Osler's Razor

Actually, if people want to eat it and it isn't poison (and restructured meat products aren't really poison--there's a difference between disgusting and poison), let them it it. Will it shorten their lives? Maybe, but so does smoking, drinking, stress, tackling, reckless driving, and break dancing, but they are all more or less legal. A 64 ounce soft drink with full sugar and full caffeine? Bring it on! And the government should stay out of it!
 

”. . . the McRib isn't made out of rib meat, but of "tripe, heart, and scalded stomach." Blech. Plus it contains some bleaching agent used in yoga mats, among 70 other ingredients.”

And just after my skillet prepared ‘Jimmy Dean’ sausage patty was savored – thank god there are not 70 ingredients contained therein. . .

Growing up, food in our family was prayed over at least twice – The first, a prayer to make a meal for four, stretch to feed six. The second, grace before meals – and occasionally a third, whispered thoughts, ‘please don’t eat all the bread and butter’ when ‘beef and kidney pie’ or ‘salmon wiggle’ was served. . .

New York Duck was stuffed beef heart, ‘Kraut and’. . . was a plate pilled high with Grandma’s sauerkraut to conceal pork’s less desirable cuts – pig hocks and pig feet morsels. Though lunch time ham and pickle sandwiches – made from an Iron Range staple, that ‘yummy’ jellied meat – Hormel’s infamous ‘Spam’ was actually tasty. . .

Before my teenage years, I learned there was a most trustworthy source of a meal’s ingredients, my mom or grandmother – one just needed to ask. . .

It’s been years since my last McRib. I found the sandwich tasty, just not my preferred barbeque flavor. . . With revelations revealed this morning, why should one need to diligently search the web to determine what is offered and served – often touted as, ‘It’s back’?. . .

No wonder we journey through life with a ‘wary eye’ – concerning to be frequently burdened with the notion, ‘consumer or buyer beware’. Flood damaged cars from ‘Sandy’ have recently been filling some of the local used car lots known for selling the most vehicles, the most inexpensive of vehicles, to some of the most vulnerable of buyers – ‘Buyer beware’ – concerning. . .

Before we look to ‘governmental bodies’ for relief, we need first look in the mirror – it begins at home, within ourselves. . .

I’m sure my perspective is ‘rose colored’ – revealing my true self has been much more a blessing than a curse. Too many aspects of life are rewarded for being shrouded in secrecy. . . ‘Politics’ and perception are everywhere, in most every aspect of life, ‘gilding’ the edges of thought and substance – sound bites that conceal and are alluring, – compelling ‘mantles’ that far too many people are caught up in and often blindly marching behind – ‘everyone is doing it, or has one, or’. . .

When will transparent nakedness of mind and heart be celebrated?
 

What the heck is "salmon wiggle?" Is he one of those guys in brightly colored shirts that sings children's songs with a strange accent?
 

What the heck is "salmon wiggle?" Is he one of those guys in brightly colored shirts that sings children's songs with a strange accent?
 

As a child, I learned to (silently) swear at the kitchen table - "what the Hell is this?" "Mom, not this again"

'Salmon wiggle' was a 'make-do' Friday (Catholics and their meatless Friday dinners) creme based topping of canned fish - mostly salmon, served over toast. It took me years to try anything 'salmon' again. Thank goodness for eventually being introduced to fresh Alaskan salmon. . .
 

In the South, there was once a saying about "eating high off the hog." The old observation is, of course, all but incomprehensible now because of the democratization of eating in America.

One request: as I have never been a big McRib fan, this conversation has not hurt very much. But I ask you (respectfully and kindly) to refrain from ever writing on the Filet-O-Fish (one of my all-time favorites).
 

First of all… Happy New Year, Razorites!
Back to the subject at hand...when I grew up I didn’t get any kind of pep talk about the meat on my plate. It was my choice to like it, learn to like it or not like it at all and that was that. It takes time, expense and effort to raise an animal, it has to be fed, kept healthy, cleaned for and cleaned after. To eat only the choice cuts is not just obscenely wasteful, it is downright offensive. Dumbing down food for kids is dumbing far more than their palate, but that is strictly their parent’s business. The government’s business is to keep food safe to eat and to keep out of the business of telling anybody what to eat. What the government could do is ask McDonalds to call the McRib a McTripe a McHeart or a McScaldedStomach if that’s what's on the menu. Maybe some adventurous kid would actually love it. Come to think of it, I’ll go to the Dominican restaurant across the street and have a delicious plate of tripe soup for lunch. Yum!
 

Stay away from fast food restaurants. Be wary of processed foods.

For those who don't heed these admonitions, good luck, you're on your own.

--Although I am concerned about the hormones used in the feeds for all livestock, esp. beef and dairy cattle.

And in case you did not know, the terms "organic" and "free range" shouldn't provide you with much comfort
 

To AWF:

In my studio, we try to only eat-out once a week - And Fridays during Lent are ALWAYS 'Filet-O-Fish' Day - and for as long as they keep their promotion. . .

Though inquiring minds need to know, McDonalds or Arby's?
 

http://blog.foodnetwork.com/healthyeats/2013/01/09/fda-updates-food-safety-laws/

 

I did not know about Arby's fish fillet. Just checked a few online reviews. I will definitely need to give that a try. Thanks for the heads up, Christine.
 

AWF - All of us in my studio are Arby's 'devotees' during lent. I hope you will offer your own review - Arby's fish-fillet promotion starts before lent and is well received here in Twin Cities.

'Bon Appetit,' Most likely a stretch to pare the phrase with 'fast food.' Though, enjoy!!!
 

I'm chiming in to underscore IPLawguy's comment about organic foods. The USDA owns the copyright to the word organic, which they acquired in 2001. At the time I was working for a farmer in the Union Square Farmer's Market in NYC and the market went nuts, rightfully so. The USDA did a number of things that made it virtually impossible for an actual organic farm to be certified organic, to name a couple: they ok'd petroleum suspended pesticide for organic farms (arguing that petroleum came from the earth and is therefore natural), they also made crop size requirements that only corporate farms could meet so the genuine sustainable farmers who had a wide variety of crops on small farms were cut out of the "organic" market.

Admittedly, I have not been involved with any of this issue since 2002 but I have never purchased produce or a store packaged item because it was marked organic. Know your farmer, Know your food.

Ps - I think hormones being added to food is one thing but food that is just disgusting is something else. The gov't cannot save us from having bad taste and bad judgement. If people want to eat meat shaped products that's their own affair.

And I don't think that knowing what's actually in the McRib will be that much of a deterrent.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9B7im8aQjo
 

If that description of the McRib wasn't enough to make me want to barf...

Today I listened to a piece on NPR about 'artificial' calamari. Let's just say it's a part of the pig I have no intention of willingly eating - aside from the fact that in some religions people don't consumer pork. It brings back memories of KRAB...
 

Christine Chas -
‘Kraut and’. . . was a plate pilled high with Grandma’s sauerkraut to conceal pork’s less desirable cuts – pig hocks and pig feet morsels.

I can't believe someone else was forced to eat this growing up. I really should have haiku'd about this on Friday.