Forget organic, locavore, omega3, umami, artisanal and all the
other signposts of the healthy, ethical and refined "good food"
movement, there are important advances in CuisineWorld that are going
180 degrees in the opposite direction — advances that literally are reshaping what we eat (while also reshaping us).A beef and chicken log. What can't you do with transglutaminase?
Let's start
with red meat. Perhaps you're one who enjoys a steak dinner now and
again. If so, let me ask this question: Do you prefer it with a nice
Bernaise sauce, a side of garlicky spinach — or maybe some
transglutaminase?
Trans-what-did-he-say?
Transglutaminase is an enzyme made by the fermentation of bacteria
and added to meat pieces to make them stick together. Yes, "meat glue" —
it's what's for dinner!
This is yet another dandy product from industrialized food purveyors that keep inventing
new ways to mess with our dinner for their own fun and profit. Right
about now, you're probably asking yourself, "Why do they need to glue
meat together?"
Glad you asked. It's so the industry can take cheap chunks of beef and form them into what appears to be a pricey steak.
For example, that filet mignon you ordered at the Slaphappy
Steakhouse chain recently — was it steak ... or transglutaminase? By
liberally dusting meat pieces with transglutaminase powder, squishing
them into filet mignon-shaped molds, adding a bit of pressure to bond
the pieces and chilling them — voila, four-bucks-a-pound stew meat looks
like a $25-a-pound filet mignon!
While glued-together, steak-like meat is
surprisingly common in the food service industry, the corporations
peddling it are not eager to let us consumers in on their little secret.
While glued-together, steak-like meat is surprisingly common in the food service industry, the corporations peddling it are not eager to let us consumers in on their little secret.
Well, sniffs the meat industry's lobbying group, it's not like the
companies are deceiving eaters — those that use the process have to list
transglutaminase on the ingredient label and stamp the package as
"formed" or "reformed" meat. How honest! Except that most of these
molded "filet mignon" are sold through high-volume chain restaurants, hotels, cafeterias and banquet halls — where unwitting customers never see the package or ingredient label.
This is why we should support truth-in-menu laws. Make them say
"reformed and glued" filet mignon right on the menu. That simple step
lets us decide if we really want to eat the stuff. Consumers should have
the right to know ... and choose.
A pizza with a hot dog crust. Delish.
A pizza with a hot dog crust. Delish.
Next on the menu: extra fat! While many cafes, bistros and even
diners these days have moved to such healthy edibles as locally sourced
beets and jicama on sustainably raised arugula dressed with small-batch
artisan balsamic vinegar, Pizza Hut is proudly going for the hardy
eater, shouting, "Let's get stuffed."
The chain has enhanced its belt-busting pepperoni and gooey cheese
pizza by (get this) stuffing a long, looping hot dog right into the
crust! But, if that's not caloric enough for you, Pizza Hut has also
designed a pizza that is ringed by a dozen mini cheeseburgers baked
directly onto the crust.
Hey, some might see obesity as a crisis, but YUM! Brands Inc., the
conglomerate that owns Pizza Hut, sees it as a moneymaking opportunity.
Don't fight it, feed it!
Not to be outdone, the Burger King chain is test-marketing a stunning
advance in fusion cuisine at one of its Nashville outlets. It marries
two essential food groups together: ice cream and pork. Yes, America,
get ready for the Bacon Sundae! Topped off with caramel and chocolate
syrup.
The pioneering innovator in obesity grub, however, comes from the
city where anything goes and "too much" is never enough: Las Vegas. Many
top chefs have opened four-star restaurants along the Las Vegas strip,
but none can outstrip a local diner when it comes to extravagant excess.
Unabashedly named the "Heart Attack Grill," this place takes pride in
deep-fried, and its menu is filled with unhealthy eats. Renown for its
Quadruple Bypass Burger, Butter Fat Shakes and Flatliner Fries cooked in
pure lard, the grill brags that it serves food with "Taste Worth Dying
For."
Indeed, two diners have collapsed so far this year while pounding
down Bypass Burgers. To add to the charm, the grill offers a special
deal for truly hefty eaters: If you weigh over 350 pounds, you can eat
for free. So weigh in, tuck in — and bon appetite.
© 2012 Creators Syndicate
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