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(and feel free to comment! My older posts are certainly no less relevant to the burning concerns of the day.)

Saturday, June 02, 2012

Ask A Question Get An Answer #7: Why do people like to eat things stuffed with other things?

So thanks to reader JMH for this one. "Why do people like to eat things stuffed with other things?" Right you are, JMH, to ask this question! I had to look at this a couple different ways.

1. Sometimes you need the outer part more to hold in the goodies. I call this the "goodies" theory. Examples include a souvlaki sandwich, a gyro, a stuffed pepper (arguably), a jelly-donut, a "calzone," or any other treatment where the "stuff" is "held in" by some outer item that keeps it from scattering, falling apart, or rolling around. This could be during cooking, during eating, or both. In the case of mushrooms that have been stuffed with various diced and spiced materials - delicious! Have you had these? They're easy to make and easy to eat!

2. Deviled eggs are another example. When you think it through, the white part of the hard-cooked egg itself is not very flavorful. Yet would you want to eat just spoonfuls of the filling? No, not really. Here, the contrast of the two different tastes and textures eaten together is a key to deliciousness. This I call my second theory, or "theory number 2" for lack of a more technical term. This principle comes into play any time you might have something like an olive (for instance) - which people do eat on their own! - but you stuff it with bleu cheese, or an almond, or roast garlic to add interest: "Hey! There's a little guy in here!"

Needless to say, both of these principles are often in operation at the same time. A third theory:

3. What if the outer part is just as delicious as the inner part? So that you end up with something glorious stuffed inside of something just as glorious? Can anybody think of an example? It feels like this should be the holy grail approach for all stuffed-food techniques, yet how often is it even tried?

Thanks for your question, JMH! You know what? This is one question I suspect has as many answers as there are things being stuffed into things - or people stuffing their faces with the results!

8 comments:

Mel said...

The first example that springs to mind when trying to think of something glorious stuffed inside of something just as glorious (stuffed inside of something just as glorious) is arguably the most extreme case of such a practice, indeed probably the most controversial illustration of this … the turducken. In so much as all items are as equal to the others flavour-wise. The turkey = the duck = the chicken… all working in complement with each other in some sort of almost other-worldly, slightly horrifying, what-the-fuck-is-this-creature way.

I’ve only had it (them?) once, and it was yum, but I can’t say I was entirely comfortable with the concept. It just didn’t feel… right and natural… really.

dogimo said...

See, that wouldn't work for me 100% because I'm way bigger a duck booster than a chicken or turkey aficionado. So for me, it's something merely delicious stuffed inside something awesome stuffed inside something merely delicious. Still, I do see what you're getting at there, Mel - and thank you for the example. I was stuck for a good one.

I'd be curious to see them get a goose involved.

VEG said...

The way I see it is, we're a consumer society full of people who can never have enough. Big enough, expensive enough, rich enough, the best. Therefore, no food is enough on its own. I mean duh! Stuff it full of other foods and maybe even foods that are themselves, stuffed with a third food and so on forever till something explodes....

And hey there Mel!

dogimo said...

Perfect example for your point, Veg: the scotch egg.

Mel said...

Oh hai Veg!

Yes, a goose! capital idea.

AND BACON STRIPS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDX0fjcF70I

I didn't make it the full 15 mins but it certainly felt like it was going to go on forever so I'm hoping something does explode at the end. It kinds feels like it will...

VEG said...

Dudes, I used to LOVE Scotch eggs as a kid. That's what happens when you grow up in the country they're named for. Except, they don't have Scotch in them, because Scotch is whisky (without the 'e'). See? But Scottish Eggs is wrong because those would just be...well....eggs. Scotch eggs taste fucking awesome. But as a vegetarian sort I don't partake.

Now to watch Mel's video and it better not be the poor, dead Trololo guy...

JMH said...

Excellent analysis! It will most certainly influence my dinner choice tonight.

dogimo said...

Please do report on it!

Do you do dinner reviews on your blog? Could be a new recurring feature, there. I mean, dinner is a regular event - and occasionally, remarkable!