Well, if you’re not, then you will be soon, as we cook up a sizzling plate of Axis of Weevil Thursday Three, the Internets’ Most Delicious Junk Food! For those unfamiliar with our menu, we ladle up a steaming portion of three questions, delicately breaded and heated to 94 degrees Fahrenheit under a lamp, and then ask only that you reward us with answers to those questions!
This week’s helping of gastronomic guesstimation will have to do with, of all things, food. Answer the following questions by either leaving your tip in the comments section below or a link to your very own establishment.
You might be asking yourself, “Hmm, it seems as though we recently did a food-related set of questions.” Well, obviously that’s just the hunger talking, and you can’t be expected to be entirely lucid on an empty stomach. So just forget about what you think you remember.
NOW THEN, on with the specially prepared gourmet selection of questions!
1) Of your local hamburger joints, which is your favorite and why? And by “local,” we mean REALLY local--no national chains! Only your local mom-and-pop establishments or regional chains, please.
2) What is the most adventurous meal you’ve ever personally prepared?
3) What dish did your Mom used to fix that you steadfastly refused to eat?
Now then, put your napkin in your lap and dig in!
As for my answers…
1) Well, there’s two--Hamburger Heaven out in Irondale is the epitome of the local joint--prefab metal building, sticky tables, chaotic kitchen, and the best and most delectable seared ground beef I’ve tasted. Their jumbo deluxe bacon cheeseburger is about the size of a car tire, but tender and juicy. And healthy, too! It has lettuce, tomato, and pickles, all of which are considered vegetables. The second is the regional Milo’s chain, which started out in a tiny little building over in the industrial part of Birmingham. Good meat, with a nice zesty sauce, although not particularly huge. At one time, the only option was “with” or “without,” meaning with or without onions. They now have the option of a single or double, and single or double cheeseburgers, with or without. AND they added chicken fingers a few years back. They’re also famous for their sweet iced tea, which is twice as dense as water due to the sugar content, and for their fries, seasoned with popcorn salt. Mmmm. I’m hungry.
2) I think it would have to be some sort of stuffed meat thing of some sort--I can’t remember if it was pork tenderloin or chicken breast--and it included such exotica as pine nuts and capers. We were having over My Friend Jeff™ and his wife My Friend Cathy™ and My Friend John™ and his wife My Friend Angela™ (all of whom are also Friends of Reba™, but it’s beginning to get cumbersome to type all of that) and wanted to do something nifty since we’d just moved in to our new house. We even got out the good china and crystal and silverware. It turned out REALLY well and everyone was suitably impressed with my mad cooking skilz.
3) Nothing, really. My mom is a good cook and she never made anything I really hated, although I will say rutabagas weren’t high on my wish list. I also didn’t particularly like her fried corn when she’d use the bland white corn instead of sweet yellow corn.
So, there you go.
Posted by Terry Oglesby at February 8, 2007 08:00 AMI'm hungry now ,and I just had breakfast out.
Posted by: Diane at February 8, 2007 08:24 AM1. Don't know of any, but we're anxiously waiting for one of these, http://www.fiveguys.com/ to open right out front of the NASA main gate.
2. Beef and kidney pie. That's now banned forever at our house.
3. Didn't like asparagus when I was a kid. Never got away with not eating what was served.
Oh, come on now, Steevil--any burger joint that gets written up in the WaPo is bound to be suspicious.
Posted by: Terry Oglesby at February 8, 2007 08:46 AMWell, gee, thanks. Now I'M hungry. Now that I think about it, though, I haven't had breakfast yet. Guess it isn't your fault after all.
1) I am probably one of the few people I know who actually likes Jack's which IS a local outfit, although it may be larger (76 outlets in the SE USA) than one normally thinks of in the scope of your question. But obviously there are a good number of people who LIKE "Jack's", so I think my acquaintances just have skewed tastebuds.
2) We made a vegetable lasagna for an occasion when we had a couple over who had asked not to eat meat. Not having ever made that recipe before, we were pleased that it turned out quite well. I admit one should probably not test-run a recipe on company!
3) RUTABAGAS!
Posted by: Stan at February 8, 2007 09:25 AMSorry, Stan. I will say that I like Jack's okay, although I think it was better when it was family-owned. It's a little too corporate now, but oddly enough, not quite corporate enough to be credible. Your mileage may vary.
I've had vegetable lasagna before--I figure with lasagna, enough cheese and sauce covers up any lack of other ingredients.
Posted by: Terry Oglesby at February 8, 2007 09:32 AMThat's an interesting observation about Jack's. I had not thought about it along those lines before.
You mentioned Milo's previously and I just realized I have never been to one of those. Perhaps I'll make it over there in the next few weeks and see "what all the fuss is about." They ARE very highly regarded as far as word of mouth goes.
Posted by: Stan at February 8, 2007 10:12 AMboy o boy a food Thursday three
a. The local hamburger joint—well Hardee’s was started here and they still make a good burger but---- a place called Andy’s makes a great chili cheese burger. There is still some grease in the meat and on the bun.
b. Probably the time years ago when with trusty “River Road” cook book in hand I launched into an oyster pudding/casserole and a seafood gumbo and had never made a roux before. Turns out it was the best I’ve ever made.
c. My parents loved liver and onions with lots of smelly gravy. I can take the liver and onions now but not the gravy.
1. The Fish Fry makes the best bought burger around here. Basic cheese or no cheese with the vegetables.
2. Stuffed squid would I guess take the cake. The process involved a nifty upholstery needle and kitchen twine. It was fine, but not something we have the ingredients for often.
3. N/A. My mother was an excellent cook.
Posted by: Janis Gore at February 8, 2007 11:47 AMBoy got to dissect a squid in biology the other day. For some reason, no one was much in the mood for calamari.
Posted by: Terry Oglesby at February 8, 2007 11:56 AMOh, and we are making tamales this afternoon. We've done that once before, different recipe.
Posted by: Janis Gore at February 8, 2007 01:12 PMI'm up.
Posted by: Chef Tony at February 8, 2007 01:16 PMNot yet, you aren't, Tony.
Posted by: Janis Gore at February 8, 2007 01:21 PMNow you are.
After reading others' responses I'm hungry for some liver, now. Where is kitchen Hand's recipe for Venetian liver?
Posted by: Janis Gore at February 8, 2007 01:53 PMMs. Janis is that from the Hannibal Lecter cookbook?
Posted by: jim at February 8, 2007 03:49 PMHere it is, Janis. I need an index, or some of those 'file-under' tag things.
1. The Chinese Hamburger Shop, Mt Alexander Road, Moonee Ponds. (The man was Chinese, not the hamburgers, but that was the name of the shop.) They were the best. Now let me see: Bun, lightly toasted. Patty. Slice of cheese (which has been partially melted on the patty whilst on the grill). Fried onions. Fried tomatoes. Fried bacon. Fried egg. Tomato sauce. Now it gets interesting. Slice of pineapple. Slice of beetroot. Lettuce. Bun, lightly toasted. The bun must be toasted. Nothing must be omitted!
2. Octopus, but it is not really that adventurous and it's dead easy to cook.
3. Tripe, but only because I had been ill after eating it once when I was small; and I rejected it a few times after that. Now I love it again.
Posted by: grumpy kitchen hand at February 8, 2007 05:45 PMKitchen Hand--I was with you all the way up to the pineapple and beet. I imagine it does have quite an intriguing flavor, though!
Posted by: Terry Oglesby at February 9, 2007 11:16 AM