McDonald's

I absolutely love ‘I’m lovin’ it’! However, there is much opposition towards McDonald's and the health problems it is producing. It seems these days that no one can give a good review to anything. Yes, it is true that the food they serve has many calories and contains a heavy amount of fat, but everything is fine in moderations, including McDonald's. If you eat there every day, make sure it’s not during bathing suit season but if you eat there once in a while, it’s fine and good for your taste buds.

Their food is also the best fast food, better than those wannabe’s like Burger King and Wendy’s. Though Burger King does have some pretty darn good French fries, overall, McDonald's beats them. Anyways, McDonald's has more status than those other guys. I know that when I’m looking for some quick food to get and on either side of the street there is a McDonald's or a Burger King, I will unthinkingly turn into the McDonald's drive through. Also, why wasn’t the ‘Super Size Me’ documentary aimed at Burger King? It’s because when people think of fast food, they think of McDonald's. It could also be because it is the largest chain of fast food restaurants in the world (which proves its popularity)! The other fast food restaurants will make you just as fat if you ate at them every day, so just choose McDonald's.

Some people complain that they have bad service, but whether you go to McDonald's or Wendy’s, the service is all about the same since it only depends on the specific server. What’s also great is that they always have specials like a meal, which comes with a drink, the main course, and French fries. Some will say have a nice day with a genuine smile placed across their face, while others just throw you your food without even making any eye contact, so it’s not just McDonald's.

When fresh, their French fries are like putting on your favorite sweatpants, they are so comforting! No wonder French fries are known as comfort food. The crispness cover embraces you for the soft, warm center. Never forget to add salt because that is everything that makes the French fries what they are. If salt is too plain, you can always add ketchup, just don’t add too much or it will smother the taste of the French fries. Also, their best burger is the quarter pounder. It is just enough meat to keep me full but not over-stuffed. The beef is perfectly thin, with thin buns that envelope it. This is good because there’s nothing worse than a burger that you can’t taste because there is too much bun or the other way around. The chicken selects are also wonderful, and better than the nuggets. The crunchy outer cover with just the right amount of seasoning makes a good meal. It also comes with different sauces to dip it in, though I like them plain. For desert, the vanilla ice cream doesn’t taste like typical ice cream. It is definitely different from any home made or store bought ice cream I’ve ever had, in a good way. You can also order a McFlurry instead, which is almost like a milk shake, but much thicker. This can be ordered with a variety of toppings. There are many other meal choices to choose from too.

Also, I forgot to mention that they are very cheap. If you got a burger from a sit-in restaurant, it would probably be twice as much and not as enjoyable. They are always too big and not as flavorful as McDonald’s burgers. So next time you're ready for a quick bite to eat, check out McDonald's.

Word Count: 621

'Your Daily Eatery'

Usually when you think of going to a restaurant, you think of going to either an Italian or maybe Thai restaurant. Instead of going to one certain cultural background restaurant, wouldn’t it be nice to be able to choose a meal from of any genre than having to travel long distances to get to each different restaurant? Well you don’t need to wish anymore. Right in the town of Natick, there is a Fresh City take out and sit in. Its fresh take on restaurant eating is refreshing and makes every visit worth taking.

The fresh taste that lingers in your mouth after you take a bite proves it's a well chosen name. It isn’t a typical restaurant in that it serves Mexican food, Chinese food, Italian food, and just ordinary soups and sandwiches. Also, their smoothie bar is delectable with all different flavors of fruit smoothies. Their soup specials of the day are worth trying since none are near the same flavors. Each time is a pleasant surprise, and if the soup isn’t enough to fill you up, you can always order a side salad from the salad bar area. As sort of a light desert, they always have a free, fresh supply of baked cinnamon pita chips. The sweetness and simplicity of each chip is addicting and they are always baked to a perfect crisp. They aren’t too rich or fattening so it’s a good type of snack.

The service is also wonderfully quick and easy since you don’t have to wait forever for your waiter to come and take your order. It is an eatery, or a self service type of restaurant. All that is required is to go up to the bar of food and ask them to create your meal and they make it right there in front of you. It is quick and easy and the workers are always kind and helpful. They are definitely all well-trained.

Though all their food is great tasting, the best meal is from the Chinese section. Now, every time I go to Fresh City, I never stray far from this meal. I say this because, for your meal, you can choose what type of noodle or rice you want, what kind of sauce, what types of vegetables, and what kind of meat you want. It’s fun to play around a little and try different sauces or use some more vegetables. Yet my favorite combination is the Kung Pao Sauce cooked with Lo Mien noodles, chicken, corn, and water crests. The sauce is what makes the meal so special though. It is one of the more mild sauces that is salty with a tang of sweetness hidden in it. The way they cook it in a deep wok makes all the difference. It really allows all the ingredients to evenly mix together causing a blast of flavor right in my mouth. The feeling creates a burst of spontaneity that makes me want to bust out dancing every time. This excitement from food can only be found at Fresh City where only the freshest food is served.

Hope you all get a chance to this place out!

Word Count: 526

'Prairie Gold'

Whether you’re watching a scary movie with a date or laughing at a comedy with a group of friends, the most common snack you find being eaten is popcorn. This delicious treat is most frequently seen at movie theatres. It is probably also the loudest snack to make since every second a new kernel makes a ‘pop’ sound in the microwave. Popcorn originates back centuries where it used to be called ‘prairie gold’ since it was grown in the fields and was a luxury to have. Nowadays, it is a common snack, enjoyed by almost everyone.

Whenever you walk into a kitchen and hear a snapping or popping sound, you can easily guess what is cooking…popcorn! This snack is known across the world and has accommodated many different flavors and brands. A well-known brand of popcorn is Orville Redenbacher, which is my favorite kind. The variety of flavors this brand has generated causes me to buy Redenbacher’s product off the shelf every time. The different product types range from original movie theatre butter popcorn all the way to kettle corn with the choice of buttery garlic flavor too. The famous saying, “You’ll like it better or my name isn’t Orville Redenbacher,” has truly proven to be accurate to me since I do like Redenbacher’s popcorn more than anyone else’s. My favorite type of popcorn is kettle corn. Though some people may cringe at the sight of this type, I would simply die for the combination of the sweet and salty mixture poured over the golden kernels. This flavor is refreshing since popcorn has a quintessentially buttery, salty taste. However, the surprise of the sweetness in kettle corn gives me hope that I won’t ever lose my passion for popcorn. I am not saying that the typical butter and salt combination in popcorn is unsatisfying, since I still also enjoy that kind.

Even though popcorn is the classic food for eating at a movie theatre, nowadays,
popcorn has taken a major decrease in it’s quality. It is true that you can order amounts of popcorn that seem to be limitless, but what’s the point in eating popcorn that is made with no care at all and is consequently bland tasting? Exactly, there isn’t. The popcorn at the movies is just like eating cardboard, except this cardboard is smothered in sickeningly fat liquid that calls itself butter. It is also absurdly expensive for a bag of cheap, tasteless popcorn. That is why it is a smart idea to pop a bag of Orville Redenbacher’s popcorn beforehand and bring that to the movie instead of wasting money on movie theatre popcorn.

Before I got into the habit of being lazy and just buying packaged popcorn, I used to have a kernel popper. You would simply pour the kernels into the machine and a couple minutes later, popcorn would shoot out! Homemade was the best way to go, since it wouldn’t ever be too salty or buttery and more toppings could always be added. It was also healthier, so in case you would like to try to make your own popcorn, here is a recipe to make popcorn. Enjoy!

To make popcorn, you need a kernel popping machine. I recommend the Whirley Pop Popcorn Popper.
Directions on how to make popcorn from the Whirley Popper:
Place the kernels as well as any toppings such as butter or salt inside the popcorn popper and close the lid. Place the popper over a stove. Heat settings vary depending on the unit. Keeping in mind that popping your popcorn should take no longer than 2-3 minutes, we recommend you start at the following settings and then adjust your temperature if necessary to reach the optimum popping time of 2-3 minutes. Electric: Medium to Medium High. If you are using less than 1 tablespoon of oil, then we recommend stirring through the entire process, which is only 2-3 minutes. If you are using more oil or our Real Theater Popcorn Pouch then we recommend stirring at the beginning of the process to coat the kernels and then through the popping process.

Word Count: 524

A Spicy Surprise

After the long, hot tennis tournament up in Nashua, New Hampshire, as it could be predicted, I was dying of fatigue and hunger. My tennis friend, Kasey, and I decided that after our hard work of consistent ball hitting that we should treat ourselves to a hefty meal. We settled for the closest restaurant around, The 99. This was no disappointment though, since The 99 has some of the best Buffalo Chicken wings around. We were finally seated and when we saw those crispy wings of spicy buffalo chicken snaking there way through the crowd in the waitress’s hands, we couldn’t stand the wait any longer. By the time she got to us we were nearly bouncing off the seat with hunger and need for the soft cooked meat. Though the line was long, our growling stomachs behaved themselves since those spicy wings are definitely worth the wait. 

Now, I’m not saying that The 99 is the only place to get a decent plate of Boneless Buffalo wings because it’s not. In my opinion, the justifiably better tasting Buffalo wings would be from Casey’s Crossing right here in Holliston. They are uniquely fuller of flavor with not only the spicy-sauce taste but there is also an explosion of sweetness in them that is completely unexpected yet delightful. The outside coating of Casey’s wings is never too soggy and perfectly crisp. They aren’t too drenched in sauce either. As do most other Buffalo Chicken meals ordered, they come with a side of celery and blue cheese. The name is really a misnomer since the cheese isn’t blue, but it is called this since it is made of blue colored mold. Don’t let this make you cringe, because this mold isn’t like the typical mold you find infested all over bread, it is the edible kind. This cheese sauce is meant for dipping the Buffalo wings in, since it neutralizes the spiciness a little, allowing the meal to be eaten without the feeling of a conflagration blazing within your mouth. Though some may see this as a negative, I find it rather satisfying that after the meal, I am so full to the core that I don’t have any more room for dessert. For me, I don’t need any more unnecessary calories after a very enjoyable meal. 

While at the Cheesecake factory a while back, I had meant to order Boneless Buffalo wings, however, I had forgotten to ask for boneless wings. To my disappointment, a big bowl of bone filled meat arrived at my table some time later. Now, I am not saying that non-boneless Buffalo wings are unsatisfying; they are just not my preference of Buffalo. They are too messy too eat since you have to chew all around the bone, getting greasy sauce all over your hands and face. Also, since the bone takes up most of the wing, in the end you have eaten barely any chicken. I suggest not ordering this if you are on a first date and trying to make a great impression. You will go home sauce-covered and dumped. Consequently, the choice of boneless Buffalo wings is a much more clean and tasty idea. 

Though restaurant ordered wings are better, here is a recipe for the Boneless Buffalo wings. Blue cheese can be bought at most grocery markets. Enjoy!

Boneless Buffalo wings

Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt 
1/2 teaspoon black pepper 
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 
1/4 teaspoon paprika 
1 egg 
1 cup milk 
2 chicken breast fillets 
4-6 cups vegetable oil 
1/4 cup hot sauce (Crystal or Frank's Louisiana) 
1 tablespoon margarine 

Directions:
1. Combine flour, salt, peppers and paprika in a medium bowl.
2. In another small bowl, whisk together egg and milk.
3. Slice each chicken breast into 6 pieces.
4. Preheat 4-6 cups of vegetable oil in a deep fryer to 375 degrees.
5. One or two at a time, dip each piece of chicken into the egg mixture, then into the breading blend; then repeat the process so that each piece of chicken is double-coated.
6. When all chicken pieces have been breaded, arrange them on a plate and chill for 15 minutes.
7. When the chicken is done resting, drop each piece into the hot oil and fry for 5-6 minutes or until each piece is browned.
8. As chicken fries, combine the hot sauce and margarine in a small bowl.
9. Microwave sauce for 20-30 seconds or just until the margarine is melted, then stir to combine.
10. You can also use a small saucepan for this step.
11. Just combine the hot sauce and margarine in the saucepan over low heat and stir until margarine is melted and ingredients are blended.
12. When chicken pieces are done frying, remove them to a plate lined with a couple paper towels.
13. Place the chicken pieces into a covered container such as a large jar with a lid.
14. Pour the sauce over the chicken in the container, cover, and then shake gently until each piece of chicken is coated with sauce.
15. Pour the chicken onto a plate and serve the dish with bleu cheese dressing and sliced celery on the side.

Thanks to Dayla from http://www.recipezaar.com/Chilis-Boneless-Buffalo-Wings-Copycat-52064 for providing this recipe. ]

Word Count: 876