putting us in a similar role as that of the livestock. The
eating process is a major part of what we are, and the
social function continues to be important if sometimes
obscure.

I don't go to fast food for social reasons; I just want my food and to

get out

One big gripe of mine is with the underlying societal
mindset that created fast food. The fast pacing of the
workplace doesn't result in either more production or
greater efficiency - quite the contrary, and the relative
flourishing of economies in western Europe, with its more
humane working conditions in general, is evidence; also
the plateauing or even deterioration in nations that have
adopted our ways - Japan being notable, where there's
lots of despair even to suicide and plenty of kids up
into their 30s and 40s not just living at home but
refusing to go out for any reason. It's the result of
the mentality of if a little is good, more is better
applied to work: if fast is good, faster is better; if
an 8-hr day is good, a 14-hr one is better. Not only is
that just plain false, but a lot of those who take that
notion to heart crash and burn when they can't keep up.
Moderate pace is preferable in most things, from the
factory to eating. I'm impressed with the French lunch
hour in what they deem to be fast food joints - you get
your meal and a sit and relax and even have a smoke!
within an hour that has not shrivelled into a half hour.

of there. I do know what you mean, however. My mother has for years complained that my father and I need to eat at the nice dining room

table they

have with her. My dad usually eats in front of the TV and I disappear

into my

ham shack.

At least it has ham in its name.

Funny, I thought that taking the opposite view I was
in the minority.

It used to be but from my not-so-scientific research, it seems that

there is a

growing consensus of a hatred of technology. I can't say I disagree

with them.

Is it a hatred of technology or a hatred of the
individual being rendered redundant?

I have mechanical/practical issues as well as the
philosophical ones.

Not everyone should use the self-checkouts. Use a regular checkout. I

also

try to shop on "off hours" when there aren't a lot of people around. I

find

dealing with people a greater chore these days than using the

self-checkouts

these days.

That's not ideal, but maybe the night shift is a
good thing for you - though I used to like working
at night (part of what drew me to music) but not
because of diminished human interaction.

Here's one for the chocolate lovers (this would make me sick to my

stomach):

Title: Divine Triple Chocolate Pie

It does look a bit on the sweet side. For me another
issue would be the amount of dairy - though I am much
better at digesting milk products than previously, it
is still possible to overload the system. I can go from
0 to 60 in seconds if I'm not careful.

Then again, I am weird and enjoy eating baker's chocolate straight...

Nothing wrong with that, and quite a bit better for
those who are sweet, extra-sweet, or pre-extra-sweet.

Warm Bitter Chocolate Sauce
categories: sauces, desserts, celebrity
yield: 2 c

6 oz bittersweet chocolate
6 Tb water
2 Tb butter
3/4 c heavy cream
1 Tb grappa, rum or Cognac

Break the chocolate into small pieces and melt
them with the water and butter in a small heavy
saucepan over hot water or over very low heat,
stirring. Stir in the cream until smooth.

Stir in the Rum or Cognac to taste.
Rewarm to serve.

Joanne Weir
--- Platinum Xpress/Win/WINServer v3.0pr5
* Origin: Fido Since 1991 | QWK by Web | BBS.FIDOSYSOP.ORG (1:123/140)

Hello MICHAEL.

22 Aug 19 09:41, you wrote to me:

I don't go to fast food for social reasons; I just want my food
and to get out

One big gripe of mine is with the underlying societal
mindset that created fast food.

I can understand that. I just prefer to eat alone if I am not at home unless I
have someone with me. It's nothing that society has or hasn't taught me; I just have grown tired of dealing with people on my own time. I deal with enough of them when I am at work (when I'm working, heh).

Moderate pace is preferable in most things, from the
factory to eating. I'm impressed with the French lunch
hour in what they deem to be fast food joints - you get
your meal and a sit and relax and even have a smoke!
within an hour that has not shrivelled into a half hour.

Well, that's the French for you. :D

At least it has ham in its name.

True. It's my shack cum office cum computer room. It's amazing how much crap you can stuff into an 8x10' room. I'm living proof...

Is it a hatred of technology or a hatred of the
individual being rendered redundant?

Maybe both? People fear what they don't understand and around here, they ... how do I put this ... it's beyond their understanding if they can't put their hands on it. If you go farther out to the big cities, that doesn't apply as much.

That's not ideal, but maybe the night shift is a
good thing for you - though I used to like working
at night (part of what drew me to music) but not
because of diminished human interaction.

Rather, if I shop on a day off, getting up at 0500 to go shopping is always preferable than going out at night. It's partly my social anxiety disorder and
partly my loathing of being around noisy people when I shop (I take shopping pretty seriously). :)

The exception is driving to a Dollar General out in the sticks. They're always
pretty well-stocked and mainly quiet if I shop during the day. After 5 PM, they pick up business from country folks realizing they forgot to buy something
when at work in the town/city.

It does look a bit on the sweet side. For me another
issue would be the amount of dairy - though I am much
better at digesting milk products than previously, it
is still possible to overload the system. I can go from
0 to 60 in seconds if I'm not careful.

I have learned that non-commercially produced milk has a protein in it that allows one to tolerate cow's milk better. Evidently this protein has been bred
out of commerical milking cow breeds. I don't remember all the details but I can look it up again.

Then again, I am weird and enjoy eating baker's chocolate
straight...

Nothing wrong with that, and quite a bit better for
those who are sweet, extra-sweet, or pre-extra-sweet.

I'm still sweet enough to have to worry about it. But baker's chocolate doesn't make my stomach queasy like milk chocolate (the kind used in your run-of-the-mill sweets) does.

Here's something that sounds really good right now:

=== Cut ===
MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06

Title: Oakwood Feed Store Chili
Categories: Chili, Beef, Pork, Chilies, Bacon
Yield: 8 Servings

1 lb Bacon, chopped
3 lb Lean beef chuck roast, cubed
1 1/2 lb Regular hamburger,
Preferably chuck
2 lb Pork roast, coarsely ground
(Boston butt)
4 tb Prepared garlic in oil
3 Large onions
4 oz Canned chopped chilies
(El Paso brand)
6 Fresh Jalapeno chilies,
Chopped
5 tb Freshly ground DRY Mexican
Chilies, Anaheim if possible
2 tb Freshly ground DRY Ancho
Chilies
2 tb Good quality chili pepper
1 1/2 tb Hungarian paprika
4 tb Fresh ground cumin seed
1 tb Fresh ground black pepper
2 tb MSG or Accent (optional)
1 tb Tabasco sauce
2 tb Worchestershire sauce
1 pt Beef stock
1 pt Canned tomatoes

Fry bacon in a heavy pot till crisp and the fat is rendered. Remove
and reserve bacon. Pour off most of the bacon fat into a heavy cast
iron skillet, leaving s small amount in the pot. Brown the meat and
garlic in the skillet.

Saute onions in the fat remaining in the pot until soft. Add the
meat, bacon, ground chilies, dried spices, the sauces, green chilies,
Jalapenos, stock and tomatoes. Simmer for two hours.

Allow the chili to sit in the refrigerator for 24 hours to give the
spices a chance to intensify.

For garnishes, serve fresh chopped Jalapenos, chopped raw onions,
shredded Monterey or sharp Cheddar cheese, and saltines.
MMMMM
=== Cut ===

Later,
Sean

--- GoldED/2 3.0.1
* Origin: Get your COOKING fix here! - bbs.outpostbbs.net:2304 (1:18/200)