# Food trends that irritate you



## Waxwing (Apr 17, 2008)

If you can think of a better subject like, please do.

But little things like "all vegetarians are supposed to like eggplant and I hate it!" or "commercial jerk sauce is crap!". You get the idea.

Here's mine for the day:

CHILI DOES NOT BELONG ON NACHOS. EVER.


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## LoveBHMS (Apr 17, 2008)

Most commercial yogurt does not need to be made with gelatin.

Canned veggies without salt don't need to be pricier than the ones with salt. If you leave something out, why does it cost more?


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## Ample Pie (Apr 17, 2008)

ALL NATURAL BAKED LAYS.

WTF? They weren't baked by laying them all out in the sun, they were baked in a commercial oven.

People who think they're being healthier for getting something just because the package says "all natural" give me the creeps.


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## Waxwing (Apr 17, 2008)

Yeah what's the point of the gelatin in yogurt? Agar isn't significantly more expensive to use. 

It's pronounced CHIPOTLE. T before the L. Jeeez.

Similarly, it's MASCARPONE. See? No R before the S. Look at the damn word before you say it on TV.

Rebecca, those chips were dried by the sun in the yard of a Tuscan villa.


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## Waxwing (Apr 17, 2008)

Dear every damned cooking show ever:

Stop telling me to seed the peppers. That should NOT be the default. You can mention to seed them if you dislike spice, so that they know, but why in the name of all that's holy would you remove them automatically? That's stupid.


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## TearInYourHand (Apr 17, 2008)

Dear Starbucks (and a lot of other places),

Please, please, PLEASE stop adding honeydew melon syrup to all of your green tea based drinks. The macha/green tea flavor is delicious on its own, and in Japan, they have green tea frappuccinos and the like without honeydew and they're GREAT. Why did you even think that those 2 flavors go together anyway??? Who made that combo up?

Signed,

Tear


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## Fyreflyintheskye (Apr 17, 2008)

LoveBHMS said:


> Most commercial yogurt does not need to be made with gelatin.



YES! 

And speaking of yogurt and annoying food trends, yogurt bacteria's been modified to the enth these past few years to do things like ward off HIV; now we have to be concerned about getting only the special yogurt that regulates Jamie Lee Curtis' bowel movements? Are you kidding me? And why do they always show those Activia commercials at dinnertime or right while I'm cooking? What is so archaic about picking up a little produce? Oh, so fruits and veggies aren't in fashion anymore? :huh: And with everything else: I'm not an organic or whole food nut, but I do buy only the things I know are labeled as humane and I'm really fed up with too much science in my food. Decades of hormones and engineering, bleh. Plz stop it. :doh: I'm fond of the plain Greek yogurt at TJ's... I just add stuff to it. Everything else has way too much sugar and way too much drama in it.


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## sugar and spice (Apr 17, 2008)

WRAPS- can't explain it, I don't like them, they make me hostile. It seems like everything is in a wrap nowadays. I may like all the ingredients inside the wrap, but once you wrap it in the tortilla or whatever it is Blech 

BISCUITS-can't explain it, I don't like them, they make me hostile. Why do so many good breakfast sandwiches have to be in a biscuit?

PEPPERS- They are in everything now, salads, sandwiches, I don't want spicy peppers on everything.Blech


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## tonynyc (Apr 17, 2008)

I define 'gourmet' as a person who enjoys food. The kind of stuff you enjoy and savor...

I hate places that serve "Big Plates" with "Tiny portions."


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## love dubh (Apr 17, 2008)

ShakenBakeSharleen said:


> YES!
> 
> And speaking of yogurt and annoying food trends, yogurt bacteria's been modified to the enth these past few years to do things like ward off HIV; now we have to be concerned about getting only the special yogurt that regulates Jamie Lee Curtis' bowel movements? Are you kidding me? And why do they always show those Activia commercials at dinnertime or right while I'm cooking? What is so archaic about picking up a little produce? Oh, so fruits and veggies aren't in fashion anymore? :huh: And with everything else: I'm not an organic or whole food nut, but I do buy only the things I know are labeled as humane and I'm really fed up with too much science in my food. Decades of hormones and engineering, bleh. Plz stop it. :doh: I'm fond of the plain Greek yogurt at TJ's... I just add stuff to it. Everything else has way too much sugar and way too much drama in it.



+1000. Ever actually read the Activia nutritional contents? NO FIBER. 1% fiber. How is that supposed to make my bowels happy? Eat some pears and clementines, which are more satisfying and better for you.

Greek yogurt is SO expensive. Fage, which is the best!, is like $5 for a tub.


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## love dubh (Apr 17, 2008)

tonynyc said:


> I define 'gourmet' as a person who enjoys food. The kind of stuff you enjoy and savor...
> 
> I hate places that serve "Big Plates" with "Tiny portions."



I worked at an Au Bon Pain for a year. Eff that place. Gourmet sandwich my ass. That "chicken" in your Thai Chicken Wrap or your Arizona Chicken sandwich came out of a freezer bag and was heated in a tray of hot water. The tuna? Bag. The soups? Bag. The baguettes? Delivered pre-made and chilled, baked in the morning. Those cookies? HA! They keep them on the shelf for like three days.


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## Ruby Ripples (Apr 17, 2008)

Okay so this was more a few yrs ago and has calmed down a bit but DOES still apply... STOP PUTTING CORIANDER LEAVES (CILANTRO) ON EVERYTHING!!! It has a very strong soapy flavour and overwhelms most food, I hate it! 

Another, food AND household products - Vanilla. LEAVE IT OUT! 

Bad Fusions, eg. Sweet and sour sauce with pasta. WTF????


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## gunther (Apr 17, 2008)

Waxwing said:


> CHILI DOES NOT BELONG ON NACHOS. EVER.



Wrong. The nachos with white chicken chili at Kelly's Tavern (multiple locations in Tidewater Virginia) are among the best I've ever eaten.


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## Waxwing (Apr 17, 2008)

gunther said:


> Wrong. The nachos with white chicken chili at Kelly's Tavern (multiple locations in Tidewater Virginia) are among the best I've ever eaten.



Yeah but. 

Chili should be served in a bowl with various and sundry toppings (including but not limited to: cilantro [not for ruby], cheese, onions, peppers). Nachos are a whole different food!

Still, I'm glad to see dissenting opinions in this thread.


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## MissToodles (Apr 17, 2008)

Cupcakes! They shouldn't be the size of muffins, I'm sick of hipsters who throw cupcake parties, they are just a baked good. Why are they considered cool? And most that I've had within the last few months have been dry with too sweet diabetic coma frosting. Let it die already.


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## SoVerySoft (Apr 17, 2008)

Why must chefs add truffles to everything fancy?

I am not a fan.

omg. I sound like a snob!


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## Waxwing (Apr 17, 2008)

MissToodles said:


> Cupcakes! They shouldn't be the size of muffins, I'm sick of hipsters who throw cupcake parties, they are just a baked good. Why are they considered cool? And most that I've had within the last few months have been dry with too sweet diabetic coma frosting. Let it die already.



I love you. 

Agreed 100%. Cupcakes were "cool" for a minute. Stop it now.

SVS: I would love it if more meals I ate had truffles. And you don't sound like a snob. Just store the truffles that you're given and mail them to me.


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## JerseyGirl07093 (Apr 17, 2008)

TearInYourHand said:


> Dear Starbucks (and a lot of other places),
> 
> Please, please, PLEASE stop adding honeydew melon syrup to all of your green tea based drinks. The macha/green tea flavor is delicious on its own, and in Japan, they have green tea frappuccinos and the like without honeydew and they're GREAT. Why did you even think that those 2 flavors go together anyway??? Who made that combo up?
> 
> ...



Yes! Everywhere I go it's 'Green Tea with THIS' and 'Green Tea with THAT'. Whatever happened to just plain old Green Tea?! You know what I want in my Green Tea? Green Tea! How about that?!


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## MissToodles (Apr 17, 2008)

Okay, I looked at Jersey Girl's profile and had to post a photo of the Artie Lange Cupcake:
_This amazing cupcake has it all...vanilla sponge cake with chocolate buttercream filling and Crumbs signature vanilla frosting topped with a layer of chocolate fondant and then finished with chocolate and vanilla sprinkles around the edge. Like Artie's uncompromising personality, the cupcake is perfect for those who can't choose between chocolate and vanilla._

See bakeries put too much stuff on it and then it's horrible! really!


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## SoVerySoft (Apr 17, 2008)

Ah, MissT, you reminded me!

Why ruin perfectly good desserts by putting sprinkles on them? They have no taste - they might as well be plastic. Keep them off my ice cream and away from the edges of my cake!



p.s. Anyone besides me call those suckers "jimmies"?


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## PamelaLois (Apr 17, 2008)

SoVerySoft said:


> p.s. Anyone besides me call those suckers "jimmies"?



Yup, got it from my dad, he always called them jimmies

You know what irritates me? Organic this, organic that, blah blah blah. I am sick of the snobs looking down on me if I don't buy the "organic" overpriced veggies, fruits, soup, canned goods, etc. I think Organic really is just a buzz word for Expensive


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## gunther (Apr 18, 2008)

I hate how Pizza Hut hypes their five-dollar medium pizzas. Yeah, when you buy three of them...


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## ktilda (Apr 18, 2008)

I love this thread! XD I have to agree with you guys about cupcakes, even though I do love a good cupcake. It isn't the food itself that offends me, but the annoying trend that goes along with it. One example that has been driving me crazy lately is POMEGRANATE. Has anyone else noticed that pomegranate flavor is freaking everywhere in the past year or so? Not only juice, but as an accent flavor in tea, as a color descriptor, flavoring/fragrance in makeup, etc etc. I'm pretty positive this is a new phenomenon, and it just strikes me as so odd. Many flavor trends are so obvious it's almost funny. Some people here mentioned green tea with flavorings, but how about green tea in general? It's everywhere, but not in its normal delicious form! I mean, I even have some (bad) green tea scented face wash. I think "exotic" kinds of foods are a big trend right now, and my personal (unsolicited) prediction is that once this trend wears itself out-- or there's no more money to be made on it-- there will be an emphasis on classic/hometown america flavors and produce. IE: apple instead of pomegranate, and I dunno... spinach instead of shiitake mushroom will be trendy. It would go along with the growing organic/DIY trend in the mainstream media. Yeah, I'm rambling now. Harhar :B


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## love dubh (Apr 18, 2008)

MissToodles said:


> Cupcakes! They shouldn't be the size of muffins, I'm sick of hipsters who throw cupcake parties, they are just a baked good. Why are they considered cool? And most that I've had within the last few months have been dry with too sweet diabetic coma frosting. Let it die already.



Cupcakes were cool? Where was I? In my nerdery, apparently.

Also, cupcakes with butter? No. 

And WTF is UP with that cupcake you posted? It's got so much crap on it that you'd need to eat it with a knife, fork, and possibly a Komatsu digger.

ETA: Cinnamon buns with an itty bitty bit of frosting. If the bun is 3'' around, I expect at least 1.5'' of frosting in the middle-top area. Not .5''.


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## olwen (Apr 18, 2008)

100 calorie snack packs piss me off. 

anything that says low fat on it pisses me off because it's bound to have more sugar than the regualr version. Italian salad dressing especially. Bleech.

individually sliced and wrapped cheese is weird. Tastes like wax.

And I am totally into cupcakes now. Never cared for em before, but now I'm like a cupcake fiend. I went to Crumbs for a cupcake. I've gone past it often but never went in. Kinda wish I hadn't tho cause the chocolate cupcake I had tasted like cardboard. Meanwhile all the people in line were talking about how they came from NJ and LI to get their cupcakes. I'm like WTF? Really? I make my own cupcakes now. Yum.


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## Dr. Feelgood (Apr 18, 2008)

tonynyc said:


> I define 'gourmet' as a person who enjoys food. The kind of stuff you enjoy and savor...



Exactly. When I see a sign that says "gourmet burgers" I always think of Hannibal Lecter.



Waxwing said:


> Chili should be served in a bowl with various and sundry toppings (including but not limited to: cilantro [not for ruby], cheese, onions, peppers).
> .



This sounds like Cincinnati-style chili. It's interesting, but -- to this Okie, anyway -- a little weird. It's always served on spaghetti, for one thing, and the chili must contain cinnamon.

My own pet peeve is chicken breasts on salads -- particularly when the menu doesn't tell you they're going to be there. A salad is vegetables. If you want to put chicken, or shrimps, or ham hocks on it, at least warn your customers.


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## lypeaches (Apr 18, 2008)

OK, this is only for fine dining...but I HATE the trend of arranging my food into little vertical towers. I mean, it might look kinda cool for a second, but it's usually totally impratical to eat. You have to knock the tower over in order to get a bite. 

Ditto on the huge plates / small food thing.


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## MLadyJ (Apr 18, 2008)

This is a great thread!! I hate (read HATE) cupcakes..they are always dry and the frosting tastes like it has a vegetable shortening base. And I hate it when an otherwise decent restaurant puts whipped cream and a cherry on my creme brulee...what the hell is that about??? Or when a really crappy place tries to say that vanilla pudding with burnt sugar on top IS creme brulee and the waiter argues that it's not (pudding)!! UGH!!


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## sugar and spice (Apr 18, 2008)

SoVerySoft said:


> Ah, MissT, you reminded me!
> 
> Why ruin perfectly good desserts by putting sprinkles on them? They have no taste - they might as well be plastic. Keep them off my ice cream and away from the edges of my cake!
> 
> ...



YES!!! I can't stand those multi-colored pieces of plastic all over a perfectly delicious baked good. Unfortunately they were all over the edges of the chocolate birthday cake my husband bought me this year :doh: Of course I didn't say anything and I ate it anyway but *sigh* sprinkles dimmed my joy.


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## Ample Pie (Apr 18, 2008)

Cincinnati chili isn't always served over spaghetti. That's just one way we do it. Sometimes we put it over hot dogs and add cheese. We eat it on its own topped with cheese (crackers and/or onions and/or beans etc).

It has chocolate in it too. But.....that isn't that strange when you consider how chocolate was originally prepared. 



Dr. Feelgood said:


> Exactly. When I see a sign that says "gourmet burgers" I always think of Hannibal Lecter.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## Waxwing (Apr 18, 2008)

SoVerySoft said:


> p.s. Anyone besides me call those suckers "jimmies"?



Did you grow up on the east coast? People here, I notice, call them jimmies. But out west I grew up knowing them as sprinkles.

And I also dislike them.


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## Dr. Feelgood (Apr 18, 2008)

I, too, dislike chocolate sprinkles and have done so ever since the mice moved into our house.


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## Sweet Tooth (Apr 18, 2008)

I've always adored cupcakes since the days of birthday treats being brought into school. [Grew up in the generation that allowed homemade school treats and ones that weren't healthy. Poor kids today.]

However, I do hate "caramel" apples with so much crap on them that they need a chisel to eat. Look yummy. Totally impractical. Sort of like metallic, beaded 4" stilettos on a sightseeing walking trip. Hard to enjoy the good stuff if you're annoyed.

I think a good apple needs very little to make it shine, so to speak. What's wrong with simple food?


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## cute_obese_girl (Apr 18, 2008)

Dr. Feelgood said:


> My own pet peeve is chicken breasts on salads -- particularly when the menu doesn't tell you they're going to be there. A salad is vegetables. If you want to put chicken, or shrimps, or ham hocks on it, at least warn your customers.



Ditto. And I'll add I hate it when you order a dinner salad and it comes with bacon bits and hardboiled egg on it. Shouldn't that be called a breakfast salad


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## jcas50 (Apr 18, 2008)

one food trend I'm tired of is foam. 
I don't just want the flavor and air - I want the real thing. 

I'm also sick of towers of mismatched food. If I want to play with my food that's my business. It shouldn't be the chef's too.

I agree with the dissing of wraps. Where I work we run a residential facility, so we have a food service. When a group has a meeting in our conference room, we peons get informed when the meeting is over and we can come and graze for a while. If all that is left is wraps, I generally pass it by. Even if I'm hungry.


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## jcas50 (Apr 18, 2008)

Waxwing said:


> Did you grow up on the east coast? People here, I notice, call them jimmies. But out west I grew up knowing them as sprinkles.
> 
> And I also dislike them.



Bostonians, and most New Englanders know them as jimmies. Some other easterners call them jimmies too. I like them all right on ice cream but they don't do much for me on a cake. Or on ham hocks for that matter.


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## bbwlibrarian (Apr 18, 2008)

Enough with breakfast sandwiches! I know, I know, it's simply *practical* to shove all your breakfast food between two halves of a biscuit, or two pancakes, or some crap like that, but stop pretending it's an original idea whose limited range of combinations must be exhausted for great justice.

Ranch dressing does NOT make everything taste better, period. Also, this stuff that most people call "ranch" dressing...is BLECH. The only ranch I know of that tastes like anything but watered-down mayonnaise with some parsley in it is Newman's Own, and that's because Paul Newman actually makes some darn good salad dressing. 

Stop serving my sandwiches in wrap form. There's only one "wrap" I don't mind--a burrito. Heck, we may as well call wrap sandwiches what they are: burritos with cold cuts and no beans.


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## rainyday (Apr 18, 2008)

"EVOO."

Five more syllables won't kill you. Really.


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## bbwlibrarian (Apr 19, 2008)

rainyday said:


> "EVOO."
> 
> Five more syllables won't kill you. Really.



Amen. I especially hate it when Rachel Ray insists upon using the acronym, THEN defining it. UGH. Pick one and go with it, woman!


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## toni (Apr 19, 2008)

Ruby Ripples said:


> Okay so this was more a few yrs ago and has calmed down a bit but DOES still apply... STOP PUTTING CORIANDER LEAVES (CILANTRO) ON EVERYTHING!!! It has a very strong soapy flavour and overwhelms most food, I hate it!



I totally agree. On the same note, what's with the oregano fetish? 
Why does every DAMN sandwich shop insist on putting oregano all over everything? You tell them 5 times no oregano. You get your sub and its loaded with it. It over powers the whole sandwich. UGH! 

For the people who do not like cupcakes. You all are nuts! lol I know there are a lot of crappy cupcake shops out there. The cake tastes like crap and they over compensate by making the icing super sugary. However, there are some places that do it right. When you find one, it is a little piece of heaven.

I agree with the annoying Organic label on everything. People who buy this crap piss me off. Ummm, yeah I eat all organic but I work in a big polluted city and pop my body full of every other chemical I can find. But, yeah I am so healthy because I am organic. Get over yourself!

I agree on the wraps. EWWWW. Why would someone want their cold cuts rolled up in cardboard?


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## toni (Apr 19, 2008)

bbwlibrarian said:


> Amen. I especially hate it when Rachel Ray insists upon using the acronym, THEN defining it. UGH. Pick one and go with it, woman!



Ugh, I hate everything that woman says. She is super annoying and not to mention very very very fake. What's up with those big manly hands she is always flailing all over the place?


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## Crystal (Apr 19, 2008)

Aww, I actually like Rachel Ray. I watched her Chefography the other day and she seems like a great person.

Buut, I CAN see where she would get annoying realllly fast. She's pretty loud and excited, yeah.

MY favorite is Paula Deen. That woman is so crazy, and I love it. I will go to her restaurant one of these days.


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## Red (Apr 19, 2008)

Waxwing said:


> Did you grow up on the east coast? People here, I notice, call them jimmies. But out west I grew up knowing them as sprinkles.
> 
> And I also dislike them.



Over here we call them Hundreds and Thousands and they're 'orrible...complete waste of time in my book, bleugh.


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## sugar and spice (Apr 19, 2008)

toni said:


> Ugh, I hate everything that woman says. She is super annoying and not to mention very very very fake. What's up with those big manly hands she is always flailing all over the place?



I totally agree. I do like Rachael Ray but the way she talks drives me nuts. The one I really hate is when she calls sandwiches sammies :doh: She really is cute and spunky but her invented lingo is annoying to me too.


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## sweet&fat (Apr 19, 2008)

Dr. Feelgood said:


> This sounds like Cincinnati-style chili. It's interesting, but -- to this Okie, anyway -- a little weird. It's always served on spaghetti, for one thing, and the chili must contain cinnamon.



Chili... on spaghetti??? :shocked:


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## D_A_Bunny (Apr 19, 2008)

sweet&fat said:


> Chili... on spaghetti??? :shocked:



I must give a shout out to Cincinnati Chili. I am a Jersey girl and live in Florida now. The only reason I know what Cincinnati Chili is that a snowbird, (winter visitor) posted a recipe in the local paper and I tried it.

It is not a traditional red chili. It actually comes out brown since, as mentioned in previous posts, it contains cinnamon and chocolate. It has a rich, unique, delicious flavor. It is served traditionally on top of spagetthi and then you offer toppings. They are warm red kidney beans, chopped white onions and shredded cheddar cheese. That is then called a three way, four way or five way. They also state that the proper way to eat this chili is by cutting through the layers and scooping it all up with fork so you get it all. You don't twirl it like a traditional spaghetti and you don't mix it all in.

I don't think this is meant to be a food snob thing, only a presentation of a traditional recipe. It tastes really good and it does make a bit of difference how you eat it. If anyone wants the recipe I use, PM me.

Sorry to get off track, back to things that irritate.


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## toni (Apr 19, 2008)

sugar and spice said:


> I totally agree. I do like Rachael Ray but the way she talks drives me nuts. The one I really hate is when she calls sandwiches sammies :doh: She really is cute and spunky but her invented lingo is annoying to me too.



I am with you on the lingo. You know what is worse than her saying it? Other people saying it. I hate when I talk to an adult and they call a sandwich a sammy or sammich. It's not cute, its baby talk. STOP IT! LOL


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## tonynyc (Apr 19, 2008)

toni said:


> I am with you on the lingo. You know what is worse than her saying it? Other people saying it. I hate when I talk to an adult and they call a sandwich a sammy or sammich. It's not cute, its baby talk. STOP IT! LOL



Yes, they must use word like 'Grinder' and 'Po Boy'


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## goofy girl (Apr 19, 2008)

Ok, I love cupcakes lol. SO much more convenient for serving. had them for my wedding cake and they were delicious and a huge hit.

I agree with the EVOO thing. 

And I too call them jimmies.

Ok...now, my irritating things:

What's the deal with EVERY sandwich being toasted or grilled???! Now i actually have to ask Subway NOT to toast my stupid sandwich. I like my bread soft and squishy.

And why is it that we can toss anything in the fridge and/or cabinet together and if we add cream of mushroom soup to it, it's suddenly a casserole??


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## olwen (Apr 19, 2008)

rainyday said:


> "EVOO."
> 
> Five more syllables won't kill you. Really.



HA! I hate it that she says that too. And when she says "Sammies" instead of sandwiches. You know she just irritates me. But you know who I love on the food network - Paula Dean. I watch her show with a mixture of disgust, fascination, and hunger.


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## katorade (Apr 20, 2008)

toni said:


> For the people who do not like cupcakes. You all are nuts! lol I know there are a lot of crappy cupcake shops out there. The cake tastes like crap and they over compensate by making the icing super sugary. However, there are some places that do it right. When you find one, it is a little piece of heaven.



Agreed. The cupcake is a terrific vehicle for combining everything people love about pastries. They can be extremely simple and home-spun to exotic and elegant, and are appealing to everyone from children to the elderly. They're also portable and come in handy single servings. I hate cupcakes made with shortening-based frosting, or cupcakes that are merely a vehicle for a giant mound of sugary frosting.

Ironic both cupcakes and Cincinnati chili were mentioned in this thread. I just recently moved here and baked a batch in honor of Cincy's own Skyline Chili. They were chocolate cupcakes with chipotle chili powder, allspice, and cinnamon topped with a cinnamon clove cream cheese frosting. Cincinnati style chili, by the way, is a creation of greek immigrants. Many greek meat dishes (my favorite is pastitsio) contain sweeter spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, and many contain cocoa.







Also, for you cilantro haters, there's a reason behind your hatred. Apparently they have discovered that some people have an enzyme in their saliva that reacts with cilantro and gives it a terrible taste that ranges from soapy to rancid to "a mouth full of nickels". Next time anyone gives you grief about it, lclue them in.

As for my food trend issue, mine aren't really trendy, just more common flavors that shouldn't be. White chocolate-macadamia, and sun-dried tomato. Keep them awaaaaaaaaaay!


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## RevolOggerp (Apr 20, 2008)

Waxwing said:


> CHILI DOES NOT BELONG ON NACHOS. EVER.


I agree. I've been to a couple restaurants that have chili nachos. I thought it was a unique menu item and decided to try them. In all cases, it ruined the nachos. 

I prefer ground beef. 


LoveBHMS said:


> Canned veggies without salt don't need to be pricier than the ones with salt. If you leave something out, why does it cost more?


I agree with you.

They always charge less for products that contain more.

For instance, my sister uses laundry detergent that contains nothing but soap (no fragrance, no softener, etc) due to allergy reasons. Yet, it costs more. If they don't add softener and fragrance, shouldn't it cost less? 


SoVerySoft said:


> Why must chefs add truffles to everything fancy?


Are you referring to those $300 a pound mushrooms or those chocolate candies?

If you're referring to those $300 a pound mushrooms, I agree. They would certainly save a lot of money if they used it a lot less and our menu items would be a lot cheaper.


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## RevolOggerp (Apr 20, 2008)

ktilda said:


> One example that has been driving me crazy lately is POMEGRANATE. Has anyone else noticed that pomegranate flavor is freaking everywhere in the past year or so? Not only juice, but as an accent flavor in tea, as a color descriptor, flavoring/fragrance in makeup, etc etc.


I've noticed the same thing. At first, I didn't even know what it was. The first time I saw that word was when a local convenience store was selling those little snowman-shaped bottles that were expensive. Since I had a couple extra bucks to spend, I decided to try one. Blah! Tasted horrible. Months later, that word started popping up everywhere else in everything. I still didn't understand what the hell it was... until I saw a movie mention it and someone was eating the actual fruit. From what they described, it sounded good... but tasted awful to me.


olwen said:


> 100 calorie snack packs piss me off.
> 
> anything that says low fat on it pisses me off because it's bound to have more sugar than the regualr version. Italian salad dressing especially. Bleech.
> 
> individually sliced and wrapped cheese is weird. Tastes like wax.


Yep... I'm the same. I prefer regular stuff, not diet stuff. Ever go on a low-carb diet and try to find something that low in carbs as dressing or condiments? Well, regular stuff is actually lower in carbs than the "light" and "diet" stuff. Even the light salad dressings have 2 to 3 times more carbs than the regular stuff.

That's why I don't care much anymore for diet stuff. If someone offered me soda and all they had was diet soda, I'd be fine with it... but by personal choice elsewhere, I prefer the regular stuff. 


Dr. Feelgood said:


> I, too, dislike chocolate sprinkles and have done so ever since the mice moved into our house.


I don't like ANY sprinkles. I'm not very crazy over chocolate. I don't mind a small piece of dark chocolate candy or a chocolate cupcake if someone offered me one, but I won't say... "I want chocolate!" The only way I will accept chocolate is if it's added to vanilla ice cream or served as part of something with caramel or peanut butter. Gotta love those Reese's and Carmello candies!


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## mossystate (Apr 20, 2008)

olwen said:


> HA! I hate it that she says that too. And when she says "Sammies" instead of sandwiches. You know she just irritates me. But you know who I love on the food network - Paula Dean. I watch her show with a mixture of disgust, fascination, and hunger.




Ha! That is the best description of Deen's show. Am also a little tired of the sammie talk..and..deelish..yummo..* silent scream *..oh..and...GB ( garbage bowl ). I tend to just snag a plastic bag from the grocery store and shove all my crap in as I am cooking...well, when I don't just leave it on the counter for a while, looking like a war zone.

Vitamin Water...oy.


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## thatgirl08 (Apr 20, 2008)

Cinncinnati Chili is the bomb.
I also dislike Rachael Ray...EVOO extra virgin olive oil...I don't understand the point of using an acronym if you're always going to define it afterward. I've never heard her say just EVOO and I've watched A LOT of Rachael Ray in my 18 years. My Mom is an avid fan, UNFORTUNATELY! 

I think the most annoying food trend is food, recipe books and appliances that have the name or picture of a famous chef on them. They just use it to trick people into thinking its going to make their food better or that its higher quality or something. One thing that really comes to mind is all of those sauces by Emril...they taste just like anything Kraft puts out and it's twice the price! Oh, and going back to Rachael Ray...the other day I saw an advertisement for a Rachael Ray garbage bowl and guess what, THIRTY FIVE DOLLARS! I can't believe anyone would be sucked into buying that. Rachael Ray puts a big, green, plastic bowl next to her while she cooks and suddenly green tupperware is all the rage. Ridiculous!


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## Ruby Ripples (Apr 20, 2008)

katorade said:


> Agreed. The cupcake is a terrific vehicle for combining everything people love about pastries. They can be extremely simple and home-spun to exotic and elegant, and are appealing to everyone from children to the elderly. They're also portable and come in handy single servings. I hate cupcakes made with shortening-based frosting, or cupcakes that are merely a vehicle for a giant mound of sugary frosting.
> 
> Ironic both cupcakes and Cincinnati chili were mentioned in this thread. I just recently moved here and baked a batch in honor of Cincy's own Skyline Chili. They were chocolate cupcakes with chipotle chili powder, allspice, and cinnamon topped with a cinnamon clove cream cheese frosting. Cincinnati style chili, by the way, is a creation of greek immigrants. Many greek meat dishes (my favorite is pastitsio) contain sweeter spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, and many contain cocoa.
> 
> ...



Wow, great informative post, thanks!! That's very interesting about the cilantro thing! Also... pastitsio, omg... that takes me back to holidaying on Corfu on a tight budget and eating pastitsio nearly every day as it was so cheap yet tasty and filling, so we could afford to buy more alcohol each night - happy memories! 

ps. your fairy cakes (cupcakes) look fantastic, I love the sound of the flavours in the frosting!


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## olwen (Apr 20, 2008)

katorade said:


>



:::gasp::: OMG, those cupcakes look soooooooo good. I'm salivating. I want one right now.


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## LalaCity (Apr 20, 2008)

I hate that I have to actually _ask_ for ketchup to go along with my french fries now at the drive thru...

Sometimes I forget and I am not a happy camper when I get home.


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## sugar and spice (Apr 20, 2008)

LalaCity said:


> I hate that I have to actually _ask_ for ketchup to go along with my french fries now at the drive thru...
> 
> Sometimes I forget and I am not a happy camper when I get home.



OH yeah me too, I hate not getting any ketchup, but they load you down with salt packets.:doh:


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## JerseyGirl07093 (Apr 22, 2008)

MissToodles said:


> Okay, I looked at Jersey Girl's profile and had to post a photo of the Artie Lange Cupcake:
> _This amazing cupcake has it all...vanilla sponge cake with chocolate buttercream filling and Crumbs signature vanilla frosting topped with a layer of chocolate fondant and then finished with chocolate and vanilla sprinkles around the edge. Like Artie's uncompromising personality, the cupcake is perfect for those who can't choose between chocolate and vanilla._
> 
> See bakeries put too much stuff on it and then it's horrible! really!



I tried to rep you for the Artie Lange cupcake, but I couldn't. 

Yes, I loves me some Artie Lange and one day when I finally try that cupcake I'm sure I'll love that too! :eat2:


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## Flyin Lilac (Apr 22, 2008)

This isn't exactly a peeve, perhaps a mild annoyance, but definitely a trend these days: "whole grain"

It appears to be all the rage now to advertise that your product is made with whole grain, when 9 times out of 10 it only means someone may have walked past it with an eyedropper full of unprocessed wheat, rice, corn, barley or what-have-you. It's tired. It's just like the "low-fat" salad dressings and fat-free cookies that are usually worse for you than the original; just 'cause something may have whole grain in, around, or near it doesn't mean it isn't loaded with hydrogenated oil or 14 pounds of sugar. Enough already. 

Reminds me of the old Maine adage: Just because your cat has kittens in the woodstove, it doesn't make them biscuits.

Oh I do have another annoying trend: White chocolate. What the hell is that sh*t about?


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## Waxwing (Apr 22, 2008)

Flyin Lilac said:


> This isn't exactly a peeve, perhaps a mild annoyance, but definitely a trend these days: "whole grain"
> 
> It appears to be all the rage now to advertise that your product is made with whole grain, when 9 times out of 10 it only means someone may have walked past it with an eyedropper full of unprocessed wheat, rice, corn, barley or what-have-you. It's tired. It's just like the "low-fat" salad dressings and fat-free cookies that are usually worse for you than the original; just 'cause something may have whole grain in, around, or near it doesn't mean it isn't loaded with hydrogenated oil or 14 pounds of sugar. Enough already.
> 
> ...



Every word of this post made me happy.

Since we've brought up the Food Network-- Sandra Lee needs to be shot. What, exactly, is she "cooking"? Oh, that's right. SHE ISN'T. Opening a can of chemicals and adding one fucking spinach leaf is not cooking.


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## LalaCity (Apr 22, 2008)

It's not really a trend since they've been doing it forever, but I hate the way food manufacturers try to fool consumers with the nutritional content labeling. For example, a cup of yogurt will list the calorie content as 100 cals. per serving, which sounds fine until you notice that they've divided the little container into 2.5 servings. It's understandable that larger volume items break down the number of servings, but for a cup of yogurt or a candy bar? Come on!


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## LalaCity (Apr 22, 2008)

Waxwing said:


> Every word of this post made me happy.
> 
> Since we've brought up the Food Network-- Sandra Lee needs to be shot. What, exactly, is she "cooking"? Oh, that's right. SHE ISN'T. Opening a can of chemicals and adding one fucking spinach leaf is not cooking.



Oh God -- Sandra Lee's show is an absolute travesty. Food Network should be embarrassed for airing such trash.


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## supersoup (Apr 22, 2008)

Waxwing said:


> Every word of this post made me happy.
> 
> Since we've brought up the Food Network-- Sandra Lee needs to be shot. What, exactly, is she "cooking"? Oh, that's right. SHE ISN'T. Opening a can of chemicals and adding one fucking spinach leaf is not cooking.



GAH!!!

that woman and the way she pronounces L's in words makes me fucking insane.

"today we are making LLLLLLLLemon LLLLLLLLLime LLLLLadyfingers! i can't wait for you to try it, because it's deLLLLLLLLLicious!"

it should not take you 14 seconds to say a syllable with an L in it!

/rant.


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## LoveBHMS (Apr 22, 2008)

LalaCity said:


> It's not really a trend since they've been doing it forever, but I hate the way food manufacturers try to fool consumers with the nutritional content labeling. For example, a cup of yogurt will list the calorie content as 100 cals. per serving, which sounds fine until you notice that they've divided the little container into 2.5 servings. It's understandable that larger volume items break down the number of servings, but for a cup of yogurt or a candy bar? Come on!



You know what's even funnier is when they do it on bottled water. Which has nothing in it. No calories, no fat, no vitamins. And it's like "Servings per container: 2"


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## Waxwing (Apr 22, 2008)

supersoup said:


> GAH!!!
> 
> that woman and the way she pronounces L's in words makes me fucking insane.
> 
> ...



YES YES YES! It makes me cringe.

Also, the word is NOT "fintastic", you horrible horrible woman.


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## love dubh (Apr 22, 2008)

Waxwing said:


> Every word of this post made me happy.
> 
> Since we've brought up the Food Network-- Sandra Lee needs to be shot. What, exactly, is she "cooking"? Oh, that's right. SHE ISN'T. Opening a can of chemicals and adding one fucking spinach leaf is not cooking.




COCKTAILS.


At every meal? Really? Someone's a rich socialite cooking for other rich socialites.


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## Amatrix (Apr 23, 2008)

Ruby Ripples said:


> Okay so this was more a few yrs ago and has calmed down a bit but DOES still apply... STOP PUTTING CORIANDER LEAVES (CILANTRO) ON EVERYTHING!!! It has a very strong soapy flavour and overwhelms most food, I hate it!



when i saw this thread i was like... cliantro... ew... must complain.

thank you for doing it and doing it with style!


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## MissToodles (Apr 23, 2008)

I don't think Paula Deen is much better than Sandra Lee. She's always uses packaged items as of late as does Rachael Ray (higher end version of SL). I don't watch food network for faux cooks. I watch it for real chefs and meals I'll never make.


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## sunnie1653 (Apr 23, 2008)

supersoup said:


> GAH!!!
> 
> that woman and the way she pronounces L's in words makes me fucking insane.
> 
> ...





I have much love for soupy right now. :wubu: :smitten:


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## Tooz (Apr 23, 2008)

I love giant cupcakes and I love cinnamon rolls with too much frosting.


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## Miss Vickie (Apr 23, 2008)

Hey, how come the cupcake phenomenon hasn't made it to Alaska? I'm bummed! Someone send it up here, willya? The only place I've seen them for grown ups is at Starbucks and the two I've had were naaaasty.

Good to know about the whole cilantro thing. I've always HATED it. It tastes like ass, absolutely. Ugh. And they put it on everything, it seems. WTF?

I, too, am tired of wraps. It was fun for about five minutes, but give it a rest. I'd much rather have a sandwich with some really yummy bread. Whole grain, preferably. The real stuff.

Oh, and what the heck is EVOO?


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## Amatrix (Apr 24, 2008)

i know we ranted about sandra lee's inability to actually cook...
and she always has a cocktail...

but what about her "tablescapes"???

THOSE BUG THE CRAP OUTA ME.

i mean really... its a cooking show right? no need to tell me about where to find low priced fabric, or how you got cute mini coasters at the dollar store.

she continually upsets me with this. when i cook... the food is the main appeal. not some fake plastic flowers in a damned rain boot.:blink: or frigging umbrellas in 5 different colors she insists everyone has in their darned closets. 

shes way to excited about pink by the way too. all pink tones. i cant help but want pepto after i glance at her show. 


oh yes... and i am sick of energy this and that.
even snickers has a new CHARGED bar. with extra caffeine and ginseng:doh:

leave the chocolate alone please.


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## goofy girl (Apr 24, 2008)

Amatrix said:


> *snip*oh yes... and i am sick of energy this and that.
> even snickers has a new CHARGED bar. with extra caffeine and ginseng:doh:
> 
> leave the chocolate alone please.



AMEN, SISTAH FRIEND!!!


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## Rojodi (Apr 24, 2008)

Organic vegetables! People telling me that organically grown vegetables are better for me. Hell NO! Growing up, I worked on my aunt's vegetable and fruit farm every weekend. Do you know what makes veggies organic? Not using a chemical pesticide, and that's it!! None of this fertilizer crap - pun intended. Most mom and pop farms use real bs to fertilize their crops - not the stuff coming out of politicians' mouths.

If you want veggies that are better for you, frequent mom and pop veggies stands!! :bow:


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## toni (Apr 24, 2008)

Rojodi said:


> Organic vegetables! People telling me that organically grown vegetables are better for me. Hell NO! Growing up, I worked on my aunt's vegetable and fruit farm every weekend. Do you know what makes veggies organic? Not using a chemical pesticide, and that's it!! None of this fertilizer crap - pun intended. Most mom and pop farms use real bs to fertilize their crops - not the stuff coming out of politicians' mouths.
> 
> If you want veggies that are better for you, frequent mom and pop veggies stands!! :bow:



Damn it! I have given out too much rep in the last 24 hours. 

I will def come look for you tomorrow. :bow::bow::bow::bow:


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## sunnie1653 (Apr 24, 2008)

Amatrix said:


> <snip> the food is the main appeal. not some fake plastic flowers in a damned rain boot. </snip>



Oh holy god.. that made me laugh hysterically til my mascara ran. Way to go, girlie. LOL!!!!!


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## sunnie1653 (Apr 24, 2008)

Miss Vickie said:


> Hey, how come the cupcake phenomenon hasn't made it to Alaska? I'm bummed! Someone send it up here, willya? The only place I've seen them for grown ups is at Starbucks and the two I've had were naaaasty.
> 
> Good to know about the whole cilantro thing. I've always HATED it. It tastes like ass, absolutely. Ugh. And they put it on everything, it seems. WTF?
> 
> ...





EVOO = Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Rachael Ray's like, favorite fuckin word in the whole world. It even got added to the freakin DICTIONARY! What the hell?? I love my Rachael Ray, but EVOO? Come on. Like someone said previously, 4 extra syllables NEVER killed someone as far as I know!!!


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## katorade (Apr 24, 2008)

Rojodi said:


> Organic vegetables! People telling me that organically grown vegetables are better for me. Hell NO! Growing up, I worked on my aunt's vegetable and fruit farm every weekend. Do you know what makes veggies organic? Not using a chemical pesticide, and that's it!! None of this fertilizer crap - pun intended. Most mom and pop farms use real bs to fertilize their crops - not the stuff coming out of politicians' mouths.
> 
> If you want veggies that are better for you, frequent mom and pop veggies stands!! :bow:



Wait, you're kind of contradicting yourself. I think I understand what you mean and agree wholeheartedly. There's a lot more to being organic than just pesticide. It also means that artificial fertilizers cannot be used, as well as SEWAGE, which has actually been used before. Fruits and vegetables must also be non-irradiated, cannot be genetically modified, and can have no additives (things like grapples, which are grape-flavored apples, or the waxy coating they put on fruits to make them more attractive).

While you would THINK a lot of small farms grow organic, many don't. It's cheaper and more efficient to use artificial fertilizer if you don't own livestock than it is to buy manure. Many small farms also buy their starter seeds and plants from larger companies that engage in genetic modification, which could be anything from making the plant heartier, to making tomatoes with thicker skins for more stable packing, to making plants produce larger fruit in higher numbers. The biggest concerns about GM plants right now are mostly political and concerning farmers, but it's also important to consumers that are worried about the long term effects of consuming genetically modified foods (think about growth hormones and 12 year olds with gargantuan breasts or beards).

Larger companies engage in irradiation to be able to import/export fruit to different countries to eradicate pests and give the fruit a longer shelf life. Yes, your food is literally blasted with gamma rays before you eat it. The same stuff comic books have been telling you will turn you into a giant green mutant for years. Exposure to and ingestion of too many irradiated products is a definite carcinogenic risk, so...the fewer the better, basically.

The only way to be really sure is to visit the farms, really get to know your local farmers, or grow your own. If GM plants bug you, then look for "heirloom" varieties, which refers to an unmodified plant.

What I hate is large organic farms having a strangle-hold on the market and charging ridiculous prices for their product. They're not quite as bad as the mega-corps like Dole or Del Monte that don't even care if their shit kills you or not, but the bigger organic farms just make it harder for the little ones to succeed. Supporting your local farmer's market or joining a co-op is a great way to start.


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## knottyknicky (Apr 24, 2008)

Rojodi said:


> Organic vegetables! People telling me that organically grown vegetables are better for me. Hell NO! Growing up, I worked on my aunt's vegetable and fruit farm every weekend. Do you know what makes veggies organic? Not using a chemical pesticide, and that's it!! None of this fertilizer crap - pun intended. Most mom and pop farms use real bs to fertilize their crops - not the stuff coming out of politicians' mouths.
> 
> If you want veggies that are better for you, frequent mom and pop veggies stands!! :bow:



I gotta stick up for the organic 'movement' here for a second. 

I don't like chemicals. I don't like them in my mouth, I don't like them in my body, and I don't want them sprayed on my vegetables either. Mom and Pop veggie stands don't exist everywhere in the country. We've got veggie stands here, and I'll shop there for what I can, but its just stuff that the migrant workers were paid with...so yeah, you're buying a box of strawberries from the side of the road, but they're still treated with the same chemicals the ones being sold at Safeway are. Since there are no "mom-and-pop" produce stands around here, I shop organic _for the foods that matter._ Organic bananas? Waste of time, you're peeling the skin off anyways. Organic peaches? Way better for you than non-organic, because theres no way you can scrub the round-up off every tiny little hair. The word organic on its own is a buzzword, yes, but if you know what KIND of organic to look for, I believe you really are doing your body some good. I think humans were meant to eat wholesome, whole foods...not chemicals, not round-up-slathered-veggies, and not antibiotics and hormones. People who fool themelves into thinking organic = healthy, no questions asked are, well, fooling themselves...but if they actually know what the USDA definitions of "organic" mean, then they know what to look for and they know where organic _really_ counts.


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## katorade (Apr 24, 2008)

Holy crap, I had a huge write-up on organic food and my computer froze and it didn't send. SUNNUVABEECH!

Basically it said there's more to organic growing than just pesticide, it also includes being free of artificial fertilizer and unsuitable fertilizer (think raw sewage, folks. Yes, it's happened.) It also means that produce cannot be irradiated (exposed to gamma rays to prolong shelf life and eradicate pests and fungus from imported goods), and cannot be genetically modified.

Also, not all small farms are organic growers. Many farms do not have livestock, and artificial fertilizers are cheaper and more efficient than manure. They may also use commercial pesticides or have plants grown from genetically modified seed or plant stock, or may have been cross-pollinated by such. Just because a farm is independently owned does not mean its fruit is going to be better for you.

The only way to know is if you visit the farm, get to know your local farmers, or grow your own.


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## SoVerySoft (Apr 24, 2008)

katorade said:


> Holy crap, I had a huge write-up on organic food and my computer froze and it didn't send. SUNNUVABEECH!




Sorry katorade! The post did go through but since you are a new poster it got caught in the moderation net. I just saw it there and approved it. So, no worries!


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## Miss Vickie (Apr 24, 2008)

sunnie1653 said:


> EVOO = Extra Virgin Olive Oil. Rachael Ray's like, favorite fuckin word in the whole world. It even got added to the freakin DICTIONARY! What the hell?? I love my Rachael Ray, but EVOO? Come on. Like someone said previously, 4 extra syllables NEVER killed someone as far as I know!!!



Oh my gosh. Now I must kill her. That is the lamest friggin' thing I've ever heard. It's freakin' OLIVE oil. Yeah, I get that it's "extra virgin" but if she needed an abbreviation (she doesn't) she could just say, OLIVE OIL. I use "EVOO" ::vomit:: every damn day and every time I go looking for it, all of it seems to be Extra Virgin. And even if it weren't, what's four syllables when you spew out 100 words a minute. Yeesh.

What a dumbass. It just confirms what I thought of Rachael Ray -- not a lot going on upstairs. Although she makes a ton of money and has her own show and I wipe butts for a living, making a fraction of what she does. So maybe she's the smart one after all.


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## katorade (Apr 24, 2008)

SoVerySoft said:


> Sorry katorade! The post did go through but since you are a new poster it got caught in the moderation net. I just saw it there and approved it. So, no worries!



No worries, I didn't see the alert that said it was waiting to be reviewed until AFTER I posted my second post. I couldn't tell if it was my computer or that.

At least now I suppose I've hammered my point home.


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## SoVerySoft (Apr 25, 2008)

katorade said:


> No worries, I didn't see the alert that said it was waiting to be reviewed until AFTER I posted my second post. I couldn't tell if it was my computer or that.
> 
> At least now I suppose I've hammered my point home.



yup! and by the way...WELCOME!!


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## katorade (Apr 25, 2008)

Thank you!


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## Red (Apr 25, 2008)

The apparent amazing-ness of Sunny D, the adverts here kill me. It contails oil people, it's a refreshing drink that will cool your children down by filling them up with juicy canola oil, amongst other weird arse things. Ugggh rough, but it's ok, it contains so many vitimins it's gotta be good for you, right? 

Whats wrong with old fashioned orange juice or water, or even the two mixed together?


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## Santaclear (Apr 25, 2008)

Sounds like Extra Virgin Olive Oil would make an excellent summertime drink for Rachel Ray. So cool and refreshing, no? :eat2::bow: (I dunno who she is but that EVOO acronym does blow.)


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## ThinkingFA (Apr 25, 2008)

Lots of annoying things. Couldn't agree more on EVOO, especially when virgin olive oil is good enough for cooking. Sandra Lee is basically Martha Stewart without the effete snottiness and insider trading. While she has overcome alot to get where she is, she is one of the most annoying on Food Network. But the prize for the most annoying has to go to Paula Deen - and I mean by a mile. From her behaving like a 20 year old, to whatever she's baking today is "better than sex," to that nasal cackle. Makes one want to do to her what her fellow rednecks do to road signs.

The other thing that chaps me lately is celebrity chefs endorsing restaurant chains where you know they would never eat: Rachel Ray - Dunkin Donuts
Guy Fieri - TGI Fridays
Tyler Florence - Applebee's

Come on, Applebee's is quite possibly the worst of the worst when it comes to chain restaurants. A basket of gristle and bones chips they serve up as riblets. WTF? Talk about a sellout.


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## katorade (Apr 25, 2008)

Then Sandra Lee comes out with an EVOO cocktail which really only contains non-extra virgin, but she mashes some pimiento green olives into the bottom of the glass first to make up for it. The whole table would be decorated with those Mexican candles emblazoned with the image of Mary to make it all extra-virginy.


Ugh, and Sunny D had OIL in it?!? BARRRRRRRRRF! I always wondered what it was that made it such a strange drink. That's freaking disgusting!


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## Red (Apr 25, 2008)

katorade said:


> Then Sandra Lee comes out with an EVOO cocktail which really only contains non-extra virgin, but she mashes some pimiento green olives into the bottom of the glass first to make up for it. The whole table would be decorated with those Mexican candles emblazoned with the image of Mary to make it all extra-virginy.
> 
> 
> Ugh, and Sunny D *had* OIL in it?!? BARRRRRRRRRF! I always wondered what it was that made it such a strange drink. That's freaking disgusting!




Whaddaya mean _had _oil in it? Don't you lot still get it over there? If not why the hell are we still left with it? It mings and should be banned!!!


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## katorade (Apr 25, 2008)

Red said:


> Whaddaya mean _had _oil in it? Don't you lot still get it over there? If not why the hell are we still left with it? It mings and should be banned!!!



Unfortunately we still get it, I just haven't had it since high school. Where's the barf smiley when you need it?


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## Ruby Ripples (Apr 25, 2008)

Red said:


> The apparent amazing-ness of Sunny D, the adverts here kill me. It contails oil people, it's a refreshing drink that will cool your children down by filling them up with juicy canola oil, amongst other weird arse things. Ugggh rough, but it's ok, it contains so many vitimins it's gotta be good for you, right?
> 
> Whats wrong with old fashioned orange juice or water, or even the two mixed together?



Couldn't agree more!!! As the parent of a then chubby youngster, I checked the labels on ANY processed foods, before buying them for him. When I read the ingredients on Sunny Delight after he begged me to buy it (EVERYONE else had it , lol) I was speechless! I told him that no, juice shouldn't have cooking oil and the things in it that Sunny Delight had, and it could make him ill. He still was NOT impressed, as all his friends had little bottles of it in its various flavours every day with lunch. My son had either apple juice mixed half and half with tap water, or no added sugar squash. That was over ten years ago, now at least he understands why I wouldn't buy it, but we have the "why do we never have coke in the house" arguments. lol

I actually was and still am angry at Sunny Delight, it should be either banned, or made to justify the use of oil in it, or forced to display the ingredients beside the "added vitamins", on the adverts.


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## cute_obese_girl (Apr 26, 2008)

I agree oil in drinks sounds really nasty. Manufacturers use it to create a color slurry that stays in the solution for even color. In other words Sunny D woudn't even be that weird mangoish color without the oil. If you read labels you'll find the same technique is used in things like Mountain Dew Code Red and many, but not all slushies.

I don't really know how much it amounts to, but I'd be willing to guess far less than a Tablespoon per half gallon.


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## LalaCity (Apr 26, 2008)

Amatrix said:


> what about her "tablescapes"???
> 
> THOSE BUG THE CRAP OUTA ME.



Ack, me too. And everything she makes is just "the most _amaaaazing_" chicken wings, "the most _phenomenal_" cheese dip, and on and on.

Barf.


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## Ample Pie (Apr 26, 2008)

The Sunny D label also says "do not expose to direct sunlight"--at least the 2 ltr version does.


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## Fatgirlfan (May 2, 2008)

seared fish that isn't cooked through. I can't stand this. 
Mashed potatos that are over-powered with garlic.


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## PamelaLois (May 2, 2008)

Rebecca said:


> The Sunny D label also says "do not expose to direct sunlight"--at least the 2 ltr version does.



"Do not taunt Happy Fun Ball"


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## SuperMishe (May 3, 2008)

ThinkingFA said:


> Lots of annoying things. Couldn't agree more on EVOO, especially when virgin olive oil is good enough for cooking. Sandra Lee is basically Martha Stewart without the effete snottiness and insider trading. While she has overcome alot to get where she is, she is one of the most annoying on Food Network. But the prize for the most annoying has to go to Paula Deen - and I mean by a mile. From her behaving like a 20 year old, to whatever she's baking today is "better than sex," to that nasal cackle. Makes one want to do to her what her fellow rednecks do to road signs.
> 
> The other thing that chaps me lately is celebrity chefs endorsing restaurant chains where you know they would never eat: Rachel Ray - Dunkin Donuts
> Guy Fieri - TGI Fridays
> ...



I thought I was the only one that hated Paula Deen! I think she's much "faker" than Rachel Ray. I hate when she adds more butter to something and the audience swoons - c'mon people - it's butter!

I think Guy Fieri *would* eat at a TGIFridays! LOL! He seems so down to earth. Tyler FLorence at Applebee's? I doubt it very much!

My funny Applebees story - a long time ago, my ex and I went there for dinner. Afterwards, we both were ill. Mild food poisoning. The next day, the ex mentions to a friend who worked at Applebee's (a different one) that we got sick from the riblets and the guy says - "You should have called the manager and told him. They would have given you a coupon for a free dinner." LMAO - why the hell do I want a free dinner at the place that made me sick!? 

My food product pet peeve is the marketing of things that are obvious. Like "Cholesterol free peanut butter'. Umm, hello - NO peanut butter has cholesterol unless you're adding beef fat!! (eww). "Mountain Grown coffee", coffee beans grown on mountains! Stuff like that... grrr...


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## Fyreflyintheskye (May 3, 2008)

MissToodles said:


> Cupcakes! They shouldn't be the size of muffins, I'm sick of hipsters who throw cupcake parties, they are just a baked good. Why are they considered cool? And most that I've had within the last few months have been dry with too sweet diabetic coma frosting. Let it die already.



nooooo... you just broke my heart into a million crying shards. Plz don't ostracize the cupcakes! Give me your cupcakes. I'll take care of them :happy:


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## mossystate (May 3, 2008)

Those Lunchables meals for kids. I go to the store and see people with a cart full of those things. I wonder if the kid/s ever see fresh foods.


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## Fyreflyintheskye (May 3, 2008)

mossystate said:


> Those Lunchables meals for kids. I go to the store and see people with a cart full of those things. I wonder if the kid/s ever see fresh foods.



Wait a minute. Don't the preservatives help children stay fresh? 
*
*
*
*
if not, I suppose I'll need more of these


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## Dr. Feelgood (May 3, 2008)

Cookie packaging. Used to be, you bought a box of cookies. Then they started to be packaged in paper bags. Now they come in bags with a plastic box inside to hold the cookies in two neat, tidy rows of four. So for the price of what used to be a box of cookies, you now get eight.


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## Fyreflyintheskye (May 3, 2008)

_
-
-
*hiccups*_


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## Waxwing (May 4, 2008)

mossystate said:


> Those Lunchables meals for kids. I go to the store and see people with a cart full of those things. I wonder if the kid/s ever see fresh foods.



Yes. Those and "Kid Cuisine" make me so sad. This isn't food, people.

OT but awesome side note: Last night I went to a cooking class led by a chef who spends her days teaching at risk young kids (12-16) how to cook, and how to eat healthfully. She said that it's an incredible struggle initially to get them to even consider eating anything but processed, packaged, and sugar. But she said she always gets to them in the end, which is awesome. She has them photograph all the food they have at home, so she can teach them from afar how to make healthier meals for themselves and their families.

She said that everyone, no matter what, always ends up loving green beans.


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## toni (May 4, 2008)

Waxwing said:


> She said that everyone, no matter what, always ends up loving green beans.



EWWWW, green beans. She is LYING!


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## Waxwing (May 4, 2008)

toni said:


> EWWWW, green beans. She is LYING!



LOL.

I admit I kind of thought, "green beans? really?". I thought it would be tomatoes or something. Green beans are a little challenging, even to a vegetable queen like me.


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## PamelaLois (May 5, 2008)

Waxwing said:


> LOL.
> 
> I admit I kind of thought, "green beans? really?". I thought it would be tomatoes or something. Green beans are a little challenging, even to a vegetable queen like me.



Green beans are nasty and disgusting, the satan's spawn of vegetables, EWW EWW EWW. Almost as bad as cooked green pepper. AT least you can pick the green beans out of something and the flavor doesn't linger, but the cooked green pepper flavor taints everything it touches. YUCK


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## Ruby Ripples (May 5, 2008)

Aerosol cream. It's VILE!!!! Years ago you would go to a cafe... have a cream cake or a dessert or a hot chocolate, it would have REAL whipped up fresh cream on it... nowadays, disgusting squirty frothy ...shite! And to make matters worse they now have it in different flavours. Cos yeah, it was THAT good that I want custard flavour, coffee flavour.... where is the barfing smiley? I am HOPING its just a trend, and will die out!! 

View attachment realDairyCream.jpg


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## Fyreflyintheskye (May 5, 2008)

Ruby Ripples said:


> Aerosol cream. It's VILE!!!! Years ago you would go to a cafe... have a cream cake or a dessert or a hot chocolate, it would have REAL whipped up fresh cream on it... nowadays, disgusting squirty frothy ...shite! And to make matters worse they now have it in different flavours. Cos yeah, it was THAT good that I want custard flavour, coffee flavour.... where is the barfing smiley? I am HOPING its just a trend, and will die out!!



I agree 100%. I get more pleasure huffing the noxious gases from the empty can.


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## Tooz (May 5, 2008)

Ruby Ripples said:


> Aerosol cream. It's VILE!!!! Years ago you would go to a cafe... have a cream cake or a dessert or a hot chocolate, it would have REAL whipped up fresh cream on it... nowadays, disgusting squirty frothy ...shite! And to make matters worse they now have it in different flavours. Cos yeah, it was THAT good that I want custard flavour, coffee flavour.... where is the barfing smiley? I am HOPING its just a trend, and will die out!!



Ew ew ew oh EW.


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## FAinPA (May 6, 2008)

I guess this is two annoyances wrapped in one subject.

Bottled marinades are _kind of _annoying. I mean, some of them (Lawry's Honey Dijon) are good in a pinch (as in Mon-Thurs. night cooking vs. Fri-Sun./weekend cooking) and because they are reasonably priced versus others. But for the most part, I guarantee that you can toss together an amazing and much better marinade on your own with whatever you have in your fridge, spice rack and pantry. E.G., for pork tenderloin: soy sauce, honey, ginger, lemon, shallots, garlic, bay leaves, dry mustard, s&p in a blender and voila.

Honestly, the same thought could apply to salad dressing, but more so in the vinaigrette category.

The thing that really drives me crazy, as the subject line hints at:

marinade = noun
marinate = verb

A lot of menus and even labels themselves mess this up a lot. Maybe for effect, but still grates me.


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## goofy girl (May 6, 2008)

FAinPA said:


> I guess this is two annoyances wrapped in one subject.
> 
> Bottled marinades are _kind of _annoying. I mean, some of them (Lawry's Honey Dijon) are good in a pinch (as in Mon-Thurs. night cooking vs. Fri-Sun./weekend cooking) and because they are reasonably priced versus others. But for the most part, I guarantee that you can toss together an amazing and much better marinade on your own with whatever you have in your fridge, spice rack and pantry. E.G., for pork tenderloin: soy sauce, honey, ginger, lemon, shallots, garlic, bay leaves, dry mustard, s&p in a blender and voila.
> 
> ...



Are these things that we are supposed to have in our fridge? If I ever had to make a marinade from scratch with whatever was in my fridge/cabinets it would have to be a milk & chicken noodle soup marinade


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## Friday (May 6, 2008)

toni said:


> EWWWW, green beans. She is LYING!



Yup. Green beans are yucky. I think it's the only food that bacon makes worse.

Goofy, I uh HAVE all those things. Is that bad?


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## Waxwing (May 9, 2008)

As someone who actively supports small, raw dairies and *only* eats raw milk cheese, I'm horrified beyond belief at the movement to ban raw cheeses.

People are really stupid.


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## Dr. Feelgood (May 9, 2008)

goofy girl said:


> Are these things that we are supposed to have in our fridge? If I ever had to make a marinade from scratch with whatever was in my fridge/cabinets it would have to be a milk & chicken noodle soup marinade



That would be really good with green beans.


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## Ruby Ripples (May 9, 2008)

goofy girl said:


> Are these things that we are supposed to have in our fridge? If I ever had to make a marinade from scratch with whatever was in my fridge/cabinets it would have to be a milk & chicken noodle soup marinade



LMAO!!!


I so agree with FA about the bottled marinades. I would have all the ingredients he mentioned but I used to get really pissed off at how Nigella Lawson was praised as the TV chef whose ingredients were all things you would have in your store cupboard.... yeah... if you always keep Madagascan vanilla pods, 85 yr old fermented amontillado sherry vineger, and Outer Mongolian desiccated rancid yak's butter, in your cupboards.  . What do you mean you don't????


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## Ruby Ripples (May 9, 2008)

Waxwing said:


> As someone who actively supports small, raw dairies and *only* eats raw milk cheese, I'm horrified beyond belief at the movement to ban raw cheeses.
> 
> People are really stupid.




What is that, cheese made from unpasteurised milk?


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## katorade (May 14, 2008)

Ruby Ripples said:


> What is that, cheese made from unpasteurised milk?




Yes. People get all up in arms because doctors have advised pregnant women to avoid raw milk cheese. Stupid people then wonder why THEY can eat it when a pregnant woman can't, and go on a rampage about food that's not "safe" for their family. Pasteurized cheese is pasteurized because of the risk of listeria contamination, which can be deadly to a fetus or infant. Sort of like why you're not supposed to feed a baby honey because of the minute botulism amounts their untainted digestive system can't handle.

Pasteurization in this country is out of control. People are so babied and freak out when they think about any kind of bacteria or other nasties touching their sterile, pristine food. Not to mention the fact that just because something is pasteurized doesn't mean it won't become contaminated AFTER the process!:doh: They've virtually stripped clean everything from cheese to beer over here. Meanwhile, millions of Europeans a day do NOT drop dead from eating unpasteurized cheese followed with unpasteurized beer.


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## Friday (May 15, 2008)

Actually, most keg beer in the US is not pasteurized and that's why kegs always have to be kept under refrigeration. If you've ever gotten a swig of skunky beer, this isn't necessarily always a bad thing. Any canned or bottled beer that doesn't require constant refrigeration has been pasteurized, in part I think because the lower alcohol content of many of our most common (Bud, Miller, etc) beers makes them spoil much faster than their stouter European counterparts.

And honestly? Bottled (pastuerized) beer causes me a lot less 'digestive issues'  than the same beer in an unpasteurized draft form.


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## Waxwing (May 15, 2008)

katorade said:


> Y
> 
> Pasteurization in this country is out of control. People are so babied and freak out when they think about any kind of bacteria or other nasties touching their sterile, pristine food.
> 
> YES. yesyesyes someone else who gets why rampant pasturization is NOT a benefit to our culinary world.


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## Friday (May 15, 2008)

No, overall it isn't a good thing. I think in some cases where food used to be made and consumed locally but now is shipped all over it can be a good tool as opposed to preservatives but that so doesn't apply to cheese products. They were never meant to be pasteurized. Milk in general is rarely shipped far from it source (moooo) and we drank it unpasteurized for centuries without wiping out the species.


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## D_A_Bunny (May 19, 2008)

I totally agree about the pasteurization of cheese robbing it of flavor. All I know is that THE BEST cheese I have ever eaten was homemade goats milk cheese made by the woman who owned the goats, made at her farm. She would make it, leave it in the frig that was plugged in outside, write the prices on the door and leave it there. You could walk up and pick what you wanted and just put the money in the can inside the door. You could even make your own change if necessary. Now that is the way to go.:eat2:


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## Amatrix (May 19, 2008)

i am pretty irritated that most beer companies are coming out with a "hint of lime...."

brewed with lime... and salt...

please....
bring back tasty hearty brews with lots of sweet wheat and caramel hops!


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## pagan22 (May 21, 2008)

I'm tired of all this organic stuff. Just because something is organic does not mean it's worth an extra $5 for a loaf of bread!!!!!


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## pagan22 (May 21, 2008)

Amatrix said:


> i am pretty irritated that most beer companies are coming out with a "hint of lime...."
> 
> brewed with lime... and salt...
> 
> ...



I just saw that at the store today. They were just stocking the shelves and a special thing for it. I haven't noticed it on the imports though *thank god* which I favor. Only on the domestics.


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## cactopus (May 24, 2008)

Rebecca said:


> ALL NATURAL BAKED LAYS.
> 
> WTF? They weren't baked by laying them all out in the sun, they were baked in a commercial oven.
> 
> People who think they're being healthier for getting something just because the package says "all natural" give me the creeps.



OR how about healthier because it says baked? McDonald's pies have more calories as a baked pie because they are flakey and buttery than they did when they were well drained and fried with a light cinnamon sugar dusting. Fried doesn't automagically mean it's bad for you. It depends on the draining, the food, the oil type, etc.


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## cactopus (May 24, 2008)

Waxwing said:


> Dear every damned cooking show ever:
> 
> Stop telling me to seed the peppers. That should NOT be the default. You can mention to seed them if you dislike spice, so that they know, but why in the name of all that's holy would you remove them automatically? That's stupid.



This one does have some merit. It has to do with texture and consistency in food. Even if you are going to puree like I do with Chile soups, you don't want seeds bouncing around in your smooth velvety soup. The seeds of some chiles are also bitter and produce off notes that disturb the flavor of the actual chile. I automatically seed and de-vein when the recipe asks for it because usually there is a good reason. The same goes with roasting and peeling. There is often plenty of capsaicin for spice lovers in the chile walls. Deseeding and de-veining is almost a necessity if you are cooking with habaneros and do so with gloves or you will be very sorry.

Also, consider guests who have diverticulitis and who could die from eating seeds. This fixes the issue without having to avoid the yumminess that is the chile pod.


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## cactopus (May 24, 2008)

RevolOggerp said:


> ....
> They always charge less for products that contain more.
> 
> For instance, my sister uses laundry detergent that contains nothing but soap (no fragrance, no softener, etc) due to allergy reasons. Yet, it costs more. If they don't add softener and fragrance, shouldn't it cost less? Are you referring to those $300 a pound mushrooms or those chocolate candies?
> ...



Well the PC answer would be that it costs more because it costs more to make. The main assembly line and machinery are designed to make the normal default product line. Depending on how they have to divert the flow of products on the floor to skip parts of the machinery or set up entirely new tooling, you end up with the costs being rolled towards the consumer.

The real answer is... you're the picky consumer and have to have something special... you should pay us $uits for that privilege. People happily pay for it so they have no incentive to change this behavior.


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## cactopus (May 24, 2008)

Amatrix said:


> ....oh yes... and i am sick of energy this and that.
> even snickers has a new CHARGED bar. with extra caffeine and ginseng:doh:
> 
> leave the chocolate alone please.



I like the idea of an energy bar, just not the execution. I can't wait to have the time to make Alton Brown's Good Eat's homemade energy bars. I DVR'ed the episode where he makes energy bars, brown rice crispy treats, and really good granola for like pennies.


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## cactopus (May 24, 2008)

katorade said:


> ...
> Larger companies engage in irradiation to be able to import/export fruit to different countries to eradicate pests and give the fruit a longer shelf life. Yes, your food is literally blasted with gamma rays before you eat it. The same stuff comic books have been telling you will turn you into a giant green mutant for years. Exposure to and ingestion of too many irradiated products is a definite carcinogenic risk, so...the fewer the better, basically.
> ....



Irradiation is like shining a high energy flashlight on your food and killing the stuff on it, not dipping it in glow in the dark paint. The food does not magically become radioactive. Also blasting food with UV or microwaves is also considered irradiation. This is like shining the sun on it. This is also completely harmless.

Most of the irrational fear people have of things in the news comes from propagandist media hype that comes from people who failed science class.:doh:


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## cactopus (May 24, 2008)

Miss Vickie said:


> Oh my gosh. Now I must kill her. That is the lamest friggin' thing I've ever heard. It's freakin' OLIVE oil. Yeah, I get that it's "extra virgin" but if she needed an abbreviation (she doesn't) she could just say, OLIVE OIL. I use "EVOO" ::vomit:: every damn day and every time I go looking for it, all of it seems to be Extra Virgin. And even if it weren't, what's four syllables when you spew out 100 words a minute. Yeesh.
> 
> What a dumbass. It just confirms what I thought of Rachael Ray -- not a lot going on upstairs. Although she makes a ton of money and has her own show and I wipe butts for a living, making a fraction of what she does. So maybe she's the smart one after all.



Nah she's just not virgin enough to say it the first time.


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## cactopus (May 24, 2008)

Waxwing said:


> katorade said:
> 
> 
> > Y
> ...


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## Dr. Feelgood (May 24, 2008)

Amatrix said:


> i am pretty irritated that most beer companies are coming out with a "hint of lime...."
> 
> brewed with lime... and salt...
> 
> ...



I think I love you.

What's with this lime and salt business, anyway? If I'd wanted a margarita, I'd have ordered one.


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## Waxwing (May 24, 2008)

cactopus said:


> This one does have some merit. It has to do with texture and consistency in food. Even if you are going to puree like I do with Chile soups, you don't want seeds bouncing around in your smooth velvety soup. The seeds of some chiles are also bitter and produce off notes that disturb the flavor of the actual chile. I automatically seed and de-vein when the recipe asks for it because usually there is a good reason. The same goes with roasting and peeling. There is often plenty of capsaicin for spice lovers in the chile walls. Deseeding and de-veining is almost a necessity if you are cooking with habaneros and do so with gloves or you will be very sorry.



You're absolutely right on the textural factor; I had forgotten about that. But on those inane cooking shows it isn't because of the texture, it's because they assume it's too hot as is. And this sort of trickles down into everything; it's like pulling teeth at a restaurant to get anything actually spicy. I've learned that at Thai and Indian places if I tell them to ignore the fact that I'm American and make it as hot as they can, it works. 

But I have never and will never seed a habanero. I eat those mofos raw with seeds. But, I am made of lead.


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## Friday (May 24, 2008)

You're made of something tougher than lead Waxy. Lead has a low melting point that habaneros would easily surpass. I tried to cook with them _once_. It was like being pepper sprayed in my own kitchen.


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## Waxwing (May 25, 2008)

Friday said:


> You're made of something tougher than lead Waxy. Lead has a low melting point that habaneros would easily surpass. I tried to cook with them _once_. It was like being pepper sprayed in my own kitchen.



Hey, maybe I should start mugging people for a living. If they pepper spray me, I'll be fine!!


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## Amatrix (May 26, 2008)

cactopus said:


> I like the idea of an energy bar, just not the execution. I can't wait to have the time to make Alton Brown's Good Eat's homemade energy bars. I DVR'ed the episode where he makes energy bars, brown rice crispy treats, and really good granola for like pennies.



HEY! those are awesome! I know what your talking about because i made them too! i let my brown rice crisps harden a bit and then crunched them up and added them to the granola. ZOMG.

and i agree... i dont mind energy bars- but a snickers bar? those are for pleasure... its all about the execution. and they taste like metal bits on cardboard. i broke down and tried one. ewww-ness.i think they would have done better if they had just been an energy bar made by mars crop. instead of trying to pass it off with the snickers name. i hope they dont mess with my milky ways.


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## Amatrix (May 26, 2008)

Dr. Feelgood said:


> I think I love you.
> 
> What's with this lime and salt business, anyway? If I'd wanted a margarita, I'd have ordered one.



lol.

no joke. there is something to be said about beers that are known for their salt and lime taste... i just dont want all beers to taste like that.

i prefer really dark ones, hefty lagers are the way to my heart.
just never grew on coronas... to bitter for me. i have to add more salt and lime and lemon to be able to finish one. and i have only had one.though it is really good in like chicken tortilla stew.

im a killians girl. not so much miller chill.






nomma nom nom nomz.:eat2:

*orders the Doc a margarita*


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## elle camino (May 26, 2008)

about cupcakes: i never really got the hipster cupcake trend either, frankly. i've just always opted to make them (for birthdays and other cake-occasions) instead of round cakes, since i like the frosting-to-cake ratio of a cupcake more than a slice of big cake. but then like WHAMMO they're all of the sudden super trendy, and every corner of every city's got a fancy little overpriced cupcake boutique on it. 
WHICH AT FIRST I WAS PRETTY STOKED ABOUT. until i actually started trying their wares, and holy crap.
so unbelievably terrible.
i demand to know how these places are staying in business. i mean sure the cupcakes are super cute and pretty and fancy-looking, but i still want to stand on the street outside the nearest cupcake royale and yell like a crazyperson "AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO'S ACTUALLY EATING THESE? THE EMPEROR HAS NO CLOTHES, GUYS. THE CUPCAKES IN THERE COST 6 DOLLARS AND TASTE LIKE PRESSED SAWDUST WITH PLASTER FROSTING! COME THE FUCK _ON_."


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## Half Full (Jun 5, 2008)

Pomegranate in EVERYTHING!! Even hair dye!!

Now I've always loved them. When I was young my Dad used to bring them home, calling them Chinese Apples but do they need to be in everything??

That and Green Tea...overkill much?


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## Friday (Jun 5, 2008)

Art Food. Itty, bitty little pieces of artfully arranged food for which you are charged prices that could have hired you a chef to cook you a real meal at your own house for you and several friends.


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## danbsc29630 (Sep 11, 2008)

rainyday said:


> "EVOO."
> 
> Five more syllables won't kill you. Really.



I think to Quote her it is always "EVOO - Extra virgin olive oil" Why abbreviate if your just going to say what it stands for every time you say the abbreviation.


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## goofy girl (Sep 12, 2008)

I don't watch Rachel Ray (no cable tv) but I think when "EVOO" made it into the dictionary she stopped adding the "extra virgin olive oil" at the end of the abbreviation.


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## Ruby Ripples (Sep 12, 2008)

WTF???? I HATE this shite! Everything that isn't cheap, processed supermarket food now calls itself Artisan. And a few years ago NO food had Artisan before its name. It's just pompous and so annoying that I want to stab it! 

"I have an artisan oven baked bread roll with artisan cheese and artisan fresh churned butter, with some artisan grown salad greens, from the artisan ridden hills of Tuscany"

".... no, you have a lettuce and cheese fricken sandwich, the same as mine, you smug-faced food-fashion slave knobend!"


Ahhh... that feels better.


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## supersoup (Sep 12, 2008)

ahhhhhh, knobend. i love hearing miranda say that when she's here!


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## Brandi (Sep 14, 2008)

How in the hell can a grocery store justify a $1.99 chocolate covered strawberry? The strawberry is not even sweet, and the chocolate is bitter, which would have been good...if the strawberry was sweet and not over fertilized so it can be huge! When I buy strawberries from local farms they are small and sweet (the way they are suppose to be - small!!!)....I get my fondue out...lol

As for wraps, I love wraps, you can do so many things with it. Sometimes I get bored of buns and slices of bread!

As for cupcakes, I'm going to a cupcake party in about an hour, but it's for one of my daughter's friends, as she just finished her first week of kindergarden. Keep the cupcakes for the kids lmao!! *ducks* I could not freaking imagine paying $6 for one freaking cupcake!


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## Ruby Ripples (Sep 15, 2008)

Brandi said:


> How in the hell can a grocery store justify a $1.99 chocolate covered strawberry? The strawberry is not even sweet, and the chocolate is bitter, which would have been good...if the strawberry was sweet and not over fertilized so it can be huge! When I buy strawberries from local farms they are small and sweet (the way they are suppose to be - small!!!)....I get my fondue out...lol



They justify it because people buy them to try . Even if nobody buys another after the disappointment, there are probably enough people buying one to try, that they make a nice profit! I avoid strawberries mostly now, as they're Spanish ones blown up with water, look amazing and taste of nothing... if i can find little crimson Scottish strawberries I'll have them in a heartbeat, as, like you said, theyre much sweeter and tastier.


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## Dr. Feelgood (Sep 15, 2008)

An awful lot of people -- or perhaps a lot of awful people -- pay no attention to the flavor of the fruit they buy: they just want the biggest one. And so we get strawberries the size of apples, apples the size of grapefruit, grapefruit the size of cantaloupes, and cantaloupes the size of Hondas -- and they all taste pretty much alike, except the Hondas.


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## cute_obese_girl (Sep 18, 2008)

Dr. Feelgood said:


> An awful lot of people -- or perhaps a lot of awful people -- pay no attention to the flavor of the fruit they buy: they just want the biggest one. And so we get strawberries the size of apples, apples the size of grapefruit, grapefruit the size of cantaloupes, and cantaloupes the size of Hondas -- and they all taste pretty much alike, except the Hondas.



Who are these people? I pretty much never buy fruit in the grocery store because of this. I really don't need an apple the size of my head. I actually think it's just the stores and growers trying to get more money. Each apple weighs a half a pound, but you can't eat half and save it for later so consumers have no choice but to pay more.


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## Friday (Sep 26, 2008)

As someone whose family has raised fruit commercially for generations I can tell you that the good Dr is correct. That's why Red Delicious apples became huge, shiny, mealy things with no flavor and no snap. They were being bred for size and looks. Same thing with Bing cherries. They don't travel/ship worth a damn and don't have the lovely tang of a good cherry like a Lambert, Van or Lapin (I think Bings taste like cherry koolaide), but they are big, richly colored and showy so for years that's what people thought they wanted. Fortunately, some people are finally wising up and demanding that they receive flavor for the premium prices they're paying. Most of my family has yanked their Bings (and Rainiers which ship even worse than the Bings) and replaced them with better varieties. Varieties that not only taste and travel better, but a mix of varieties that ripen at different times so cherry season will no longer be a 2-3 week glut that floods the market and lowers the price the farmer gets. That $4 lb you pay? The farmer is lucky if they get $1 of that and out of that they have to pay all their expenses (picking, fertilizer, water, property taxes, equipment, upkeep, etc, etc etc) and hope they still have a profit with which to feed, clothe and shelter their families. Farmers are nuts if you ask me, but I guess we're all lucky that people like my sister, aunts, uncles and cousins are that kind of nuts.


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