Food, Fast and Slow

Last week, I spent 48 hours touring the Fast Food belts of Greenville and Spartanburg, South Carolina. While the small Southern cities are beautiful excerpts of America, quaintly nestled under the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, I spent most of my time getting to know strips of the South that looked a lot like their counterparts up North: landscapes, congested with fuel stations and more quick service food choices than ever.

I was there to scope out my Burger and current project at work. The sandwich, boasting preservative free, fresh toppings is being tested in two regions to find out if it merits national launch next year. On my visit to region #1, I ordered, investigated, tasted, and photographed the Burger dozens of times. I cross referenced a thick corridor of competition. And I watched customers in action - how they ordered, paid, ate, and went on their frenzied way.

Just when I thought I couldn't look at or taste another burger, I found myself calling Peter and asking him to pick up some ground beef at the Elburn Meat Market on his way home. I wanted to try something. I wondered how much better a Burger could taste in slow motion - when I wasn't in a hurry; when the job was done.

Theory confirmed. The best Burger I had all week.

The weekend progressed in a similar manner: I continued studying food, fast and slow, focusing on paced preparation while reflecting on the haste my restaurant group is known for. It was a weekend where I didn't feel the need to hurry. Sure, there was stuff to do - closets to organize, floors to clean, beds to weed, errands to run - but I kept turning a blind eye to my chores. This weekend was about the pool, bike rides, long runs, good books, bubbles, pin wheels, folks, fun, and really good food. 

It all worked because I was serving customers in a similar mindset. They had time, so the food could go as slow as I wanted it.

In contrast, last week I witnessed hundreds of people that had big, hard jobs to do - construction, road work, landscaping, hair styling, nursing, teaching, studying, and parenting. I saw people who had a couple minutes and couple dollars to spare. And I saw them trade in their time and treasure for meals that produced a whole lot of satisfied smiles.

There's no doubt that food tends to taste better on holiday weekends - when life hands you time to spare. But when the weekend ends and America starts its engine again, the nation's workforce can count on the consistent quality, value, speed of service, and perfect French Fries available under the Golden Arches.    

Lo.

Grilled Zucchini Caprese Salad

Ingredients: 
3 medium zucchinis, thinly sliced length wise
Olive oil
Red wine vinegar
Fresh Mozzarella, thinly sliced
Two big leaves of Basil, chopped
Salt, pepper

Directions: 
Drizzle olive oil over zucchini. Season with salt and pepper. Grill over charcoal until tender and starting to char. Let cool.

On a small platter, layer grilled zucchini with mozzarella. Drizzle olive oil and red wine vinegar over the platter. Sprinkle with basil and finish seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.