Eating in the Midwest

[KeithTalent]

So I was in a small town called Chesterfield, which is about 40 minutes outside of St. Louis. I never really got a chance to hit St. Louis proper, aside from the airport, due to having to help out with some wedding stuff, so all of my experiences were confined to this small part of Missouri.

Anyway, I did end up eating at a few different establishments while I was in Chesterfield/Wentzville and I saw this very strange phenomenon in all of them.

When the food was delivered (huge portions by the way, quite ridiculous) the diner would take their fork and knife and cut everything into pieces, then flip it over and cut it some more, essentially mixing all of the different foods together into some sort of hybrid slop/stew thing in the process. At the end of about 3 run-throughs of cutting, they would drop the knife and start shoveling the food into their gaping maws until it was all done. The entire thing from receiving the food, to asking for the bill, typically took about 10 minutes. It was a disgusting display. I saw it only twice at dinner, but about five or six times at breakfast.

So my question is, did I witness something that is unique to this particular part of the world, or did I just happen to see a small group of freaks (at different restaurants mind you) that like to eat something akin to baby food? I've never seen anything like that anywhere else, so I need to know if anyone else has seen it. Why don't they just get their food in a trough, it would probably be a few minutes faster that way.

KT

 

[KillerCharlie]

No, that's pretty stupid, but it's Missouri so I'm not surprised.

 

[andylawcc]

i lived in Marshfield (20 minutes east of Springfield) for almost a year and I've never seen this before.

 

[dainthomas]

You should try the upper midwest. No cutting needed because everything is tossed in a dish with cream-of-something soup and baked for an hour at 350. Most meals are easily consumed with only a spoon.

 

[Ns1]

WTF

 

[vi edit]

I live in central IL which isn't that far away and that's not really something I've witnessed. Maybe on some meals, yeah. Like thanksgiving for example I'll chunk up my turkey and toss some stuffing + mashed potatoes over it and then slather it in gravy making for something like you described. But that's really the only meal I do that for.

Of course last night I had a "Que Shoe" which consisted of a piece of Texas toast covered in half a pound of BBQ slathered pulled pork, with that covered with french fries, and then the whole thing covered in melted cheese. But it was a "Texas Style" bbq shack so I blame Texas for that sinful plate of heaven.

 

[m1ldslide1]

My folks are both from MO and so I spent summers there growing up. I have never witnessed this phenomenon you describe, so I think it's probably limited.

I did however witness that in rural MO and OK you have to order your fast food at a much slower pace. I had the following exchange 3 or 4 times on my last road trip through there as a teenager, and my order ALWAYS came out wrong:

Me: "Bacon cheeseburger meal with no onions, and a sprite"
Them: ".... what?"
Me: "Um, bacon cheeseburger meal without onions and a sprite?"
Them: ... *blink some, then punch something into the register*

Apparently northwesterners talk too fast. I'll admit I don't pause in between words when ordering ff, but come on now people.

 

[KeithTalent]

Originally posted by: dainthomas
You should try the upper midwest. No cutting needed because everything is tossed in a dish with cream-of-something soup and baked for an hour at 350. Most meals are easily consumed with only a spoon.

Well that sounds disgusting too.

KT

 

[KeithTalent]

Originally posted by: vi edit
I live in central IL which isn't that far away and that's not really something I've witnessed. Maybe on some meals, yeah. Like thanksgiving for example I'll chunk up my turkey and toss some stuffing + mashed potatoes over it and then slather it in gravy making for something like you described. But that's really the only meal I do that for.

Of course last night I had a "Que Shoe" which consisted of a piece of Texas toast covered in half a pound of BBQ slathered pulled pork, with that covered with french fries, and then the whole thing covered in melted cheese. But it was a "Texas Style" bbq shack so I blame Texas for that sinful plate of heaven.

Whoa, damn. I could see myself consuming that with a side of Lipitor. Seriously though, it sounds good.

KT

 

[Juddog]

Originally posted by: vi edit
Of course last night I had a "Que Shoe" which consisted of a piece of Texas toast covered in half a pound of BBQ slathered pulled pork, with that covered with french fries, and then the whole thing covered in melted cheese. But it was a "Texas Style" bbq shack so I blame Texas for that sinful plate of heaven.

People actually eat like that?
:Q

 

[nakedfrog]

I've lived in Nebraska for the last ten years and I've got to say you were in Freaktown. Those were most likely pod people who, while able to pass as human in most respects, have not mastered some of the finer parts of societal norms.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Midwest born and bred and this definitely isn't normal behaviour. People normally just cut each bite as it's eaten, just like everywhere else.

ZV

 

[TallBill]

Sounds great, I love the huge portions as well.

 

[Saint Nick]

I'm in Nebraska as well and have never, ever heard of this. I've also been to most of the midwest and haven't seen this. lol. The portions are very large here, yes.

ñ

 

[ViviTheMage]

first I have heard or seen that....but I live in Minnesota.

 

[lizardboy]

Originally posted by: vi edit
I live in central IL which isn't that far away and that's not really something I've witnessed. Maybe on some meals, yeah. Like thanksgiving for example I'll chunk up my turkey and toss some stuffing + mashed potatoes over it and then slather it in gravy making for something like you described. But that's really the only meal I do that for.

Of course last night I had a "Que Shoe" which consisted of a piece of Texas toast covered in half a pound of BBQ slathered pulled pork, with that covered with french fries, and then the whole thing covered in melted cheese. But it was a "Texas Style" bbq shack so I blame Texas for that sinful plate of heaven.

<--- Native Texan. That ain't the way we eat BBQ down here. I'm sure your "Texas BBQ" is about as authentic as our Mexican food (which has finally been re-classified as "Tex-Mex" in recent years).

 

[SnipeMasterJ13]

Originally posted by: KeithTalent

Originally posted by: dainthomas
You should try the upper midwest. No cutting needed because everything is tossed in a dish with cream-of-something soup and baked for an hour at 350. Most meals are easily consumed with only a spoon.

Well that sounds disgusting too.

KT

Not necessarily. Tater Tot Hotdish is delicious. Make fun of me all you want for it, it's damn good.

 

[ggnl]

Originally posted by: Juddog

Originally posted by: vi edit
Of course last night I had a "Que Shoe" which consisted of a piece of Texas toast covered in half a pound of BBQ slathered pulled pork, with that covered with french fries, and then the whole thing covered in melted cheese. But it was a "Texas Style" bbq shack so I blame Texas for that sinful plate of heaven.

People actually eat like that?
:Q

As a proud Texan, I fail to see the problem here.

 

[KeithTalent]

Well I guess I was in pod country then. I wish I had a video camera on my phone so I could have recorded it. We were shocked and dismayed by the whole thing.

KT

 

[Gooberlx2]

Meh, I'm sure there are some things that you love to mix together and eat.

I loooove mixing turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy and peas/corn/carrots together for an ultimate Thanksgiving slop.

Actually, since you mentioned you saw it more with breakfast, I think that's fairly common. I know a number of people who'll happily mix together hash browns, eggs, ham/bacon and ketchup/tobasco together at a restaurant.

 

[Ns1]

Originally posted by: ggnl

Originally posted by: Juddog

Originally posted by: vi edit
Of course last night I had a "Que Shoe" which consisted of a piece of Texas toast covered in half a pound of BBQ slathered pulled pork, with that covered with french fries, and then the whole thing covered in melted cheese. But it was a "Texas Style" bbq shack so I blame Texas for that sinful plate of heaven.

People actually eat like that?
:Q

As a proud Texan, I fail to see the problem here.

About 2 thousand extra calories and a few hundred grams of fat.

I think it's fine with just the pulled pork. On fries? with cheese? WTF mate.

 

[Feldenak]

I'll do it with breakfast. A couple of over easy eggs and mix the runny yolk into my potatos (hashbrowns or home fries) into something resembling an egg & potato "gloop" and eat that with toast. Yummy.

 

[hanoverphist]

im amused that you spent so much time analyzing your fellow diners eating habits. you sound fun to hang with. if i had noticed it at all, id probably be amused by it, but not shocked and dismayed that someone acted/ ate differently than i do. drop it down a couple notches there, sparky.

 

[nanette1985]

Originally posted by: Feldenak
I'll do it with breakfast. A couple of over easy eggs and mix the runny yolk into my potatos (hashbrowns or home fries) into something resembling an egg & potato "gloop" and eat that with toast. Yummy.

Me too, but I'd never do it in public. I'm also from the midwest and that's something I was taught was poor manners. Mind you, I do a lot of things that are "poor manners" so go right ahead and eat that way - I won't object.

 

[KeithTalent]

Originally posted by: hanoverphist
im amused that you spent so much time analyzing your fellow diners eating habits. you sound fun to hang with. if i had noticed it at all, id probably be amused by it, but not shocked and dismayed that someone acted/ ate differently than i do. drop it down a couple notches there, sparky.

It was pretty hard not to notice, I could hear the fast-paced *scrape clink clink* of the cutlery going mad on the plate. Once I looked over I couldn't help but watch. Besides, i was with my Mother and we had run out of things to talk about probably 5 days prior.

Yes, I did see it more with breakfast, but the majority of the time pancakes were involved. So it was usually pancakes, eggs, bacon, sausage, and hash browns, all being chopped up together with some syrup and butter. Looked freaking disgusting to me.

KT