When my mom came to visit a week ago, we went to the Cheesecake Factory for lunch one day. When it came to cheesecake-time, instead of the cakes decked with chocolate cookie crumbs and goops of peanut butter, we split a tasteful lemon raspberry cheesecake. Now, I admit, I'm kind of a sucker for decadent cakes. I won't settle for any old chocolate cake; it has to be the intimidatingly named death by chocolate 7-layer black forest cake. However, this particular day, I felt like a light and fruity number. At first bite, I was truly in love. I kid you not. Madly in love. with a slice of cheesy heaven. It made me realize how I've simply forgotten how things are supposed to taste. Cheesecake is supposed to taste like cheesecake, with a slight lemon zest, not like a chocolate chip cookie. If you wanted a chocolate chip cookie, eat a chocolate chip cookie, not a cheesecake that sort of resembles the flavor of a c.c.c. What other things stopped tasting like what they ought to? I'm glad you asked.
1. popcorn. (cheddar? caramel? chocolate? seriously?) (ok, caramel corn is superb. but, still.)
2. have you noticed that vegetables now just taste like garlic? and butter?
3. graham crackers (cinnamon? chocolate? what's the point?!)
4. coffee + coffee creamers + hot chocolate + virtually every hot beverage
5. cream cheese. listen, i love cream cheese + lox on my bagels on occasion, but who seriously gets smoked salmon flavored packaged cream cheese?
6. ......
ok, so when i started this list i envisioned a list of, oh, 20 or so items. i've realized i actually like all the things that don't taste like what they're (naturally) supposed to. also, it occurred to me (frighteningly), just now, that you can season anything to taste like virtually anything. like.... hey, if you're craving something vanilla-y, and you happen to be cooking up a mean burger on the grill... you *could* end up with a vanilla hamburger. (which, i bet is on the secret menu at in and out). or, or, or.... you accidentally reach for the paprika instead of the cinnamon so you end up with a muy caliente (please tell me that's "very hot" in spanish. the only word i know in spanish is abuela) pumpkin pie.
which brings me to free cone-day (i guess there's no good segway from paprika pumpkin pie). ice cream is something i'm truly grateful that the flavors surpassed the neopolitan trio of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry. what would you do without a pint of Half-Baked or Phish Food?
on a different note, have you ever taken the time to meander through the ben and jerry's website (http://www.benjerry.com/)? Um-- it's well worth the time and effort. Especially the flavor generator (when they had that up... maybe they don't have it anymore? not that... i've been checking out their website for years or anything. or that i'm a registered chunk spelunker. or that i get the ben and jerry's newsletter every month). but seriously, great company. did you know that they're really into saving the planet *while* making people happy (and deliciously obese? not to put a damper on things, but we really do have to do something about the obesity rate in the U.S. i say this as i write approx. 2 pages on cheesecake and ice cream. nice.)
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3 comments:
hahaha. what's even funnier than you LIKING the re-flavored foods is -- i like the re-flavored foods even when i DON'T like the originals! i don't even like vegetables, but i love garlic and butter! i don't even like coffee, but i love starbucks sugar-and-syrup drinks! essentially, we've reached the point in human society where fake food > real food. mmmm.
I've heard to add a little pinneapple to just about anything. It really makes things delicious.
you and your benn and jerry. you never changed. Don't every every change. meaning food wise. lol
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