Do you ever randomly remember something really, really awesome you have had in the past, but can't get anymore? And then you have a craving for that thing? I know I have :). And I have done so a few times recently... So here are a few of my random cravings. And where I first tasted the wonderfulness that is them :).
ojaldras (oh-hall-drus) from the BHS cafeteria. This is basically fried bread dough. I had one when I went back to Panama in 2008. It wasn't bad. But it still wasn't what I remembered from Balboa High School's cafeteria. In 9th grade, we had a long break between our 2nd and 3rd period classes. And so pretty much every day, Sergio would go downstairs to the cafeteria before class and buy himself an ojaldra. And he would come and share it with our little group of four (which consisted of me, Michael, Sergio, and Tamarra). I can still remember the smell of ojaldras. Man oh man do I love those things...
O'Charley's Loaded Potato Soup. I know I could get this again if I had an O'Charleys somewhere in my vicinity. But I don't. So for now, it's just an unfulfilled craving. Hence the potato soup I made last week. The stuff I made was good, but not nearly as good as the O'Charleys soup is, in my opinion. That stuff is just cheese soup with potatoes floating around in it. I used to savor every single smidgen of it.
Roast Beef Sub (?) at Italian Express in Dothan. If you live in or near Dothan and have never had this, do not miss out!! Oh. My. Gosh. You get the sandwich and it comes with fries. And the only way to order it -- the only correct way to order it -- is to say: gravy on the sandwich and on the side. So that you have gravy in which to dip your french fries. Healthy? Yeah, no. Delicious? Oh you betcha. I have had this culinary wonder pop into my head a couple times recently. Next time I go to Dothan, I'm definitely hitting up Italian Express. Hopefully it's still there :). And still as good as I remember.
Corn Dog Man Corn Dog. Only from the corn dog man at the Peanut Festival. Do I usually have a craving for hot dogs? No. But this is another unhealthy, but fabulous treat. And hey, you can only get it once a year (and that's IF you live in the vicinity of the Peanut Festival -- which I do not). So you might as well. I used to go to the Peanut Festival only for the fair food. Yeah, I rode the rides. At first. Until one time I saw some of the ride people pick up a metal piece of something from under the ride we'd just finished, he looked at the piece, looked at us, shrugged his shoulders, and tossed it aside. Hmmm... Never really felt safe on those tear down, put up in a new city kind of rides after that... Hahaha.
Publix Brand Mint Chocolate Cookie frozen yogurt. One of the best discoveries I made in Tuscaloosa. Luckily, I haven't had to wait quite as long to satisfy this craving. Julie has gotten it for me every time I have gone to visit her. That stuff is so yum. And half as bad for you. So you can either enjoy half the guilt... or twice as much ;). Hahaha.
Sweetarts. Particularly the chewey variety. I just had some last week from a box of 80s candy April sent me for my 30th. And I've been craving them ever since. I have searched in 5 places so far, and have not had any luck finding anymore :(. I don't know the first time I had chewey sweetarts. But I remember one time, in 4th grade, our teacher would have like a 20 minute break during Host Nation when the Host Nation teacher would come to our class and teach us about the culture, language, etc of Panama. (Many days we played Heads up 7-Up in there... and not sure how that related to Host Nation, but...). Anyway, Ms. Freund (my teacher -- it's pronounced Friend) would allow us to bring change and she would buy us stuff from the vending machine in the teachers' lounge. I always asked for the package of the regular sweetarts. Because they lasted the longest. My mouth is puckering up just thinking about sweetarts. Anyway, I don't know when I'm going to get some big sweetarts -- chewey or otherwise -- because I can't seem to find them anywhere. Boo!
And here's something I can't crave, because I've never actually had one... But fried twinkie. I wish I would have tried that. Again, fair food. Haha.
So there are some of my unfulfilled cravings... How about you?
8 years ago
6 comments:
Italian Express is indeed still here and just as good as ever. I get the roast beef sub 1-2 times a month. I use any gravy that drips off my sandwich for my fries, but I never thought about ordering extra. I'll have to do that next time which may be this week.
I have to say, the CornDog Man corndogs aren't as good to me since the CornDog Man died. His children have continued with the booth, but something's different.
We have several Publix now, so you can get some yogurt in Dothan now.
Oh, and I'm pretty sure that Sam's Club carries the big, chewy Sweetarts. You probably don't want that many, but I wouldn't think they'd go bad very quick. Maybe you could find someone to split a box with.
Have you ever tried boiled peanuts?
You know, Heather... I think I did hear about CornDog Man dying. That's a shame the Corn Dogs aren't as marvelous... Glad to hear that about Italian Express. Now I just want to find a huge pile of money just so I can fly South and eat a roast beef sub :). And I'm so glad I gave you an idea on that gravy!! It was a must to have the extra gravy for french fry dipping :).
Jessica -- I have tried boiled peanuts. I think they are an acquired taste. Kind of like okra (also in the South) or Chinese Plums in Panama. I can eat a few of them, but then I'm done. But in the South -- especially in Dothan -- they are a very very popular item! And they are sold everywhere during peanut time... At the fair, along the road, etc. A friend gave me a can of boiled peanuts when I left Alabama. Hahaha.
the corndog man did die, and heather is right - they aren't the same. i will say, though, that we have found a good place on the midway that has good ones. the only time i'll eat a corndog ... at the fair. and the ONLY reason i go. ;)
and ... ahem ... i'm sure we can find something else for you to do when you come down south for your roast beef sub. ;)
love you!
I agree about the boiled peanuts. I tryed them once and to me they just tasted nasty. The one I tryed was a slimy peanut.
I had a roast beef sub with extra gravy on the side yesterday and thought of you while I was enjoying it.
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