Molding clay with The Beatles

 

The Beatles documentary has been really interesting so far.  It reveals how these millionaires worked through a creative process that, with the exception of Paul McCartney, was far from genius.  They’re throwing paint on a wall, looking at it, playing with it.  Molding clay without always knowing what they’re trying to make when they start.  It’s amazing to think that even these icons were just playing around like a garage band, occasionally frustrated at not knowing how to achieve a sound or overcome an obstacle.  That’s the good stuff.  That’s where the artist kicks in.  Anyone can play a few chords or write a few lines of a song.  But when you’re willing to sit in that frustration and creatively solve the problem/obstacle, you’re able to make a piece of art that’s worth appreciating.

Taco Bell Theory

"Whatchu missin' on?" the cashier asked the Uber Eats driver waiting to fulfill the rest of his delivery's order. Under my mask, cheek muscles pulled my mouth into a tiny, amused smile. What it must be like to hear something like that when English isn't your first language! It only took a second to finish the order and I was next.

"What can I get you?"

"Hi. Can I get a Baja Gordita, a Crunchwrap Supreme, and a burrito Supreme?" Only after I heard my personal lunch order said out loud did I consider it's ridiculousness.

"That's one Cheesy Gordita Crunch, one Crunchwrap Supreme, and one burrito Supreme?"

"...Yup!" There was a split second that my mind noted that my order hadn't been taken correctly, but even quicker was the realization that it didn't matter.  Really, the entire Taco Bell menu is just permutations of the same seasoned beef goo, shredded lettuce and cheese, flavored/unflavored sour cream sauce, and hard or soft tortilla shells. I wondered if the cashier purposefully repeated my order

incorrectly, as if to test the system. As if she wasn't able to outright tell me that I had basically ordered the same thing, folded three different ways...

 

"Well, congratulations, you got the job!"

"Oh, thank you."

"Now listen. You're about to see the behind the scenes of how everything is made here at Taco Bell and how dreadfully similar all of our products are. And it's the main rule that you don't point this out to the customer! If you do, you will be fired."

 

...and now, instead of pointing out how dumb my order (and any/every order at Taco Bell), she was just testing to see if it even registered for people. Or, maybe all Taco Bell's customers know what they're ordering is all the same shit in different shapes...

I told this story to Katy, asking her what Taco Bell can teach us about the way we're willing to eat food. Her reply nailed it.

"Food is about texture almost as much as it is about flavor. So if the textures are different, the food can be pretty different!"

I've never given texture that much credit before, but she's right. And it's been really interesting now considering cooking from a textures point of view rather than a flavors point of view. When you really gush about food, the texture is so often the part that is highlighted. "That steak was like butter." "You know why Philly has such good sandwiches? Good bread. Sarcone's? The best!"

Crispy skin on fatty pork belly.

Hands down, Ben & Jerry's has the best 'stuff to ice cream ratio.

The pasta was cooked perfectly al dente.

See? Sure, I have my favorite flavors, and it's fun when a flavor is done correctly, but cooking for texture seems more interesting. I've never thought about this as a way to make food, but I'm curious. I think it could quickly step into fancy food art that looks nice, but hard to eat. Or delicate sweet

potato foam isn't actually satiating. With more time now dedicated to prepping and

cooking food, I wonder if that tangent could help when thinking of new things for

the menu.