Milo's Quintessential American Restaurant

Well, here we are! The big day. For years upon years this small town boy with big city aspirations has been working to the bone to become an outstanding chef, and my work has finally been rewarded in the form of my very own restaurant! The eating establishment's location, Germany, is a bit of a hike from my college's home in Ohio. This, however, would seem like quite a minuscule thing to complain about. Preparing food for the masses has long been my dream, and in this hypothetical fantasy I've watched hours of Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Meals, endured far too much of Barefoot Contessa, and even began taping Walker, Texas Ranger just for good luck. Now, I'm seemingly only faced with two issues: hiring a full staff (which, frankly, seems like one of those situations that will work itself out), and creating an Americanized menu. All those hungry Germans wouldn't be satisfied with boring German food; they want intriguing, rich, fulfilling meals from the USA! So, without further ado, I proudly introduce my menu of American foods for foreign consumers.

Appetizers

- Chicken Caesar Salad. Seemingly every chain restaurant in America that offers a selection of salads contains a Chicken Caesar Salad somewhere on the menu. My rationale for this being a somewhat American dish is simple; it's a salad (typically a healthier option) that's made unhealthier due to the addition of creamy Caesar dressing. Romaine lettuce is corrupted by the tantalizingly delicious forces of Caesar dressing, croutons, grated Parmesan cheese, and strips of grilled chicken. For better or worse, America is known for it's abundance of creamy, fattening ingredients, and this variation of salad proves that stigma to ring true.

- New England Clam Chowder. Does any soup reign supreme over New England Clam Chowder? "No!", Milo defiantly shouts to nobody in particular, in midst of banging his fist on the desk. Creamy and filled with excellent ingredients such as clams and more clams, New England Clam Chowder both sets an excellent precedent for a notable American region, and leaves an unrelentingly satisfying taste in the stomach of all who have the pleasure of enjoying Chowder-y goodness.

Main Courses

- Chicken Fried Steak. This one is dedicated to lovers of cuisine in Southern areas of the United States. The chicken fried steak, consisting of a piece of steak layered in flour and then fried until irresistible, may significantly lack health benefits, but undeniably contains taste benefits. This unique variation of meat provides an interesting change of pace in the way Americans consume steak, while fully keeping American ideals (such as frying the living bejeezus out of everything in sight) intact. Our forefathers would be proud of this delicious treat!

- Pork Chops and Mashed Potatoes. A combination that seemingly always goes together flawlessly, pork chops with a side dish of mashed potatoes seem pretty American to the average consumer. Pork loin chops don't necessarily need to be fried, which helps the health aspect of the meal out considerably, but still contain that rich, chewy, delightful pork taste. Meanwhile, the mashed potatoes seem American in nature; we take multiple potatoes, blend them all together beyond recognition, add in plenty of milk, butter, and spices, and voila! A fantastic side dish to compliment an American meal.

Dessert

- Apple Pie. Is an explanation really necessary? The phrase "as American as apple pie," has become so frequently used that it would seem to be a glaring mistake to not include this dessert dish on the menu of my new restaurant. With a big dollop of vanilla ice cream on top, this luscious, irresistible meal seems to be the perfect way to cap off an evening of good old fashioned American gluttony. We've spent an evening eating alarmingly unhealthy yet delicious food, so why not finish it with a slice of American apple pie? This could be the one piece to my American restaurant puzzle that keeps the Germans coming back for more of that tantalizing US food.

Love At Steak

To begin my latest blog entry, I'd like to apologize for the highly questionable pun used in the title. I decided that a good natured play on words would be an excellent way to get the ball rolling on this piece, and engage my readers. After entering a search online for all pop culture items with the word "stake" involved, the best I could do was a 1987 comedy called Love At Stake starring Patrick Cassidy of CSI: Miami fame. Admittedly this was a major shortcoming on my part, and as a member of this class I promise to severely limit the amount of bad 80's comedy film puns I use on this website.



Following many of the readings in this class, it became evident to me that family was going to be a major component of this class. Anyone can merely type up recipes for food items they find appealing, but it's the experiences that come with those meals that make writing about it worthwhile. While I'm not sure how common a reaction this is, I found it very difficult to come up with a mainstay family recipe. Sure, I have a loving family, but increasingly I found the sentence "one meal I've always eaten with my family was..." to go without a conclusive ending. I've recognized one meal, however, to be linked to my history of living at home: steak! Wonderful, wonderful steak!

Living in New York with my mother and sister had many positive qualities; one of the foremost being food selection. Our supermarkets had a vast amount of choices for potential meals. While we typically prepared chicken in many of our dinner's, my family and I always acknowledged the temptation and overwhelming deliciousness of steak. The occasion for a steak dinner would rarely be one of special significance. We treated steak in the same manner that some would treat a cold beer following a long day of work. My mom, sister and I all would forget our day's challenges with our couch, The Simpsons, and a steak grilled to perfection.

The method we use in preparing steak is simple enough. We'd begin by grilling up side dishes to go along with the steak; cut up red peppers, diced onions, and mushrooms. After they were done cooking, it was time to cook up the steak. The steak should be lightly salted on each side; not enough to create an overwhelming change of flavor, but rather bring out the beefy flavor. Prior to grilling, I'd create a mixture of sauces to pour on the steak in midst of the grilling. Typically the sauce would consist of Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, and lemon juice. While it may not be orthodox to use it on the steak while grilling rather than letting it marinade beforehand, steak in our household was rarely an event planned in advance, and as such, we had to make due with the circumstances at hand. After the steak was blackened, I'd lay it down gently next to the peppers, mushrooms, and onions, and would serve it with a side of spinach, to create the false impression that "healthy" was the primary focus of this meal. Steak nights were few and far between, but as anyone in my family would attest to, they were immensely satisfying.

Stadium Food

For my first blog post in this food culture class, I figured it could be a good idea to combine the topic of food with something else near and dear to my heart: sports! Growing up in New York I became endeared to many local sports teams; particularly the New York Mets, New York Knicks, and New York Jets. Experiences at games for each of these teams are entirely different, which largely applies to the food available. Given my experience attending games at both Shea Stadium and Citi Field (the new home of the Mets), Madison Square Garden, and the New Meadlowlands, I'll give a brief overview of the food quality at each, to go along with a letter grade.

Shea Stadium: C-. Shea Stadium was the home of the Mets until the year 2009, when they moved to Citi Field. Shea had plenty of positive qualities, particularly cheap ticket prices. Their food situation, on the other hand, left much to be desired. Prices were generally manageable, but unless you're the type to be content with only Chicken Fingers or Hotdogs at a game, you were out of luck. Being that I lived nearby and security outside the stadium was mediocre at best, the way to go was sneak in sandwiches and other such lunch items for a day game.

Citi Field: A. With a new improved stadium came new improved meal options; at Citi Field fans can choose from a vast array of food options, such as seafood, mexican food, barbecue, as well as others. Prices are a tad elevated due to expenses for the new park, but it's well worth the quality of food.

Madison Square Garden: F. In addition to dealing with the Knicks, another negative of attending Knicks games were the issue of obtaining food during breaks. Seemingly always with one unfortunate individual working the counter and preparing food for countless hungry fans, Madison Square Garden doesn't seem to put much effort into concession stands. Food options are countless, ranging all of the way from hot dogs, to cracker jacks, and literally nothing in between. Twenty dollars spent on a Snapple and hot dog later, and I would cringe wondering why I didn't merely eat before the game.

New Meadlowlands: C. The food at the New Meadlowlands is very good for a professional sports arena. Options may be few, but when I have to endure a three hour game in the blistering cold, it's nice knowing that soup, coffee, or tea is always available. Prices are entirely too expensive (I spent ten dollars on a cheeseburger the last game I attended), but I suppose I had it coming being that I didn't tailgate before the game.