First Post or "I Write About Food Because I Shouldn't"

Note: Everything is still a work in progress: the format, color scheme, the criteria I will use to evaluate the food, etc. Because I can't sleep tonight, I decided to hit you all with some mother fuckin' content while I figure out all the other details.

As anyone who has known me for a long time will attest to, I am a very picky eater. On top of this, my palette is, well, whatever happens to be the opposite of 'refined'. You could place a $2 cut of Aldis 'beef like substance' next to a Kobe steak in front of me, and I probably could not tell the difference in taste. Also, there was a time when if either piece of meat ever in its life shared shelf space with a carrot, I'd promptly puke it back up (I have got better over time--a little bit). Anyway, I'm the last person who should talk about food, share food tips, give recipes, etc. That's why I'm going to do it. I'm going to introduce you to the seedy underbelly of the culinary world. I'm going to show you things bums wouldn't eat.

Welcome to my world.

First on the chopping block: Cup Noodles (Crab Flavor)

 

 This is a Hong Kong take on a Japanese classic. In fact, it tastes an awful lot like the generic "seafood" flavor I'd see on sale all over Tokyo 100 Yen Shops (the Japanese version of a dollar store).

Top View

Contents

I can't seem to get the pics to show up side-by-side. Oh well. Anyway, the ramen doesn't come with any flavor packets or anything, but look at all that freeze dried goodness! From what I could tell, what we have here is some crab, clam, anchovies, onions, seaweed, corn, and other things I've never heard of. Once the boiling water hits the noodles, you'll be over whelmed with a fishy, seafoody smell. If you can get past the smell, the soup itself is actually quite good. I mean, just compare this pic with with contents of a typical American made Cup Noodles. 

That brings me to another thing. Ramen gets a really bad rep in this country. Its like no one even tries. Most companies, even though they are subsidiaries of Japanese companies that make awesome instant ramen at home, make shit for their non-Asian clients. I mean, come on. American Cup Noodles throws in like 3 pieces of freeze dried corn and some awful freeze dried peas and calls it a day. If you live near a Chinatown or other Asian area that knows what's good. I say give this bad boy a try.

Not Health Food

Area Found: Philly Chinatown (Asia Supermarket)

Cost: 98 cents

Rating (out of 5): **** (could use some spice; has a bit overwhelming seafood taste/smell)

SECRET BONUS!!!!!!

7-11 Beef Pockets (empanada)

I went to school earlier in the evening to study for a final (that's at 8am this morning WHY FOR THE LOVE OF JESUS-GOD CAN'T I SLEEP!!!!!!!!) and while I was there, I had a hankering for something tasty--but cheap. I'm a big fan of convenience store food. It's so...convenient. Lately, 7-11 has been stepping up in their food game and offering things that approach edibility: pizza, hot wings, tacos, taquitos, etc. Today, I got my hands on these bad boys:

Mild Beef Pockets

Even though they where mild (they ran out of hot), they were surprisingly spicy--especially for convenient store food. I really want to check out the hot flavor now. The meat is standard Taco Bell-ish mush. If you can handle it, then take a couple of these for a test drive to flavorville.

Interestingly, if you need to find a cop in North Philadelphia, look no farther than Temple University's campus 7-11. There where at least 5 of them there, all swapping drinking stories. When I left, two more where entering. That 7-11 must be the safest spot in the city.

Area Found: Temple University 7-11

Price: $3 (for 2)

Rating (out of 5): ****1/2 (I didn't give it 5 stars because the hot flavor might take that spot)

Bon Appetit!