Hi there, world!

Welp, here it goes– my first blog eva! (ever put out there for everyone to see, that is.) For more of the “Why”– head over to here.

So, I’ve been living in Columbus since the beginning of July which inspired this blog’s title (Liv…in…Capital City. Clever, right? Haha)

 

 

W10

sand•wich (noun)- an item of food consisting of two pieces of bread with meat cheese or other filling between them, eaten as a light meal.

That’s how the dictionary defines a sandwich. Because the definition is so broad, I can’t disagree with it. However, my personal interpretation of “sandwich” is a little more specific.

I think that for something to be called a sandwich, it should consist of two slices of bread that hold an ingredient or two (or seven) between them. Now, let’s break it down. Since we’re already overthinking “what is a sandwich?” shouldn’t we also analyze the question, “what is bread?”

To me, bread has to be something that comes in loaves. According to my thought process, the debate of whether or not hamburgers, quesadillas, or crepes are sandwiches is over. Buns, tortillas and thin pancakes don’t come in a the form of a chunk of carbs that can be sliced, therefore, they should not be considered a sandwich. Who looks at a crepe and correlates it with “sandwich”, anyway?

Now that I have my definition of bread, I am now confronted with narrowing down what kinds of breads are specifically sandwich breads. From personal experience, there seems to be a fixed group of breads that fall into the acceptable category of sandwich bread. White, wheat, rye, whole grain, texas toast and sourdough or any other variation of those (honey what, 12 grain, etc) all pass for valid bread types. They are the typical choices when asked what kinds of toast are offered at a diner, or what is displayed at the grocery store. They’re also the kinds of breads that people eat common sandwiches on. The ham sandwich, turkey sandwich, peanut butter and jelly sandwich, BLT, fluffernutter, etc, are normally on one of these basic kinds of breads.

The only cloudy area of my definition of “sandwich” is that I mostly think that a sandwich has to have the word “sandwich” in its title, however, there are exceptions. The ham sandwich and turkey sandwich, and even the peanut butter and jelly sandwich are staple lunch sandwiches that use the type of food it is in its name. The BLT, panini, and rueben typically aren’t referred to as “a BLT sandwich” or the like. I argue that these concoctions are indeed sandwiches, but an exception to my rules.

A sandwich’s broad element lies in between the bread. I feel that anything that is eatable and can fit in between two slices, is acceptable. Whether its sweet jam or salty bacon, anything goes when it comes to sandwiches. White meat, dark meat, cheese, spreads, fruits, veggies, dressings, jellies, hummus, you name it; it has probably been on a sandwich. No matter how you define a sandwich, we all agree that the word is up for interpretation. That’s what makes a sandwich so appealing anyway, right? Their flexibility and versatility. So pick up a BLT or whip yourself up a quick PBJ, and get your sandwich on.

W9

As bummed as I was, I absolutely had to skip out on the Snowville Cremery tour this weekend to fix my life (a.k.a. my phone; it’s the same thing, really). After that mini-crisis was averted, I spent a beautiful fall Sunday with a my best friend, Lauren, who lives in Columbus by eating delicious food and sipping on soul-soothing coffee. On Sunday morning, Lauren and I took a walk to eat breakfast at The Northstar Cafe. I had been there once before last year, but this time, my experience was completely different due to the knowledge I have acquired in this class. I knew the second I looked at the menu that I found my blog post topic for the week.

With the crisp, clean-cut light slats of wood from wall to wall, and a whole section dedicated to display a diverse selection of magazines, I was more than ready to surround myself with Northstar’s atmosphere for breakfast. Like most cafes and diners on Sunday mornings, Northstar was packed. Thank god for gorgeous weather, because otherwise I would have despised standing in line outside. Busy employees “excuse me”-d their way through the line and passed out menus. I decided on the Cowboy Breakfast and Hot Apple Cider.

The Northstar Cafe is a hip, modern eatery targeted at those who take pride in and support a Locavore, organic, vegetarian and/or vegan diet. I noticed how all of these aspects were emphasized in the menu’s descriptions of foods. My menu choices were described as “spiced Ohio cider with maple whipped cream” and “two locally grown, organic eggs prepared any style, applewood smoked bacon or sausage, and a warm buttermilk biscuit with Michigan black cherry preserves”. These mouthwatering portrayals made me all the more ready to chow down.

As I anxiously waited my food to be served, I picked up a travel and architecture magazine. After flipping through both, I read the fine print under my giant “27” order number. It was a quote from Michael Pollan about how the real categories of food to be concerned about on any food pyramid is whether it is organic or industrially produced. This made me smirk and instantly reminded me of ENG 284 and all the new things I have learned about America’s food culture throughout the quarter.

The moment had arrived. My delicious breakfast was set in front of me and I dug in. It must have been one of the best breakfasts I have ever indulged in. I scarfed down the buttery, fluffy eggs, couldn’t get over the perfection of the thick sliced salty-but-sweet bacon and savored the moist, buttermilk biscuit topped with fresher than fresh black cherry preserves. Washing it down with perfectly spiced cider was the icing on the cake and made for a perfect breakfast.

Just as I have learned, this organic goodness came at a steep price. A breakfast that would have usually set me back seven or eight dollars at Bob Evans, cost fourteen and some change at Northstar. Although I still couldn’t control my impulsive eye-widening as the cashier announced my total, I suppressed my shock by reasoning with myself that it is all worth it. Eating local and organic makes me feel better about myself, knowing that I am resisting America’s overly-industrialized food culture and not ingesting all the pesticides that can not be doing my body any favors. I highly recommend and am looking forward to my next Northstar trip in the near future.

W8

I feel that “The Moral Crusade Against Foodies” highlights many noteworthy topics regarding a negative light that is rarely shone on foodies.  After reading the article, I drew parallels to other works we’ve looked at and noticed similarities, differences, new issues, and contradictions.

I was reminded of Supersize Me when the article covered the idea of foodies who have bad habits when it comes to cuisine. It is overlooked that those who consume their life with everything food can have bad habits, too. Consuming processed, internationally known fried fast food can be just as unhealthy or frowned upon as eating a rare tortured bird that is ate and praised as a delicacy. It’s just a matter of popularity. Somehow these foodies are left alone to “do their thing” just because it is a rarity and not everyone wants to do such a thing, let alone have the opportunity to. It is seen as entertainment and are made into fun, hit TV shows. Supersize Me highlights the negative effects McDonald’s food has and uses strategies to shock and scare its viewers. Jamie Oliver’s TED speech covers the harsh emotional effect that children and young adults experience after their diet is made up of mainly McDonald’s. Foodies that are overweight are never widely criticized, and the fatty, unhealthy contents of rare, worshipped foods are seldom discussed or noted. It doesn’t matter.

I was also reminded of the New York Times article “Unsavory Culinary Elitism”, where the author elaborated on one cook feeling superior to the other, when it reality, it’s about perspective. I feel it paralleled to the “The Moral Crusade Against Food”‘s section of how foodies are close-minded and hold a view that food trump everything. Disregarding religion or vegetarianism as a person’s valid excuse to not try a certain food is another aspect of ignorance that some foodies posses. It deepens a thought of where foodies feels that food has a right to override any other powerful element of someone’s life. With these this narrow thought process, it leads to foodies to not only criticize/”call out” each other like in the “Unsavory Culinary Elitism” article, but “attack” the outside circle of non-foodies as well.

W7

The “secret recipe” mystique exists for several reasons. It’s a matter of the preservation of history and creativity, coining one’s originality, and a form of pride. It is also a good marketing technique for big food companies.

Usually, secret recipes are born as a result of trial and error or a mistake. Some substitute ingredient that made a soup velvety smooth or a casserole perfectly tangy, or an accidental spill of certain spices that made a steak sauce especially tasty is what creates the mystique. Unique aspects to certain foods set them apart from the ones that are unworthy of any hype. “Secret recipes” add charm to the cook him or herself. Whoever eats the secret recipe marvels at the chef, wondering what it is they do to perfect their mystery dish. When their secret is not shared, it certainly adds to the wonder. Most settle for never knowing his or her tricks. The special touch and technique of the creator is what really matters in making the dish what it is, and surpasses the recipe itself.

Not revealing the recipe is  somwhat of a tradition when it comes to “secret recipes”. However, when the rare event occurs when the secret is told, it usually it is a well thought out decision. My Italian grandmother who is 91 has confided in only one of her ten kids, my aunt, to share her recipes to countless cookies and pasta dishes. By limiting the people who inherit recipe secrets, the tradition and history lives on, as well as the mystery.

Keeping a “secret recipe” a secret is also a matter of pride. When someone creates something so delicious, why would they share? It may be selfish, but it’s a way to define your creativity and build a favorable reputation. When a mistake creates something delicious, it’s luck, but when a cook slaves away through trial and error to perfect a recipe and finally gets “it”, that’s something worth conserving.

All of these concepts broadly apply to the commercial food industry. Restaurant’s and fast food chains have their own expert chefs and scientific culinary geniuses behind their marketable, tasty creations. When they find a certain something that makes a product stand out among the competitors’, its a concept they run with. Almost every fast food joint sells chicken in some way shape or form, but KFC claims that their chicken is the best, thanks to their twelve secret mix of seasonings. This special part of their chicken turns into giant ad campaigns: billboards, commercials and posters dedicated to emphasizing that customers should eat their food based on this special/secret ingredient. Disclosing the seasoning secret to the world would not only give away the thrill of what is probably a less than magical-sounding combination of herbs and spices, but also allow McDonald’s and Arby’s in on their techniques. This could then be copied or imitated and be the end to a legacy of KFC originality.

Unfortunately, I don’t have any secret recipes. Like I mentioned, my grandma does, but I am not familiar with them. I do not have a family life with home-cooked meals that knock my socks off. However, I am becoming more and more interested in cooking and food and who knows, maybe within the next few years I will create my own secret recipe to keep for myself, and pass onto my kid one day.

W6

Although a relatively short history, The Reese’s cup’s past is quite different than this Family Guy Reese’s ad campaign parody. The story starts with Harry H.B. Reese who was born in 1879 in York County, PA. He grew up working odd jobs from a farmer to a butcher. In 1900 when Reese was 21 he got married. He worked as a manager at his father in-law’s dairy farm and loved it. Unfortunately, Reese had to switch occupations to a factory worker which paid more in order to support his rapidly growing family (Reese would end up having sixteen kids with his wife!).

Eventually, the Reese family moved to Hershey, PA where Reese got a job on one of the Hershey dairy farms. That particular dairy shut down, but Reese was very close with Milton Hershey and continued to work for the company in a different area. He enjoyed the candy business and was inspired by Hershey and started experimenting with chocolate in his basement at home. He concocted dinner mints, simple candy bars, most named after his children (the Lizzie Bar and Johnny Bar), raisin clusters and chocolate covered dates. Although relatively successful, the most popular of Reese’s candies was the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup.

He had had a lot of success out of his basement business, but when WWII swept the globe, it left Reese limited to supplies and decided to narrow his business to solely be about to peanut butter cup. This Hershey’s chocolate and peanut butter sweet emerged in 1928 and was nicknamed the penny cup (its cost at the time). The success of the product led Reese to start the Reese’s Candy Company. He thought of this candy venture as more of a passion than a competition with Hershey. It is even rumored that Milton Hershey was known to keep a few Reese Cups in his desk drawer at all times.

In 1956 H.B. Reese passed away. Seven years later in 1963 the Hershey Company bought the Reese’s company. To this day, four of Reese’s sixteen children are Reese’s executives. The Reese’s cup launched a national ad campaign starting in 1970. The first slogan for the candy was “you got my chocolate in my peanut butter!” “no, you got your peanut butter in my chocolate!”. America’s response was just what the Hershey’s company was hoping for.

For the past several decades, the Reese’s cup has been very successful. The Hershey Company makes enough peanut butter cups in one year to feel one cup to every person in the USA, Japan, Europe, Australia, China, Africa and India. Since it’s emergence in the marketplace, Reese’s has creatively concocted over sixteen limited edition varieties of the Reese’s cup. Everything from crunchy, miniature, peanut butter and banana creme fudge, honey roasted peanut, white chocolate to hazelnut have all been sold at one point. Perhaps one of the most popular Reese’s traditions are the holiday Reese’s cups shaped as pumpkins, trees, hearts or eggs depending on the time of year.

Other evolutions of the Reese’s cup are Reese’s bars, brownies, cookies, Reese’s Pieces, Swoops, Whipps, 100 calorie wafers and Fast Breaks. The concept of Hershey’s chocolate and Reese’s peanut butter can also be transformed into cakes, milkshakes, cheesecake and even chocolate quesadillas!

Today, Reese’s cups are the number two most popular candy in America. The Hershey company rakes in 516.5 millions dollars per year in sales through Reese’s. May 18 has also been dubbed official I love Reese’s day. On the other 364 days of the year, chocolate lovers can embrace the Reese’s brand all year-round by visiting Hershey Park and the Reese’s Cup mascot in Hershey, PA.

SOURCES

http://www.hersheys.com/reeses/experience/facts.aspx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reese’s_Peanut_Butter_Cups

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H._B._Reese

http://www.candyblog.net/blog/item/reeses_line/

http://www.thehersheycompany.com/newsroom/news-release-1414585.aspx

 

 

W5

My fast food story is much like millions of other Americans. In short, once I became busy, I embraced fast food. The parallel between a hectic life and an often consumption of McDonald’s or Taco Bell is all too familiar between my peers and I. Until I was around 13 or 14 years old, fast food and going out to eat in general was a treat. I would have to beg for a happy meal when the TY Teenie Baenie Baby toys were McDonald’s, along with America’s craze in the world of children’s playthings. Fast food runs would only happen if they absolutely had to during my childhood. Going out to eat at an Olive Garden or a TGI Friday’s wouldn’t even happen unless it was a special occasion like a birthday.

When i was in 7th grade, I started participating in sports. I trained for basketball in the fall, played basketball in the winter and ran track in the spring.I was constantly having practices and games, which quickened my family’s pace. I found my mom automatically going to the drive-through without me having to ask.  I enjoyed the frequent deep fried meals.

With high school came my driver’s license and more trips to Wendy’s. During my senior year, especially, I had “senior option” which meant I was allowed to leave campus during my non-class times, like my two and a half hour lunch break. Anyone who was anyone used those few hours to hang out at the local square filled with fast food chains.

Unhealthy eating is usually a common association with college. I tried to defy that statistic. Not having a car and a true attempt to be a healthy, independent young adult turned out pretty well. Of course, there was the occasional Good Fella’s or Jimmy Johns run, but replacing the luxury of my car with a Flex 14 meal plan altered my fast food eating habits.

Currently, living in a house on campus, I’m still making a sincere effort to be healthy. Grocery shopping by myself and having the liberty of cooking anything I want is a great advantage. I do cave and order Papa Johns or grab Chipotle on the way home, but my life is busier than ever now and I feel like I have to make those sacrifices occasionally during the week.

As far as America’s fast food habits go, I feel that it follows a similar path to my own story. In America, we are extremely hard workers. We work the most hours out of any other coutnry and are known to be one of the most stressed. Eating  fast food in this country is the convenient quick fix that we can squeeze in and to get “to go” rather than appreciating homemade cooking as a healthy habit. Americans busy lives, competitive nature, easy access to cars and the success of places like McDonald’s, which promotes more and more to pop up at every street corner all contribute to America’s fast food habits and obesity problem. I also feel that since the idea of fast food/drive-thrus originated in America is also a major factor in how it is different compared to other countries. I have never been outside of the United States besides to Canada once, so I can’t share any personal experience. However, from what I know and have heard, other countries approach fast food in the opposite way: a foreign concept that’s a special occasion, while actual homemade cooking is the habit that is embraced.

Super Size ME

Spurlock’s main strategy was to use his own body for an experiment to see whether or not McDonald’s foods are destructive to a person’s health/a major cause of obesity. He was very thorough in his documentary to demonstrate that he was in a healthy standing before eating McDonald’s for thirty days straight.

One of the most effective strategies I think Spurlock had was not hiding any aspect of his journey. For the fact that he showed the world how he puked from eating a Super Sized meal and disclosed every sort of information from his weigh-ins to even how his sex life had changed due to his diet definitely demonstrated the vast effects of fast food. I also liked that Spurlock documented all of his doctor visits, trips to McDonald’s, along with getting the opinions of people in public, all while backing up points with statistics. Another effective strategy was how relatable Spurlock was. He laughed throughout the process and didn’t take himself too seriously. As he interviewed McDonald’s employees, or even the man who has eaten thousands of Big Macs, he didn’t talk to in a condescending tone, and remained entertaining and neutral.

A strategy I found ineffective were some of Spurlock’s rules. His rule to automatically accept a Super Size upgrade was extreme in my eyes. Also, for the fact he finished every bite that he purchased was also kind of radical. I’m sure the majority of people aren’t always hungry for the Super Size, and even if they are, many people’s eyes are bigger then their stomachs and they can’t finish everything they purchased. The main reason Spurlock puked was because he was forcing himself to finish the Super Size meal. I liked that Spurlock tried to live by the stereotypical obese American’s standards, but I personally could not relate. Maybe Spurlock was right, but I found it ineffective that he limited how much he walked and didn’t exercise whatsoever in the whole month of his experiment.

I had never seen Super Size Me before watching it in class, and I was truly shocked. Spurlock’s approach was meticulous and well-done. It was a very honest account that proved that extreme or not, McDonald’s products can be a leading contributor to obesity, which is a serious issue I’m glad he addressed.

W4

The All-American

Peanut Butter and Jelly

> An American kid’s favorite lunch food. PB&J’s have been in the lunch boxes of millions of Americans for decades. White bread paired with Smucker’s jelly and Jiff peanut butter just screams U.S.A.

Philly Cheesesteak

>Named after an American city, Philidelphia’s favorite sandwich is definitely all-American. The thinly sliced shreds of steak smothered with Cheez-Wiz (canned, un-refrigerated and terrifyingly processed orange-y American cheese) on an Amoroso roll is an original take on a classic sub sandwich.

Macaroni and Cheese

>I’m confident that no other country does noodles and cheese like Americans do. Whether it be Velveeta or Kraft, noodles stirred with creamy American cheese can’t be beat. No other country possesses something so sinfully satisfying. We can even prepare our mac n’ cheese in three and a half minutes by popping an Easy-Mac in the microwave.

Barbecue Ribs/Pulled Pork Sandwich

>Every summer I look forward to my hometown’s Rib’s Burnoff Festival which coincides with the Pro Football Hall of Fame Festival. Two true American traditions collide. The sweet, smokey meats are finger lickin’ good, and a must on my American menu.

Apple Pie

>Baked from scratch and/or the kitchen decor theme of  millions of American mothers and grandmothers, apple pies had to be included on my menu. Imagining children picking fresh crisp fall apples from and orchard and giving it to there grandma to make a sweet warm pie out of it is the epitome of an good ol’ American Country time.

Budweiser

>Germany may have Heineken and  Mexico may have Corona, but only America has Budweiser. Every country’s beers have a definitive flavor, and the U.S. is no different. I’ve talked to foreign exchange students, and they make it clear to me that Budweiser is a one of a kind when it comes to alcoholic beverages, which is why it’s on this menu.

W3

When presented with the subject of this week’s blog post, a phase in my life instantly came to mind. When I was in fifth grade, I went through a phase where I believed I could become the next Gale Gand, the host of the dessert show called Sweet Dreams.

Every afternoon, I would get off the bus and have the house to myself. I’d pop myself a bag of Pop Secret Movie Theater Butter popcorn (clearly, mom wasn’t home to know about this naughty habit) and turn on the half hour Food Network program. As I devoured my buttery, salted snack my girl Gale transfixed me with how she effortlessly placed all of the premeasured ingredients in her expensive KitchenAid mixer. What stunned me the most was that after the three-minute commercial break? Voila! A light, fluffy, lemon meringue pie ready to serve after a dinner gathering.

My 11 year-old self became so obsessed with this show, that I thought, “Why don’t I take a whack at these recipes? After all, she makes them look so easy!”

With this definitive thought, it began: my quest to find my inner-chef. I logged onto my dinosaur of an ancient Dell computer and as the Internet clicked and grinded, I looked up some of the recipes form the show. I printed them out, then begged my dad to drive me to Giant Eagle to gather the ingredients. Twenty bucks or so later, I was ready to make soft pretzels and marshmallows form scratch.

I chose this recipe from Sweet Dreams’ Super Bowl party episode. I put all of my ingredients in separate glass containers, cleaned up any mess I had already made and created a makeshift food show set. I proceeded by following all of the steps to the recipe. Thinking back, I don’t know how I managed to stir up my yeast and flour concoction and successfully dip the little pretzels in liquid over the stove to make the surface of the dough crisp and sticky to coat with Kosher salt, but I did. I remember being so proud of myself, yet disappointed that it took 100x faster for me to eat this surprisingly delicious food than to make it.

After this culinary success, I moved onto homemade marshmallows to go with hot chocolate. This turned out to be quite the disaster. I don’t remember much detail, but the gooey, sticky syrup that was supposed to be my marshmallows just screamed disaster and misreads in the recipe. Who could blame me? How many girls who can’t even fit into clothes in the Junior’s section try to make marshmallows from scratch by themselves for fun on a Saturday? This girl, apparently.

Overall, I learned a lot through experimentation with cooking. I don’t watch Sweet Dreams anymore, but learned recently that it still airs on the Cooking Channel. Maybe I’ll have another phase and start watching again and take another stab at that marshmallow recipe.