Today, in our company cafeteria, I was reminded of a discussion the The Lizard and I had concerning school lunches several years ago:
What was your favorite? What was your most despised? I fondly remembered Frito Pie.
The Lizard stared at me, blankly, and asked "What is Frito Pie?"
I was stunned, but then remembered -- The Lizard was a Yankee by birth (her Republic visa yearly renewed due to matrimonial status). The people above the Mason-Dixon never dreamed of eating black eyed peas and cornbread, let alone the ultimate in Texan delicacies, The Frito Pie, so I described the dish to my Yankee bride, and her eyes widened.
"They feed children that?!" She cried, aghast.
I assured her that, compared to the vapors wafting off of the chemical plants in my hometown, ingesting Frito corn chips covered in chili, cheese and onions was a very healthy endeavor. Quite good too, if you could burn off the 1500 calories the small dish provided (not a problem for active children of my youth -- maybe a big problem for today's kids).
Still, she seemed skeptical, and I had to enlist the help of one of my fellow citizens of The Republic to explain that:
- Yes, this dish does exist.
- It is fed to school children to this day.
- There are two major varieties: the 'school lunch' version (served on a plastic tray) and the 'ballpark' version (where the Frito is skinned fresh in the field, and the chili poured, hot and steaming, into the carcass).
I have yet to get The Lizard to enjoy a meal of Frito Pie, and I doubt I ever will. Same holds true for chicken-fried steak and cream gravy.
I have higher hopes for the black eyed peas, however... complete with bacon drippin's, of course...
7 comments:
If it's the last thing I do, I'm gonna get Liz to take a bite o' chicken fried steak swimming in cream gravy . . .
Lord knows I have tried, so you are welcome to attempt to scale the slopes of k2 yourself.
She also refuses to own a gravy boat, by the way.
I will say that she doesn't mind chicken-fried chicken, just don't put the cream gravy on it.
Frito Pie...yes that is something I couldn't believe either that Texans ate...I have eaten maybe one or two portions in my lifetime. Put this down in the same spot as eating chips IN a cold sandwich( a la Hock). I have tried it but it was less than satisfying. Pleasurable Southern fare: Chicken fried steak, Cornbread, Greens, Mouffalatas, and Fried Cheese.
Pleasurable Northern fare: Cannot say anything that rouses my palate.
Personal favs from friends here:
Chubby Burgers
Harold's Flounder
Corey's Grilled Chicken
Kirk's Duck Stew
5 words for Chubby: "King of the Road Special"...
So . . . why is chicken fried chicken okay, but chicken fried steak is a no go? And how can one eat chicken fried ANYTHING without cream gravy? Sigh. Yankees. (And I can say that because I married one, too!)
As for the frito pie - I always associate frito pie with my elementary school's halloween carnival. I don't really know why that is such a strong association, but it's strong enough for me to think of bales of hay, bobbing for apples and my friends dressed up in costumes whenever anyone mentions the dish.
You need to read incandragon's latest LJ post about the peanut butter burger.
And they think we eat strange stuff?
Post a Comment