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Monday 13 April 2020

Poetry Monday: My Favourite Lunch . . . and Funnies

It's Poetry Monday, and this week's topic is ..... MY FAVOURITE LUNCH.

I think we can all come up with a few thoughts on this topic -- we all have to eat and why not ruminate pleasantly on some of our favourite foods once in awhile?

Join Diane, MotherOwl, Mimi and me as we whip up our choicest poetic offerings on this topic. You can leave your poem in the comments, or post on your own blog. If you do the latter, please leave a comment so we can find you and drool over your words.

Use the topic, or choose another. The idea is to work our brains and have fun.

*****

Long, long ago, when I was in my late teens and attending university, I spent one summer break working at a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant. First I learned how to bread the chicken and how to arrange it neatly to drain after deep-frying, then moved on to making fries and assembling orders, then to making coleslaw in a gigantic food chopper, then to working the cash. It was a fine education, my boss and co-workers were excellent to work with, and I remember that four months of my life quite fondly.

Staff were permitted to buy meals at half-price so I bet you think I'm going to say that my favourite lunch is KFC, right?

Nope. In all those four months I might have had chicken three or four times. I did, however, buy a tiny tub of Dixie coleslaw and a can of root beer every day to accompany my tuna/mayo sandwich brought from home.

And that's my favourite lunch -- then and now -- even though the coleslaw no longer tastes like it used to and my root beer is now sugar-free.

We people are odd, are we not? Of all the possibilities there are for lunch, and even though I ate this combination for months on end, I still like it a lot.

*****

Could Have Saved More If I'd Ditched The Coleslaw And Root Beer Though

There was a young lady (that's me!)
Who packed chicken orders with glee
A bucket or snack pack
Whacked into a paper sack
With a smile as she took your mon-ey

But the young lady student was cheap
And rarely did KFC eat
She opted instead
For tuna mayo on bread
And financial surpluses did reap :)


Not my actual place of work, but all these restaurants look the same, don't they?

(Source: Pixabay)



*****

And now for some food-related funnies. (Source: icanhas.cheezburger.com)






Dear Son: If you're reading, this one's for you :)

 



































 *****

Do you have KFC in your part of the world?


And what's YOUR favourite lunch? I hope you get to enjoy it soon.

Next week's topic will be .... YOUR FAVOURITE SNACK.

Mmm ... and good luck :)




50 comments:

The Happy Whisk said...

That was fantastic I smiled reading all of those cartoons and you got a real laugh out of me with the last one. I'm sending it to my mom tomorrow. She will laugh, too.

I also enjoyed your writing and how you turned it into a poem. That was so fun!

Me .. lunch? Honestly, I go through phases right now I eat soup almost each day for breakfast/lunch. Usually with lentils because I currently have two-ga-gil-mil-zil-ons of lentils.

Thanks for the fun post. Catch you in the next one.

dinthebeast said...

I like your poem. My sister worked at a KFC while she was going to Humboldt State, but she slipped on the greasy floor and hurt her back and had to drop her classes.
Which is how she decided to apply to UC Berkeley instead.
We lived right next to a KFC on 28th street in Oakland for a year, and as we were poor, I developed a taste for the barbecue chicken sandwich they used to sell for a dollar.
And the potato wedges.
Having worked at a restaurant that had a Henny Penny, which is the same kind of pressure deep fryer KFC uses, I knew how they must make those sandwiches, and I used to keep a bottle of decent barbecue sauce in the fridge so I could hand-shred the last meat from our rotisserie chickens, mix it in a bowl with some sauce, microwave it, and serve it on a bun. Or an english muffin would work.
My favorite lunch, though, was the tacos our neighbor in Richmond used to make and sell under a portable awning in their driveway.
A handful of beef, chicken, or pork, cooked on a portable grill and chopped with a cleaver, on a warmed flour tortilla, with some cilantro, purple cabbage, and a ladle of either red or green sauce.
For a buck.
We talked them into keeping a tip jar, and eventually they raised their prices to a buck fifty.
After we moved to Rohnert Park, whenever we had to go to the East Bay we would stare longingly at the exit that led back to our old neighbor's house when we passed, but you never knew when they would be serving, so we never managed to catch them open on any of our trips to the doctor or the mechanic.
These days I feed Briana and myself a lot of turkey or tuna sandwiches for lunch. We tend to like some mustard, mayo, and horseradish on ours.
I hope you and yours are faring well in the apocalypse, we seem to be OK so far.

-Doug in Sugar Pine

kylie said...

oh gosh, my wi-fi dropped just as i finished the longest comment ever!

as the queen of variety my fave lunch is most likely the one i just ate (unless I'm eating something before it goes off)
Today was veggie gyoza and ginger ice cream. Covid eating, you understand.

The kitteh memes express my feelings on food :)

Bonnie said...

Yes we do have KFC here and their coleslaw is my favorite! I enjoyed your poem! You always have the best funnies - love them all! Thank you!

River said...

We do have KFC here and I haven't bought any since they discontinued the BBQ Family Chicken Pack last century. For a while after that we had Red Rooster, but that's gone now and I think only still available interstate. I usually just have a sandwich for lunch with whatever filling seems easiest at the time.

Elephant's Child said...

We do have KFC. I think I might have even eaten it once or twice.
My favourite lunch? Cheese and tomato sammich on a sourdough bread roll.
I did like the funnies too. Jazz frequently tells us he is STARVING. When the food arrives he says 'but not for that'.

Anonymous said...

Poem needs more work but not bad. It is funny how pets hunger for human food. One dog we know is always enticed by the smell of human food, but won't actually eat human food.

Steve Reed said...

No doubt you are far healthier than you would be if you were eating KFC every day! I worked at McDonald's for a year in high school and ate burgers and nuggets every time I worked. I bet my blood vessels are still scarred.

Marie Smith said...

I would rather a homemade sandwich and a thermos of tea at a picnic than anything, including KFC. Tuna sandwiches are delicious, with pickles of course.

Just add a mug of tea
With a sandwich, you see.
And have a nice picnic for
Himself and me.

Charlotte (MotherOwl) said...

Nice poem. KFC has arived in Denmark, but I have yet to try it, as we live far avay from big cities, and don't eat out much.

LL Cool Joe said...

We do have KFC in the UK although I haven't been to one for years. I like a Ploughman's lunch sandwich or BLT, but I rarely eat a proper lunch nowadays.

jenny_o said...

Thanks, Ivy, and I hope your mom enjoys that one.

Soup makes a great lunch!

jenny_o said...

This is a delicious comment!! You've conjured up all kinds of tasty visions in my head.

We are okay so far, too. Is Zsuzs feeling better now? It's so scary to feel even a bit off in these times.

jenny_o said...

I had to look up gyoza - they look really good!

Yep, the kittehs speak for me also :)

jenny_o said...

I'm happy to share the smiles, Bonnie - I only wish I was as creative as the folks who make them up!

jenny_o said...

"Last century" - hah! Isn't it funny that we can say that with complete accuracy :)

I usually do the same for lunch. We don't often have coleslaw in the fridge so the tuna sandwich doesn't get made very often.

Cherie said...

My all time favourite take out is KFC. I know it's salty and greasy and probably not the healthiest choice but ohhhhhh so yummy.

Now would my choice be chips with gammon
Or would I much prefer smoked salmon
What about a tuna bake
Or would the naughty me choose cake
If I could choose one thing for tea
My food of choice is KFC

And I can't wait for them to open again. I will have the biggest portion on sale

jenny_o said...

That sounds like a delicious sandwich, EC. Some flavours just go so well together.

A cat being picky? Really?? Hah! If you can, without endangering life and limb, please give him a scritch from me.

jenny_o said...

You're right, Andrew - I wasn't overly happy with the rough spots in this poem's meter.

That's odd about the dog; they have a reputation for eating anything that's going!

jenny_o said...

Reminds me of that guy who ate fast food for a year and did the documentary on it. It's really frightening how his health changed for the worse.

jenny_o said...

I agree, Marie! Homemade sandwiches suit me just fine too. Thank you for the lovely verse!

jenny_o said...

Most (maybe all) of KFC chicken has a lot of fat in it - beware. It's delicious but not healthy!

We rarely eat out either, and with current conditions, "rarely" has become "never". I don't know how folks who eat out a lot are faring now.

jenny_o said...

I had to look up Ploughman's lunch as that's not a term I knew - looks like something I'd enjoy too. Good basic food - delicious.

jenny_o said...

Ha Ha! It really is tasty, isn't it? We have it perhaps once a year or less because I don't tolerate it well but it's worth it :)

jenny_o said...

And I love your poem! Your poetry is always well written with perfect meter - I wish I could do that!

only slightly confused said...

That was a great little poem. I'm glad you are still enjoying your standard lunch.

jenny_o said...

I need coleslaw! You've given me a good idea, to go online and figure out if I can make my own Dixie coleslaw!

Hoping you and hubby are well, Delores.

Chickens Consigliere said...

Interesting question...if you had asked about my favorite lunch a month ago, I would have said a couple handfuls of power greens topped with black olives, some chicken, a squeeze of lemon and olive oil. That's what I ate virtually every day. Since I've been laid off, however, I haven't had that even once. I think that must mean that it's not really my favorite, it's just what I was disciplined enough to make for myself in the morning and hungry enough by noon to eat. Now, I don't always eat lunch but when I do, I consider all the options and eat exactly what I want. A lot of times it's leftover soup or pasta. Sometimes it's cookies. Or Doritos. We have a KFC not far from us but don't go there often. littleb likes it once in a while. I don't know about you, but chain restaurants seem to have become so efficient that the food we remember from way back in the day in no way resembles the food-type stuff they now push out. It's just not good. I would rather have a peanut butter sandwich I made myself than almost anything I can think of out of a chain restaurant. I am a little picky, though. It's all those salads. Changes the taste buds. Another few weeks and I'll probably be over it lol.

Starting Over, Accepting Changes - Maybe said...

I used to love KFC, but I am sure if I worked there, the smell would get to me. Tuna fish sandwiches are a favorite of mine also, but I also like a tuna melt. I no longer eat lunches since I am home, but I do graze all day.

I don’t know where you get your funnies but they are all so good and give us the laughs we all need. Thank you, dear friend.

e said...

A nice bowl of soup and crackers or a sandwich and fruit is my go-to lunch...I've never liked tuna...my mother's was awful.

Joanne Noragon said...

I'm overly fond of most commercial coleslaws! One time in the seventies I had an order of KFC chicken that was overly salty, but what the hey, it was KFC hot and greasy good. That order gave me a blinding headache that went on for three or four days, and that is the last time I ate KFC.

messymimi said...

Any meal i don't have to cook and clean up after would be a favorite. Thanks for the fun poem and great funnies!

jenny_o said...

Yep, wait long enough (and run out of enough groceries) and you'll be throwing back snack crackers with ranch dressing just like I do! Haha

Your salad sounds divine. I've always, always found that I am so much more organized when I'm working regularly. Which means I eat better, clean more, keep up with correspondence, etc. When I'm not working I tend to put things off until the last minute because I know I don't have to do it right now. Ugh.

jenny_o said...

I spend too much time on the internet, that's where they come from :D

Mmm, tuna melt - another wonderful lunch. I do a lot of grazing if it's just me at home. I tend to put more effort into meals if my husband will be eating too.

jenny_o said...

There's tuna and then there's tuna - some of it is very fishy, almost rank (to my nose) but albacore tuna is milder. But that's probably not something that's going to help you like it so I probably didn't need to say it. lol

Soup and crackers/sandwich and fruit is delicious and the added benefit is that it's healthy, too!

jenny_o said...

Oh my . . . I wonder what the deal was there, maybe it made your blood pressure shoot up? I wouldn't eat it after an experience like that either.

jenny_o said...

And your poem expressed that well, Mimi. I agree, doing all the cooking and cleanup oneself gets mighty old :)

Mr. Shife said...

We do have KFC but they share space with A&W these days. We tend to avoid fast food and I couldn't tell you if KFC was any good these days. It probably wouldn't agree with me anyways. Pizza would be right up there as my favorite lunch but I can't eat as much as I want because my tummy gets upset if I have too many tomatoes. I am really enjoy the aging process. Take care.

baili said...

this is marvelous sharing dear Jenny :)

it is nice to know that it's not just me who can go for one food as long :)

From my childhood to until two years back when doctor forbid me to take red lentil i hardly skipped it any day all those years , family and friends criticized me for such routine specially my hubby and eldest son said that it is not healthy to have same food everyday (i knew it either) but i loved it

now i am not eating my most favorite food and it hurts lol
as far i know almost each city has KFC in my country specially big one
now whenever we will be visiting kfc you will be in my mind :)
love and hugs!

SpikesBestMate said...

Not so much my favourite Lunch, but definitely my favourite Munch!

Cake

Do you like cake?
I love cake.

Do you bake?
Would you bake a cake
And ask me to partake?
Just a slice or two,
That’ll do.
I just love cake!

In this current, stressful world
We all need to give and take.
So you can give, and I will take
A slice of every cake
You bake.

Another slice?
For me? Aaw, that’s nice
Of you ….Mmmmm …
I just luuuuurve cake!

Do you like cake?

jenny_o said...

Yep, getting older isn't much fun at times, is it - KFC and tomatoes are a problem for me also, along with a bunch of other foods. On the bright side, staying away from fast foods makes us healthier! You take care too, Mr. S.

jenny_o said...

Can you believe I have never eaten red lentils? It's not something that is in our diets here. I really should try them, although there are so many foods I have to avoid now, I worry about trying new things. I'm sorry you had to give up a favourite food; it's like losing an old friend.

Hugs, baili :)

jenny_o said...

Hah! Who says you can't eat cake for lunch? :)

We don't eat cake except on birthdays. There's something wrong with that!

Thanks for your poem, Heather. Next week: Favourite Snack!

The Happy Whisk said...

Oh my gosh. I totally forgot. Just saved it and sending it to her now. Doh! Thanks.

Cherie said...

Thanks Jenny. x

Martha said...

That was a fun poem! Right now I could probably live on homemade soups for lunch and dinner, accompanied by a sandwich. And I'm also a huge fan of peanut butter, which I never ate in my youth. But I only like the natural type. Just peanuts in the ingredients. Nothing else.

SpikesBestMate said...

Jenny, I'd have to have a birthday on every day of the week - and twice on 29th February!

Diane Henders said...

Hooray for your two-part limerick - very cute! KFC is one of those foods that I rarely want; but when the urge strikes, LOOK OUT! You don't want to reach in front of me while I'm chowing down on KFC - you might lose some fingers.

It's odd how we can eat some things day after day. Tuna/mayo wouldn't do it for me; but I eat toast, peanut butter, fruit, and milk every single day for breakfast, and I have for years (probably decades). Pretty funny, since I get sick of any other food after having it a few days in a row!

jenny_o said...

Peanut butter is a favourite here, too. It's a good non-animal protein. Homemade soup sounds so good - I need to make some before the weather warms up too much. You've motivated me!

jenny_o said...

Would those be chicken fingers? lol

It IS odd, isn't it - some things are okay day after day but others aren't. Your breakfast sounds very healthy to me. No need to change that!