Guilty Secret - culinary

In seeking a posting that I had made having to do with re-using jam jars, I ran across this posting - not yet published - that I had written on 7/2/2019. Why it didn't get published, I can't say. The only thing that comes to mind is that COVID-19 had just gotten to the point where I wouldn't wish anyone to think that Hunky Husband and I still ate out in restaurants. We still don't, but I'm going to publish, anyway.

As one who was raised on beans and potatoes, I never really learned to appreciate fine culinary arts. It's just not in my DNA. I enjoy food; but, it tends to be low brow. Despite its reputation, low brow doesn't always have to be unhealthful. The low brow food that I put together for Hunky Husband (whose taste in food is even more low brow than is mine even though his sister is a professional chef and his mother and grandmothers were gourmet cooks) and me is, on the whole, balanced and not high in fats and sugars. However, when we go out to eat, it will more than likely end with our having less than healthful foods. Here are some of my favorite meals when we eat out.

Village Inn tilapia dinner shown in the photo with green beans and rice, but which I order with mashed potatoes (no gravy) and steamed broccoli. The dinner also comes with Texas toast (for which I ask to substitute one slice of regular whole wheat toast), and soup or salad (for which I ask to substitute a small dish of fruit which HH will consume for me). This is one of the more healthful meals that I enjoy eating out.

ADDITION of 1/13/2022 - (Toasted) Texas Toast

Jason's Deli Pacifica Salmon Salad with cucumber vinaigrette dressing, another healthful meal, is large enough for two meals; so I take half of it home for dinner that evening. One can tell that this was written some time ago. Jason's no longer offers the salad, or so I'm told.

NuWay crumbly burgers with deep fat fried onion rings and, if my essential tremors are under control and I've not had one for a while, a Diet Dr Pepper fountain drink. Hunky Husband has curly potato fries with his burger, and root beer in a frosted glass mug. The burgers are loose meat served on a bun with finely diced (and slightly cooked) onions, dill pickle slices, and yellow salad mustard. This meal is obviously not at all healthful; but, I do ask them not to add salt to the burger and rings.

Addition of 1/10/2022: Every few weeks, HH's "low crumbly warning light" comes on in which case we are apt to go through the drive-thru window, picking up our meals to bring home. As the nearest NuWay is a 30-minute drive away from our home, I usually warm HH's curly fries in the toaster oven to re-crisp them, but the crumbly burgers stay hot. At some time since 7/2/2019, I have switched from ordering onion rings for myself to ordering garlic salad. It's an acquired taste, but I enjoy this slightly more healthful side dish as much as I enjoyed onion rings. Garlic salad at NuWay is a very finely chopped slaw with much garlic in it. For our take-out meals, we do not order drinks to go, preferring to drink our tap water when at home. I've gotten to the point where I no longer have a Diet Dr Pepper, even occasionally.

This photo of Nu-Way Sandwich Shops is courtesy of TripAdvisor

Freddy's Steakburger and French fries are not healthful; but, we enjoy them on occasion. I order single burgers (their "standard" is a double!) with tomato, onion, and pickle (hold the cheese), and (again, depending upon my tremors and previous drinks) a Diet Dr Pepper fountain drink. HH orders a single cheeseburger with pickles and mustard. Generally, we share an order of French fries.

This posting results from an email conversation with a blog friend. I don't normally photograph a meal before consuming it. You can see that I've relied upon photos that the restaurants (or others) have taken of the above meals.

Comments

[Ole phat stu]

Eating out I like paella or Surf n Turf , but I have no photos.

[Cop Car]

Interesting choices, Stu. Your lack of photos is entirely understandable. As I wrote at the last of the original posting, "I don't normally photograph a meal...." and had to steal online photos. Your photos would merely induce a Pavlovian response from me ; )

Paella? I like it, but I can take or leave it, not being a huge fan of rice. (In my childhood household, rice was a hot cereal for breakfast - with freshly churned butter and brown sugar.) I don't recall ever ordering Surf n Turf even though I really like the components. That's only because it would be too much food. I suspect that you are capable of handling larger meals than am I, your being a tall and muscular male.

P.S. In an email exchange, we were talking about some of your postings/my comments from 2014. The earliest comment from you that I found on my blog was from 2012 - not much earlier.

[Liz Hinds]

Making me feel hungry! What is Texas toast?

[Cop Car]

Liz--"Texas toast", as I've been exposed to it, is a waste of energy to consume, its being squishy white bread cut into double thickness slices (0.75" to 1.00" thick). I suppose that, technically, the bread is only "Texas toast" when it has been toasted (usually on a grill with garlic butter - see photo added to posting), but bakeries sell the un-toasted bread labeled as "Texas toast", too.

Some people like commercial white bread but, even when it's sliced thinly, I find it a waste of energy. ; )

P.S. Please, don't anyone point out the inconsistency between my rejection of commercial white bread and my acceptance of commercial white bread buns for the burgers at Freddy's and Nu-Way.

[bogie]

Texas toast is only good for toasting, when it is crispy on the outside with a springy inside. At least that is my memory - I haven't had any for decades. Actually, I believe it makes great French toast too - just uses a lot more egg mixture (maybe that is why it is so good).

I usually order burgers without the bun. But, there are times (like if I'm driving), that a bun in necessary and I just deal with the consequences later.

Talapia and salmon - I just don't like either. If I was starving, I would choose the salmon as I can choke down a couple of bites. I've really tried to like salmon since it is supposed to be healthy, but just can't do it.

[Cop Car]

Bogie--The only fish I recall having until I was in my 20s or 30s was canned salmon, from which Mom made salmon salad. Well, once in the 1940s, some of the men in our family brought freshly caught fish (catfish?) to my great-grandparents' house and we had a fish fry. I don't really remember how I learned to like fish, but I don't recall ever trying a fish (or seafood of any sort) that I didn't care for. Different strokes.... Of course, I just like to eat!

As to burgers: I've been known to order two junior hamburgers at Mickey D's, putting both patties in one bun and tossing the other. I'm glad I have no problem with gluten or other wheat parts.

[Liz Hinds]

Ah, now, my favourite toast is white bread! Thick and crispy and laden with butter.

[greggBC]

Being 30 minutes places you somewhere in or close to Wichita. Hopefully just close to and not actually in the city. So try eating at Chicken Max and have the mashed potatoes with your chicken. We occasionally go to NuWay mostly for the Root Beer.

[Cop Car]

Hey, Gregg--Thanks for the recommendation. By their website, I see that Chick N Max (to which I assume you were referring?) is opening a location at 5510 E Central, which sounds a lot closer to me (in Derby) than do the other locations. I'd not heard about them or noticed them; but then, if I'm driving, my eyes are 99.5% on the road and vehicles so do not always notice businesses and houses. I see nothing indicating that they have curbside delivery. I'll have to check them out.

Hunky Husband enjoys the root beer in a frosted mug at NuWay - when we/I feel safe enough to eat inside. You've not, as far as I know, been coming around here for long enough to know that I am a coward on diseases - especially viruses.