hobby, but something completely different to use that hobby as a way to exclude most people. Which, if Myers is correct, is exactly what a foodie does.
I found the writing in this article to be particularly funny. It's pretty hard to argue that the people he discusses are total snobs, and he uses anecdotes and excerpts from foodie-related literature and writing to hammer his point home. I enjoyed his discussion of trends: a couple hundred years ago, over-indulgence on meat was in vogue, mostly because the everyday man couldn't afford it. Nowadays, with all of the controversy surrounding food standards, it's cool for foodies to shop locally. I can totally envision one of these pricks at a dinner party:
"Oh, you shop at Kroger? Well, I guess that's okay... we buy from the farmer's market. Yeah, I know, a bit more expensive, but at least we're helping the environment and the local economy, right?"
Assholes.
First thing I thought of when Myers begins calling out this sub-cultural group was the ever-growing 'hipster' caricature - essentially the new millennium's most prominent counter-cultural movement, they are people that enjoy being ironic just a little too much, pushing themselves to great lengths to prove that they don't subscribe to cultural norms and fads. They will perpetually be out of reach to a normal person, spending most of their time bathing in their own arrogance while wearing skinny jeans, riding fixed-gear bikes and telling you that your favorite band was their favorite band before they sold out.
This same kind of elitist douchebagery is very present in the 'foodies' culture that Myers describes. Similar to hipsters, foodies apparently love to live a life that a normal person can't imagine. I've never met somebody this obsessed with food (pretty sure that you have to be a bit older than twenty, though), but if I did, I'm sure that I wouldn't enjoy their company. It's one thing to have a hobby, but something completely different to use that hobby as a way to exclude most people. Which, if Myers is correct, is exactly what a foodie does.
I found the writing in this article to be particularly funny. It's pretty hard to argue that the people he discusses are total snobs, and he uses anecdotes and excerpts from foodie-related literature and writing to hammer his point home. I enjoyed his discussion of trends: a couple hundred years ago, over-indulgence on meat was in vogue, mostly because the everyday man couldn't afford it. Nowadays, with all of the controversy surrounding food standards, it's cool for foodies to shop locally. I can totally envision one of these pricks at a dinner party:
"Oh, you shop at Kroger? Well, I guess that's okay... we buy from the farmer's market. Yeah, I know, a bit more expensive, but at least we're helping the environment and the local economy, right?"
Assholes.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Creamed Chicken
A dish that's been served to me for as long as I can remember is creamed chicken. It's a relatively simple dish to make. First, you need to prepare a starch; rice, toast or pasta works, but rice is where the money's at.
Seperately, boil about a pound of chicken breast for about twenty minutes. When that's done, remove the chicken from the water, let it cool, and cut it into small, bit-sized pieces.
Take a stick of butter, and melt it in a sauce pan. Take a half a cup of flour, add it to the melted butter, and stir it to create a roux. Add about two cups of chicken broth (you can use whatever kind of chicken broth you'd like - canned is easier) to the roux and stir it to create the creme. Add the chopped chicken, salt and pepper to taste, and serve over the rice.
This is definitely an old-fashioned one. My dad got it from his mom, who got it from her mom, who got it from an unknown source. Hopefully from her mom, though.
What's really great about this dish is that everything combines to create an epic mass of tasty, gooey, pleasing comfort food. You can even add pees and carrots to turn it into something that's slightly more healthy for you. I definitely plan on making this dish for my kids one day. Believe that.
Seperately, boil about a pound of chicken breast for about twenty minutes. When that's done, remove the chicken from the water, let it cool, and cut it into small, bit-sized pieces.
Take a stick of butter, and melt it in a sauce pan. Take a half a cup of flour, add it to the melted butter, and stir it to create a roux. Add about two cups of chicken broth (you can use whatever kind of chicken broth you'd like - canned is easier) to the roux and stir it to create the creme. Add the chopped chicken, salt and pepper to taste, and serve over the rice.
This is definitely an old-fashioned one. My dad got it from his mom, who got it from her mom, who got it from an unknown source. Hopefully from her mom, though.
What's really great about this dish is that everything combines to create an epic mass of tasty, gooey, pleasing comfort food. You can even add pees and carrots to turn it into something that's slightly more healthy for you. I definitely plan on making this dish for my kids one day. Believe that.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Food, Inc.
What aspects of Food, Inc. did I find effective? A better question to ask would probably be what aspects did I not find effective. It's hard to really enjoy a movie like that, because the information being disclosed is so jaw-droppingly shocking, but I appreciated it for the information it disclosed.
Many different parts of the movie shocked me. First and foremost, I am an animal person; I've never hunted in my entire life, nor do I intend to. I love animals; even farm animals like cows and pigs come off as cute, albeit in a somewhat dirty way. Just look at those glassy brown eyes; they convey a sense of innocence that I just can't ignore. I'm not vegetarian, but I dunno... it definitely seems like something worth exploring. Because, seriously, the methods that national meat processing companies treat these animals is absolutely disgusting. Whether it be the chickens living their entire lives in dark holding pens or cows being tossed around with a fork lift, everything about the treatment of animals by the food industry disturbs me.
One of the most disturbing parts of the film came when discussing E. Coli strands that have infected various shipments of meat that have been distrubuted throughout the country. If the animals didn't capture the attention of viewers, then the story revolving around the two-year-old boy that died from an infected burger surely should have. Presenting an actual face when discussing the dangers of meat-processing plants was an extremely effective way to convey how much can actually go wrong if these slaughterhouses aren't regulated better.
In addition, I appreciated the part about the soy bean manufacturing company. The fact that these people have essentially acquired the rights to soy beans - a freakin' plant - is so over-the-top ridiculous that I probably wouldn't believe it had I not watched the movie. It represents capitalism at its absolute worst: major companies gaining power (in legitimate ways, I grant you), and then abusing that power to destroy all competition. They actually seem like villains in a classical, Evil Empire kind of sense. My heart went out to the farmers whose livelihoods were essentially ruined as I found myself getting actively pissed off against this corporation (whose name I regrettably can't remember - it starts with an 'M').
The documentary also hits the viewers with cold, hard facts that are too dramatic to ignore. My favorite one (or the one I've since shared with my friends): on average, a fast food burger contains meat from over 1,000 cows. Holly f*ck.
This documentary does a lot of things well, and I'm glad that I saw it. It uses a wide array of techniques to send its message: that consumers should be aware of the food that they are buying and, if financially possible, should make smarter decisions in terms of what we purchase.
Many different parts of the movie shocked me. First and foremost, I am an animal person; I've never hunted in my entire life, nor do I intend to. I love animals; even farm animals like cows and pigs come off as cute, albeit in a somewhat dirty way. Just look at those glassy brown eyes; they convey a sense of innocence that I just can't ignore. I'm not vegetarian, but I dunno... it definitely seems like something worth exploring. Because, seriously, the methods that national meat processing companies treat these animals is absolutely disgusting. Whether it be the chickens living their entire lives in dark holding pens or cows being tossed around with a fork lift, everything about the treatment of animals by the food industry disturbs me.
One of the most disturbing parts of the film came when discussing E. Coli strands that have infected various shipments of meat that have been distrubuted throughout the country. If the animals didn't capture the attention of viewers, then the story revolving around the two-year-old boy that died from an infected burger surely should have. Presenting an actual face when discussing the dangers of meat-processing plants was an extremely effective way to convey how much can actually go wrong if these slaughterhouses aren't regulated better.
In addition, I appreciated the part about the soy bean manufacturing company. The fact that these people have essentially acquired the rights to soy beans - a freakin' plant - is so over-the-top ridiculous that I probably wouldn't believe it had I not watched the movie. It represents capitalism at its absolute worst: major companies gaining power (in legitimate ways, I grant you), and then abusing that power to destroy all competition. They actually seem like villains in a classical, Evil Empire kind of sense. My heart went out to the farmers whose livelihoods were essentially ruined as I found myself getting actively pissed off against this corporation (whose name I regrettably can't remember - it starts with an 'M').
The documentary also hits the viewers with cold, hard facts that are too dramatic to ignore. My favorite one (or the one I've since shared with my friends): on average, a fast food burger contains meat from over 1,000 cows. Holly f*ck.
This documentary does a lot of things well, and I'm glad that I saw it. It uses a wide array of techniques to send its message: that consumers should be aware of the food that they are buying and, if financially possible, should make smarter decisions in terms of what we purchase.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
Super Bowl!
Since memories of Aaron Rogers throwing touchdown passes over and around hapless Steelers defenders still happily populate my dreams, I wanna talk about the Super Bowl. More importantly, the food, because I can't think of a 'holiday' with more emphasis on food. Fourth of July, Thanksgiving and Christmas are all famous for featuring delicious spreads, but the Superbowl, to me at least, has become a ridiculous display of heart-hurting, artery-clogging tailgating food. This year was no exception: my friends and I had a solid feast on our hands.
The most important thing to provide at a Super Bowl party has to be wings. Lots and lots of chicken wings. There's just so much variety there; we probably ordered at least five different varieties from BW3's. We even ordered a few boneless wings, which are the greatest thing to ever happen to chicken (even though they are nothing more than chicken nuggets for adults). BW3's has a great selection of sauces, too; we ordered Cajun, Sweet Garlic, Buffalo, Hot, and Green Curry, which was an interesting flavor to say the least. Side note: I love eating curry, but it has to be one of the least appealing food-related smells on the planet. I never want my home to smell like curry.
I also made an avocado salsa for the game, which, unfortunately to say, didn't turn out as good as I had hoped. Not saying it was bad, but it definitely was lacking some flavor. Avocado salsa, it should be noted, is different from guacamole; I had to clarify this to everybody at the party.
Other foods that were brought to the party: home-made brownies, a trey of cheese and crackers (a criminally underrated snack; I had to be cut off), and home-made nachos (we had to toss them in the microwave to melt the cheese... so good though). Overall it was a pretty solid feast, although I was a bit dissapointed that I was the only person to actually make my own side dish (minus the brownies, I guess). My friends really need to discover cooking; it'll make future Super Bowl parties/tailgating events much more memorable, at least from a food perspective.
Steelers suck!
The most important thing to provide at a Super Bowl party has to be wings. Lots and lots of chicken wings. There's just so much variety there; we probably ordered at least five different varieties from BW3's. We even ordered a few boneless wings, which are the greatest thing to ever happen to chicken (even though they are nothing more than chicken nuggets for adults). BW3's has a great selection of sauces, too; we ordered Cajun, Sweet Garlic, Buffalo, Hot, and Green Curry, which was an interesting flavor to say the least. Side note: I love eating curry, but it has to be one of the least appealing food-related smells on the planet. I never want my home to smell like curry.
I also made an avocado salsa for the game, which, unfortunately to say, didn't turn out as good as I had hoped. Not saying it was bad, but it definitely was lacking some flavor. Avocado salsa, it should be noted, is different from guacamole; I had to clarify this to everybody at the party.
Other foods that were brought to the party: home-made brownies, a trey of cheese and crackers (a criminally underrated snack; I had to be cut off), and home-made nachos (we had to toss them in the microwave to melt the cheese... so good though). Overall it was a pretty solid feast, although I was a bit dissapointed that I was the only person to actually make my own side dish (minus the brownies, I guess). My friends really need to discover cooking; it'll make future Super Bowl parties/tailgating events much more memorable, at least from a food perspective.
Steelers suck!
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Fast Food Nation: OZ Style
I'm not going to sit here and try to argue that America doesn't sit atop the fast-food throne. The very idea of fast food was born and bread in the States, and it's influence is apparent. HOWEVER, I strongly disagree with what was said in the main course blog, that fast food is only relegated to road stops and other inconvenient locations in more developed countries. That's simply not true; in Australia at least, fast food is just as widely consumed and in-your face as in America.
First and foremost, it should be noted that Australia is, per-capita, currently the most obese nation on the planet. Walk down a busy street in Sydney and you'll see why: along with the usual name brand suspects (McDonalds, which they warmly refer to as "Mackers," KFC and Hungry Jack's, which is the same restaurant as Burger King), you'll find street venders and local stores peddling all sorts of deliciously heart clogging food. Any food you purchase is gonna be fried, breaded and/or greasy. They really don't have a lot of healthy alternatives in that country, aside from Subway.
Part of the reason we consider America to be so fast food oriented is the media. We're simply portrayed to be this country of burger loving people; that might be true, but we certainly aren't alone in this respect. Australia consumes a lot of fast food as well, and I'm sure there are other countries whose names we can throw into the discussion. Point is: America isn't alone in this rather unhealthy habit.
First and foremost, it should be noted that Australia is, per-capita, currently the most obese nation on the planet. Walk down a busy street in Sydney and you'll see why: along with the usual name brand suspects (McDonalds, which they warmly refer to as "Mackers," KFC and Hungry Jack's, which is the same restaurant as Burger King), you'll find street venders and local stores peddling all sorts of deliciously heart clogging food. Any food you purchase is gonna be fried, breaded and/or greasy. They really don't have a lot of healthy alternatives in that country, aside from Subway.
Part of the reason we consider America to be so fast food oriented is the media. We're simply portrayed to be this country of burger loving people; that might be true, but we certainly aren't alone in this respect. Australia consumes a lot of fast food as well, and I'm sure there are other countries whose names we can throw into the discussion. Point is: America isn't alone in this rather unhealthy habit.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Fried Rice
So my Dad's girlfriend bought me a cookbook for Christmas; can't remember the name of it, but the theme of the book is recipes that only require five ingredients. There are a lot of cool options in the book, but I actually used it for the first time over the weekend. I made fried rice, and it, surprisingly, turned out pretty well.
More surprising than the result, though, is how quickly everything came together. I started off by preparing two cups of white rice; this was easily the longest part of the entire process, as anybody who's ever made rice can attest to. It took, like, twenty minutes, which is the norm for cooking rice.
Once the rice was prepared, I set it aside and started to make scrambled eggs, which the recipe called for. I used a thai red chili paste (1.5 teaspoons) and a little bit of butter to grease the bottom of the pan, and fried the scrambled eggs (there were three of them) up. The recipe called for a specific method for the eggs, but I just made them the way I always do: keep the heat at a medium level and use a spatula to keep them constantly moving to avoid getting burnt. Once they were a solid consistancy, I took them off the skillet.
I added a bit more chilli paste (1 teaspoon, even though the recipe called for .5... I like spicy food, so I added a bit extra) and a bit of canola oil to the same skillet that I used to scramble the eggs, and let everything heat up for a moment. Then I added probably a half pound to a pound of chicken, chopped into little pieces, and cooked it up in the pan. Once the chicken was thoroughly cooked, I added the rice that I made in the beginning to the skillet, and started to stir (I wish I had a wok at hand, but I don't have one in my apartment). Once the rice took on the color of the chili paste (red), I let it sit for about five minutes. Finally, I added the egg (sliced into thin pieces), one sliced avocado and some diced cilantro to season it, and stirred everything together. The cilantro and avocado made it quite good.
The final product was solid, but it wasn't exactly "fried" rice. There was definitely a layer at the bottom of the dish that was fried by sitting directly on the skillet top, but the dish as a whole didn't totally take on this consistency. I'm not really sure how I'd be able to get the rice to fry through totally; I suppose if I kept stirring it might take the form I want, but that would take a lot more time.
All in all though, it was incredibly tasty; all of my friends liked it, as did I. Easy, tasty, fun to make - but most importantly, different than what I usually make. I'm glad I tried it, and will definitely try it again.
More surprising than the result, though, is how quickly everything came together. I started off by preparing two cups of white rice; this was easily the longest part of the entire process, as anybody who's ever made rice can attest to. It took, like, twenty minutes, which is the norm for cooking rice.
Once the rice was prepared, I set it aside and started to make scrambled eggs, which the recipe called for. I used a thai red chili paste (1.5 teaspoons) and a little bit of butter to grease the bottom of the pan, and fried the scrambled eggs (there were three of them) up. The recipe called for a specific method for the eggs, but I just made them the way I always do: keep the heat at a medium level and use a spatula to keep them constantly moving to avoid getting burnt. Once they were a solid consistancy, I took them off the skillet.
I added a bit more chilli paste (1 teaspoon, even though the recipe called for .5... I like spicy food, so I added a bit extra) and a bit of canola oil to the same skillet that I used to scramble the eggs, and let everything heat up for a moment. Then I added probably a half pound to a pound of chicken, chopped into little pieces, and cooked it up in the pan. Once the chicken was thoroughly cooked, I added the rice that I made in the beginning to the skillet, and started to stir (I wish I had a wok at hand, but I don't have one in my apartment). Once the rice took on the color of the chili paste (red), I let it sit for about five minutes. Finally, I added the egg (sliced into thin pieces), one sliced avocado and some diced cilantro to season it, and stirred everything together. The cilantro and avocado made it quite good.
The final product was solid, but it wasn't exactly "fried" rice. There was definitely a layer at the bottom of the dish that was fried by sitting directly on the skillet top, but the dish as a whole didn't totally take on this consistency. I'm not really sure how I'd be able to get the rice to fry through totally; I suppose if I kept stirring it might take the form I want, but that would take a lot more time.
All in all though, it was incredibly tasty; all of my friends liked it, as did I. Easy, tasty, fun to make - but most importantly, different than what I usually make. I'm glad I tried it, and will definitely try it again.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Best Drunk Food In Athens?
In all honesty, the vast majority of my friends (myself included) have one legitimate goal when we go out to parties or bars on the weekend: sex, or something close to it. That's just the reality of the situation; I'm not saying that this rule applies to everyone, but it applies to most.
Unfortunately, the ultimate "party goal" isn't met as often as we'd like to admit. Failure is much more common than success, so we often settle on a consolation prize: food. While I won't sit here and tell you that I'd rather be cradling a Big Momma's Burrito at 2 in the morning than a beautiful girl, those burritos are pretty damn good, and they are definitely an acceptable way to cap a night of drinking. Eating is one of the most satisfying acts that I can think of, and being drunk elevates food to a level unattainable while sober.
In short, drunk food is the best. And, Athens being what it is, there's never a shortage of options. As I previously alluded to, I love Big Mamma's. I'm clearly not alone, as the fist-clinchingly long lines can attest to. I've waited in lines to satisfy a late night burrito craving that an ordinary man would wince at, and it's almost always worth it. The blend of warm rice with chicken and bacon is mouthwatering... and that sauce. Damn. They have some good sauce there.
Big Momma's gets my vote for best late-night food stop in Athens, but there are definitely others that deserve attention. Good Fella's Pizza is pretty great; it's affordable, and the service is generally awesome. Pita Pit is okay; it gets points for being healthy, I guess... it never leaves me truly satisfied with my choice, though. It just isn't that filling. Or tasty. And it's too expensive. Other than that, it's perfectly fine.
I should also say something about the food carts, and I haven't even brought up the goodness that is D.P. Dough. I think I'll save that for another blog, though.
Unfortunately, the ultimate "party goal" isn't met as often as we'd like to admit. Failure is much more common than success, so we often settle on a consolation prize: food. While I won't sit here and tell you that I'd rather be cradling a Big Momma's Burrito at 2 in the morning than a beautiful girl, those burritos are pretty damn good, and they are definitely an acceptable way to cap a night of drinking. Eating is one of the most satisfying acts that I can think of, and being drunk elevates food to a level unattainable while sober.
In short, drunk food is the best. And, Athens being what it is, there's never a shortage of options. As I previously alluded to, I love Big Mamma's. I'm clearly not alone, as the fist-clinchingly long lines can attest to. I've waited in lines to satisfy a late night burrito craving that an ordinary man would wince at, and it's almost always worth it. The blend of warm rice with chicken and bacon is mouthwatering... and that sauce. Damn. They have some good sauce there.
Big Momma's gets my vote for best late-night food stop in Athens, but there are definitely others that deserve attention. Good Fella's Pizza is pretty great; it's affordable, and the service is generally awesome. Pita Pit is okay; it gets points for being healthy, I guess... it never leaves me truly satisfied with my choice, though. It just isn't that filling. Or tasty. And it's too expensive. Other than that, it's perfectly fine.
I should also say something about the food carts, and I haven't even brought up the goodness that is D.P. Dough. I think I'll save that for another blog, though.
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