Experimenting on foods.

From my limited cultural exposure, as I am wholly ignorant of most of the world, I have come to the opinion that certain cultures have superior food. In my narrow view of the world, I see that some food is globally accepted, and some food is less than marketable.

Perhaps there was a time, when "fine dining" was defined by French Bistros. In today's United States, the average person would not know what French cuisine is, or what would be on a French menu. I would also believe that if you went to Asia, South America, and Africa, the average person on the street would know nothing about French dining.

While a burger is not culinary genius, it has gained global acceptance. Most of the world has hamburger. Same with pizza and fried chicken. The American version of Chinese, can be found on every continent. Spicy chicken wings and ramen, are trending like Sushi was. The San Francisco Mission burrito is slowly creeping across borders.

Certain food may never catch on, on a global scale. I just can't imagine an "all-you-can-eat borscht" in every strip mall across the land. Probably the same reason why Pea Soup Andersen's was never able to expand it's all-you-can-eat pea soup.

I actually wagered with a friend, that his favorite Filipino chain, was not going to gain global acceptance. I just don't see it. Not with Covid rampaging the earth. Most dishes on a steam table, swimming in a vat of oil, vinegar, soy sauce, and water. Then everyone digs in with their hands. Licking their fingers. And then reaching back into the dish to grab more. But maybe I'm just too picky. I don't want my fish with the scales and fins left on. And I want variety beyond boiled in vinegar, and fried in oil. Which sort of explains why in The Philippines, successful chains like Max's & Jollibee sell fried chicken and spaghetti.

Tri-tip is probably 1 of the best pieces from a cow, and very few people know it. In my twisted mind, tri-tip could be the next food trend. And not just because I'm from California, which is known for Santa Maria steak. Fresh, local vegetables. Homemade bread. Keep the menu small and simple. Maybe I could be the next food court champion.

I like to use an Indian nan bread thats been warmed up in a frying pan with a Polish sausage wrapped inside, tastes better than a regular hot dog bun.

Boil water, add egg. When egg is poached, pour everything into a cup of instant noodle.

Just food for thought......

Fifty150 said:

Just food for thought......

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I really wonder sometimes about what really motivated McDonald's to sabotage their own business. I mean, they ruined the food they sell by changing the way they prepare each and every piece of it, then tried to become a health food restaurant, a coffee shop, an ice cream parlor, and a playground, and then publicly announced that they couldn't figure out why they were losing business and decided it was because the customers didn't like their employees' uniforms (which are pretty much the same uniforms they were wearing when Ronald was still making money). They still haven't changed the uniforms much, but they've all but turned their customers into unpaid employees by making them place their own orders on an electronic kiosk in the waiting area. If this was the plot of a new movie no one would go to see it.

Zombie_61 said:

a health food restaurant, a coffee shop, an ice cream parlor, and a playground

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Taco Bell is a bar.

Fifty150 said:

Taco Bell is a bar.

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There are two Taco Bell restaurants within two miles of our house. One is on the corner of a main intersection, and is a pain-in-the-backside to get into and out of sober. Considering all of the alcoholics who live in our neighborhood (and those surrounding us) I can't imagine what a nightmare that's going to become if they add alcohol at that location.

Zombie_61 said:

I really wonder sometimes about what really motivated McDonald's to sabotage their own business.

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The usual suspects imho: Profit maximization, shareholder value followed by inability to transfer their business model into changing market conditions with decreasing emphasis for their product range and image.

Just my own opinion. Taco Bell food really isn't that good.

Fifty150 said:

Just my own opinion. Taco Bell food really isn't that good.

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I couldn't agree more. Actually, it seems that almost all of the U.S. based chain/fast food restaurants with a drive-thru have been going down the sewer drain over the last two to three decades. McDonald's, Jack in the Box, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Burger King, Taco Bell, Carl's Jr., Arby's, Wendy's...feel free to include any I've forgotten. If they were ever good at all, they aren't now. Back in the 1970s Taco Bell sold burritos that were approximately the same size as everyone else's burritos, they used real pinto beans, real meat, real cheese, real flour tortillas, etc., etc.. The last time I ate their food the burrito was about the size of a Twinkie and I didn't recognize one ingredient except for the vaguely-familiar-but-still-somewhat-foreign tortilla. I'm pretty sure I would have been better off in every way if I had eaten the paper wrapper instead.

Quite innovative production line. Very efficient. For many people who have never had Mexican food, it's palatable. For me, I would rather get Mexican food from a Taqueria.

I may not want to eat there. This video makes it look like I may want to work there.

Their image, especially of the golden winged burger chain, changed dramatically here over the last 40 years. Being a big thing when their first shop opened downtown in the late 70s, it turned to a lousy, worn down location meanwhile where those „go out“ eating who couldn’t afford a restaurant or even one of the better burger shops that popped up in the city centers around, they became supermarket jogging suit food shops.

Fifty150 said:

I may not want to eat there. This video makes it look like I may want to work there...

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If you ever work there, I can guarantee you'll never want to eat there again.

THIS was the most mouthwatering video, I ever saw!

What's not to like? Sauces from caulk guns? Meat, eggs, cheese.... processed and shipped in plastic bags? It's not the food. It doesn't taste as good and not "authentic". No more or less authentic than any other fast food or food sold in suburban malls. Most people think Macaroni Grill, PF Chang's, Chevy's, Maggiano's, Outback...... are good. Most people like corporate dining. I would be more worried about the individual locations and their safe food handling. In a perfect world, everything is done right. In the real world, people get sick from employees not washing hands, not cleaning correctly, and leaving food out at the wrong temperature.

I'm still not eating at Taco Bell. The last time I ate at Taco Bell was so many years ago, that I lost count of the years. I was on a road trip. There was a Taco Bell attached to the gas station. Typical miles of highway where you pull into the next fuel stop as you begin to run low. In all fairness, it just wasn't that good. I've had better Mexican food. It was inexpensive, convenient, and filling. I wasn't hungry afterwards. But if that gas station had another option, I would have selected another meal.

Some "fast food" I actually like. In-N-Out.

For tortillas, rice & beans, and salsa - I would rather go to Juan Pollo and El Pollo Loco.

Since mid to late late 80s of last century there is Döner in Germany.

Burgers and stuff has been a hype in late 70s to mid 80s when kids made their birthday parties there and lost rapidly market share since then.
Today McD, BK… are often not more than a halfway clean toilet aside the Autobahn here.

Taco Tuesday at my house. Nothing special. Cook some chicken. Cut some veggies. Steam some tortillas.

Not as good as Taco Bell. No caulk gun with sauce.

Fifty150 said:

Taco Tuesday at my house. Nothing special. Cook some chicken. Cut some veggies. Steam some tortillas.

Not as good as Taco Bell. No caulk gun with sauce.

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Had Tacos tonight. An omellette was the plan until I discovered we used the eggs for pancakes Sunday morning. We always have the makings for Tacos and my wife is an honorary abuela for her skill at making tortillas from scratch. We don't always have salsa or pico de gallo so yogurt and hot sauce fills in nicely. Lettuce or cabbage is always in the fridge. Whatever meat we have, (tonight pork tenderloin), fried onion and sweet red peppers. I always over eat on Taco Night.

belfastboy said:

her skill at making tortillas from scratch

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Such a simple recipe. Yet, so difficult to execute. Making the tortilla is truly an art form. When I was a young boy in Mexico, there were women who made and sold tortillas in front of their house. Corn and flour. They would whip it up right there on the spot with flour or masa. A wood fire.....from what looked like wooden crates and pallets. A piece of metal which looked like it came off a piece of machinery in a scrap metal yard. Back in those days, people actually just made food in front of their homes, and other people would come along to buy or barter. Some homes were known for their soups, cooked in giant cauldrons. Other homes were famous for their roasted goat. Just like a lot of hawker stands in Asia, they would actually specialize in 1 thing. No need to run a full menu. People would just come along with a pot, fill the pot, and bring it home. I was amazed by the front yard food economy.

I've always wanted to do that with roast beef. Just make dozens of roast beef every day. Then sell it by the pound. Slice it. Leave it whole for you to take home and slice yourself. But just roast beef. No side dishes. No salad. No potato. Nothing. Just the meat. Anything else you want, go get it somewhere else.