Pizza as a vegetable!!!!!!

 What is this world coming to? When our kids are being fed all this crap in school? First of all pizza is NOT a vegetable never has been nor will it ever be. It doesn’t grow on trees, vines or on a bush. You can read more on this story at the Huffington Post. So, Let us think about this for a moment. There is kid in line at the lunch counter in any or all schools around the country ordering his/her food “I have the steak fingers (processed meat product) with French fries (delicious yes, but not healthy) and for my vegetable I will have the pizza (still not a vegetable)” Mmmmm…..that sounds like a delicious and healthy lunch I think I will grow up to be a fat bastard. We have been wondering why all our kids are becoming obese. Well I think we just touched on the part of answer. This was the doing of our wonderful elected leaders in congress being urged on by the AFFI (American Frozen Food Industry) not to change the bill that was just passed. I am going to go out on a limb here and say I think some if not all of congress is getting paid for this one. Not one of them can tell me with a straight face that they think pizza should be considered a vegetable. I am willing to say I sure none of their children’s schools are serving that odd vegetable. Let’s be fair about this they did not actually say pizza is a vegetable, they said that tomato paste counts a vegetable. So, anything that has 1/8th of a cup tomato paste can be counted at a vegetable serving. They used pizza as an example. I don’t know about you but I have read the ingredients in a frozen pizza and it’s not pretty (check the Huffington Post link). If the schools were making the tomato sauce from scratch then I would think a little different about this. But, the fact remains that AFFI help push this through congress so they could sell more frozen tomato paste pizza’s and other crap to our schools. So what can we do about this act of stupidity? Well we can start by sending the speaker of the house a letter stating your feelings on this subject at SpeakerBoehner@mail.house.gov. I am working on setting up an online petition so we as a country can take our first steps in possibly changing congress mind for future acts of stupidity.

P.S If anyone has a Pizza Tree I would like a seed.

Food and Restaurants

Is it just me or does it seems like the world has been taken over by the corporate quick serve restaurant chains (QSR)? I live in a fairly upscale town in Texas and it has become increasingly difficult to find a nice restaurant to get a really good meal. I have been in the food industry for 25+ years and over those years I have noticed a decline in quality non-corporate restaurants. It has become much harder to find a job where you can be proud to say “I am the executive chef at XYZ restaurant”. Now, I have been very lucky in the past I have worked for many very nice places. So, maybe I’m just spoiled. But, I don’t think so. Maybe its the economy? I don’t think that all the blame is on the economy I think that people in general just do not know what fine food is anymore with everyone in a hurry to get somewhere or do something. We stop just long enough to choke something down so we don’t die of starvation. We as a nation have lost sight of sitting down and taking time for a meal and enjoying our food. This pains me, I was taught as a kid to sit down every night and have dinner with my family as a family we would discuss the day’s events and take our time and enjoy our food.  I am sure this has also been the main factor in the obesity problem in America. Most of the food at these restaurants are full of a bunch of stabilizers and crap, sure, the stuff tastes good but, you don’t want to eat it all the time. I know this because being a chef I know what it takes to keep that sauce hot and fresh for extend period of time so it doesn’t break. A little modified food starch can go a long way. And don’t even get me started on fast food, if you can still call it food after it has been manufactured. Don t get me wrong I love to eat that shit to, hence the reason I go to the gym every morning at 4am if I didn’t I would be 400 pounds. I guess what I am saying is we have the best food in the world available for us to eat and everyone is keeps increasingly eating the worst food available. Come on guys let’s get with the program. 

Tired

Just a list of a few things I am tired of seeing, doing and hearing.

1. People that think they are owed something even though they have not worked or learned a thing. Come on this country was founded on the backs of hardworking people. They worked their asses off to get what they have and you should too.

2. Negativity pouring out of all these same people (if you don’t like it change it).

3. I do not want to hear anything else about the Middle East (I just don’t care that much).

4. Occupy (anything) do you really know what you want? Other than to occupy something. I know Wall Street sucks and their padding their pockets with our/your money, but do you think they give a fuck if you stand out in front of their work place and say we want our money back or give me your money so I can be rich also?

5. Any BS coming from any of the politicians mouths. They will not be able to do anything they say anyway, because of the other party is going to be against it. That is the problem with a two party government there needs to be a third party that can vote in favor of one or the other. Put it this way if I don’t like you and you don’t like me then no matter what I say you will never agree with me even if you know I am right and vice-a-versa so nothing ever gets solved, hence the problems we are having right now in our government.

6. The complete lack of manners. If I hold the door for you say “thank you” or something, sometimes I would even be ok with a “fuck you” at least you're acknowledging that I was there doing something, but don’t just walk by and not even say anything or even look me in the eyes. I guess what I am trying to say is don’t be a prick.

7.  Clothes that do not fit your body. We have all seen it the person walking around with a shirt or pants that are two sizes too small. It’s not sexy, it’s nasty. The way I see it is if you got it flaunt it, but only if it fits under your clothes. Spandex is not for everyone.

8. People that talk on their cell phones while there checking out at the supermarket or while there in a restaurant. You know you are not that important!!! Have some manners, just because you can doesn’t mean you should.

9. Cars that are parked all cockeyed in parking lots. If you cannot park your car you should not be driving. And if you do it to protect your car then you are just a douche park at the end of the isle if you are that worried about your car.

10.  Girls with the bug-eyed sunglasses, they do not look good on everyone. Every time I see them all I can think about are the Elton john glasses.

11. The work “like” coming out of every kid from 16 years old and under. Come on people teach your kids how to have an intelligent conversation with someone without using “like” after every other word.

12.  Any of the sports (Lockouts) these guys (players and owners) make hundreds of millions to play a damn game and they want more. I love to watch some of these sports but not one player actually plays like they are worth a $100 million.

Well I am going to end here at number 12 there is oh…so much more that I could put on this list but I am tired of making this list.

United States Flag and Patriotisim

Ok, boys and girls let’s have a chat about the flag and patriotism. We will start with the flag. If you are going to put out the flags please show it the respect it deserves. There are a few rules for this. If you look at the federal code for displaying and presenting the flag it will cross your eyes and jumble your brain. I am not saying you have to follow these rules to a tee but, at least know and understand them. You know when your flag is old torn and dirty get a new one and give the other one to the local VFW where it can be disposed of properly. The pledge of allegiance has to be one of the finest things ever written. To hear it broken down and explained is awesome and the best one I have found is from many years ago by Red Skelton and can be seen on YouTube.

And now for patriotism. I think America is suffering on this one, because of the public’s view of the government and wars of the last 10-20 years. I know what you are saying those bastards are all in it for themselves. But, come on America if you don’t love it here then do something about it and help make it a place that you can be proud of, that is what it means to be a patriot.

pa•tri•ot•ism  noun; devoted love, support, and defense of one's country; national loyalty.

I know that the choices for presidents that we have been handed over the last 20 years have been on the low end. Ok, the bottom of the barrel. But we are the only ones that can change this, by choosing the smart candidate. Does it really matter what party they are? I know that most of the people if not all of the people in America have both Democratic and Republican values and I fully believe that everyone is not 100% for either parties ideals, simply because each party is so varied in their own views on just about every topic. I know that I have both Democratic and Republican views I would support each of them on many of their views. For instance gun control. I think that some guns should not be able to be purchased by civilians. Do I want a AK assault rifle? Yes, should I be able to just go and buy one? No. there fun to shoot, but are they useful is the question. I do not see a need to use one for hunting. The deer are not shooting back and I do not need to defend my tree stand. I just do not see the need by everyday Americans to have assault rifle.