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How ‘Bacon and Eggs’ Became the American Breakfast

americantable.org

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Re: How ‘Bacon and Eggs’ Became the American Breakfast

#91

Post by jonnathanson »

hfsktr wrote: post #81
jonnathanson wrote: post #35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Ex) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deoderant Ex) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Listerine Ex) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hallmark Ex) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ploughman%27s_lunch (UK example)

The first two are fine by me. Sadly a lot of the teens I meet (younger siblings) think that soaking themselves in Axe means they don't smell. With a history like Listerine's I'm surprised I've never come across a chain email about it [1 (the margarine section)]. [1] http://www.snopes.com/food/warnings/butter.asp

Listerine makes for a great business case study, as does the history of deodorant and antiperspirant. In both cases, these were examples of "building something people want" by way of manufacturing the "problems" the products were solving.

And yet, I still use Listerine and antiperspirant every day. Because we live in a society where these things are normal, and not using them would feel weird (and cause offense). We've been thoroughly convinced that the natural state of the human body is disgusting and offensive -- but we can't go back. It's kind of fascinating.

Re: How ‘Bacon and Eggs’ Became the American Breakfast

#92

Post by poulsbohemian »

Fuzzwah wrote: post #17

One of the most disappointing things I ran into when I moved from Australia to the US was American bacon. Oh how I miss Australian bacon: http://3hourspast.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/picture-28.png Because to me, American bacon is just the crappy bit which is attached to the awesome bit. http://www.foodsubs.com/Photos/bacon.jpg

Your "Australian" bacon looks exactly like what I get from my local butcher (which sources from local ranchers...) in Small Town USA. You might not be able to find it at the big chain supermarkets, but I bet you can find a Mom and Pop butcher somewhere near your location.

Re: How ‘Bacon and Eggs’ Became the American Breakfast

#93

Post by grecy »

debacle wrote: post #84
grecy wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm in the same boat. Keep your eyes out for "Canadian bacon". It's not identical to Aussie bacon, but it's pretty damn close, and lots of supermarkets in the US carry it (being that it's foreign, and-all) Don't get me started on what I would do for a good meat pie, sausage roll, or fish and chips. I haven't been home in 7.5 years...

Where do you live that you can't get any of those things? Sausage rolls and meat pies are winter staples where I live (in the US).

I'm in Canada, I've also lived in the US.

Trust me, the sausage rolls and meat pies in North America are a very poor imitation of the ones back in Australia.

Re: How ‘Bacon and Eggs’ Became the American Breakfast

#94

Post by gohrt »

bane wrote: post #42

A bit of hyperbole, but having married into an East Asian household and spent lots of time traveling around the world, I'm soundly convinced that a well defined breakfast meal, with its own traditions, foods and culinary style, is one of the greatest inventions of western civilization. I have to question this article because the American breakfast is pretty much just a local variant on the traditional full breakfast…

What you are actually saying is that you like the food you are accustomed to eating, and you doused your observation in a coating of provincial chauvinism.

Re: How ‘Bacon and Eggs’ Became the American Breakfast

#95

Post by bluedino »

rayiner wrote: post #89
bluedino wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>> A Bacon, egg, and cheese McMuffin has ~300 calories And aside from the sodium and cholesterol that might be a reasonable breakfast. It's no bowl of oatmeal or banana, but it's not going to make you fat. On the other hand, a sausage+egg+cheese McGriddle is going to be 500 calories, two hashbrowns is another 300, and an orange juice is going to be another 200. You've hit 1,000 calories, half your allotment for the d…

Right, but out of those 1,000 calories, the sausage, egg, and cheese is probably only 200. The vast majority of the calories in that meal comes from sugar and carbs. The maple flavoring on the McGriddle is equivalent to a strip of bacon by itself. The two hash browns are another six strips of bacon, and the orange juice is another four. Nobody would add 11 strips of bacon to their sausage, egg, and cheese sandwich, b…

>> Nobody would add 11 strips of bacon to their sausage, egg, and cheese sandwich

There are restaurants in the USA that proudly serve a full pound of bacon in a BLT.

http://www.supersizedmeals.com/food/article.php/20090129-1lb...

Re: How ‘Bacon and Eggs’ Became the American Breakfast

#96

Post by gohrt »

jonnathanson wrote: post #91
hfsktr wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The first two are fine by me. Sadly a lot of the teens I meet (younger siblings) think that soaking themselves in Axe means they don't smell. With a history like Listerine's I'm surprised I've never come across a chain email about it [1 (the margarine section)]. [1] http://www.snopes.com/food/warnings/butter.asp

Listerine makes for a great business case study, as does the history of deodorant and antiperspirant. In both cases, these were examples of "building something people want" by way of manufacturing the "problems" the products were solving. And yet, I still use Listerine and antiperspirant every day. Because we live in a society where these things are normal, and not using them would feel weird (and cause offense). We'…

That's a ridiculous claim. That's like saying that Alice Parker didn't invent a furnace, she invented feeling cold.

Listerine didn't invent bad breath, they invented a solution.

Re: How ‘Bacon and Eggs’ Became the American Breakfast

#97

Post by gohrt »

teh_klev wrote: post #22
gxs wrote: post #6

I can't remember off the top of my head, but it's amazing how many of our american "traditions" are a result of marketing. While there is nothing inherently bad about this, it definitely gives me a sense that something is not authentic when I come to learn it was the result of a marketing campaign. This bacon and eggs breakfast is just one example. Grilled cheese and tomato soup is another. Can anyone recall any othe…

"Grilled cheese and tomato soup" - at first I thought you were having a laugh. Then I googled. I like to think of myself as widely eaten (hence being widely sized), but that's a new one on me. I do vaguely remember in British "bistros" seeing soups topped with cheese (and sometimes with pastry) then salamandered until the bowl (or glazed pot as was the vogue back then) was so bloody hot it removed your fingerprints,…

You are describing how French onion soup is prepared today in the USA

Re: How ‘Bacon and Eggs’ Became the American Breakfast

#98

Post by jonnathanson »

gohrt wrote: post #96
jonnathanson wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Listerine makes for a great business case study, as does the history of deodorant and antiperspirant. In both cases, these were examples of "building something people want" by way of manufacturing the "problems" the products were solving. And yet, I still use Listerine and antiperspirant every day. Because we live in a society where these things are normal, and not using them would feel weird (and cause offense). We'…

That's a ridiculous claim. That's like saying that Alice Parker didn't invent a furnace, she invented feeling cold. Listerine didn't invent bad breath, they invented a solution.

"Listerine didn't invent bad breath, they invented a solution."

I think you're misreading me slightly. I didn't say Listerine "invented bad breath." I said, by way of linking the article, that they made "chronic halitosis" into something more than what it really was. They took what had been a relatively obscure medical condition and convinced everyone that they had it, thereby convincing consumers of a need for mouthwash that hadn't really existed before.

For the vast majority of the population, bad breath can be solved by brushing one's teeth and staying hydrated. Listerine, through an admittedly brilliant marketing campaign, convinced people that they needed to take things a step further -- that oral hygiene was somehow incomplete without mouthwash.

Re: How ‘Bacon and Eggs’ Became the American Breakfast

#99

Post by tptacek »

bluedino wrote: post #95
rayiner wrote: post #89

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Right, but out of those 1,000 calories, the sausage, egg, and cheese is probably only 200. The vast majority of the calories in that meal comes from sugar and carbs. The maple flavoring on the McGriddle is equivalent to a strip of bacon by itself. The two hash browns are another six strips of bacon, and the orange juice is another four. Nobody would add 11 strips of bacon to their sausage, egg, and cheese sandwich, b…

>> Nobody would add 11 strips of bacon to their sausage, egg, and cheese sandwich There are restaurants in the USA that proudly serve a full pound of bacon in a BLT. http://www.supersizedmeals.com/food/article.php/20090129-1lb...

Also there are unscrupulous farmers who grow pumpkins the size of small houses. My point being, let's also blame pumpkins for the obesity epidemic.
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