Turkey

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2010-27
Originally uploaded by Inkyhack

In all seriousness: if you want to learn about an amazing chapter in American food history, research the role that turkey has placed in American cuisine. Up until the 1950s, turkey was a rarity. It was only served as an elite item during the Thanksgiving holiday.

Then a few things happened - the frozen food industry was discovered (TV dinners) and they found that turkey was the easiest meat to freeze for long-term storage; and the turkey industry moved West to California, where the climate was perfect for turkey breeding year-round. That meant that turkey could be supplied to store shelves any time of the year, not just during that one time of the year when the turkeys fattened up.

The turkey industry also unified and started a national campaign to get turkey in our diet. Turkey sandwiches and turkey lunch meats started to appear. In fact, the campaign was so pervasive, that the remake of "A Christmas Carol" made in the late '50s (the great version staring Alison Sims), the ending was changed. Scrooge no longer asked for the biggest "goose" in the window, as the original book states, but instead asks for the biggest "turkey." Turkey, of course, was completely foreign to English folks at the time of the novel (1843), but the mention in the film in the 1950s went largely unnoticed, thanks to the great turkey marketing campaign. This would, of course, help further propagate (in a very Orwellian manner imho) that turkey not only was a "traditional" meal for Christmas, but "always was a traditional meal" for Christmas.

Then, when American started to become health concious in the early 90's, more was done. Turkey was sold as the "healthy meat" due to its naturally low-fat content. Turkey hot dogs and turkey pepperoni appeared, along with other turkey substitutes.

Today, it's not unusual for us to have turkey bacon, turkey sausage, and even turkey chili all in the same day without thinking twice about it. And this food stand - found at the 2010 Hardley Strictly Bluegrass Festival - further demonstrates how far the turkey industry has gone in the past 60 years.

But seriously, there's a lot more to the story. I urge all food-o-philes and marketing students to do the research.

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2010-25

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2010-25
Originally uploaded by Inkyhack

Sorry, but I can't help it: isn't that a sex move that's illegal in Arkansas?

San Francisco Commercial Mix

San Francisco Commercial Mix
Originally uploaded by Inkyhack

Just a random shot in San Francisco. I like the SE Asian Noodle House being just two doors down from a traditional Italian pizza place. No big revelations here, except that I love the choices available, thanks to multiculturalism.

Cheese on a Stick

Stanislaus County Fair 2010-24
Originally uploaded by Inkyhack

I didn't try it. I was afraid it had been deep-fried in butter-flavored lard.

Chocolate Dipped Cheesecake on a Stick

Stanislaus County Fair 2010-77
Originally uploaded by Inkyhack

Ah, Chocolate Dipped Cheesecake on a Stick. I'll have a coronary bypass with that, please.

Pho

Jan 8 2010
Originally uploaded by Inkyhack

Here's the great thing about the multicultural aspect of the American culture - you can discover all these wonderful foods. Pho is one of my latest obsessions. It was introduced to me by the Hmong administrative assistant at my job.

Pho, for those who don't know (it's pronounced "fa," not "foe" though most Asians will forgive the mispronunciation), is a Vietnamese rice-noodle soup that has a bunch of vegetables, a mix of seafood, chicken and beef and often is served very spicy.

It's also very popular in California. There are Pho restaurants popping up in just about every city in the state, as the soup has been adopted as the official soup of the "hipster," the official youth movement of California.

This photo was taken from inside a Pho Restaurant in San Francisco that was recommended by a friend of mine.

Ho's Restaurant

Jan 8 2010-7
Originally uploaded by Inkyhack

Here's one of the small problems with multiculturalism - a word that might be perfectly acceptable in one culture takes on a completely different meaning somewhere else. Take this restaurant - Ho's. Thanks to the mass-marketed shallow rap culture that is shoved down our throats by the mega media entertainment corporations, the word Ho has taken on a whole new meaning in modern American culture.

I wonder if anyone has explained this to the restaurant's owners?

Sushi Bar next to Italian Restaurant

Jan 8 2010-4
Originally uploaded by Inkyhack

Another great example of the multi-culturalism of San Francisco - an Italian Restaurant next door to a Sushi Bar.

Sushi Bar

Jan 8 2010-44
Originally uploaded by Inkyhack

Downtown San Francisco, next to the voyeur theater.

Bangkok Noodles and Asian BBQ

Jan 8 2010-52
Originally uploaded by Inkyhack

Found in downtown San Francisco.

New York Donuts

Jan 5 2010-10
Originally uploaded by Inkyhack

Can someone please explain to me how a New York Donut is different from any other donut?

Soul Food and Barbecue

Jan 5 2010
Originally uploaded by Inkyhack

This is one of two "soul food" restaurants I have come across lately. I'm not a food expert, but it's my understanding that "soul food" is actually a modification of the "slave food" that used to be served to African-Americans - lots of fried foods, pork, collard greens, beans and rice. I know there have been a number of African-American activists who have recently protested the glorification of Soul Food, claiming it's terribly unhealthy for folks, including an entire episode of "The Boondocks" where grandpa opens a "Soul Food" restaurant and most of his customers develop extreme obesity and heart problems.

What strikes me is this place is a combination of "soul food" and "BBQ," which traditionally is seen as southern white folks food, the very folks who forced this unhealthy food on the slaves in the first place.

It's just a notion that passed by when I first discovered this place.

By the way, the locals say the food at this restaurant is very good.