The 4 Elements of Deliciousness

I was feeling rogue.  Best beware when I'm feeling rogue.  Serious stuff goes down.

It's last semester senior year, and I felt like trying a foodtruck I hadn't visited yet.  Turns out that it was fairly easy.  I've drifted into a comfort zone, visited the same foodtrucks over and over - don't want to mess with a "real"-ly good thing.  But then I heard that the Philly foodtruckers were thinking of unionizing and hey, if they can do something crazy, then so can I!  You go foodtruckers; stick it to the government and park on whatever sidewalk you want!  Just so long as you're still willing to sell me something that tastes good and is absolutely horrible for my health, you've got my full 2000 recommended daily allowance caloric blessing.

So I've heard of this truck called Bui's a couple of times - it's got some awesome artery-clogging, fat-filled meals of happy contentedness. So last night (I'm trying to appear "normal" by saying I only thought about this the day before.  I'd actually planned this for a couple of days) I'm like, yeah, that's what I'm doing for lunch.

And, this morning, it just so happened that my path took my right along Bui's at 38th and Spruce.  No kidding, I was still at least 150fit away and I could smell the bacon cooking.  That's what mornings are supposed to smell like.

My heart started beating faster and my legs nearly pulled me to the truck window to eat "lunch" at 9am.  Somehow I resisted.  I'm not saying eating lunch at 9am is a bad thing.  It's just that when you've planned something for so long, it's important to stick to the plan and not throw in any crazy variables.

It was a smart move too.

Forget the 4 elements according to Classical thought.  This sandwich has the four elements of deliciousness: Egg, bacon, ham, and sausage.  Booyah!

(it also has cheese and a mysterious orange-y substance called "Bui sauce" - it tastes good, that's all that matters. i don't ask questions - but i couldn't include them in the metaphor cause that'd obviously mess it up, duh)

I had a hunch about this sandwich.  So, after some careful investigation, which really consisted of me sitting down and trying to think up something that I thought was clever (it's obvious that I have very low standards for myself and why I never discuss posts beforehand with people - partly because they'd be shot down pretty quickly and partly because I make it up as I go), I ascertained two possible reasons for why this foodtruck is named "Bui's."

1) The owner's last name is Bui and the truck is, in fact, named after the owner.

Generic, traditional, not all that suspicious, but doubtful.  If it's not interesting, it's probably wrong (I could swear that's how Sherlock solves his cases).

The second, much more sinister, and, in my view, much more likely explanation (that was a lot of commas) is that this foodtruck is part of an underground, multi-national organization of foodtruckers bent on a evil plot - a plot they think everyone else would consider so absolutely far-fetch that we would fail to sense it even if provided a stark, blatant clue right under our very tongues.  And I, with my enhanced sensitivity to my gut instincts, have seen and tasted it.

2) It has something to do with buoys (you know those things that float out on the water and every little kid wants to take home even though he has no idea what they're supposed to be - don't tell me I was the only one who thought that way).  I don't know what exactly it has to do with that, but all I know if that Bui = buoy.  You can't argue with the evidence.  Possibly, they want to make us as fat as buoys.  Wouldn't surprise me.  But if all their food tastes this good, I'm down with helping them out.

After all, consider that this sandwich is called the Hangover Special.  I'm pretty sure it's because your stomach is hanging over your pants after eating it.

(imagery is more effective when it's true)

I really enjoyed this one.  Every single bite in fact.  Crunch on the outside, fat in the middle...yummers.

And that right there is the "Bui sauce" dripping down.  Had a nice, spicy kick to it.  Definitely an honorary bonus element.

Thought I'd switch up the godbite picture and do a godbite video.  It allows the necessary visualization of all the needed angles.  Feel free to slow it down and pause as needed.  Sometimes still imagery just doesn't cut it.  Maybe next I'll experiment with 3D.

Yellow Eggs & Jam

Catch the reference in my title?  I thought I was being clever.  I'm only four days late for Dr. Suess' birthday too.

Just in case you were wondering what sort of oddball mind thinks this way and all those other weird ways about food, I've gotta tell you, I don't have an answer.  Sorry (And in the off chance you don't think it's weird, we should get lunch sometime!  All other diners within hearing perimeter, beware).  But I just recently found this irregular mental architecture of mine has it's origins way back beyond when I was five.  At least that's some of the earliest evidence I have of it.

My grandmother was recently doing some cleaning in her room, walked into the kitchen, said that I might want to take a look at something after which she laid this on the counter and walked out.

Hmmm...ok Grandma.  I'll take a gander at it.  Oh look.  Aw, how cute.  I must've given that to her when I was little.  I was such a sweet little boy.

I was such a weird little boy. 

"...remember all your colors & shapes....remember all the colors in the rainbow"??

Really Ian?

I think my parents' note at the bottom was for fear that my grandmother might think they were in the smallest way responsible for that rather transcendental composition.

Possibly cute for a five-year-old.  Also really funny.  With the color scheme I've got going there, I must've been thinking of Fruit Loops or about the Lucky Charms rainbow or something.

I've been keeping busy over break.  Usually steamy, bubbling, molten concoctions evoke rather hellish imagery.  Not this one though.  I'll possibly have to save a post about this for later.

One of my family's favorite past times is bringing cookies to various places.  It's amazing how many people want to be your friend when you've got cookies.  In high school all the teachers loved my brothers and me because we would frequently bring in a whole tray of homemade cookies.  I think they were sad after Matt graduated not so much because they loved us but since it meant no more Mama Mac's cookies.

But today the roles were reversed.  Being home for spring break, it was my turn to make them for mi madre to bring to school.

Doesn't it look like the the outside of a cavernous, dark hole in the side of a mountain high up in the air, the ground frosted with a light covering of snow that has briefly melted only to freeze in the cool, night air creating a beautifully dangerous landscape that must be negotiated with awed care?  That'd be one cave I wouldn't mind visiting.  If only I could go spelunking in an cookie.  Life would be complete.  I wouldn't even mind getting lost in that cave.  I'd never go hungry!

Despite all temptation and wild daydreams, I wouldn't dare eat these.  Not today.  I'm the kind of thoughtful son who knows that they have another purpose...bribery.

And if I'm not going to eat one, them I'm sure not going to take any chances that someone else may eat one!!

But since this is already a really long post, I'm gonna blow through the main section.  No extravagant dinner or dessert out here.  Simple home-stuff.

 Home-made bread in the toaster.  Can't beat that!

 Eggs....jam....I know where he's going with this...

...jammed toast (is that a real adjective?) served with a nice omelet on the side.

...or is it?

Didn't see that coming did you?  A jam and egg sandwich.  I know people like their cheese and eggs, but believe me, you have to try jam and eggs.  It doesn't seem like that strange a combination to me (then again that's me speaking), but most of the time when I mention it to people, or better yet when they see me eat it, all I get is this really weird face contortion directed right at me. 

Anyway, since I'm constructing this little beauty, the godbite has to be planned from the beginning.  My favorite part of the slice is the crust.  People whine and complain about crusts, and some even cut them off.  But this isn't your pitiful supermarket brand featuring a measly excuse for a crust which is really more of a sad attempt to block you from the ecstasy of the fluffy, white interior.  This crust has real bite and complements the chewy insides.  Thus, you'll notice the heavier loading of jam along the top crust.

Bon appetite!  Give it a try some time.