# What Weird Things do You do to Make Food Good. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 15, 2000, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-things-do-you-do-to-make-food-good/41328 "2000-11-15T17:25:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-things-do-you-do-to-make-food-good/41328/21 "2000-11-16T03:42:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sue Duhnym \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by ReservoirDog \* > > \*\*I’ve been told that by habit of putting regular butter on the bread before I make my PB&J sandwiches is rather strange. I do believe I have even heard the word “gross” bandied about. \*\* > > What the heck is wrong with this? It keeps the bread from getting soggy! \*\* Dear Sue, How in tarnation did I miss this one? Me, a Dane, for whom butter is a basic food group (two legs at the base of the food pyramid in some regions in Denmark). Of course you do this, at least for any child under 10 years old who is still skinny. If I was blissfully unaware of dietary consequences, I’d do it to this very day. Just to confound the fates, I’ll do this with my next peanut butter sandwich! Thenk Ewe Sue, Chris ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_Bowe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@Doug\_Bowe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_Bowe)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-things-do-you-do-to-make-food-good/41328/22 "2000-11-16T06:04:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by stofsky \* > \*\*2 things, one of which I probably ought to put in the recipe thread: > > White bread, chunky Jif, and sharp cheddar aerosol cheese. Sounds gross, tastes great–think about it, those orange crackers in the vending machine are cheese, right? > > Weiner boats. Quarter a hot dog–not all the way through the skin–and spread it out. Glop on a dollop of leftover or instant mashed potatoes, top with a slice of american cheese, and put under the broiler until the cheese starts to brown. Mmmmm-mmmmm-mmmm-good! \*\* –Weiner boats? You’re just a step or two away from “Bangers and Mash!” ---
**Author:** ![tygre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@tygre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tygre)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-things-do-you-do-to-make-food-good/41328/23 "2000-11-16T06:29:20Z")
I like mayo or mustard with fries. Never ketchup! One of my favorite breakfasts of late is an onion bagel with butter and honey. Mmm! –tygre ---
**Author:** ![Silvio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/cdc98d/32.png) [@Silvio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silvio)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 6:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-things-do-you-do-to-make-food-good/41328/24 "2000-11-16T06:43:53Z")
I put mustard on virtually any meat I eat. Steak, turkey, chicken, fish, give a little dip of Grey Poupan…yummy! ---
**Author:** ![stofsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dfb087/32.png) [@stofsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stofsky)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-things-do-you-do-to-make-food-good/41328/25 "2000-11-16T11:59:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Doug Bowe \* > \*\*–Weiner boats? You’re just a step or two away from “Bangers and Mash!” \*\* Nah, they make me kind of gassy, so my wife doesn’t like to do that on weiner boat night. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-things-do-you-do-to-make-food-good/41328/26 "2000-11-16T13:07:11Z")
I too like cereal as a topping for ice cream, and Italian dressing on pasta. I also salt my watermelon. A favorite T-day dish at my house was whole berry cranberry sauce combined with whole green olives. Nobody outside my family will eat it, but the combination of sweet sauce and salty olives is good. ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-things-do-you-do-to-make-food-good/41328/27 "2000-11-16T13:41:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zenster \* > \*\*I’m fairly conventional. Past the ocassional peanut butter and mayonnaise sandwich there’s not much weird that I do (in the kitchen, that is) besides actually enjoying large curd cottage cheese. If you count dipping cold broccoli in a mayo and ketchup mix, ok, I’m strange. > > One of my recent pursuits has been to recreate school cafeteria spaghetti. So far the results indicate that you must:[list=1] > > [li]Overcook the pasta until it is bloated[/li] > [li]Use a relatively sweet and smooth tomato sauce[/li] > [li]Bake the pasta and sauce with cheese on top[/li] > [li]Use Monterey Jack, Parmesan **and** Cheddar[/li] > [li]Have extra Parmesan on top of the cheese layer[/li]Anyone else have pointers on this recipe? > \*\* Yup, depending on your intent…If you want it to taste edible, your method is fine…however…if you want it to _really_ taste like elementary school Cheezy-Mac-Bake, here’s where you’re going astray… #1) The pasta _must_ either be macaroni or spagetti…no weird “hippie” shapes like, say…fettucini or (heaven forbid) rotini. Your cooking directions for the pasta are, of course, perfect and authentic. Make sure you add LOTS of salt to the water. Salt makes things taste BETTER! #2)Also, add salt to the sweet catsup-y tomato sauce. Salt makes things taste BETTER! Also, add something yellow (food coloring I think…) to give the sauce that appitizing orange color. Spagetti sauce shouldn’t be RED, the kids might realize that there are tomatos in it. #3)Also add some pasta water to the sauce. The starch in the water will help the sauce adhere to the pasta. Baking it will give it the desired “gloppy” texture. (In real cooking, the pasta water trick is great in non-baked sauces) #4)You left out the bread crumbs! Mix bread-crumbs into the mooshy pasta, before adding the sauce #5) Montery-Jack, Cheddar AND Parmesan cheese? Whaddaythink we’re made of money? You’ll use Mozzerella-like Cheeze Flavored Product OR Cheddar-Like Cheeze Flavored Product. (Although I recall that there are bags of blended White and Yellow-Orange Flavored Cheeze-Like Products. This would be actually be more accurate) #6)Parmesan is far to complex a flavor for the little darlings. You can either use the famous Powdery Cheeze Like Product, or, if striving for authenticity…bread crumbs from a box (no fresh bread crumbs, please) #7) For True HORROR, the addition of cut-up left over hot-dogs from yesterday’s lunch can be added prior to baking. Fenris…who worked briefly in the school cafeteria in high school. ---
**Author:** ![Gravity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gravity/32/14322_2.png) [@Gravity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gravity)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-things-do-you-do-to-make-food-good/41328/28 "2000-11-16T13:56:51Z")
Mmmmmm… Stale cheese puffs! Yummmmm! I was _so_ happy last week when I bought a bag and they were _already_ stale! They’re also great frozen! ---
**Author:** ![poohpah\_chalupa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/91b2a8/32.png) [@poohpah\_chalupa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/poohpah_chalupa)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-things-do-you-do-to-make-food-good/41328/29 "2000-11-16T14:45:05Z")
Ever since I can remember, my family has eaten steamed cauliflower and broccoli with mayonaise on it, which usually grosses out my friends. I guess it’s just a Japanese thing. That being said, I, of course, put soy sauce on _everything_. ---
**Author:** ![FloChi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58956e/32.png) [@FloChi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FloChi)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-things-do-you-do-to-make-food-good/41328/30 "2000-11-16T15:45:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Philster \* > White Vinegar and salt on deep fried crinkle-cut french fries. A MUST! > > 🙂 Yummy. What else would one put on chips? I want to be able to buy salt and vinegar chips! They don’t sell them in Scandanavia. Worked in a Fish and Chip shop through Uni and used to eat them all the time. Also experimented with mayonaisse (plain, tartar sauce, thousand island sauce, etc) and tomato sauce, but salt and vinegar was always the best. ---
**Author:** ![tevya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4491bb/32.png) [@tevya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tevya)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-things-do-you-do-to-make-food-good/41328/31 "2000-11-16T16:34:19Z")
jb\_farley, It was a childhood treat for me too! You don’t happen to be of german/mixed german ancestry do you? ---
**Author:** ![robinh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b77776/32.png) [@robinh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robinh)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-things-do-you-do-to-make-food-good/41328/32 "2000-11-16T16:51:47Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tevya \* > **I like to dip my grilled cheese sandwhiches in mustard.** Then you might like this: (one of my all time favorite sandwiches) Cheddar cheese, sliced Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced red onion, and mustard and a good, hearty bread; grilled. Yum. I like pretzels crumbled and mixed into my ice cream. ---
**Author:** ![Fletch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/919ad9/32.png) [@Fletch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fletch)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-things-do-you-do-to-make-food-good/41328/33 "2000-11-16T17:02:16Z")
I like chopped hard boiled eggs, jalapenos, tapatio and onions mixed into refried beans and then eaten with hot fresh tortillas. My wife and children are not fond of this concoction. ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-things-do-you-do-to-make-food-good/41328/34 "2000-11-16T17:20:11Z")
Mmmmmmmmmmmmm, Peanut butter, (the oily kind with salt and sugar of course.) Sambal Olec. (Crushed Indonesian red peppers, for those of you who don’t know about it. Comes in a little jar. Liquid fire. Tease your Mexican friends. Laugh a minute.) Stir it together, and then microwave it until it melts. Tastes great on pork chops, hot sausages, or even fried chicken. You can cook the stuff onto things, or just dip 'em. Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm Tris ---
**Author:** ![Diane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2acd7d/32.png) [@Diane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diane)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-things-do-you-do-to-make-food-good/41328/35 "2000-11-16T17:40:55Z")
I mix a can of chicken noodle soup in with my scambled eggs and then cook them in olive oil. I smother them with hot salsa and eat them on a warmed tortilla. Very good! ---
**Author:** ![katie1341](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/91b2a8/32.png) [@katie1341](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/katie1341)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-things-do-you-do-to-make-food-good/41328/36 "2000-11-16T18:17:33Z")
I have always eaten lima beans with ketchup on them. My parents did it, so I grew up thinking it was conmpletely normal. I don’t know anyone else who does this except my weirdo family and a few freinds who have tried it at my urging and now grudgingly admit to liking it. Is it just me or is anyone else going through these posts thinking “Hey, that sounds good, I’ll have to try that”? ---
**Author:** ![PolarField](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b77776/32.png) [@PolarField](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PolarField)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-things-do-you-do-to-make-food-good/41328/37 "2000-11-16T18:22:15Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by poohpah chalupa \* > \*\*Ever since I can remember, my family has eaten steamed cauliflower and broccoli with mayonaise on it, which usually grosses out my friends. I guess it’s just a Japanese thing. > That being said, I, of course, put soy sauce on _everything_. \*\* My Japanese girlfriend introduced me to Asparagus with soy sauce and wasabi. Wonderous stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Zenster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/cdc98d/32.png) [@Zenster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zenster)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-things-do-you-do-to-make-food-good/41328/38 "2000-11-16T20:08:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Triskadecamus \* > \*\*Mmmmmmmmmmmmm, > > Peanut butter, (the oily kind with salt and sugar of course.) > > Sambal Olec. (Crushed Indonesian red peppers, for those of you who don’t know about it. Comes in a little jar. Liquid fire. Tease your Mexican friends. Laugh a minute.) > > Stir it together, and then microwave it until it melts. Tastes great on pork chops, hot sausages, or even fried chicken. You can cook the stuff onto things, or just dip 'em. > > Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm > > Tris \*\* You have merely described a simple _Satay_ recipe. The first Satay recipe I made called for: Peanut Butter Worcesteshire Sauce Brown Sugar Hot Sauce All sorts of other sh!t. Yo, **Poopah** , try a mild mix (1 to 6) of mustard and mayo on your cauliflower or cabbage. Good stuff Maynard! I finally remembered something remotely weird that I eat; Soy sauce on scrambled eggs. Haven’t had it in years but I’ve done it many times. ---
**Author:** ![tevya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4491bb/32.png) [@tevya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tevya)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-things-do-you-do-to-make-food-good/41328/39 "2000-11-16T20:55:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by robinh \* > > Then you might like this: (one of my all time favorite sandwiches) > > Cheddar cheese, sliced Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced red onion, and mustard and a good, hearty bread; grilled. Yum. I am drooling already! ---
**Author:** ![hypergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/49beb7/32.png) [@hypergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hypergirl)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2000, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-things-do-you-do-to-make-food-good/41328/40 "2000-11-16T22:27:50Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Doug Bowe \* > \*\*–Weiner boats? You’re just a step or two away from “Bangers and Mash!” \*\* OK, I have never known this…What on earth are bangers and mash? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-things-do-you-do-to-make-food-good/41328.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-weird-things-do-you-do-to-make-food-good/41328.md?page=3)