So I'm watching a program entitled L'Objet du Scandale, an emission done in the "Politically Incorrect" round-table format where several highly opinionated arguers tear something apart for an hour. Today it's the hamburger, and whether it's a "gastronomical scandal." I n
ever knew people's hair could catch on fire while yelling about hamburgers! As the ultimate symbol of American commercialism, globalization, and the Great Anti-Appellation, the Hamburger Debate centered around a) the decline of general national health because of the "hamburgerisation of the world," and b) why the ultimate descendant of the raw beef discs of Ghengis Khan has replaced the traditional Sandwich Jambon Buerre in popularity in France. (Keep in mind that here, the traditional family farm system is fighting extinction against the insecticide, bovine growth hormone-user corporations of the world.)
ever knew people's hair could catch on fire while yelling about hamburgers! As the ultimate symbol of American commercialism, globalization, and the Great Anti-Appellation, the Hamburger Debate centered around a) the decline of general national health because of the "hamburgerisation of the world," and b) why the ultimate descendant of the raw beef discs of Ghengis Khan has replaced the traditional Sandwich Jambon Buerre in popularity in France. (Keep in mind that here, the traditional family farm system is fighting extinction against the insecticide, bovine growth hormone-user corporations of the world.) Actually, there were many interesting arguments. One person said that in California they make truly delicious hamburgers (well duh,) and made with fresh, organic ingredients, hamburgers can be very nutritious. Veggies, proteins, grains, dairy, they're all in there. (They're not talking about that, though - they're talking about McDonald's and Burger King.) Anoth
er pointed out that hamburgers are faster and easier to eat than Sandwich Jambon Buerre - which, by the way, is the most common sandwich you can find in France. A baguette with butter and ham, wrapped in a piece of waxed paper for easy-carry. Voila, there you go. A couple people blamed the poor hamburger alone for the sad health and obesity of the Americans - seeming to ignore that the French themselves are gross consumers of vast amounts of tobacco, alcohol, coffee, sweets, marijuana, cheese, and raw beef. And, more interestingly to me, an art historian and a politician, discussed the more cultural and economic implications of the fact the quarter-pounder (or Royale Cheese if you will) has taken over France. The younger generation just doesn't care about appellation or the small farmer as much. FRANCE. IS. CHANGING!!!! AAAAH REVOLUTION!
er pointed out that hamburgers are faster and easier to eat than Sandwich Jambon Buerre - which, by the way, is the most common sandwich you can find in France. A baguette with butter and ham, wrapped in a piece of waxed paper for easy-carry. Voila, there you go. A couple people blamed the poor hamburger alone for the sad health and obesity of the Americans - seeming to ignore that the French themselves are gross consumers of vast amounts of tobacco, alcohol, coffee, sweets, marijuana, cheese, and raw beef. And, more interestingly to me, an art historian and a politician, discussed the more cultural and economic implications of the fact the quarter-pounder (or Royale Cheese if you will) has taken over France. The younger generation just doesn't care about appellation or the small farmer as much. FRANCE. IS. CHANGING!!!! AAAAH REVOLUTION! Frankly, my 2-centimes opinion is: People - doesn't matter who or what nationality - have poor health (outside genetic or other "can't be helped" reasons) because they're haphazard about their food intake for caloric or nutritional content. They don't exercise. They don't wear sunblock. Their mouths are trained to the Applebee's palette. They think fad diets and pills work. They blog too much about French television.
And, hamburgers have surpassed the sandwich jambon buerre in popularity because they're delicious, and the SJB is boring.
1 comment:
The great thing about the sandwich jambon buerre is that it's almost impossible to screw up. And it doesn't need 200 extra calories of catsup and cheese and relish. Fresh baguette=good. Butter=good. Ham=good. What's not to love?
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