see below
How does this country manage to mangle its food so? Today's lunch was an especially appalling example - starving, stopping at a chain restaurant off the interstate which I was assured by my travelling companions was 'pretty alright' (though I thought it looked terrible) for 'Italian' food bearing so little resemblance to anything coming from Italy and tasting disgusting into the bargain.
Breadsticks: just so you guys at Olive Garden know, breadsticks are crisp and crunchy, and long and thin, not doughy, soft, lightly elongated versions of hotdog rolls covered in a slick of not-olive oil and salt. 'Italian dressing': what the hell is that about? No salad dressing in Italy has dried flakes of oregano and basil in it, or whatever weird stuff they put in there to make it semi-creamy. And no salad in Italy contains jalapeno peppers, grated cheese, croutons, shredded carrot or iceberg lettuce. Bruschetta does not come as a do-it-yourself plate of toast and minutely chopped, slightly dessicated tomato covered in balsamic vinegar, NO OLIVE OIL, and more of those wretched flakes of dried oregano. It's meant to be a heavenly conconction drizzled in peppery oil, soaking into the toast, juicy and luscious. And I didn't think that it was possible to overcook pasta so much, and to pair it with totally raw diced green pepper and more of the desiccated tomato, slathered with some glutinous MSG sauce.
Probably the most depressing meal I've had in America so far. Remind me never to trust my travelling companions food tips, and proudly be the food fascist I normally am.
Breadsticks: just so you guys at Olive Garden know, breadsticks are crisp and crunchy, and long and thin, not doughy, soft, lightly elongated versions of hotdog rolls covered in a slick of not-olive oil and salt. 'Italian dressing': what the hell is that about? No salad dressing in Italy has dried flakes of oregano and basil in it, or whatever weird stuff they put in there to make it semi-creamy. And no salad in Italy contains jalapeno peppers, grated cheese, croutons, shredded carrot or iceberg lettuce. Bruschetta does not come as a do-it-yourself plate of toast and minutely chopped, slightly dessicated tomato covered in balsamic vinegar, NO OLIVE OIL, and more of those wretched flakes of dried oregano. It's meant to be a heavenly conconction drizzled in peppery oil, soaking into the toast, juicy and luscious. And I didn't think that it was possible to overcook pasta so much, and to pair it with totally raw diced green pepper and more of the desiccated tomato, slathered with some glutinous MSG sauce.
Probably the most depressing meal I've had in America so far. Remind me never to trust my travelling companions food tips, and proudly be the food fascist I normally am.
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