The Chicken Ring: "More exciting than a nugget, easier to eat than a wing."

When I heard about White Castle and their buffalo or ranch chicken rings (Yes, rings!) I had to go. Much to my disappointment when I asked for an order of each, through the bullet proof glass window, the employee told me they didn't have either of those options anymore. When I asked what they did have he gave me a blank stare and said we have plain chicken. So plain chicken is what I got.

Chicken rings really is the best name for them. Imagine a chicken nugget but in the shape of an onion ring. It was an ingenious idea on their part to take something as simple and everyday in the fast food world as a chicken nugget and re-dress it as something familiar and loved.

As promised I gave these a taste. They really didn't have much flavor. The fried crust had a nice texture but the meat seemed more related to cardboard than to a chicken.

My hunt for the buffalo and ranch chicken ring is on going.

Meat is the new bread

I really have to thank KFC and their double down sandwich and the brilliance of 30 Rock for inspiring my project. In this amazing episode Tracy takes a George Forman grill and turns it into a meat on meat sandwich maker.

"Then behold the Tracy Jordan Meat Machine. Stick any 3 meats, whatever you want, bologna, salami, bore, whatever, into this sexy lady and she will melt them all together into one delicious food ball. Never again will you have to suffer through the bread part of your sandwich. I give you the Tracy Jordan Meat Machine. MEAT IS THE NEW BREAD!"

When I first saw the KFC double down commercial I thought it must be a parody and Tracy Jordan came to mind instantly. With this my project to explore fast food and how food is altered to entice consumers begins.

I have never eaten fast food that often... on road trips or the occasional late night Taco Cabaña (If you are ever in Texas you should check them out.) is about the extent of my experience. So it struck me as very strange to hear Frou Frou playing while I waited for my double down sandwich. It took them about 10 minutes to make/warm up my sandwich and I was comforted by this. I do have a confession to make, I didn't actually taste this sandwich, but I promise to take a bite of each of my following subjects so I can better understand and share them with you.

Enjoy. The Double Down. "So meaty, there's no room for a bun!"

MY PROJECT

Welcome to The Meat Maker.