Obey Ronald

I opened the little McDonald's cardboard box and printed inside were the words "Savor your southern style chicken sandwich."

For $.99, I was expecting a breaded patty made of gray/chopped/pressed/cooked chicken-oid meat. Surprise! It appeared to be a real chicken breast. It was tender, juicy, and flavorful. The breading was crispy and seasoned nicely. Perhaps Ronald has infiltrated the Colonel's ranks and learned the secret of the eleven herbs and spices.

The chicken was served on a plain bun with some pickles. That's it.

I've heard it said--If it isn't helping things, then it's hurting. In this case, it's true. Lettuce, onions, mayo, or some ill-conceived "sauce" would've been no help. I suspect the recipe was more about hitting the $.99 price point than it was about simple elegance. Either way, niiiice sandwich. I give it 4 1/2 out of 5 polyester-clad fast food minions.

While we're on the topic of Italy...

I should've mentioned this earlier. The other night, I tasted a beverage called Aranciata It's made by the mineral water people, San Pellegrino. The label says it's a "sparkling orange beverage", but it ain't Orange Crush. It has an amazingly strong orange flavor, but it's not syrupy. It's also somewhat sour and a little bitter too. Some would say it's an acquired taste, but I acquired it instantly. Aranciata is an Italian product, but there's no need to fret. It's distributed in the U.S. and readily available in local supermarkets. Go get some.

Italian Irony

Dear Interweb,

Remember when I wrote the following: "How am I supposed to go back to Subway after this and pretend their meatball sub is even marginally edible?" Well, a few days later, my wife asks our monkeys, "Where do you want to eat? We'll go anywhere you want. " They shout, yes shout, "Sub-waaaaay!" Then they start hopping around, pumping their fists, and chanting "Sub-way, Sub-way, Sub-way!"

They don't read my blog. How did they know? And then my wife smirked that smirk, the one that really wants to be a big smile. In her mind's eye, she was pointing at me and laughing, but in the real world she was smirking . She's such a nice girl.

Little Italy

You know the problem with eating at real restaurants? Sometimes it really ruins the fast food experience. We ate at an Italian place tonight called Gloria's Little Italy. It's part bakery, part gelato stand, part deli, aaaand part sit-down restaurant. The service was kinda slow, and some of the lettuce in our salads was way past its prime. But then, redemption. I had the meatball panini. Holy cow! How am I supposed to go back to Subway after this and pretend their meatball sub is even marginally edible?

Go. Enjoy. Gloria's Little Italy, 279 East 300 South, Provo, UT, 801.805.4913

Fast and cheap just got faster and cheaper...

Here's the problem. I'd like to write more often, and I'd like to think it's worth reading. But, you wouldn't believe the hours I sometimes put into a few paragraphs, getting it just right. You also wouldn't believe how many posts I've started but haven't finished. What's the point of being all O.C.D. about a few words?

So, I'm going minimalist. I'll write more often, but it will be much more concise. There, it's faster. As for the cheaper, I have huge untapped resources for cheaper. Ask my wife.