#Chicago the Chicken

[copperbadge]

[ID: On a darkened Chicago street, there stands a fiberglass statue about five feet tall; it looks like a character from a 1920s animated short, with huge eyes and a smiling mouth. It is the Jollibee mascot, a bee wearing a red tuxedo and a chef's hat and gesturing me inside.]

ADVENTUR.

I hate going out to only do one errand, but I was overdue to pick up a prescription, so I put on my parka and went adventuring. As a reward, I planned to catch a Michigan Avenue bus home and stop at the Jollibee on the way to finally try their fried chicken and spaghetti.

Jollibee is a cultural institution in the Philippines and across southeast Asia, but only made it to North America recently. It's proven popular in Chicago, although when I went in it was empty, probably because it's 9F in Chicago right now. I considered getting a sampling of everything but it's close enough that I can go back easily, so I just got a chicken thigh with a side of spaghetti.

[ID: A photograph of my meal, still in its paper carton; a dark gold fried chicken thigh is on the left, while on the right is a small tray containing spaghetti noodles topped with a deep red tomato sauce.]

I've been told that the spaghetti is what people who grew up with Jollibee really love. A lot of food blogs have described the sauce as basically ketchup, but I found it pleasantly complex. It's very sweet, but not the "bright" sweetness of ketchup, and instead of a vinegar undertone it has a good smoky flavor from the cut up sausage in it. It's not to my personal taste, but I think it's genuinely pretty good spaghetti.

I wasn't overly impressed with the fried chicken, but I was also there on a slow night, so it wasn't as fresh as it could have been. It's certainly on par with Popeye's or KFC, and the chicken gravy you get with it is a nice touch of umami. Overall, good hot food and of higher quality than I'd expected given what I'd heard of it.

And they moved in right next door to a Chik-fil-a, which is a pettiness I can only approve of.

[ourladyofomega]

[corvoda]

Throughout the week of November 4th, I'll be streaming a TON of strange games to raise money for Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago! They saved my life when I was 5 years old, and every year I try to repay the favor!

Join me on My Twitch as we play a wide variety of strange things! Including such games as:

Mort the Chicken

Mario Drinks A Glass of Milk, the Trilogy

Pocket Dogs

Ninja Baseball Batman

Mario64, but Mario has a Shotgun

Rayman Brain Games

And many more!

Donation incentives! I'll take game suggestions! Gondal will return!

Hope to see you all there!

[fnaf-news]

FiGPiN has dropped a new set of FNaF pins on their site! Just 750 pieces of each have been made.

This, along with an exclusive Glow in the Dark Foxy pin, which can only be found at the C2E2 Convention in Chicago, from Plastic Empire Collectibles. [Apr. 26th-28th]

[rabbitcruiser]

National Greasy Foods Day

Deliciously satisfying bites with a hint of indulgence, these comfort eats are a guilty pleasure that never fails to hit the spot.

”Greasy food might not be good for your body, but it does wonders for the soul. A healthy diet may prolong your life, but what would you have to live for? What is the point of living to a hundred if you have to subsist on bland food? One may as well die of boredom.” ~ Jessica Zafra

The world is full of a veritable cavalcade of delicious foods, and the vast majority of them are filled to the brim with fats and grease! While those who are on a crusade for better health often find themselves avoiding these amazing foods in favor of a thinner waistline, Greasy Food Day encourages us to take a day off from that diet and remember the good things in life.

Otherwise, as Ms. Zafra says, what else are we living for?

On this day, it’s time to celebrate living for Greasy Food!

History of Greasy Food Day

These types of food certainly get a lot of hate from health fanatics, those delicious meals that make everyone’s mouths and souls sing out loud with joy. Granted, this day definitely wasn’t started by a doctor or nutritionist who was on a health food kick.

Whether talking about the rich stretchy cheese that graces the tops of people’s favorite pizza dishes, or the flavorful and delicious sub sandwiches that are shiny with grease as they are unwrapped, greasy foods can truly be said to be one of the greatest things in life. (That is, at least, while they are being eaten. For some people, that doesn’t necessarily hold true afterward when their stomachs are all tied up in knots.)

Now it is true that greasy food should be consumed in moderation, but sometimes moderation is a thing for the other 364 days out of a full year.

Greasy Food Day encourages everyone on earth to indulge in their favorite things and remember what it was like to truly be able to enjoy anything without consequence.

What’s your favorite greasy food? Juicy hamburgers? Hot dogs bursting with flavor? Sausage Rolls? Maybe some Canadian will enjoy the overwhelmingly flavorful and greasy dish that is poutine?

Whatever the chosen poison, Greasy Food Day is the perfect excuse to dive in and enjoy it like there’s no tomorrow. Get ready to celebrate with Greasy Food!

How to Celebrate Greasy Food Day

Enjoy a Greasy Food Meal

Go out to that special dive restaurant and order your favorite greasy dishes, and don’t forget to bring some napkins! Sometimes nicknamed a “Greasy Spoon” these restaurants are all about cooking with the tastiest of fats. Almost everything is deep-fried in oil until deliciously crisp, and often dripping with grease.

Whether french fries, onion rings or a greasy slice of pizza, this day is all about enjoying the drip. So pop into that restaurant and order up all the things that would normally be on the list of “no-nos”.

Enjoy the Greasiest American Foods

This day is all about paying heed to greasy foods. But even among them, some are greasier than others. Try out these ideas for how to bag the absolutely greasiest foods that American Culture has to offer:

Philly Cheesesteak. Cooked properly, this sandwich will require not only a pile of napkins but also perhaps a bib in order to eat it without getting extremely messy. Beef steak, chopped and cooked over a grill is made even greasier with the addition of cheese and onions.

Buffalo Wings. Named after the city in New York in which they began, these chicken wings are dipped in batter and deep fried before being coated in a buttery hot sauce. Finish it off with a dip in some blue cheese or ranch dressing.

Cheese Curds. How to take cheese and make it fattier? Deep fry it! A Wisconsin favorite (perhaps due to its dairy production) these little balls of cheese are dipped in batter and then, of course, deep fried to perfection. For an Italian twist on this northern favorite, try fried Mozzarella sticks.

Watch One (or Both) of the Grease Films

In keeping with the theme of the day, while downing those greasy foods, why not take in the guilty pleasure of watching one of these Grease themed films?

Grease (1978). This American musical romantic comedy film starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton John is what drove the careers of these two to the top. Based on the 1971 stage musical of the same name, this story of two young high schoolers who fell in love has been a hit for generations.

Grease 2 (1982). Quite a bit less popular than the first (possibly due to the absence of Newton-John and Travolta), this followup film didn’t score well at the box office. It was okay for Michelle Pfeiffer, however, and her career moved forward because of this.

Make Some Greasy Food at Home

Is your favorite greasy food a family recipe? Alright then! It’s time to get the family together and celebrate Greasy Food Day with a rich dish that is steeped in tradition. And be sure to pass that on to the kids so they can continue the celebration once you’re gone. Rich greasy food is often a comfort food for many people, so don’t let anyone tell you that you don’t deserve a bit of comfort. In fact, get as comfortable as you like on Greasy Food Day!

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[highsocietygifs]

[cogitet]

[squidsquadlove]

A kindly rat helpfully escorts a fledgling hawk to its nest. Or something.

[wromwood]

I've just realized that I really want to tell an anecdote about Colin Baker.

A few weeks ago, I attended Chicago TARDIS and I was lucky enough to be able to splurge on a Meet and Greet ticket with Peter Davison, Colin Baker, and Sylvester McCoy. A certain number of con attendees (such as myself) were able to buy these tickets. At the Meet and Greet, we were loosely split into three groups that rotated sitting at three tables, each one having one Classic Who actor, giving us all an equal amount of time to sit with each guest.

While it was cool to speak with any of them, I think my time with Colin was the most fun. He has such a great sense of sharp, dry British humor, and he must've been in a good mood that night.

Anyway, the anecdote I want to tell is short and silly, but I think about it a lot. He spent a good deal of time talking about his animals when my group sat with him. He told us that he currently has (and I hope I'm remembering this correctly; the amount of cats and dogs may be reversed) two horses, four cats, three dogs, and some chickens. I excitedly asked him what kind of chickens they were.

For context, I know someone who owned Silkie chickens, making my default idea of "chicken owned by someone who isn't a farmer" a fluffy grey cutie pie that lays blue eggs. One of my uncles also owns chickens, and while they're more "normal," I've still heard him talk about differing breeds. So I was very interested to hear what breed of chicken Colin Baker prefers to own.

In response, Colin squinted at me and said, "The kind that lays eggs."

I lay awake thinking about this response some nights.

[holyviolence]

the thing about eating at locally owned restaurants is that i will Get So Full and then someone offers me a free sample or side and i can't say no.

[maddestmewmew]

id say i cope with anger like a normal person yeah

[hydratedking]

[chkabstractions]

Chickens at a local community garden.

Fuji X-T4. 70-300mm f/4-5.6

[clippy]

*microwaves three different items and combines them into one dish* I feel like Remy Ratatouille over here

[rabbitcruiser]

National Fast Food Day 

National Fast Food Day celebrates fast food restaurants and the food that they sell. Fast food usually consists of prepackaged and ready-made food that can be quickly cooked—often by deep frying or microwaving—and eaten; most is designed to be eaten on the go, and does not require cutlery. Common fast foods include burgers, french fries, fried chicken, fish and chips, pizza, tacos, chicken nuggets, hot dogs, sandwiches, and ice cream. Fast food is typically high in sugar, salt, saturated fat, and calories, and is linked to many health problems. Fast food restaurants usually sell food at either a counter or a drive-through. Franchising, where there is uniformity in food and presentation between restaurants, is an important aspect of fast food. Besides franchise restaurants, gas station and convenience store food is sometimes seen as fast food, as is some food from street vendors.

The roots of fast food can be traced back to ancient Rome. Thermopoliums were small shops that sold food—such as hot sausages and bread—on-the-go. Urban apartment dwellers of the middle and lower classes often ate these foods. During the Middle Ages, vendors sold food to people in larger cities such as London and Paris. After 1860, fish and chip shops became prevalent in the United Kingdom, and became popular with the working classes. By the 1920's there were more than 35,000 of these shops.

The term "fast food" may first have been used in America by George G. Foster, who in his book, New York Slices, published in 1848, referred to the fast paced food in New York City's business district. An automat, a cafeteria with vending machines with pre-made food, was opened by Horn & Hardart, in 1902, in Philadelphia. A decade later they opened one in New York City, which created a sensation, and many more were built across the country, leading to the popularity of automats during the 1920's and 1930's.

Technological, social, and economic changes in America led to a boom in fast food restaurants by the second half of the 20th century. Following World War I, automobiles became popular and affordable, and curb service restaurants were created in the 1920's. During the post-World War II economic boom, people spent more and bought more, creating a culture of consumerism that led to both men and women working outside the home. Eating outside the home—which was once a luxury—thus became commonplace, because of expendable cash, and in some instances because it was a necessity. By 1951 Merriam-Webster had added "fast food" to their dictionary.

Franchising, which brought uniformity in the practices of particular restaurants, also fueled the boom of fast food. A&W opened in 1921, and became a franchise in 1923. Many see it as the first fast food restaurant. White Castle also opened in 1921, in Wichita, Kansas, and sold hamburgers for five cents each. They standardized the food production of fast food hamburger restaurants, which other restaurants, such as McDonald's, built on. McDonald's was created by two brothers, Richard and Maurice McDonald, in 1940, in San Bernardino, California. Originally it was a drive-in that focused on barbecue, but once the brothers saw the popularity of their hamburgers, they closed for three months, and reopened in 1948 with a new focus. Besides hamburgers, their menu included french fries, shakes, coffee, and Coca-Cola, and they served their food in a paper wrapping. At fifteen cents, their hamburgers were about half the price of ones available at diners. Ray Kroc made a franchise agreement and opened McDonald's restaurants in Illinois, and in 1961 he bought out the brothers. In 1953, another important hamburger based fast food restaurant was started in Florida, and would eventually be known as Burger King. Not all early fast food focused on hamburgers though, as the Kentucky Fried Chicken franchise opened in 1952.

Today the United States has the largest fast food industry in the world. There are close to 200,000 fast food restaurants in the United States, where over 50 million customers are served every day. About 44% of Americans eat at a fast food restaurant each week, and 11% of the calorie intake of adults in the United States comes from fast food. American fast food restaurants are now in over 125 countries, and the intake of fast food worldwide continues to rise. But, fast food has not expanded without criticism. Besides facing criticism for the nutritiousness of its food, the industry has also been pilloried for paying its workers low wages, usually without benefits. Over half of fast food workers are on some sort of public assistance, which has cost taxpayers 7 million dollars annually.

How to Observe National Fast Food Day

Celebrate the day by eating fast food, as you finally have a good excuse to do it! Order fast food at a counter and eat it inside, or go through a drive-through and eat your food somewhere else. There are many restaurants you could choose from. If you are not one to eat fast food, you could watch Super Size Me, or read Fast Food Nation, or watch the eponymously titled film that was based off the book.

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[angeloftheodd]

Chicken Delight Restaurant (1965) 🐔❤️

Chicago, Illinois 🌆💛

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