You are What you Eat

A few years back, during my last stay in deepest Arkansas, I bought some fast food to keep me going whilst helping on my friend Jason’s propane route. We stopped off in downtown Ozark at the gas station, just down the street from the Oxford Hotel, which having been to Oxford I can tell you it looks nothing like that, and opposite where the Hardees burger joint used to be, and almost next door to the oddest commercial venture I know of.
I can’t remember the name, but it’s a frozen food store that also offers tanning. Yeah, that’s right, tanning. What on earth made them think of that gap in the market? Thinking of buying shrimp? Think that their pinkness will make you look pasty? Well, have 10 minutes in the tanner, and then you will be right1 remember to take the turkey baster in with you to get that all over golden tan!

Anyway, back to the fast food; something called Hot Stuff Foods XXL Taquitos; Spicy Nacho Beef . I kept the wrapper and lost it, and it wasn’t until I was about to throw out Bill Maher’s New Rules that it fell out; The ingredients list. I mean, it should be simple; some beef, a tortilla, some veggies and bam! Thank you mister.

But, the list goes on and on. And then some.

Here it is: Enriched bleached wheat flour (flour, niacin, reduced iron, thiamine mononirate, riboflavin, folic acid), water, tortilla flour blend (salt, baking powder, sodium bicarbonate, cornstarch, sodium aluminium sulphate, monocalcium phosphate), sodium stearoyl, lactylate, sodium metabisulfite (dough conditioner), modified cornstarch, cheddar cheese (pasteurised milk, salt, enzymes, annatto (color), seasoned beef topping (cooked beef, water, dehydrated onion, salt, chilli pepper, spices, sugar, sodium phosphate, garlic), partially hydrogenated soybean oil, batter mix (yellow corn flour, bleached wheat flour, spices, salt, paprika, jalapeno pepper, leavening (sodium acid, pyrophosphate, sodium bicarbonate) natural flavour(!), guar gum, oleoresin paprika, turmeric), beans, jalapeno pepper (jalapenos, salt, acetic acid, calcium, chloride) tortilla flour blend (salt, baking powder (sodium bicarbonate, cornstarch, sodium aluminium sulphate, monocalcium phosphate), sodium stearoyl, sodium metabisulfate (dough conditioners), chilli pepper, modified cornstarch, salt, spices, garlic, chilli flavour (canola oil, partially hydrogenated soybean oil, natural flavours).

Needless to say I had quite severe heartburn after that. Not that food is any less modified here in Britain, but I do like to know what I eat, even if I do eat too much still, I know what is in my food.

Enjoy your lunch!