France to tax foods "too fat, too sweet, too salty"

[PicBuddy]

Originally Posted by Chefnot

Well of course I could add, I just don't think you are understanding my question. Certainly I wasn't asking you......

Actually I do understand your question completely. You are asking others if you should personally step in and assume a role where some uncomfortable questions have been brought up. And I know you were not asking me, I just invited you to chime in, not only to be polite, but I would like to hear your opinions.

I've read the history of this board. Took a few days, but I see where it got started. I see how it was built up when the very first person contributed to it, and that contribution was welcome. And had I posted something to make people think about their food more back then. it would have been accepted with open arms.

Think about this fact. As your board grows larger (or I am sorry, not YOUR board) but this one here, you will encounter different points of view, different types of discussion, and more than likely deeper conversations than have existed in the past. That's a good thing to have. You can just reject it and say "I don't want to think that much" or you can allow others to interact. It's pretty much that plain and simple.

I like these boards which is why I have decided to hang out here for a while. And you can't get much of a more sincere Food Network fan than me, who started watching it before it was even called Food Network, and whom has seen probably all of the 169 Hot Off The Grill Episodes with Bobby Flay that played a large part of starting the current network (well and MS)....

So if it were me, running the board, working on it for a few years, and someone decided that they wanted some more in depth conversations on food issues, and took their time to add what they felt was value, I would embrace it, even if I didn't want to read or participate in it. There's a trend with people in positions of moderation to just reject and delete anything they personally find to hard to think about. And that does limit the true value in many communications forums.

Suzie already showed me the rules, which I read, and very politely pointed out the "no politics" section which I applaud and agree to. And I have stated at least half a dozen times that this chain is not related to politics. And if you read the exchanges, they are ALL of people that seem to agree with each other, sharing some of the most thought out comments I have ever seen on these boards. You say you are missing something, (or rather you "need direction") just read the last five posts and you will see an exchange where three people pretty much agree on what they are talking about, have slightly different opinions and views and it's a good exchange. That should give you all the direction you need to participate in the conversation. It's the best reading I have seen on here, because the "I don't like so and so's show, but I like this other one" are somewhat shallow after a while. Look for better content and appreciate the people that want to get involved in better content. I do believe this is the most read chain of the day, and I am sure others will come in with some thoughts and opinions that we haven't even thought of yet. But they need to feel welcome to do so.

Sorry I responded badly to one of your posts, I should have put a smiley after that as it wasn't a big deal. But posting a public message here as an encrypted communication to other moderators asking if they want you to do something, is clearer than you know. And kinda uncool as you could discuss that in private.

That's why I asked you nicely if you would like to join in the conversation. How do you personally feel about the lack of food variety in the US in direct comparison to it's quality? Many many examples have been given and I am sure you have an opinion. And I would love to hear it. You are obviously a food fan and I like your posts.

Pick your favorite food of all time, list how many variations you have of it available to you and how you would feel about it being offered in other variations that you can't get? And what are those?

(Mine would be shrimp).....

Peace.

[PicBuddy]

Dr. Pepper (The story, then and now - condensed) - PicBuddy 8-12-2008

1885 - Waco Texas - The original soft drink ever exposed to the world was created. It was a drink that contained pure cane sugar. There today remains a museum of history open to the public.
http://www.drpeppermuseum.com/

1989 - Coke and other soft drink companies start to make products with corn syrup instead of sugar due to it being an extremely cheap sweetener and based on America's ability to overproduce genetically enhanced corn (yellow dent #2). As massive marketing campaign follows to introduce "New Coke" to the public with a different taste (based on corn syrup) which was to confuse public taste of a fair product to a lower cost product. Coke then claimed to give in to consumer demands that the old product be returned, but it was returned under a new name "Classic Coke" that still contained corn syrup. The public was very effectively confused and it took nearly 20 years before people would admit that the new product still tastes like crap. This was perhaps the most effective marketing trick in US history. The more original Coke recipe that actually contains pure sugar never returned to US markets, yet is imported from Mexico and currently available at HEB by single bottles (2008).

2007 - Sales of Original Dr. Pepper from Waco (Dublin), made with the original Imperial Pure Cane Suger are so welcomed by the lucky Texans within range of being able to buy it that the original Dr. Pepper comes back full steam ahead.

2007 - The main Dr. Pepper Company Dr Pepper Snapple Group (formerly Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages) recognizes that consumers do want an alternative to corn syrup based sodas and for the first time in 22 years offers an "Imperial Cane Sugar" Dr. Pepper (only sold through HEB) for three months only. The product is such a smash hit that it outsells all other sodas on the market. So Coke decides to revoke sales of all coke items to HEB. HEB gives in and stops selling the cane sugar based product from Dr. Pepper to maintain the ability to purchase Coke and Frito Lay products.

2008 - Dr. Pepper Dublin (Waco) continues sales of cane sugar based Dr. Pepper to chains such as Jason's Deli, Exxon, and Chicken Wing Stop on both draft and bottles, all over south Texas.

2008 - The Dr Pepper Snapple Group (formerly Cadbury Schweppes Americas Beverages) starts to revoke licenses of retailers that purchase from Dr. pepper Dublin, by threatening to quit selling them any other products if they support, purchase, market or sell the competing, better "sugar" product.


So folks, basically what happened here is that we had an uprising of consumers that wanted soda (Dr. Pepper in this case) to taste good like it used to, and a giant company came in and dropped a hammer on our ability to buy good quality soda. We have all of the cans and bottles to prove this, yet they are all a part of the Dr. Pepper history museum in Waco as well. So we ALMOST had a revival of good quality soda, that was shut down by big business revoking our ability to even obtain better quality food.

If anyone has any questions about this situation, I've actually documented it for 17 years. I have no commercial interest, it's just been a focus of interest. I basically wanted to know why soda quality went down the tubes, and I have a pretty good essay on that. Better not post it here for now though....

[bakerman]

I just ate at Jason's Deli last night! I love the quality of food there, and is is just a bonus that they have banned trans fats, high frutose corn syrup, and MSG, I like their philosophy on food.

I don't drink much soda, but when I occasionally have one, it is either a Jones Soda (pure cane sugar) or I go to the Mexican Bakery near one of my work locations for a "real" Coke, it is still made with sugar and has a much lighter mouth feel than their corn syrup cousins in the states, and it just tastes better. I am getting to the point now that in sweet things I can tell if it is made with corn syrup or sugar, I didn't think that I would ever be able to tell the difference, but I can.

MAC

[ping]

Originally Posted by bakerman

I just ate at Jason's Deli last night! I love the quality of food there, and is is just a bonus that they have banned trans fats, high frutose corn syrup, and MSG, I like their philosophy on food.

I love Jason's Deli. My favorites are the spinach veggie wrap and the sergeant pepper sandwich.

[PicBuddy]

Originally Posted by bakerman

I just ate at Jason's Deli last night! I love the quality of food there, and is is just a bonus that they have banned trans fats, high frutose corn syrup, and MSG, I like their philosophy on food.

I don't drink much soda, but when I occasionally have one, it is either a Jones Soda (pure cane sugar) or I go to the Mexican Bakery near one of my work locations for a "real" Coke, it is still made with sugar and has a much lighter mouth feel than their corn syrup cousins in the states, and it just tastes better. I am getting to the point now that in sweet things I can tell if it is made with corn syrup or sugar, I didn't think that I would ever be able to tell the difference, but I can.

MAC

Cool! We LOVE Jason's Deli. It's just awesome to have a choice like that. And we didn't realize that they have also banned trans fats. We did see a sign about no MSG. What a great thing. It's not more expensive. And the food tastes great. You talk about one killer salad bar! The one they have here is giant and the salad bar alone is probably the largest I have ever seen in that type of store (short of Vegas perhaps, hahah)....

Yep, corn syrup to me is heavy and sticky and just tastes bad. I guess it tastes like burnt wood to me. And it has a lingering aftertaste. I just don't want to drink it in anything. It's so nice to be able to get a real root beer at Jason's that you can enjoy because it actually tastes good with real sugar. And I don't drink a lot of them either. Just want to be able to have the choice to have a real nice one when I want it. Instead of no choice but garbage....

[aoneil]

Where is Jason's Deli? I didn't read entirely through the long posts, so sorry if it is referenced in them.

[PicBuddy]

Originally Posted by aoneil

Where is Jason's Deli? I didn't read entirely through the long posts, so sorry if it is referenced in them.

Hi Aimee, actually I didn't say where it is so you didn't miss anything.

I've only seen them in Texas, 1st one I saw was in Houston. I've read that they started in Beaumont Texas and of the 180 stores most are in Texas. They are moving into Chicago and Philly this year as well.

When you look at the store it just looks like well, a deli, yet modern. They have a list of sandwiches and seem to be strong on Po Boys and Stuffed Potatoes. And they have a giant salad bar at the ones we have been to. I mean a massive, very impressive salad bar that is a meal by itself. On the surface there's not much to indicate that it's healthy food, that just something you learn by the menu and small signs they have here and there. On the drink cooler it had a sign that said "Just say NO to Corn Syrup" and a note that not a single thing in that store (drinks included) contained corn syrup. That really got my attention. And then my wife noticed another one that said No MSG. And then someone else on here said they are doing the same with no trans fats.

Hope you can find one near you, because after going by our local one just for lunch one day, with what we found, we not go there at least 2-3 times a week.

Here is their wiki
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason%27s_Deli

And their website
Jason's Deli

[aoneil]

It sounds AWESOME! I will definitely check out the link. Thanks

[Pluff Mudder]

Originally Posted by PicBuddy

It's so nice to be able to get a real root beer at Jason's that you can enjoy because it actually tastes good with real sugar.

If you like good root beer, then you need to try the root beer made by the Stevens Point Brewery in WI. No corn syrup - just cane sugar, honey and real vanilla. It's real thick and creamy. They make some other sodas too like black cherry and orange cream.

Stevens Point Brewery - Sodas - Point Premium Root Beer

[BerryBaby]

Costco now carries Coca Cola in the bottles from Mexico! It tastes a lot better IMO.