October » 2013 » semisweet&nuts

National Sausage Pizza Day

October 11: National Sausage Pizza Day

Today’s national food holiday made me a little sad. How could pizza ever make someone sad?! Because it made me really miss the awesome pizza in Chicago (notice I didn’t say “Chicago-style” pizza… that stuff is also delicious, but I’m just talking about regular ole pizza… from Chicago). I would literally cut someone (okay, maybe I’m exaggerating…) for a Barnaby’s sausage and onion pizza right now. Or from like, 10 other places in the Chicago metropolitan area.

Sigh.

Until National Sausage Pizza, I have only been out for pizza once (my birthday last year) and it was good… for California pizza. It’s not something I really want anymore since I know it’s not “worth it”… but I definitely get my pizza fix when I’m back in IL.

I suppose that saying we’ve only been out for pizza once in over a year is misleading. I’ve had pizza more than that since I’m sort of in love with my pizza stone so I make homemade pizza once a month-ish. Even so, I highly doubt I’m anywhere near eating the 23 POUNDS of pizza that the National Association of Pizza Operators (NAPO!) reports an average American eats in a year.

Here’s more PIZZA BY THE NUMBERS:

3 billion: Number of pizzas sold in the U.S. each year. (Anna: How many of them are worthy of being called pizza? Not many!)
350: Slices of pizza sold every second. (Anna: I’m assuming this means triangle slices not squares, since who buys a square slice of pizza?)
46: Slices of pizza the average American eats each year. (Anna: Again, I’m assuming this means triangular pieces of pizza. I probably eat 46 square pieces of Barnaby’s pizza a year now… a drastic decreases from prior years.)
93: Percent of Americans who eat pizza at least once a month. (Anna: I am not part of this grouping, unless it counts homemade, which I’m assuming it does not.)
70: Percent of Super Bowl viewers who eat at least one slice during the game. (Anna: I have never eaten a piece of pizza watching the Super Bowl, or likely any football game for that matter. Pizza is not football food. Chips and dip, nachos, and chicken wings are football food.)
251.7 million: Pounds of pepperoni Americans consume each year. (Anna: Pounds of pepperoni Anna consumes each year? Zero.)
36: Percent of pizza orders that specify pepperoni as a topping. (Anna: Blehhhh.)
70,000: Number of pizzerias in the U.S. (Anna: How many of those are in the Chicago metropolitan area? Those are the ones worth frequenting.)24: Percent of those pizzerias owned by Pizza Hut, Domino’s, or Papa John’s. (Anna: I was seriously depressed when I read this. Think of all the poor saps who think this is pizza!!!

ANYWAY! Back to the matter at hand: National Sausage Pizza Day. I decided to fulfill my duty at the pizza place across the street from my work. I could have waited and gotten pizza for dinner since Bryce and I were meeting friends at California Pizza Kitchen later that night, but I didn't want to "waste" my dinner at CPK on sausage pizza*. So I went for lunch at the place by work and ordered a slice of the only pizza that had sausage on it. Which means it also had pepperoni on it. If you remember from above, I don't like pepperoni. But in the name of SCIENCE (or whatever it is I'm doing for a year), I picked it off.

Verdict? I miss Barnaby’s.

Tomorrow: National Gumbo Day.

*I used to work at CPK in college and people who go there and order “normal” pizzas are doing it wrong. If you want pizza at CPK, go for something fun like California Club or Tostada. Or, better yet, do what I do and get the BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad. You’re welcome.

National Angel Food Cake Day

October 10: National Angel Food Cake Day

Today was a big pain. No, I didn’t make an angel food cake. That would have been a different kind of pain (dividing a dozen eggs, beating, folding, buying a new pan, etc.). That was exactly WHY I didn’t make an angel food cake. Instead I decided to buy an angel food cake from the grocery store. I KNOW they sell them because whenever I see them I scoff, because I’m admittedly a jerk who judges store bought baked goods. BUT I thought it would be much, much easier to buy one in celebration of National Angel Food Cake Day than slaving away in the kitchen on a Thursday night instead of having a wine and movies night with some ladies (which is what I did instead).

Well… joke was on me because I went to Trader Joe’s, THREE Safeway’s, and two little pastry shops looking for angel food cake and NOPE. Why is Angel Food Cake Day in October, anyway? Shouldn’t it be in the summer? When you’d eat it with berries and not feel too bad about eating cake during bikini season since it’s like, made of air? Hmph.

Anyway, I was complaining about the lack of cake in one of the many bakery departments I was in and a lady told me about this cupcake place that makes angel food cake cupcakes. I was totally skeptical since I’ve never (ever) since angel food cake in cupcake form, but I needed to get on with it and get to movie night (+wine). So I went and the girl was all “yeah we use angel food cake batter in this one!!” and I probably looked at her funny because it was covered in coconut (again, what?) but I paid her and took the pink box.

I got home and took a bite and it was totally NOT angel food cake.

Liar liar pants on fire! This was totally a coconut cupcake. But I think this counts because I tried! I really did.

Tomorrow: National Sausage Pizza Day.

Moldy Cheese Day & National Submarine-Hoagie-Hero-Grinder Day.

October 9: Moldy Cheese Day AND National Submarine-Hoagie-Hero-Grinder Day.

I was pretty pumped that submarine sandwich day fell on a Wednesday aka the day the 6″ turkey sandwich is the deal of the day at Subway. Sandwich, chips and a large fountain drink for $5.40!

You know that scene from Sex and the City where Miranda orders the same order from the Chinese place every night? (Chicken with broccoli, brown sauce, brown rice and cold noodles.) And she thinks the Chinese takeout girl is mocking her for ordering in every night? That’s how I feel about the owner of the Subway by my work. I don’t even go there very often (maybe once a week?) and she acts like it’s soooo funny she knows my order and I’m soooo boring for always getting turkey.

I know she’s likely just trying to be friendly, but ugh, I don’t know. Leave me alone! I like my sandwich the way I like it (turkey, american, lettuce, banana peppers, onions, jalapeños, light mayo, lots of yellow mustard, and oregano!). I don’t want to try your stupid cold cut combo! Again, leave me alone!

Ugh.

Anyway. If I had it my way (not Burger King), I would have eaten a Potbelly’s chicken salad sandwich on national sub day, because it’s the BEST sandwich ever. Alas, Potbelly’s does not exist in California! Hopefully one day, though. Fingers crossed. And toes.

This evening I took on the second national food holiday: mold cheese day. I had a lovely moldy blue cheese on some crackers. I’m sure my breath is wonderful now.

Tomorrow: National Angel Food Cake Day.

National Fluffernutter Day

October 8: National Fluffernutter Day!

Happy Fluffernutter Day! Today could also be called National Liberty Sandwich Day (but it’s not). Why the Liberty Sandwich? Because it was invented in Massachusetts, that’s why! In fact, marshmallow creme was invented in 1913 and the first fluffernutter sandwich was invented during World War I. The original recipe (dubbed “the Liberty Sandwich”) involved peanut butter, marshmallow fluff and oat or barley bread.

Does anyone else find this insane? I assumed it was something invented in the 1960s. Like, the goofy dad with the giant video camera shooting home movies of his family, his wife dressed in a muumuu, serving up fluffernutter sandwiches, ambrosia salad… and martinis. I don’t know. The point is that I think of them as very 60s.

The term “fluffernutter” was actually coined in 1960 to drum up interest in peanut butter and marshmallow creme sandwiches, so I suppose I’m not too far off.

This was my first fluffernutter. Is that strange? I’m not a huge fan of marshmallows, and it appears (based upon my minimal reading) to be a regional thing.

I decided to go the “traditional” route and use white bread (though the first recipe used oat bread, apparently the TRADITIONAL fluffernutter uses white bread). I couldn’t find “Fluff” and had to go with “Jet Puffed” marshmallow creme. I was shocked at how light the jar was. It’s like, a plastic jar of air. Also, LAURA SCUDDER’S is what Smucker’s Peanut Butter is called here in California. Weird.

I was pleasantly surprised that the sandwich was actually pretty good. I assumed it would be grossly sweet, but it was actually pretty balanced. I guess a totally gross sandwich wouldn’t make it to see it’s 100th birthday. Will the fluffernutter make it into the regular lunch rotation? Definitely not. Would I eat one again? Sure.

Tomorrow: National Moldy Cheese Day AND National Submarine-Hoagie-Hero-Grinder Day.

National Frappe Day

October 7: National Frappe Day.

This one scared me. I don’t do coffee, okay? I don’t even “do coffee” when it’s mixed with caramel and chocolate and ice cream. I don’t like the smell. I hate the taste (it makes me retch). What’s a girl to do on national FRAPPE day? Well, a girl turns to the internet. Does frappe MEAN coffee? As it turns out, no.

From Wikipedia:

Frappé may refer to:

A frozen fruit-flavored dessert made with shaved ice, similar to sherbet
Frappé coffee, an iced coffee beverage made from instant coffee
Le temps frappé, a French term for musical downbeat

Frappe may refer to:

A milkshake in New England

An Italian name for angel wings, a sweet, crisp pastry made with deep-fried dough

So, I did what any anti-coffee person who needed to drink a “frappe” would do: I got a fruit “frappe” from McDonald’s. Sorry I’m not sorry for not drinking coffee.

Tomorrow: National Fluffernutter Day

National Noodle Day

October 6: National Noodle Day!

Guys… this is like, my day. MY DAY! I could live off of noodles. I mean, I pretty much did in college. Bryce seriously (seriously) wonders how I’m alive today (and healthy) since he says there are no nutrients in noodles (um, there are Vitamin A, Vitamin B3 and folate!) and I eat few vegetables. The answer is: gummy vitamins, Luna bars and fortified cereals. Basically, if the apocalypse happens, I’m totally set because I can survive (and THRIVE) on cheap carbohydrates. Who needs spinach?!

Anyway, today is NOODLE DAY! I was overwhelmed with choices…. spaghetti? Elbows? Tri-color rotini? Wagon wheels?? Store-bought or homemade?? But then I realized that National Pasta Day is a mere eleven days from now. What differentiates a noodle from a pasta? I’m not sure, so I decided to play it safe and go with a variety that says “noodle” on the package.

Enter beef stroganoff’s best friend: the egg noodle. I actually don’t eat a lot of egg noodles… probably because I don’t eat a lot of beef stroganoff (go figure). My choices of noodles that actually say “noodle” on the package were limited to egg noodles, ramen noodles and rice noodles. I’m a big proponent of all three! Two very enthusiastic thumbs up! But I didn’t feel like buying a bunch of Asian ingredients (sesame oil is expensive, yo!) to make the rice noodles taste like something and I felt like ramen was totally lazy. So, I decided to make a dish fit for a toddler (or me).

Buttered egg noodles with parmesan. A toddler classic!

When I used to waitress at CPK we had buttered noodles on the kids menu for $4.99. I used to cringe when people would order it. Homie, you’re spending 5 bucks on a meal that’s worth maybe… 9 cents? I mean, I get it, I guess. Mom and Dad want to get out of the house and enjoy an Original BBQ Chicken Pizza, but Junior only eats buttered noodles and it’s worth spending 55X more than the actual cost of the noodles it if it means he will shut up. But still! Yeesh. Even I, a noodle lover, will never order anything I can make myself from a restaurant. It’s restaurant rule #1.

Tomorrow: National Frappe Day.

National Apple Betty Day

October 5: National Apple Betty Day!

I was pleasantly surprised to learn that an apple betty is basically a pie without a crust, but with a crumble on top. I pride myself in being a pie aficionado, so this was a pretty exciting food holiday for me. Much better than FRIED SCALLOPS DAY.

I used a mixture of Granny Smith and Pink Ladies… my usual “regular” apple pie apples. You know how some people have ESP? Or a tingly spidey sense? That some people can fly? And others can go invisible? My superpower is that I pick out the mealiest apple at the grocery store every.single.time. I was pretty pleased with my apple picking (from the store… not, like, actual apple picking) abilities today, though. Least mealy I’ve done in a while.

I served up Ms. Betty with vanilla bean ice cream. She’s not going to win any beauty contests, but it was a nice (and easy) fall dessert, but I missed the regular pie crust, to be honest.

Tomorrow: NATIONAL NOODLE DAY aka the holiest of days.

National Taco Day & National Vodka Day

October 4: Happy National Taco Day!! And National Vodka Day!!

I have to say, taco day was pretty uneventful. I went to the grocery store, got what I needed, went home, made delicious turkey tacos and ate them. Then I had a vodka soda with lime while we watched Jeopardy. The end. I feel like this makes for an uneventful day, or at least an uneventful blog post, but I suppose it’s for the best. If I had to sweet talk my way into free scallops or take a tour of San Jose to find a flan every day this yearlong food holiday quest might wear on me pretty quickly.

ANYWAY- tacos! Made of turkey!

I hope to amass a strange collection of me eating a variety of food this year.

I also took a photo of my vodka soda but it just looked like a glass of water next to a crusty plate of refried bean remnants so you’ll just have to take my word for it.

Tomorrow: October 5… National Apple Betty Day (whatever that is).

National Caramel Custard Day

October 3: National Caramel Custard Day, or, as most people probably know it as, flan.

I really thought today was going to be an easy one. I planned ahead and found numerous Mexican restaurants within walking distance of my work that, according to enthusiastic yelpers, “make the best flan ever”. So I figured I’d have flan for lunch and be done with in. I tried Mexico Bakery No. 2 first, mostly because I have a soft spot for the name. My all-time favorite Mexican restaurant is called Mexico Restaurant, so I figured it was a good omen. Strike one. Apparently they were out of flan, but they told me that the other Mexico Bakery (presumably No. 1) had flan. Except I couldn’t walk to Mexico Bakery. It would have to wait.

I then tried Taqueria San Jose. Strike 2. This would be harder than I had originally thought.

After work I ventured to Mexico Bakery, version 1.0, hoping that the third time would be the charm. And… they were out of flan. Apparently everyone loves flan way more than me, or everyone is also celebrating National Caramel Custard Day. Or maybe they make like, one flan per day, and once it’s gone, it’s gone.

I got back in my car to strategize. I live in California… there are no shortages of Mexican restaurants, but I didn’t want to continue walking into each and every one of them looking only to be turned away flanless. Then I passed a Mexican grocery store and figured it couldn’t hurt to look. They didn’t have any prepared flans. Of course they didn’t.

It was time for Plan B. Make a flan. I had been reading flan recipes and wasn’t too keen on making one. Not because it seemed particularly difficult, but I’d need those little molds and I’d have to make caramel and cook them in a water bath and blah blah blah I had basically ruled it out once I assumed I could get THE BEST FLAN EVER at the little place by my work (lies).

But then… when I was leaving the supermercado I walked by a display that was sent from Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe herself…

Who knew they made instant flan?! I wanted to buy the lonely green package because it was caramel coconut flavored (and coconuts and I are BFFs), but it had expired in 2010. Eek. De Vainilla con caramelo it would be.

The flan? It was fine. I had a bite and put the rest in the fridge for Bryce when he gets home from super duper marathon session class (3pm to 10pm… pretty sure it should be illegal). Everyone wants partially eaten instant flan when they get home from class, right?

Tomorrow: National Taco Day AND National Vodka Day!

National Fried Scallops Day

Let me preface this with that I tried, guys. I really did.

Today, October 2, is National Fried Scallops Day. While I typically champion all things fried, today’s food of honor was a definite challenge for me. I don’t do seafood, okay? The only “seafood” I like (okay, LOVE) are crab rangoons… and we all know that there should be quotations around the word crab in this instance. I’m also a-ok with anchovy paste and fish sauce. Fermented fish juice > fresh fish, at least in my world.

I ventured to Whole Foods after work to pick up some scallops. I had to choose between the small Bay Scallops or those big and juicy monster Sea Scallops, so duh I picked the itty bitty ones. And I bought two.

I was excited to take a picture of the wrapped up scallops with a price sticker that said like, 10 cents or whatever, but apparently if you buy two tiny wads of seafood they let you have them for free. So, thanks Whole Foods for taking away my joy. Seriously, I was legitimately more excited to take the photo of the price sticker than I was to eat a fried scallop. (Bad sign?)

Turns out, scallops stink. Are scallops supposed to stink? Did he give them to me for free because they were rancid? Here, weird girl asking for TWO scallops, take the old, rank ones!

I set up the world’s smallest dredging station and heated up some oil. I believe this was my first foray into deep frying in my own apartment. In college some of my dude friends (shout out to Wilson Street boys!) had a massive deep fryer and sometimes we would fry things and drink beer. I don’t recall frying up scallops. Pizza, yes. Scallops, no.

Verdict? Ish is nasty, y’all. It was nasty on its own, and it was nasty dunked in a bunch of sriracha. I might have cooked them too long, but the texture wasn’t the issue so much as it smelled like I was eating from a dumpster behind a Chinatown fish market on a 100 degree day.

Excited for a new day. Tomorrow: National Carmel Custard Day.