Am I the only one?

[goob]

Am I the only person that thinks food flavors and products have gone too far? Now im not talking about experimenting with new things im talking about adding all sorts of mess to food that doesnt need it. Bacon for instance do we really need bacon icecream or bacon vodka(tho it rocks in a bloody mary) or of all things bacon lube(whos idea was that anyway) or do i really need 50 different flavors of hot wings or 35 burger toppings? whats wrong with these things the original way. Bacon is fine as bacon. burgers are best simple, quality meat,toasted bun,little onion and tomato and maybe some cheese. and wings? mild,hot or holy ****. Maybe im old fashioned but personally i feel the old recipes have worked this long lets leave them be. Rant over stepping off my soapbox

 

[TATTRAT]

Yes. We need bacon. We need bacon in all forms, and varieties.

As for burger toppings, why not? I mean, if the options are there, that doesn't mean you have to choose what you don't want. If you want to go with what you know, then go for it. Personally, for me, it is all dependent on mood. If I am going out for a burger, I want a crusty, well seared(off a flat top) patty, med-rare, with some nice red onion, a single slice of thick, juicy, beefsteak tomato. a slice of sharp cheddar, all on a butter toasted brioche roll with a little mayo. If I am out and about, and can't seem to find anything that turns me on, I typically go for the burger. If they have the options, I will step it up, and try some stuff "just because". So far, I have been really pleased with how well guacamole goes with a burger, and I have fallen in LOVE with a burger at Gravity Burger that does an ancho chili rubbed burger, with a slice of cream cheese, sliced jalapenos, and crispy onions. It is really pretty darned good.

same with wings, imo. I love the, just as much as the next bar grub lover, but why not have options? You can go with what you like, but, wings, can get boring, so why not spruce 'em up.


Classics are classic, but, food would never evolve if it weren't for options, and Chefs saying, "you know what, this is good, BUT. . . you know what would be better?"

No one is forcing anyone to stray from what they are comfortable with, so if you don't like all the options, big deal, don't get 'em.

 

[Zhizara]

+1 Tatt! I love bacon and swiss cheese on a burger. Blue cheese with beef. Lots of yummy ideas.

 

[justplainbill]

Not everyone's taste buds are the same. For example, some prefer things like garlic added to their mashed potatoes while others enjoy potatoes without such enhancements.

 

[MrsLMB]

I agree that there are way too many things going on with basic food anymore. However, for those who enjoy it I say go for it and have a great time.

The sad part is that the basic good stuff is getting harder and harder to find and that makes me sad.

Example is the garlic potatoes ... I love garlic but not in my potatoes and it seems like asking for plain potatoes is like asking for a million dollars when we go out.

Add the extras, but please keep the basics.

 

[GB]

The more variety the better as far as I am concerned. Just because the original is good does not mean an altered version will not also be good. There is room enough in my world for as many different flavor combos as possible.

That being said, I saw something in the supermarket this weekend that made me agree for a second with the OP. They were apples, yes natural healthy delicious apples that grow in nature on a tree, that were flavored. Who the heck would want a pink bubblegum flavored apple???

 

[Andy M.]

Am I the only person...

Looks like you are!

 

[Sprout]

I think we get into trouble with all of the options and flavors when adding them is a substitute for using quality ingredients. "These apples stink. Let's add bubblegum flavoring so people will eat them." "Hmmm, how about super loaded mashed potatoes with bacon, cheese, onions, sour cream, and anything else we can think of that will mask the taste of instant potatoes..."

 

[goob]

Sprout you must have read my mind. Thats essentially what i was trying to say. I think we're adding to many ingredients and flavors and end up masking the original food flavor or like a certain burger joint here using subpar meat and masking it with all sorts of extras. Now bacon i will admit i have tried most every bacon flavored thing(except the lube thats just wrong) and enjoyed a large number of them but i still think bacon is best as bacon but as everyone said to each their own

 

[roadfix]

If we had the technology 50 years ago bacon flavor would have been added to many food items back then.

 

[taxlady]

I agree that there are way too many things going on with basic food anymore. However, for those who enjoy it I say go for it and have a great time.

The sad part is that the basic good stuff is getting harder and harder to find and that makes me sad.

Example is the garlic potatoes ... I love garlic but not in my potatoes and it seems like asking for plain potatoes is like asking for a million dollars when we go out.

Add the extras, but please keep the basics.

+1

 

[taxlady]

Sprout you must have read my mind. Thats essentially what i was trying to say. I think we're adding to many ingredients and flavors and end up masking the original food flavor or like a certain burger joint here using subpar meat and masking it with all sorts of extras. Now bacon i will admit i have tried most every bacon flavored thing(except the lube thats just wrong) and enjoyed a large number of them but i still think bacon is best as bacon but as everyone said to each their own

Lube? Like for your car? That's just inviting critters to chew parts of your car.

 

[Andy M.]

I see nothing wrong with variety. How boring would it be if everyone had to eat their burgers with ketchup as the only choice, or boiled white rice as the only rice dish, etc.

The fact that we can have a variety of foods from a variety of cultures is fantastic.

Using other flavors to mask sub par foods is as old as time. Centuries ago in France, England and elsewhere, king's chefs developed rich flavorful sauces for the roasts to hide the fact that the meat was a bit past its prime. Gravy was born.

You can't not use something just because it is possible it may be misused.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

Am I the only person that thinks food flavors and products have gone too far? Now im not talking about experimenting with new things im talking about adding all sorts of mess to food that doesnt need it. Bacon for instance do we really need bacon icecream or bacon vodka(tho it rocks in a bloody mary) or of all things bacon lube(whos idea was that anyway) or do i really need 50 different flavors of hot wings or 35 burger toppings? whats wrong with these things the original way. Bacon is fine as bacon. burgers are best simple, quality meat,toasted bun,little onion and tomato and maybe some cheese. and wings? mild,hot or holy ****. Maybe im old fashioned but personally i feel the old recipes have worked this long lets leave them be. Rant over stepping off my soapbox

I disagree. I think cuisine is constantly evolving, that it has always evolved and that it will continue to evolve, based upon new ingredients and technologies becoming available, and upon improvements in food production, transportation and marketing.

Let's apply your suggestion that "Maybe im old fashioned but personally i feel the old recipes have worked this long lets leave them be" to the situation in Europe "The Old World" (or to Asia) in the 15th century just before America "The New World" was discovered by Western culture. (Never mind that it had already been discovered millenia before.)

The discovery of America brought to Europe potatoes, chilis, corn, tomatoes, just to name a few of the most obvious and important crops. What would European cuisine be without those? No tomato sauce with your Italian pasta? (Which BTW the pasta came from Asia.) Speaking of Asia, what would Thai cuisine be without chili peppers? Yeah these are specific examples and you can cook Italian without tomatoes or Thai without chilis...

Speaking about technology, a century ago we were cooking on wood fired stoves or over open pits. Today our ovens and ranges are gas or electric. Today we have the alternative of microwave ovens which work great for some foods. You would give those up?

I think fusion cooking is really interesting, not to replace everything but it's a novel concept. For example I like Thai (style) pizza!

Yeah for sure we don't need bacon flavored potato chips. (Or I don't know, maybe we do.) I look upon this as a Darwinian evolution of survival of the fittest foods. When new recipes, combinations, ingredients, technologies or fusions come up people will try them, and they'll decide what is good and what's not. If it's good more people will cook it or enjoy consuming it at restaurants. If it's not then the fad will fade out as yesterday's bad idea.

I say bring it!

 

[Andy M.]

I disagree. I think cuisine is constantly evolving, that it has always evolved and that it will continue to evolve, based upon new ingredients and technologies becoming available, and upon improvements in food production, transportation and marketing.

Let's apply your suggestion that "Maybe im old fashioned but personally i feel the old recipes have worked this long lets leave them be" to the situation in Europe "The Old World" (or to Asia) in the 15th century just before America "The New World" was discovered by Western culture. (Never mind that it had already been discovered millenia before.)

The discovery of America brought to Europe potatoes, chilis, corn, tomatoes, just to name a few of the most obvious and important crops. What would European cuisine be without those? No tomato sauce with your Italian pasta? (Which BTW the pasta came from Asia.) Speaking of Asia, what would Thai cuisine be without chili peppers? Yeah these are specific examples and you can cook Italian without tomatoes or Thai without chilis...

Speaking about technology, a century ago we were cooking on wood fired stoves or over open pits. Today our ovens and ranges are gas or electric. Today we have the alternative of microwave ovens which work great for some foods. You would give those up?

I think fusion cooking is really interesting, not to replace everything but it's a novel concept. For example I like Thai (style) pizza!

Yeah for sure we don't need bacon flavored potato chips. (Or I don't know, maybe we do.) I look upon this as a Darwinian evolution of survival of the fittest foods. When new recipes, combinations, ingredients, technologies or fusions come up people will try them, and they'll decide what is good and what's not. If it's good more people will cook it or enjoy consuming it at restaurants. If it's not then the fad will fade out as yesterday's bad idea.

I say bring it!

Well said.

 

[taxlady]

I'm all for variety and experimentation. But, I hate it when I walk into a coffee shop and I can't get a coffee that isn't flavoured with some artificial crap. I prefer my coffee to be coffee flavoured.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

I've never been in a Starbucks. I fear their scorn when I ask for a plain Colombian coffee, black. They'd probably charge $4-$5 anyway, enough to buy a half pound of good Colombian roasted beans, enough beans to make coffee for weeks.

 

[Sir_Loin_of_Beef]

Starbucks always has at least two coffee flavoured caffeinated coffees available, Pike's Place, which is their original blend, and whatever they have on special that week, plus one decaffeinated choice. A medium will set you back two bucks American.

BTW, you don't have to go into a Starbucks. Starbucks has coffee stands in both Von's and Albertson's.

 

[roadfix]

I stopped going to these coffee places like 3 years ago. I used to see the same folks spend $5 - $10 almost daily on coffee and pastry.
Since i stopped going I figured I've been 'saving' a minimum of $900 annually.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

I hate flavored coffee. Nothing but fresh ground Colombian for me, black.