Scotch: Current favorite- The Arran (anything by them), Glenmorangie 12yr Lasanta, sherry cask finished. The Balvenie Double Wood, also like Oban 18yr, and The Glenlivet Nadurra (Oloroso sherry cask finished) among others. Neat please.
About meReal name: Aaron
Location: Farwell, Michigan - near Clare (dead center of lower peninsula).
Occupation:
Healthcare- Licensed & Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT) at MyMichigan Health, a University of Michigan Health System.
Man I love Taco Bell! You're aware they have more than just the cheapy tacos, right? Their other items are deeelicous. But it's ok, you guys stay away, more for me.
I have never eaten at Chipotle, In & Out, Whattaburger, Buc-ees' (if you count that), Dickie's BBQ, or Cinnabon... to name a few that come to mind.
Dude, when I was a kid my parents owned a Dairy Queen, Orange Julius, Karmelcorn store. Across the way was a Cinnabon......they would bring us all the rolls they did not sell that day.......oh man did I get fat quick. And it was not from the Dairy Queen! LOL
Man those Cinnabons are good. I had to swear them off in high school or I woulda been on extra conditioning all year. LOL
I guess a couple that have been listed I have managed to escape the meeting of like:
Dickeys
Marie Calendar & 2 more Carolyn listed I didn’t know existed.
Ditto on the Beefaroo & Canes
There is one or two food items at Costco that are the rave & I have never set foot in a Costco, or IKEA fer that matter.
Never ordered a Papa Johns.
There is probably more, especially now that I go to a chain fries about once every 2-3 months.
Papa Johns seems to get a good but of guff recently, but I always thought their pizza was wonderful. The crust is like soft buttery garlic bread sticks, a treat in itself. It's been several years but I'd describe it as Dominos upgraded a couple notches best I can recall.
Well, you guys are missing out on a lot of mediocre food. The only ones that are any good that I have seen are Chick-fil-a and Marie Calenders (only their pies). Papa John’s (pizza) is more of a guilty pleasure and I won’t argue with folks who say they make better pizza for sure.
I have had one bad Cane's meal, and that was at the mall in Baton Rouge. They obviously didn't change the oil. yuk Their chicken fingers are usually cooked well, but don't have a lot of flavor, which is why you need the dipping sauce. Their fries are good, and you can't go wrong with Texas Toast. Their lemonade is excellent, IMHO. I would go to the drive-through just for the lemonade.
If not cooking outdoors, I am cooking on the stovetop with my 14" carbon steel wok, 12" CI skillet, or in the oven with my two Lodge CI pizza pans, or two dutch ovens. I've also got a nifty Lodge carbon steel grill pan that rocks for veggies outdoors.
John "JR"
Minnesota/ United States of America
******************************************** Grills/Smokers/Fryers Big Green Egg (Large) X3
Blackstone 36" Outdoor Griddle 4-Burner
Burch Barrel V-1 Karubeque C-60 Kamado Joe Jr. (Black) Lodge L410 Hibachi Pit Barrel Cooker Pit Barrel Cooker 2.0
Pit Barrel PBX
R&V Works FF2-R-ST 4-Gallon Fryer *******************************************. Thermometers
FireBoard (Base Package)
Thermoworks ThermaPen (Red)
Thermoworks MK4 (Orange)
********************************* Accessories Big Green Egg Plate Setter
Benzomatic TS800 High Temp Torch X 2 Bayou Classic 44 qt Stainless Stock Pot
Bayou Classic 35K BTU Burner Eggspander Kit X2 Finex Cat Iron Line FireBoard Drive Lots and Lots of Griswold Cast Iron Grill Grates Joule Water Circulator
KBQ Fire Grate Kick Ash Basket (KAB) X4 Lots of Lodge Cast Iron Husky 6 Drawer BBQ Equipment Cabinet Large Vortex Marlin 1894 .44 Magnum Marquette Castings No. 13 (First Run) Smithey No. 12 Smokeware Chimney Cap X 3 Stargazer No.10, 12 ******************************** Fuel FOGO Priemium Lump Charcoal Kingsford Blue and White B&B Charcoal Apple, Cherry & Oak Log splits for the C-60 ************************************************* Cutlery Buck 119 Special
Cuda 7' Fillet Knife Dexter 12" Brisket Sword Global Shun Wusthof ********** Next Major Purchase Lone Star Grillz 24 X 48 Offset
Honestly, it is kinda sad how many restaurants are shelling out terrible food for all of us to consume. Don't get me wrong, I love fast food. Never eat it anymore, but it still pulls at me when I drive by.
I was over 450 lbs (463 lbs to be exact.) at one point in my life, so I certainly consumed more than my fair share. LOL. There are so many listed by people here, that I could never keep up.
However, I feel like fast food is the hallmark of the American diet.
That being said, where is the nearest Burger King? Something about those flame broiled, cooked on a conveyor belt burger patty that I love!
I like Whoppers but the crunchy tomatoes always turn me off. Poor quality veggies, at least in my experiences in my area, but I love the flame broiled flavor with the cheese & mayo for sure.
22” Blue Weber Kettle with SnS insert
Kamado Joe Jr with Kick Ash Basket
Char-Broil Smartchef Tru Infrared Gasser
Anovo Hot Tub Time Machine with Custom Hot Tub
The salad and bread sticks are the best thing about Olive Garden. We went there on a Saturday afternoon a few months ago, about 10-15 years since the last time we had been. Maybe I'll try it again in 10 years....
jfmorris
Olive Garden soups are pretty good too.
I'm not a fan of Olive Garden (or chains in general), but my kids like some of them, so we break down and go on occasion.
Soup, salad, and breadsticks is my go to at O.G.
Lots of places listed here I have never heard of. Of places here that I have never visited:
Taco Casa
Marcos Pizza
Taco Cabana
5 Guys Burgers
Grandy's
Firehouse subs
Quiznos
Hardee's
Zaxby's
Last edited by texastweeter; November 30, 2023, 07:15 PM.
Quiznos is an interesting story. Great subs, but they expanded to like 5000 locations and then contracted to about 400 locations nationwide in a short number of years. A buddy of mine owned one of those albatrosses for a couple of years, and keeping it going about broke him and everyone in his family that helped him out. Wasn't for lack of good location - I think the franchise fees, costs, lack of good help, etc, just did him in.
Weber Smoky Mountain 18” and 22”
Weber Smoque XL w/ front and side folding tables
Weber Genesis E-430 (came with the frame kit).
DigiQ fan controller (WSM 22” has the attachment)
Nexgrill 6 burner gas grill (replaced original grates with GrillGrate grates)
Turkey fryer (2)
Maverick ET-732 (2)
Char-Broil Big Easy Oil-less Turkey Fryer, Bunk Basket (2)
SouthwestDisc 18" Cooking Disc
Never been to White Castle since they just barely opened one here a few years ago and one close to this side of the valley is opening this week. I’ve been to most chains at least once. Many of them are one and done though.
I went to In and Out 2 or 3 times to figure out why so much hype and I never did figure it out.
It is mainly the prices of the burgers and fries compared to everything else. It is an amazing deal for a fast food burger. But you know, it is a fast food burger still.
And the only reason they probably have White Castle in AZ is because of spring training fans…. But, don’t go! It’s disgusting. I’ve had them several times, I think….
For the past 20 years or so it is just easier to name the chains we have eaten in. 5 Guys, Burger King, and Taco Bell, each maybe twice a year if we are traveling and feeling wild. At Taco Bell it is always the simple bean burrito which is quite good.
Retired, living in Western Mass. Enjoy music, cooking and my family.
Current cookers Weber Spirit 3 burner with a full insert griddle added. A 22" Kettle with vortex, SnS and a Smokey Joe. The most recent addition is a Pit Barrel Jr with bird hanger, 4 hooks and cover. ThermoWorks Smoke 2 probe, DOT, 2 ThermoPops and a Thermapen MK4. A Thermoworks RFX Gateway 2 probe meat thermometer.
The last I can remember going to is Outback about 15 years ago. At home it's local businesses. When out and about we look to local too. I can't deal with those cookie cutter places.
EDIT. another again maybe 12 to 15 years ago, Cracker Barrel. It for breakfast and we enjoyed it. It was in Wrentham Massachusetts.
Last edited by RichieB; November 29, 2023, 07:24 PM.
22” Blue Weber Kettle with SnS insert
Kamado Joe Jr with Kick Ash Basket
Char-Broil Smartchef Tru Infrared Gasser
Anovo Hot Tub Time Machine with Custom Hot Tub
Lang 48 inch Deluxe Patio Model (burns hickory splits)
PK 360 (burns premium lump charcoal with wood chunks)
28 inch Blackstone Griddle (propane)
Rubs I love:
Yardbird by Plow Boys
Killer Hogs by Malcom Reed
AP Rub by Malcom Reed
Meat Church (any)
Three Little Pigs Memphis Style for ribs
Would love to try Meathead's commercial rub
Sauces I love:
Gates'
Joe's
Pa & Ma's
Killer Hogs Vinegar Sauce
Disposable Equipment I use:
Disposable cutting boards
Tumbleweed chimney starters
Aluminum foil
Aluminum pans (half and full)
Latex gloves
Diamond Kosher Salt
Vice-President of BBQ Security, Roy
He's a pure-bred North American Brown Dog
He loves rawhide chewies
My wife calls me "Teddy" and I call her "Princess" and that's where "mrteddyprincess" comes from.
I've been on a quest to avoid ultra-processed foods since July. And for the first time in my life, stopping off regularly at fast-food/national chains is not a thing for me. If we dine out, it's local. I feel like I finally figured out food. (I'm a slow learner.)
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