Odd Things Seen In A Diner
Dean
The oddest things you see in everyday life sometimes.
This morning The Queen and I stopped for breakfast at a local cheap diner. While eating, I spied a n older man chatting with a young woman, probably his daugher. He had a slice of canteloupe and a slice of honeydew melon. As I watched, he picked up a shaker of black pepper, sprinkled it on his melon slices, and began to eat them.
I'm 38 years old and I've never seen anyone do such a thing. I found myself curious: does anyone else out there put peppers on his melons?
In case you were wondering, I don't find the thought gross. I may actually try it some time, if I think about it. I'm just curious if this is some common thing I'd just never noticed before. Pepper on melons?
Now silly was my father putting sugar on his cottage cheese instead of salt and pepper. That is gross.
Although I personally salt melons of all types, I have seen people use salt, pepper, salt and pepper, sugar, and yes, odd as it may sound (and gross to boot) white gravy, as mentioned by Tim.
I wonder if this is another of those North-South things?
I just don't like sweet fruit. It's gotta be bland, sour, spicy, whatever. Not salty though, good heavens!
I'm not sure the melon/pepper thing is regional, but I have to believe this whole ketchup on the eggs thing Shelly does is definitely Yankee-bred.
As long as she doesn't put it on hot dogs. That's a hanging offense in Chicago.
My Dad used to carry a salt shaker in his pocket when my little brother and I helped him with the watermelons in the garden (because my brother would inevitably drop/crack-open a melon). Ya gotta be prepared for life's little emergencies!
First, you need a good dense bread (something from Panera is nice). Lightly toast it, spread it with softened non-salted real butter (and a lot of it). Apply kosher salt liberally.
Its a totally different flavor than using pre-salted (aka "normal") butter!
I have to admit I love a dish of Ranch Dressing to dip pizza in though. I've been told that's bizzarro.
I knew you were evil somehow.
If we should ever meet, I have to kill you. Nothing personal, mind you.
Lucy: Oh, and you ought to try salt on toast.
DIE HERETIC!
Due to their condiment choices, if you ever come near my children, I will be forced to slay you preemptively. Nothing personal, mind you.
Salt on toast? Sounds like pretzels to me.
Yours,
Wince
Society made me do it !!!!!
Or make my favorite sauce for eggs, or dipping:
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 can cheddar cheese soup
1 cup Chunky Salsa
Microwave and serve hot.
the ketchup egg-yoke mix is the real prize.
I know, I have had it. Not too bad, but it needs zip!
Preferably hot mustard. Though I'll use that insipid bright yellow stuff if it's the only mustard available. Yes, even on fries.
you may want to try a concoction called Yorkshire relish. It is a mixture of jalapenos, Malt, Molasses, vinegar, and whole lot of other things boiled up until it is black. If you have tried it you'll know. if not - try it, you won't be disappointed. Don't know if you can get it America though.
Hot dogs require ketchup, mustard, relish, and when available... chili, melted cheese, kraut. Plain hot dogs are just starvation avoidance.
Salt and pepper on Watermelon. Or even add sugar. Seen it hundreds of times.
Also, Potato chips in strawberry yogurt is a delicacy not to be missed. Good call Ru.
Hot sauce on fried eggs? Mmmmmmmm!
Also try eggs red, my great-grandfather's daily breakfast. (runny eggs with chili)
Salt and sugar on grits, or cream of wheat, which ever you prefer.
My kids eat ketchup on eggs and on their mashed potatoes.
Cold boiled shrimp wrapped in snow peas is good, too.
Nothing better.
But aside from vinegar, if you want good fries, you've got to go with poutine... Fries liberally mixed with cheese curds and drenched in gravy. Yum!
Melissa
Melon: Plain. But my Nebraskan family members put salt on it. I remember agonizing as a child over whether it was better with or without. I decided without. Though melon and prosciutto is still wonderful.
Hot dogs: If they are Hebrew Nationals, plain. Regular hot dogs should have mustard on 'em.
Eggs: If not part of Huevos Rancheros or Eggs benedict or something, they want Tabasco or some other hot sauce. Or salt and pepper as a last resort (and are standard on hard-boiled eggs). Ketchup would be pointless on eggs.
(I'm a Southern California girl with roots in the Lower Midwest and my culinary heart in Mexico.)
I also do not ever, never, put syrup on my French toast, waffles, or pancakes. I love lots of butter on them, though.
My Grandpa (a.k.a., Cato the Mighty) once said to me: "I get a kick out of your Dad. He fills half his cup with coffee and half his cup with cream -- and then he kicks about his coffee being too weak!" That always cracks me up.
I'm even weirder. I don't drink tea by itself, but I often have licorice spice tea in my coffee. When I'm in a cafeteria where you can fill your own glass, I often fill a third of it with lemonade, a third with Dr. Pepper, and another third with root beer. I also sometimes mix ice cream flavors, too.
I've sometimes filled a glass at home with egg, milk, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Milk and vanilla extract is delicious, too.
A few days ago, I put mustard and steak sauce on some noodles. I have had peanut butter, jelly, and tuna sandwiches, too.
I also sometimes have a special symbolic ritual of having whipped cream on chocolate ice cream. I love whipped cream, it's delicious on so many things.
When I was a little boy, I used to put sugar on everything, including steak and potatoes. In 6th grade, a kid in the cafeteria liked to dip his carrots in chocolate pudding.
One thing I hate watching is people putting crackers in their soup.
Ketchup - the devil on anything but hot dogs and hamburgers, where it is a requirement. Also, despite what the Italians say, ketchup can only improve any form of pasta. Never ever let ketchup near my french fries or I'll have to kill you. Same goes for vinegar.
OTOH, I totally agree about poutine - a veritable food of the gods. Only problem is, I can't find cheese curds anywhere in Estonia. Apparently we don't deem them edible as such and make something else out of them.
A few nights ago you posted how William Shatner was buying a seat to go into space and you said, Hey...this is *cool*.
Well, what I thought was *cool*, is that YOU were *COOL*, for taking us to so many interesting places.
Dean, this question about pepper sure prompted quite a bit of interest. When I brought it to your attention that I wondered about your Mother, you replied...She encouraged me to read a lot.
This post tells me, perhaps that was great she did that but,
... YOU NEED to take ROSEMARY out to eat more!
(by the way...catsup? or ketchup?)