hjshorter

Jeez, chill out. If you understand my point why can't you just drop it? Why the 1000 word posts railing about how much better the food was 50 years ago? What was the subject of this thread again?

Joe H, I think you're getting a little overheated here. As I said in a previous post, I am interested in the social aspect of this phenomenon. And Bill has it right in his post above: There is more to food than just taste. These people are willing to stand in line because it's a taste of HOME to them, not because it's the best chicken in the world. As a foodie and an future anthropologist, I find that fascinating. What's wrong with that?

Purchased Peruvian rotisseried chicken, with it's addictive sauce (some kind of spicy mayo concoction), served with flour tortillas Cucumber salad Roasted cauliflower Vanilla ice cream and sudafed for dessert.

That is exactly the aspect of it that I was most interested in. Thanks Malawry, hannnah, and Mr. hannnah for checking it out, and thanks specialteach for the story. All of this from some fried chicken.

Basic green salad (p. 102) with Julia's lemon-oil dressing (p. 114) Jacques' Sauteed Chicken "Maison" (p. 274-275) Either Jacques' Pommes de Terre Boulangere (p. 161) or something else, whatever folks prefer. I liked the Boulangere because it's baked and requires no attention while the chicken is being prepared. Do we want a dessert too? Another vegetable?

I'm working on it.

I bet. Saturday then?

One vote for the chicken. Tomorrow night? Let's do the galantine closer to the holidays, so that I have 12-15 people around to eat it.

I went to lunch with Malawry at A&J Restaurant and had spicy cucumbers with hot garlic sauce and pork dumplings. Mmmmmmm, pork.

Saw them at the grocery store the other night but walked away. I knew I should've put them in the cart!

I've never canned, but I saw the light at the pig pickin after tasting guajolote's pickled okra, bread and butters and the cauliflower. I'm thinking of starting with something like a relish or chow chow.

Dave, I browned some shallots, then sauteed the spinach in the same pan and still had a clumping problem. I think it would be less perceptable with a shorter pasta, something like orrichiette (sp?). We used gorgonzola, which was definitely underwhelming. Next time I will get some Roquefort and see if that improves things. It also needed some brightness, like a squeeze of lemon.

Don't forget to bring your tiara and thong. Does it have to be an eGullet thong?

Soba, you're right. I expressed myself poorly. My mother was a good cook, and always concerned with getting as much into us nutritionally as she could on her limited budget. I still don't know how she did it for so many years. That being said, it was a treat to go out, even if only for fast food because it's what normal (ie, not poor) people do*. When you have very little, it important to feel that you have what everyone else has. I'm not in those circumstances now, but that feeling will never ever go away. Even if you enjoy cooking, it can be a chore if you don't have the choice not to*. *Edited to say that fast food and convenience food manufacturers probably make a mint off of these two perceptions.

You're lucky to have so many quality options in your neighborhood.

Soba, have you put any of your Flilipino recipes in the recipe archive? Tonight's dinner (put together in 15 minutes): Beef and bean burritos, with cheddar, lettuce, tomato and bottled salsa Water for everyone (we're all still sick) Banana yogurt for dessert

That was the point I was trying to make here

I don't recall saying that wasn't the case. My family was lower middle class. There was just enough to eat, period. No snacks, no seconds on dinner. Every scrap left over was recycled for another meal. I worked in the school cafeteria in Jr. High to qualify for free lunches. If there was any spare money for a meal out it was most likely McDonald's. And yes, it was a treat to go there. And my fast food stint was at KFC, to earn money while attending college. I know it can be done.

What's a key party?

Thank you. That was a far more eloquent version of what I was getting at. When most of your income is spent trying to survive, good food is not a priority. Enough food is a bigger concern, along with diapers, rent, and now (mostly substandard) childcare, since mothers are being forced to find jobs. Food stamp eligibilty is being cut. It's a much more complicated issue than this thread is acknowledging. If you're existing on government cheese BK is most likely a step up. It has also occured to me that that some of the low-income people being pontificated about on this thread are probably working at BK, not just eating there. And I wouldn't weep for the mom and pops being squeezed out in poor neighborhoods. Most of them are equally crappy and charge high prices.

Both are good. I bow to the opinion of the group.

No doubt. I defer to your obviously greater knowledge of the low income lifestyle.

Thanks! I'm not a blue cheese fan, but thought the salad pre-Maytag addition rocked. Any thoughts on substituting another kind of cheese for the blue? Maybe some goat cheese? I've done it with a soft goat cheese and harder aged ones. Both work well. What about Ricotta Salata? Why not? Please try and report back. Sure thing. I'll see what the beets look like at Whole Paycheck and report back.

Thanks! I'm not a blue cheese fan, but thought the salad pre-Maytag addition rocked. Any thoughts on substituting another kind of cheese for the blue? Maybe some goat cheese? I've done it with a soft goat cheese and harder aged ones. Both work well. What about Ricotta Salata?