the changes in foods since your childhood? doesnt taste the same as it use to?

[Gregg Axley]

My grandmother was like that Stearmen.
I learned to cook from her, and would prepare the same dishes she had taught me.
Yet some days she only wanted simple dishes.
BTW she would make a macaroni dish with tomatoes, onions, and I believe bacon.
She'd either want that, or diced potatoes, onions, and left over roast beef mixed together ala hash.
It's hard to say why people get like that....

On that note, some of the recipes I used to eat when my grandmother prepared them, still taste the same when I do make them.
But some have changed slightly as more preservatives have been added.

 

[gear-guy]

As a kid about the only fast food was to go buy a gallon of A&W root beer and then go the Drive Inn. All meals were cooked by my mom. Now days people go to a Cracker Barrel and think they are getting home country cooking. Sorry, but not even close. If most of these type of establishments were around then I don't think that I could have eaten the food.

 

[sheeplady]

As a kid about the only fast food was to go buy a gallon of A&W root beer and then go the Drive Inn. All meals were cooked by my mom. Now days people go to a Cracker Barrel and think they are getting home country cooking. Sorry, but not even close. If most of these type of establishments were around then I don't think that I could have eaten the food.

See, when I think of fast food I put Cracker Barrel in that list. Denny's too. And a lot of modern diners.

If they're getting products out of bins to feed you, it's fast food. But if it's a chain especially, if it's quick, if some component of your meal is coming out mostly already pre-made out of a box, bin, or jar; then it's fast food. A place like Applebee's that has the food pre-made in microwavable bags differs only from McDonalds is that someone brings it out to you rather than ordering at a counter. There's no difference to me in going to eat either place because it is the same stuff, made the same way, just in a different setting.

To me, the difference is if a meal is "cooked to order" versus "pre-made." While a lot of restaurants use some amount of pre-made stuff, what sets fast food apart is it is not "cooked to order." It was cooked someplace else and shipped in.

 

[LizzieMaine]

That type of fast food goes way back. The Horn and Hardart Automats of the Era were all supplied by central commissaries -- the food wasn't cooked on the premises and then slid into those little slots in the wall, it was prepared in a commissary, trucked to each individual outlet, and then reheated. Many of the other urban lunchroom chains of the 1910s thru the 1930s worked the same way -- Waldorf Lunch, Thompson's, Bickford's, Schrafft's, and others like those. The presentation may have varied from chain to chain but the basic idea was the same -- economy of scale to keep the prices down. Howard Johnson's in the 1940s and 50s worked the same way, except that much of its product shipped frozen from the commissary to the local restaurant. The difference between then and now is that, unlike the "retro diners" and "casual family restaurants" these places didn't pretend to offer you a "dining experience." They were industrial food for an industrial age, for working people who wanted to come in, eat something, pay their bill, and move on without a lot of fuss. That kind of honesty I can appreciate.

By all accounts, chain commissary food could be quite good even if it wasn't "made to order." I use a slightly modified version of the Horn and Hardart macaroni and cheese recipe, and not only is it good fresh, it's still just as good when you reheat it four days later.

The big difference between Applebee's and McDonalds is about six dollars. Plus twenty percent tip for the waitress.

 

[HudsonHawk]

I was a "army brat" in Germany in the late fifties and early sixties. After returning to the states the main thing we missed was the breads--especially the black breads and those hard little brotchen. On another note, I have had grave concerns about the direction our society has taken ever since they changed the Dr. Pepper formula. I have been told that Canada still has the original however that my be just urban legend.

You can get original formula Dr. Pepper all over Texas.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

That type of fast food goes way back. The Horn and Hardart Automats of the Era were all supplied by central commissaries -- the food wasn't cooked on the premises and then slid into those little slots in the wall, it was prepared in a commissary, trucked to each individual outlet, and then reheated. Many of the other urban lunchroom chains of the 1910s thru the 1930s worked the same way -- Waldorf Lunch, Thompson's, Bickford's, Schrafft's, and others like those. The presentation may have varied from chain to chain but the basic idea was the same -- economy of scale to keep the prices down. Howard Johnson's in the 1940s and 50s worked the same way, except that much of its product shipped frozen from the commissary to the local restaurant.

Sounds like our school cafeteria lunches when I was a lad. They were all prepared at a central location and then trucked to the school cafeteria in these massive steel heating units. Problem was that the food was prepared by steaming so by lunchtime it was soggy and overcooked. :eusa_doh: I don't know how I knew this but our lunches were designated by the powers that be as a Type B Meal. I used to wonder who the lucky bastards were who got the Type A meal and I didn't even want to know what Type C was!

 

[Stearmen]

As a kid about the only fast food was to go buy a gallon of A&W root beer and then go the Drive Inn. All meals were cooked by my mom. Now days people go to a Cracker Barrel and think they are getting home country cooking. Sorry, but not even close. If most of these type of establishments were around then I don't think that I could have eaten the food.

I can remember the few times we went to the drive in theater, my mother would fry some chicken legs, pop some pop corn, and we would even pack some sodas in the trunk. Still tasted better then theater food!

 

[Dan Allen]

You can get original formula Dr. Pepper all over Texas.

I.m going to Austin to visit next month, will check it out. If so I know what will be loaded in my trunk.

 

[2jakes]

I.m going to Austin to visit next month, will check it out. If so I know what will be loaded in my trunk.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...aGaEB4RKDbbyaEpQA&sig2=GyWGaJhgsaow4NYsc5c4bg
(Not 100 % but I believe the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group is putting out Dublin Dr. Pepper but not using the name.



My 2nd choice when my local store is out of D.P.

Made in Mexico with sugar cane .
( Caution: strictly made for desperate DP dependent users
to be used in emergencies when DP is out of stock ! )

 

[sheeplady]

The difference between then and now is that, unlike the "retro diners" and "casual family restaurants" these places didn't pretend to offer you a "dining experience." They were industrial food for an industrial age, for working people who wanted to come in, eat something, pay their bill, and move on without a lot of fuss. That kind of honesty I can appreciate.

By all accounts, chain commissary food could be quite good even if it wasn't "made to order." I use a slightly modified version of the Horn and Hardart macaroni and cheese recipe, and not only is it good fresh, it's still just as good when you reheat it four days later.

The big difference between Applebee's and McDonalds is about six dollars. Plus twenty percent tip for the waitress.

And you have to wonder where that six dollars is going, since Applebee's likely doesn't pay the total minimum to their employees and expects tips to make up the rest.

I don't like certain pre-made foods, and have allergies to certain products, so I avoid those products when I eat out, even if at a "made to cook" type of place, because you never know what's "homemade" and what's commercially produced.

I particularly don't appreciate restaurants that treat their staff badly. I won't eat at places that steal tips from their workers, treat their staff inappropriately, etc. Working the service industry is tough, you don't need a nasty boss on top of dealing with some nasty customers all day. I don't care how local a place is, how good the food is, if I hear you steal tips from your workers I am never setting foot in your establishment ever again.

One thing I absolutely hate is people who eat things like Applebee's or Cheesecake Factory or a fancy $50-a-plate-restaurant and look down their noses at people who eat what they consider to be "fast food." Everybody eats. If for one family their treat is to go out to eat once a month at McDonalds because that is what they can afford, then more power to them for living inside their budget and giving themselves a treat. Everybody deserves a nice meal out once in awhile and a break from cooking.

 

[Gregg Axley]

I.m going to Austin to visit next month, will check it out. If so I know what will be loaded in my trunk.

I'm going in a few months, so don't hog it all!

CB was started in my state, and initially it WAS down home cooking.
Now, their food is too salty, too rushed, and full of ingredients grandma never used.
I have some of their recipes, so I can control the salt.
The hashbrown casserole isn't bad, if you don't add all the salt, and use a lower sodium cream of chicken soup.
I agree gear-guy, it's not what it used to be.

 

[Dan Allen]

I drive a little car so there should be some left.

 

[Gregg Axley]

I drive a little car so there should be some left.

No, HudsonHawk will drink what you don't get.
What I am going to do, is buy up as many 4 packs of Frostee Root Beer with real sugar.
We aren't in their market, and dern those things are good ice cold.
Plus I made it back from TX in record time, after a few on the road.

 

[Dan Allen]

Maybe I ought to think about a trailer !!

 

[HudsonHawk]

No, HudsonHawk will drink what you don't get.
What I am going to do, is buy up as many 4 packs of Frostee Root Beer with real sugar.
We aren't in their market, and dern those things are good ice cold.
Plus I made it back from TX in record time, after a few on the road.

Actually, I'm not a real big Dr. Pepper fan. I bought a few sixers, both in cans and bottles, a while back to show you fellas that they're out there and what to look for, but I haven't even killed them off yet. There'll be plenty left.

On a related note on the wailing and gnashing of teeth about the closing of the Dublin Dr. Pepper plant...they didn't actually make much of it there in Dublin. They only made a few cases a week, and you had to bring your own bottles in to swap out. Most of the Dublin Dr. Pepper was made at other bottling plants, from the exact same formula and lines they're still using today.

Finally, I agree with you about Frostie. I haven't had one in years, but I remember them from my youth as being about as tastie (see what I did there?) as they came.

 

[Gregg Axley]

Actually, I'm not a real big Dr. Pepper fan. I bought a few sixers, both in cans and bottles, a while back to show you fellas that they're out there and what to look for, but I haven't even killed them off yet. There'll be plenty left.

On a related note on the wailing and gnashing of teeth about the closing of the Dublin Dr. Pepper plant...they didn't actually make much of it there in Dublin. They only made a few cases a week, and you had to bring your own bottles in to swap out. Most of the Dublin Dr. Pepper was made at other bottling plants, from the exact same formula and lines they're still using today.

Finally, I agree with you about Frostie. I haven't had one in years, but I remember them from my youth as being about as tastie (see what I did there?) as they came.

Yes I see. :eusa_clap
I found several Frostie 4 packs at Brookshire Brothers.
My wife is a big Dr. Pepper fan, although with the heat we've been drinking water drink mixes.
Dern things, I've gotten hooked on Jolly Rancher Green Apple mix.
I don't know how, but it tastes like Green Apple.

 

[nick123]

Speaking of apples, I noticed a decline in taste when Apple Jacks introduced the green colored jacks to their cereal. I don't know how it's possible (coloring is tasteless right?) but I noticed it.

 

[Stearmen]

I remember as a kid, a lot of the old people would poor their Dr Pepper into a sauce pan and put it on a burner, then drink it hot. Does any one here do that? I personal hatted it as a kid, but who knows, I night like it now.

 

[Dan Allen]

Used to do that growing up but then the drink was much thicker. A little lemon added made a good drink around the campfire. The watery stuff today just aint the same, ether in texture or taste .

 

[2jakes]

Used to do that growing up but then the drink was much thicker. A little lemon added made a good drink around the campfire. The watery stuff today just aint the same, ether in texture or taste .

Most of the "food" today that is sold in the grocery stores is pretty bad with all them chemicals & hormones
pumped into them. :eeek: