Grandpa and I just returned from Sicily and Malta, where farm to table is the norm. The food was natural and fresh with no preservatives, not like the United States where fake food is an art. Even just today in the newspapers, articles included discussion of hormones in meats and how most fast food chains got an F grade because they have no established policy restricting the use of antibiotics in their beef. The F rated fast food chains included were in the top 25 United States chains and include Applebee’s, Arby’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, Burger King, Chili’s, Dairy Queen, Domino’s, IHOP, Jack in the Box, Little Caesars, Olive Garden, Panda Express, Pizza Hut, Sonic, and Starbucks. Panera and Chipolte are okay in this regard. Shake Shack and BurgerFi are two chains that are not in the top 25 fast food chains but are serving only “no antibiotic” beef in all of their restaurants. If you want to know more about our fake food in the United States and why it is dangerous for us all, go to the Consumer Reports article.
The fast food chains are serving beef as beef. I was appalled to see the November 4, 2019 People Magazine upon my return where “5 Things We’re Talking About” included Lay’s Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Potato Chips. Really! This is the worst of our United States fake food. Potatoes made to taste like something they are nothing like. Nothing is real here. Here is the description from the magazine:
“Lay’s honors soup season. This snack brand combined popular pair tomato soup and grilled cheese into one chip so lovers of the fall favorites can enjoy the taste of both foods without burning their tongues.”
How about the burning of one’s stomachs and insides with fake food! Fortunately, this flavor will be available for a limited time nationwide.
What happened to the old standby, Campbell’s tomato soup in a can? We are still in fake food land with Campbell’s Kitchen and the recipe for tomato soup (yes, a recipe on how to open a can), and to make grilled cheese with processed American cheese.
Tomato soup is easy to make from scratch. This Grandma loves making grilled cheese in a pan on the stove with buttering one side of the bread slices. The easiest and best recipe for both as real food is on www.myrecipes.com.
Remember to use organic San Marzano whole tomatoes. We learned in Sicily that in Italy, tomatoes labeled as “San Marzano” must adhere to strict DOP (the Italian protected designation of origin) guidelines, which governs where they are grown and how they are processed, all in the same place with strict standards. We learned in Sicily to look for DOP on Italian olive oil as well for the most pure, and only extra virgin olive oil. At Canyon Ranch Spa, Billy, one of the best chefs, recommended Muir Glen brand canned whole tomatoes, which you can find at Whole Foods, and told us something about the cans Muir Glen uses and the canning that makes them the organic best. If you want to know more about canned San Marzano tomatoes than you ever knew you would, check out, “The Fake Rolex of
Canned Foods, by Mari Uyehara.
Our grandchildren love this Grandma’s grilled cheese, even for breakfast. How can they not love what we make with love. Let’s just be sure that the love is for real food. I, for one, intend to not even tell them about Lay’s Grilled Cheese and Tomato Soup Potato Chips, but talk all about real food and real food labels and serve such.
Joy,
Mema
Comments