Peanut Butter & Jelly

At the company I work for, a lot of different nationalities are represented. Because we need to translate books and journals from around the world, it is important to have a lot of diversity in the staff. This often makes work potlucks very interesting and fun - with people bringing all sorts of dishes from all around the globe. I've tried a lot of new foods while I've worked there - some I have loved, and others I've...well, I've passed by without trying.

This morning we had a birthday potluck for a couple coworkers. One of the people celebrating her birthday is a coworker from Russia. She told us that she went out to eat for her actual birthday (last week) and had a delicious meal. When we asked her what it was, she warned us that it might gross us out. When we convinced her we could handle it, she revealed that it was pig pâté. A little too much explanation was then given about the boiling of the pig head to make the pâté, and, well, I'll stop there (you're welcome).

At that point, another co-worker, an American, told a story about how she once asked a friend of hers who was visiting America, what the grossest American food is. Her friend's answer? Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches! I was shocked! What's more simple and yummy than a pb&j sandwich with a cold glass of milk!?

Another co-worker from Brazil agreed with my co-worker's foreign friend, describing peanut butter and jelly sandwiches as gross, and more specifically, "too slimy." At that point another co-worker, also from Russia, said that she used to think pb&j sandwiches were weird when she moved to the States, but has acquired a taste for them now (something most Americans do at age three).

Up to this point, the only food/drink I've consistently heard my non-American friends complain about is root beer, which they often describe as tasting like medicine (delicious, bubbly, thirst quenching medicine...) But pb&j?! I never knew.

Years ago I served as a missionary for my church. I was assigned to serve in Houston, speaking Spanish. For the most part, the people I served with were Mexican. Mexican people are so kind and generous and many of the people we worked with would often invite us over for delicious home cooked meals. I love Mexican food and you won't hear me complaining about any of it, except this: menudo.

And no, I'm not talking about this Menudo:

I'm talking about this menudo:

also known as tripe, or stomach. I can't eat stomach!! That's just confusing to my stomach!! It's a mental thing I know, but I don't care how delicious people say it is, menudo is not going in my belly. No belly in my belly, that's my motto.

Other than that, I love Mexican food. I guess all cultures have at least one food that just seems inedible to people not used to it. What's yours??

Mitten Made

Faygo, Jiffy Mix, Verners, fudge, pasties, Coney dogs... these are just a handful of foods and drinks that Michiganders love. #1 on that list is probably Faygo, which I'm pretty sure they don't sell out outside of Michigan. For you non-Michiganders, Faygo is a brand of pop - or as 40% of you call it, soda.

It comes in tons of flavors - my favorite is Rock 'N Rye. I just had some last week for the first time in a long time and it honestly rocked my world. Soooo good.

What are some foods that your state is known for? What would you miss if you moved away, or what do you miss from your home state if you're no longer living there?

I was just having dinner with friends last week and they were talking about their favorite foods from Utah, where two of them have lived. I can't remember the foods exactly - but one of them was some brand of bread - I think it was "grandma's something or other bread." (The memory's the first thing to go, I guess.) And the other was a brand of honey. If I can remember the names of the items, I'll look for them when I'm in Utah next week.

To my Utah friends: anything I should try next week? Foods or restaurants?

How hungry would you have to be....

...to drink a bbq chicken sandwich from a can?

I got an email from my friend Chris this morning that started with, "I suggest you sit down and take several deep breaths, then look around and take a mental picture of the way things are in the world as you know it, because your life is about to be changed forever." Then he sent the link to an article about the candwich. And that's when my life changed forever.

If a sandwich in a can isn't gross enough for you, the pb&j ones have a piece of candy in them! How does that happen? You're just drinking your sandwich when suddenly a Runt falls into your mouth? Or is it gum? I don't want to chew gum while I'm drinking my sandwich.

Chris doesn't think it's an actual drink but if that's the case, how does one "eat" it? I'm confused. Is it eaten with a spoon? Maybe it's best not to know. His email ended with, "All I know is, someone has finally made good on the promise of gourmet on-the-go food that has been waiting to be fulfilled since the appearance of Go-Gurts."

I can only think of one group who this would appeal to: people with their jaws wired shut. Would any other (sane) person regularly consume this? Would you? Not since Willy Wonka's three course meal in a piece of gum has a food seemed less like a food.

Hello, Cupcake!

Cupcakes. What is it about cupcakes? The last few years I've witnessed cupcakes become the most popular pastry around. There's even whole bakeries dedicated to just cupcakes.

I went to one of these a year or so ago and bought an extremely over priced cupcake. Was it good? Yeah, I guess. It was a cupcake, plain and simple. Don't misunderstand me, I like cupcakes. But they're just cupcakes. Cupcakes.

Not too long ago, cupcakes were pretty much reserved for childrens parties - they weren't considered "hip" at all. Some people didn't even know how to make them. I was at a bridal shower recently where part of the decor was a very pretty cupcake stand. We got to talking about cupcakes and I told a story about something that happened to me years ago. I was in my twenties (ok, this story wasn't that long ago) and I was on a committee with a girl to plan a church activity. We went shopping together to get the food and one of the things on our menu was cupcakes. Here's our conversation:

her: We need to get some cupcake mix.

me: Ok. I think cake mix is in the next aisle.
her: No, we need cupcake mix.

me: Um. There's no such thing. You make cupcakes from cake mix.

her: I don't think that's right.

me: (Pause.....) Well, let me know if you find any cupcake mix.

Poor cupcake - it used to be so misunderstood! But now even I'm part of the cupcake craze. Sort of. I have two things against me:

Evidence #1. I bought the Hello, Cupcake! decorating book. I was taken in by the bright colors and the promise of impressing my friends with my beautifully decorated cupcakes. I've been too intimidated to attempt any of the intricate cupcake designs as of yet. Plus, some of the cupcakes in the book go against my beliefs. I think food should taste like what it looks like. For this reason I am against both popcorn flavored jelly bellies and cupcakes decorated to look like dinner. Am I right?

Evidence #2. I bought a cupcake stand yesterday. I had no intention of buying a cupcake stand when I went to the store, but there it was. On sale and so pretty. I had visions of it as a centerpiece full of beautifully decorated cupcakes. I became mesmerized by it and bought it. And now as I look at it, I have no regrets about that purchase.

Am I part of the solution or part of the problem? How long are cupcakes going to be the most popular pastry? And which pastry is going to be the one to kick the cupcake off its pedestal?

Laffy Taffy

Do you guys remember Laffy Taffy? Each package has two jokes written on it and they are usually written by 8 yr olds, or at least it seems that way. Well, this afternoon, we all decided to dip into Kathy's candy jar (since her desk is closest to the window, she has by default taken on secretary responsibilites, which she [correctly] assumes means bringing in a candy jar). We all read our jokes out loud and it led to some pretty amusing conversations. Here are a few:

Joke #1
E: What is a fat ape?

J: A grape? Oh no wait...I don't know.

E: A chunky monkey.

J: That's my favorite kind of ice cream.

Joke #2
E: What's black and white and has 16 wheels?

J: Does this have something to do with spiders?

E: No. A zebra with rollerskates.

J: I don't get it.


Joke #3
A: How do you make an orange laugh?

E: Does it have to do with peeling?

A: No. It's disturbing.

J: Take out it's seeds?

A: No. It makes me really angry, actually.

(thinking)

K: Tickle it's naval!!!

J: Dang it! Kathy's winning.

(I asked Ann later why that joke made her so mad and she said it was too PG-13 for Laffy Taffy, in her opinion.)

Joke #4
K: Where do really smart hot dogs go?

E: Does it have to do with the Ivy League?

K: No!

J: Does it have to do with taco shells?

K: What does that have to do with hot dogs?

J: You know, thinking outside the bun...

E: Someone's been going to Taco Bell too much.

(much, much later, after many wrong guesses)

E: Is it obvious?

K: Well, I thought it was. I knew it before I read it.

E/J: Oh dang. Someone thinks they're pretty smart.

(thinking harder)

E/J: We give up.

K: The honor roll.

E: Dang it! I was thinking honor bun!!

J: I couldn't even come up with roll! (Much self loathing in this statement.)

Hopefully these conversations entertained you as much as they entertained me!

An invitation to a triple dog dare

Yeah, you heard me right. I triple dog dare you guys to try this recipe. It's called the "Bacon Explosion" and it's made by weaving pieces of bacon together to create an outer shell, then filling the shell with sausage and cooked bacon. Click here for a link to the recipe and story.

You were looking for something special to make for your Super Bowl party anyway, right? Plus, it's only 5,000 calories and 500 grams of fat.

I may not know who's playing in the Super Bowl (Justin finally told me yesterday but I forgot) but I know what to make for it! (I'm actually not making this. I like my heart and I want to keep it.)

Food Fights

There are some things I'm just not really ok with, and buttered popcorn flavored Jelly Bellys fall into that category. I've noticed though, over the years, that some people absolutely love this flavor and are shocked when I say it's gross. How could I not like that flavor!? It's their favorite! Friendships are questioned, sanity is doubted, eyes are bugged out. But I just find that flavor wrong. My mouth and my brain get really confused. Why does it taste exactly like popcorn, but has the texture of candy? Something's not right!

This week, a coworker brought in a big tray of Jelly Bellys and to my great surprise, the popcorn flavored ones were the first to go! What?! This makes no sense to me.

Am I the only person out there who doesn't like this flavor? And why do the people who like it feel so passionately about it?

This isn't the first time I've seen this kind of food passion though and all the emotions that go with it. But really, I shouldn't be too judgmental about these popcorn Jelly Belly lovers, because I too have questioned friendships over food tastes. It happened in high school when I found out a so-called friend of mine didn't like pizza (pizza!!). I remember looking at him like I was seeing him for the first time. I think my response was something like, "Have you tried different pizza restaurants? Have you tried thin crust? What about deep dish!? Have you tried it with pepperoni? What about plain? Do you not like cheese!? I don't understand!!"

Why do we take it so personally when our friends don't like the same foods as us? Just today at work, Kathy said to me in a shocked voice, "Elizabeth, did you know that Justin doesn't like Milky Ways!?" But it was turned around on her later when Justin and I expressed our shock at her love of black licorice. We're still friends, but I think things are strained. ;) If you have any similar experiences, I'd love to hear them.