Random thoughts……Volume 3.
If you are not interested in my random thoughts, just skip this now. Believe me, there is nothing earth shattering or even important in here so I wouldn’t blame you. If you are curious, though, read on but don’t say I didn’t warn you.
- How do the deer know to cross the road where the highway department puts the sign ?
- There are some foods that smell really great when they are cooking. Outside of almost any quality restaurant that you try, when you get out of your car in the parking lot, you’ll be able to smell steak cooking. Other things that smell great while being cooked are breakfast sausage, fried onions, meatballs in pasta sauce and many other things. I think my favorite, though, is bacon. Do any of us not flash back to our childhood Sunday mornings when the smell of bacon is wafting through the air ? I only mention all of this because I have been telling some friends for a few months now that I am giving up bacon. I’m not giving it up totally, mind you, just “for the most part.” The reason is as follows: for the past couple of years, every time I go to cook bacon, I put it in the pan and I see this little, tiny, 1/8″ strip of red meat down the center of what must be 1/4″ inch of fat on each side. Even if you didn’t know what fat was, when you see this white stuff, you just think “That doesn’t look like it’s good for me.” So, as I said, I’m not giving it up totally as the occasional strip of bacon on a bacon cheeseburger is ok. Also, every August, when the best local and Jersey tomatoes are available, I’ll allow myself two full meals of bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches. Even though I eat like a trash compactor, this will help me to feel a little less guilty about the rest of my diet.
- This is another thought about bacon. In my humble opinion, Oscar Myer thick-cut is the best. It shrinks the least and tastes the best. Somebody please set me straight if there is a better brand. About 2 years ago, 1 pound of Oscar Mayer bacon was about $5. When I got it last month. it was an incredible $7.79. Was there a swine flu epidemic that I didn’t hear about? Did they start pricing bacon at the same price as an ounce of gold? Is there a pig shortage in the United States? My God ! Our beloved federal government tells us that the inflation rate is somewhere between 1.5 and 3 % per year. Bacon is up by about 55%. The way the government computes the rate of inflation, though, doesn’t include the volatile food and energy products. These would be oil, gas, propane, natural gas, butane, electric and things like milk, bread, meats, pork, vegetables, bacon, etc., because, after all, who among us uses those things ? 1.5 – 3% my ass !
(If you are still reading this, I’m surprised and honored. Thanks.)
- I must be hungry tonight because I’m now thinking about cheesesteaks. Philadelphia is famous for cheesesteaks. I’m claiming right here and now that you can get a better cheesesteak in New Castle County than you can in Philadelphia. Every time I see a baseball or football game on TV, they show a brief 30 seconds of mounds of frying onions and steaks and then I see them slide a spatula full onto a roll that is covered in, I swear cheez-whiz. I don’t think that’s what Benjamin Franklin had in mind. I’ve seen the cheesesteaks at Tony Lukes in Citizens Bank Park. They look great while they are cooking and then they put on about 1/8″ of steak on the sandwich. I’m looking for advice from all of you. Where is the best cheesesteak in New Castle County ? To those of you that live in PA or frequently visit the city of Philadelphia, is there a good cheesesteak to be had anywhere?
That’s it for now.
bobinnewark 