I'm fairly sure that practically anyone born and raised in this country during the seventies and eighties can recall the quintessential dining experience known as Chef Boyardee. Whether it be Spaghettio's, Ravioli, or Beefaroni, I would bet that most of you, at one time or another, has experienced the exotic flavors and sheer imaginative cuisine of one of our country's greatest culinary heroes. A quick Saturday afternoon lunch? An after school snack, perhaps? However, I have good money that says it probably wasn't a major staple of your diet, week in and week out, was it? Maybe. But, for us Bitters, it most certainly was!
Saturday night was steak night.........for Mom and Dad, that is. The kids were, of course relegated to an evening of a chilled, yet perfectly aged Kool Aid, and a can of the finest canned pasta they could find. For a family of seven, to have a steak dinner would've cost more than they made in a week! However, why should THEY be punished? They worked hard all week.....sort of. Why shouldn't they enjoy a steak dinner to celebrate the end of a treacherous work week?
So, while Mom and Dad had their overcooked steak, under-baked potato and something that somewhat resembled a dinner salad, the kids were feasting on Chef Boyardee with a side of something like applesauce, canned cling peaches, or fruit cocktail. You know, the kind with the really thick sugary syrup and only one or two cherry halves in the whole can? Yeah, that's right...the good stuff! Every Saturday night, the same story.
Sound sad? Feel like calling the abuse hotline? Can't wait to see your own parents, so you can give them a hug? Well, before you get hasty, please allow me to put this into perspective.
It wasn't as though they were feasting upon a medium rare filet mignon, a juicy slice of prime rib or even a deliciously well trimmed porterhouse. They could only afford the cheapest steak in the case, usually a chuck steak or round steak of some kind. At some point during the meal, you would always hear Dad ask Mom, "Is yours tough? Mine's a little tough." Now that we're all grown up and can truly appreciate a GOOD steak, that question is pretty funny when you think about it. Of course it's tough, Dad! It's a CHUCK steak for crying out loud!
As I look back on those days, I don't remember feeling the least bit slighted on those Saturday nights, though. I actually kind of enjoyed a nice steaming bowl of pseudo-ravioli back then. After all, the overcooked, toughest steak in the case probably wasn't all that tasty, anyway. The fruit cocktail, of course was not nearly as appetizing as the canned pasta, but it did make for some interesting brother-on-brother brawls over who would get the one cherry half!
As I said, I don't feel like I was missing out on anything on those steak nights, but just in case, I've made a vow never to feed my kids Chef Boyardee against their will.......and certainly never on "Steak Night"!
Come to think of it, a thick cut, nicely marbled Delmonico ribeye sounds pretty good right about now. Don't worry, kids, I'll buy four!! Spoiled brats!!!!!
Thanks for reading.
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