Published: September 22, 2009 03:23 pm      

YOUNTFRIESWITAT? (You want fries with that?)

Janis Saunders, Democrat Food Critic

Everyone is enamored with all of the technology available today. We have computers that talk, sing and let you see whom you are talking to. There are CDs, DVDs, stereos capable of sound loud enough to blow your brains out a block away and on and on.

This advanced technology evidently does not extend to the fast food industry. I’m talking about their drive-through speakers. When talking to the “order taker,” it sounds as if they are on Mars or in New Yawk City. Case in point ... my visit to two fast food restaurants this last weekend. HellomynameisFelicity!MayIsquawksqueakhumyourorderplease? This was all said at warp speed — in fact, it was so fast Jim and I were taken aback and had to take a minute to collect our thoughts.

He said, “Did she say she would take our order?” I replied, “Yes, I think so. Or she might have said she thinks you’re cute.” I only said that because I had no idea what she said.

She immediately came back, “Did you say three cheeseburgers and a chicken?”

“No, no that’s not what we ordered. Hello? Hello?”

Screech, squawk, four cheeseburgers squawk, four fries, four cokes, hummm and two pies.

“No, no, we want two steak sandwiches, two Dr. Peppers. No fries.”

“OK, four cheeseburgers, two steak sandwiches, four cokes, two fries. Your total at the window will be $34.90 screech, squawk. “You want hot sauce with those screech, squawk, hummm?”

“Can you hear me? I’ll repeat the order real slow.” Order is repeated and we hear, “Please pull up to the window.”

By the time we made our order clear, drove up and confronted a real live person, we had lost our appetites. Felicity was sooo perky you couldn’t get mad at her. Instead, we blamed the equipment and the system. After paying and collecting our order, we drove out.

Uh oh, should have checked the order. When I opened the sack I discovered it was filled with two screeches and three squawks. Oh well, better luck next time.

The next day we were in Plano and we stopped at “Maximillian and Friedl’s Tacky Taco Hut.”

We had our granddaughter with us and she specifically wanted Mexican cuisine. OK, here we go.

“Welcome to Max and Friedl’s. May I take your order, hummm, squeal?”

Oh, no, not again. I told Jim, “I’ll take care of the ordering this time, besides, you can’t hear as well as I can.” I’ve got earsight like an eagle! OK, we’ll have six Tacos, six burritos, four orders of German potato spaetzle, six dutch shoo-fly pies and four Mello Yello’s and two Dr Peppers.”

“Could you repeat your order starting with the items after six? Our speakers are, hummm, squeal, screlch giving us trouble.”

I repeated the order again, slowly and very loudly. In fact, I was so loud, dogs in the vicinity began to howl. Finally we heard the magic words.

“Drive forward please.”

Well, this wasn’t so bad. We got a huge sack and paid our $20-plus, which didn’t seem too high. We drove off and our server gaily called out “Auf Wiedersehen, Muchachos!” I began to dig into the sack. It was filled with delicacies I had never seen before along with our tacos, spaetzle and Mello Yellos, but no Dr Pepper. What a feast we had when we got back to Karen’s. We had bratwurst burritos, red cabbage tacos; you name it we had it. I wonder, has fast food technology gone as far as it can go?

NOTE: I have not named the drive-through restaurants in order to protect the guilty and me!

I didn’t do Mexican Sunday. I had pork chops and sweet potatoes out to cook. So, I told Jim he could cook the chops on the grill and I would do the sweet potatoes. He agreed (mostly because he was hungry).

Check the market and the supermarkets for the new crop of sweet potatoes coming in. The ones he bought were dark orange with no strings. I hate it when you cook the potatoes then discover they are stringy inside. I don’t fool with them. I feed them to our birds so they don’t go to waste but I won’t eat them.



Sweet potato planks

2 medium sweet potatoes, cut into planks (or large french fry cut)

3/4 cup light brown sugar

6 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons Maple syrup

Place potatoes in medium casserole dish. Sprinkle brown sugar over all. Cut up butter into slices and put on top of brown sugar. Top with maple syrup.

Put plastic wrap or casserole lid on potatoes and cook on high for six minutes in microwave. Turn and cook for 8 to 12 minutes on medium power. Remove and pierce potatoes with fork to check for tenderness. If done, remove and drain off liquid into a small skillet.

Place skillet with liquid on high heat and boil, stirring constantly until it begins to thicken.

When it has thickened, pour over sweet potatoes and serve immediately. Serves 3-4.



Grilled pork chops

2-4 center cut pork chops or bone in, 1/2- to 3/4-inch thick.

1/2 cup Italian salad dressing

1 tablespoon Aged Balsamic Vinegar

Place chops in a glass or ceramic dish. Mix dressing and vinegar together. Pour over chops and let them marinate in refrigerator for 4-6 hours.

Remove chops and place on hot grill. Cook 2-1/2 to 3 minutes on each side. Don’t over cook or your chops will be dry. Remove, cover with foil and let them “sweat” for 10 to 12 minutes. Then serve with sweet potatoes on the side. Allow one chop per person if they are large cuts. If not, allow two per person.



I now have a major gripe, but I’ll cover that another time. I’ll give you a hint. If you have six people write the same four line paragraph, you won’t be able to read but one person’s writing. Men are the worst, but don’t take my word for it, look around and see what I’m talking about.

Wait just a minute, Ms. Janis. I take exception to your comment that men have the worst handwriting. Mine is better than yours and I will prove it.

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Janis may be reached at jks4417@aol.com and so can Jim.