FOOD FOR THOUGHT

THE NEFF ZONE -- BY JIM NEFF

CADILLAC NEWS -- JUNE 29, 2024

The Fourth of July holiday is upon us and that means menus at holiday gatherings will be front and center. With that in mind, it's a prime opportunity to spice the fare with some interesting food facts. 

If you enjoy sandwiches, you are not alone. “On any given day, forty-seven percent of American adults will eat a sandwich. In one year, Americans chow down on an estimated 300 million sandwiches.” 

Of course, the venerable PB&J is always popular. However, it wasn't always that way. “PB&J sandwiches were only served to wealthier American patrons. These varieties of the sandwich nixed the jelly and paired peanut butter with cheese, lettuce, or Worcestershire sauce.” 

Can you guess what turned PB&J from the swells to the common man? “The invention of commercially sliced bread helped PB&Js become a lunchtime staple for all Americans, particularly schoolchildren.” (https://www.interestingfacts.com/sandwich-facts/ZUBSpakcfAAHuXek)

Some sandwiches feature grilled meat. According to TheManual.com, a Michigan product tops the list in enhancing this experience. “When it comes to grilled meat, the cheeseburger is the undisputed summer champion. If you’re going to get the most out of your cheesy, beefy, sometimes bacon-covered, and special sauce-slathered burger, you’re going to want to pair it with a great IPA. Bell’s Two Hearted IPA (from Michigan) cuts through the salty, savory, rich flavors of the burger in the best way possible.” (https://www.themanual.com/food-and-drink/summer-beer-pairings-with-food/)

If you want to add a skosh of wildness to a menu, replicating an item from a state fair is an option. People magazine detailed several of these sloppy masterpieces at: https://people.com/over-the-top-state-fair-foods-across-the-country-100-reasons-to-love-america-8665465. 

You might construct a Hot Cheetos Chicken Sandwich, which features “...fried chicken doused in melted cheddar cheese and covered in Flamin' Hot Cheetos crumbs.” Then you can suggest dousing the conflagration with a Fry-Stuffed Milkshake, consisting of “... a chocolate shake rimmed with Fruity Pebbles cereal and topped with French fries.” 

Thinking about that milkshake brings to mind desserts. The Fourth is a good time to dip into our nation's history for some old-time treats you don't see any more. When was the last time (if ever) you've topped off a meal with mincemeat pie, jumbals cookies, or carrot pudding? See photos and some recipes at: https://historyfacts.com/arts-culture/article/desserts-people-used-to-eat/.

Another oldie has an odd distinction. It was the first recipe to ever appear on a soup can – Tomato Soup Cake. “The can of condensed tomato soup the recipe calls for yields a moist red-orange cake that doesn’t taste like tomatoes at all, thanks to the cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg in the mix. This unusual spice cake was popular through the 1930s and 1940s. The Campbell Soup Company, in 1960, printed a version on its tomato soup label — the first recipe to appear on a soup can.” 

If the party lasts for more than a couple of hours, you'll want to preserve all that food. Oddly enough, something that you mostly use to keep things hot can also keep things cool. “You’ve seen a Dutch oven, but what about a Dutch cooler?”

When you think about this, it actually makes sense. “Dutch ovens are made from thick, heavy materials like cast iron, which are excellent for insulation. And insulation isn’t just good for keeping things warm: When you pre-chill the insulated material, it also helps whatever you put inside maintain a cold temperature. To get your Dutch oven nice and cold let it sit in the freezer or simply fill it up with ice and let it sit for a bit. Once it’s been sufficiently chilled, fill your Dutch oven with some fresh ice to keep it consistently cool.” (https://www.mentalfloss.com/posts/how-to-use-dutch-oven-as-cooler)

After the soiree, there will be some clean-up duties to perform. Dish soap is a common cleaning agent. But wait! There's more! Buzznet provides a whole compendium of other things you can accomplish with dish soap at: https://www.buzznet.com/2024/05/greatest-dish-soap-hacks/.

For instance, use it to keep those annoying bugs away from your wine. “If your kitchen is filled with fruit flies and you cannot figure out how to get rid of them, then turn to dish soap to get the job done. Combine five drops of dish soap with a cup filled about a half inch full of apple cider vinegar. Then place it wherever the fruit flies are and you'll be good to go.” Other uses range from cleaning your kiddie pool to de-skunking your pet to degreasing grill grates. 

Finally, the Forth of July is an American holiday, but when it comes to food it's tough to top the French. Leave it to them to come up with mail that smells so good it triggers your taste buds. 

“The nation's national postal service, put a brand-new stamp in circulation that features a lovely drawing of a baguette, a piece of bread central to French culture. And while the drawing is lovely, this stamp is a full scratch-and-sniff experience, making it smell just like the freshly baked version.” (https://www.foodandwine.com/france-baguette-stamps-scratch-and-sniff-8651208) 

This stamp could be coming your way. See, the stamp is specifically meant for international mail. If your mailbox smells like fresh baked bread, then it probably contains a postcard from your friend in France. 

Jim Neff is a local columnist. Read Neff Zone columns online at CadillacNews.com and NeffZone.com/cadillacnews. 

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