New York Pushes for Salt Reduction in Restaurant, Packaged Food (Rush was right)

Business Week ^ | January 11, 2000 | Shannon Pettypiece

[Publius6961]

When salt becomes a mandatory controlled substance, with people required to have prescriptions, I see tens of millions of people who have no adverse effects from unlimited salt, going postal ---- justifiably so.

Governement by Least Common Denominator may be the final straw.

[Publius6961]

I like salt...So do I, and my blood pressure is on the low side of normal. If worse comes to worse, I will smuggle salt into the restaurant.

Fortunately, the US and Canada have several tens of thousands years' worth of supply.

So no border issues are invoved.

I visualize the Salt Gestapo having checkpoints on all the Interstates and inspecting all the double-trailer rigs traveling our highways.

I also visualize the Mafia outsmarting them every time; they can disguise the loads as Venezuelan cocaine...

[Publius6961]

Don’t you know that Shakers of Salt are the gateway to wasting away again in Margaritaville?

Great point!
I never thought of that.

Obviously it makes no sense to outlaw salt before outlawing Margarita Mix.

Just sayin...

[Publius6961]

If they want to save salt they can quit spreading it on roads!

You wanker!

This isn't about saving salt.

Pay attention.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

You forgot to add trans fat free. It’s the law.

[Publius6961]

I regularly add salt to canned soup.
Depending on my mood that day.

Who'dathought? We've come full circle. As in the 2nd cetury, salt will be worth its weight in gold!

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

Ha - so I did. And don’t they have to list the ingredients and breakdown on the menus there?

[Publius6961]

You forgot to add trans fat free. It’s the law.

Thank you for allowing the perfect Segue!

For years I have wondered what made the original McDonalds french fries taste so good. Last week I finally decided to find out. After much searching, discovered (most?) of the secret.

--Use fresh large potatoes.
Am I the only one who always gets the crap at the bottom of the basket every time?
-- Use the original deep frier liquid -- 93% tallow (beef fat), 7% corn oil.
-- Sprinkle liberally with salt.

Got a deep fryer for christmas.
How big a batch should I make?

: ) __

[IamConservative]

I can see the FDA regulating the contents of packaged food. We wouldn’t want arsenic in our peas. Botulism in our beans. Melamine in our baby formula, etc.

Limiting trans fats and sodium in packaged food seems reasonable.

I don’t think the reach should extend to your dinner table though, whether in a restaurant or at home.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Once read Ray Kroc's ( The founder of McDs ) biography. He also mentioned that the much flavor of the fries had to do with how the potatoes are stored.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

I’m told that the brown junk at the bottom of the fryer is starch. We used to peel, clean, slice, then soak the fries in cold water ( adding some ice ) for at least a half hour before cooking. It greatly reduced the starch and gave us fries closer to Mcds. There may be better ways to do this on the web.

[goat granny]

If you make your own french fries, mcdonalds taste like cardboard...its an old art...most kids now a days don’t know what a great french fry taste like....

[Cacique]

Two thousand years ago when men were slaves they ate one meal year round, porridge or whatever was common that culture. Now we are coming full circle, in our socialist future I foresee a national meal formulated in a lab that we will all have to eat every day for the rest of our lives because we will be told it’s good for us.

[mom aka the evil dictator]

If you are making real french fries, you had better be cooking up a storm. I can’t stand the soggy, cold things they call french fries these days. Give me a hot, crisp, salty batch of fries anyday! And you can keep the ketchup. How many trucks of potatoes should I bring?

[VermiciousKnid]

The same way they’ve determined that second-hand fat is bad for others.

Have you see the TV spot where the camera is tight on a bag of chips, a hero sandwich and a bottle of soda? Well, that’s how it starts, and you hear a little kid saying, “Come on, Mommy! Come out and play with me,” while the camera pans out and around. The kid keeps calling Mommy and finally the camera comes to rest on a morbidly obese woman (think “Gilbert Grape” big), who is sitting on the couch amongst the pile of junk food.

You hear the door slam in the background, and suddenly, there is the little girl, out of breath from running and playing, pigtails all askew. “Come ON, Mommy! It’s such a nice day outside!”

Close up on the mother: “I’m sorry, honey. Mommy doesn’t feel good today. Maybe I can play with you tomorrow, OK?”

Close up on the kid, who now has tears in her eyes and looks absolutely heartbroken. “OK Mommy. I hope you feel better tomorrow.”

Fade to black, and then...
“Obesity doesn’t just hurt you. If you don’t do it for yourself...do it for the kids.”

I’m sure they can think of something similar for salt. After all, they’ve had lots of practice softening up the populace for just such a thing.

Regards,