Food for Thought…
Johnny-on-the-Spot … by John Foster …
Filling the gas tank can be an informative time nowadays.
Most pumps have these little screens on them with all sorts of information including news, sports and weather.
There are also little “billboards” to entice you to go inside to grab something to eat.
An ad for a fish sandwich caught my eye.
First off, “advertised” sandwiches always seem to look better than the one you get wrapped in paper and smashed to fit in the sack.
Am I wrong?
But this particular sandwich was made with “wild-caught cod”.
I’m not quite sure why that information was shared with me.
I guess it means “caught from a natural habitat” (lake, ocean, river).
I guess cod don’t swim around much in mud puddles or swamps.
Once I pile my tarter sauce on it, I don’t really care how it was caught.
Might be nice to have a “hush puppy” or two as a side.
It’s like “free-range” chicken.
Unless they’re wearing little masks to stop the spread of bird flu, I don’t really care if my chickens are running about before I eat them or their eggs.
Ask my wife about how she used to help her Mom prepare chickens “back in the day”.
The backyard clothes line was a major player in chicken prep for the McClaran family in Shreve, Ohio.
I used to perform “funeral services” with my Malone cousins for “free range chickens” that would wander on to Berlin Road in front of cars in Huron, Ohio.
So much for “free range” in those days.
The Malone’s also had “free range dogs” because I remember my Aunt and Mom chasing me outside in a cold rain to follow and pick up after the Mommy dog that was depositing newborn pups in the yard on the way to the to the warmth and dryness of the barn.
Does that make me a mid-wife?
But back to the subject of food.
It’s big business.
All sorts of clever verbiage is used to entice us to try something new to eat.
There are actually the 4 “P’s” when it comes to marketing food.
Product. Price. Place. Promotion.
“Natural” is today’s big buzz word.
“Directly from Mother Earth”.
(Gotta cut out the middle man, right?)
“Real. Fresh. Food”.
“From farm to plate”.
In many cases, “fast food” seems to be the driver.
“Fun. Fast. Tasty. Delicious”.
“Fast and yummy. Good for your tummy”.
It’s all about a great eating experience.
“Food that will make you glad you’re not on a diet”.
“Your belly knows best”.
“Grab life by the fork”.
“Warning: Our menu may cause foodgasms”.
“You can’t eat here just once”.
What you consume makes a difference as well.
“Burgers! Because no great story started with a salad”.
“Your hunger is at steak”.
Mexican food seems to offer some unique marketing ploys.
“You can never have too many tacos”.
“We believe every day is taco Tuesday.”
“Nacho average Mexican restaurant”.
There’s also a philosophic and humor side to eating and cooking.
Julia Child said, “People who love to eat are always the best people.”
She also said, “The only time to eat diet food is while you’re waiting for the steak to cook.”
Mark Twain told us, “The secret of success in life is to eat what you like and let the food fight it out inside.”
It was W.C. Fields who said, “I cook with wine and sometimes I even add it to the food.”
Linda Grayson told us, “The only thing better than a friend is a friend with chocolate.”
“I’m on a seafood diet. I see food and I eat it.”
“I’m not drooling; my stomach is just saying hello”.
“If we’re not meant to have nighttime snacks, why is there a light in the refrigerator?”
“Stressed spelled backwards is desserts. Coincidence? I think not.”
Ernestine Ulmer reminded us, “Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first.”
Did anyone ever say, “That’s too much bacon.”
In 1964, the Newbeats sang about food.
Remember?
“Ah, he likes bread and butter.
Ah, he likes toast and jam.
And that’s what his baby feeds him.
Ah, he’s her lovin’ man.
Well I like bread and butter.
I like toast and jam.
That’s what my baby feeds me.
I’m her lovin’ man.
Well, got home early one Monday
much my surprise.
She was eating chicken and dumplings
oh with some other guy.
No more bread and butter.
Ah, no more toast and jam.
He found his baby eating
ah, with some other man.”
Seconds, anyone?