Taco Idiocy

What do you like best in a good steak?

1) Quality beef
2) Boeing 787 Dreamliner
3) Four cards to a flush, and you've just been raised
4) CSI: Special Victims Unit

Here are some sprightly garnishes...









...and this is the kind of place you get such sprightly seasonings...in a rather soulful setting!






Just because the big plastic light up sign out front has Taco in the name don't think they'd know a real taco if it bit them on the rump roast.

Tony Bad, representin' NYC!  I love it!

I just went kayaking today on the East River in the DUMBO (Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass) Brooklyn and I had a terrific carne asada taco with some very sprightly cilantro, tomatoes and onions on a good corn tortilla from the Calexico street cart in the Brooklyn Bridge Park.  I'm not certain how soulful the surroundings were, but if I looked to my left I could see Governor's Island and The Statue of Liberty.  To my right, the Brooklyn Bridge and the Empire State Building.  Directly in front of me, the South Street Seaport and Lower Manhattan (the Financial District).  Not a bad view at all.

Soulful surroundings? Some of the best lengua and al pastor tacos I've ever had came from a place that issued each patron their own fly swatter upon entering the hot, stuffy restaurant. That's pretty soulful.

JoPa has had it Joe----he is slowing down to a dead stop. 
Youse guys better start lookin' for a replacement----the guy from Rutgers maybe.  Gotta be a good Italian guy though,  a guy who recruits the old fashioned way---he makes an offer they can't refuse. 

What have tacos got to do with football ?  Good question. 

Billy I would say you had your soul full of wonderful sights----now watch out you don't get run over by the Staten Island Ferry or a
Dayline Excursion Boat.  

I kinda liked the poll... seemed like it hit on all of the reasons I go out for a taco.  Only problem with it is that I would've like to see the option for 'e.) all of the above'.

Russ Jackson


Best tacos I have ever had were from street vendors in Mexico. Gloves...We Don't Need No Stinking Gloves...Russ

Got that right.  Love grabbing an afternoon cervesa or two and seeing just what's available on the street.  Mexican street food is win-win.  Tasty and cheap, and I've never gotten sick. 

Mr. Mariner, the kayaking session was run really well.  They gave us good instructions on what to do/not to do and they had two experienced staff in the water keeping an eye on everyone.  I was tired afterwards!  It really is a workout and made the taco oh-so satisfying and deserved!

the ancient mariner


What have tacos got to do with football ?  Good question. 

   

They're shaped the same, and both are vital to our daily lives? :)

bill voss

the ancient mariner


What have tacos got to do with football ?  Good question. 

  

They're shaped the same, and both are vital to our daily lives? :)

Football games are sprightly garnished with cheerleaders too.

I'm one of the few that doesn't like tacos or really most Mexican foods, other than queso and spinach enchiladas in sour creme sauce and even the enchiladas only at montery's little Mexico in Grand Prairie tx. I just don't understand why anyone would prefer tortillas to good bread.  tho in toy story 3 the tortilla was one of the funniest part of the movie

leethebard


How about "any taco made not by someone with dirty hands or not wearing gloves". Too many taco places using kids(and adults) who don't use latex gloves...and handle all that food you eat moments later...It's gross!!!

And how often do you think those folks change their gloves? Gloves are just a facade to make people feel better.
Oh look honey their wearing gloves, it must be safe.

Michael Hoffman


I watched a guy cooking yesterday. He pulled on a pair of gloves after having put a burger patty on the grill and grabbing a bun for the burger. Then he proceeded to go back into the kitchen to bring out a couple of containers to refill the tomato, lettuce, onion and pickle tubs. After opening each container, still wearing the gloves, he picked stuff out with his hands and put the stuff where it belonged. He then closed up the containers and carried them back into the kitchen. Then he came back out, grabbed a couple of order slips, then picked up food for his grill and for the deep fryers.
 
Frankly, I'd prefer bare hands, and wash 'em.

I have visited food plants where the workers work with frequently washed bare hands instead of gloves. I was told this is more sanitary, according to their bacteria testing.

Jim2903

Michael Hoffman


I watched a guy cooking yesterday. He pulled on a pair of gloves after having put a burger patty on the grill and grabbing a bun for the burger. Then he proceeded to go back into the kitchen to bring out a couple of containers to refill the tomato, lettuce, onion and pickle tubs. After opening each container, still wearing the gloves, he picked stuff out with his hands and put the stuff where it belonged. He then closed up the containers and carried them back into the kitchen. Then he came back out, grabbed a couple of order slips, then picked up food for his grill and for the deep fryers.
 
Frankly, I'd prefer bare hands, and wash 'em.

I have visited food plants where the workers work with frequently washed bare hands instead of gloves. I was told this is more sanitary, according to their bacteria testing.

That doesn't suprise me even a little bit.

at least this poll didn't have the useless "I don't like [tacos]" option.

I'm sure this study has already been done, but how many cultures out there have the "flat bread, stuff on top, fold and eat" type of food? i.e. taco, gyro, pizza.  Must be countless.
And I like 'em all.

Scorereader


at least this poll didn't have the useless "I don't like [tacos]" option.

Scorereader, you've mentioned this a few times over the years and, as the poll writer, I'm interested - why do you dislike the "I don't like" option?

Now I think I'll get the popcorn!

Hold the popcorn Joe, I'm not bothered at all.  I really am curious.  I've had mixed feelings about it myself, but I tend to want to give as many people as possible the opportunity to answer the poll question, and "I don't like" does that.

If the purpose of the poll is to show how many of the RF participants like various 'stuff' on or in the Taco, I think having the alternate choice that says "None of the Above" is a valid entry. 

     I wish that some of the polls had the capability to allow multiple answers, or a prioritized response..say three points for your top selection, two points for your second choice and one point for your third pick.  These would let you say what many seem to want to say...I like the Meat and Cheese but Gucamole is important also.

I don't respond to some polls because I just don't care for the item being measured. If there is a place to say that, I will vote 'Yuck". That should tell the reader that a small (or large) percentage of the participants may not care for the item at all.

Would there be any possible way of setting up a two-column poll: one column "Yes" and a second column "No"?  Then you could list the various ingredients (or applications) and people could vote on what they liked and didn't like.  A person who didn't like the given food at all could just vote "No" to everything in the list, but you could still rate the popularity of the various ingredients by how many voted for each one.

Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle


Hold the popcorn Joe, I'm not bothered at all.  I really am curious.  I've had mixed feelings about it myself, but I tend to want to give as many people as possible the opportunity to answer the poll question, and "I don't like" does that.

 


Hey Bruce, It wasn't your response I was getting the popcorn for

Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle


Hold the popcorn Joe, I'm not bothered at all.  I really am curious.  I've had mixed feelings about it myself, but I tend to want to give as many people as possible the opportunity to answer the poll question, and "I don't like" does that.

Just a suggestion. I understand what you are attempting to accomplish with "I don't like," But I wonder whether "None of the above" might be a better option. For instance, I may absolutely love some particular thing, but I might not care for any of the four or five things mentioned. I don't want to say I don't like the thing when I do. But "None of the above" gives me the chance to respond.
 
Whoops! Al, I hadn't seen your post before I put this one up.

mayor al

I agree with none of the above or I don't like. Also the butter poll should have included corn on the cob.
If the purpose of the poll is to show how many of the RF participants like various 'stuff' on or in the Taco, I think having the alternate choice that says "None of the Above" is a valid entry. 

     I wish that some of the polls had the capability to allow multiple answers, or a prioritized response..say three points for your top selection, two points for your second choice and one point for your third pick.  These would let you say what many seem to want to say...I like the Meat and Cheese but Gucamole is important also.

I don't respond to some polls because I just don't care for the item being measured. If there is a place to say that, I will vote 'Yuck". That should tell the reader that a small (or large) percentage of the participants may not care for the item at all.

Bruce and/or Susan:

If you're trying to see "what's your favorite type of ice cream," then "I don't like ice cream" doesn't answer the question. "none of the above" could answer the question, but stating you don't like ice cream doesn't answer the poll question. 

The statistical information doesn't have to include all people because you can't poll all people anyways - plus, you're not getting everyone who hits the site to take the poll. So, the percentage of people who don't like that type of food, doesn't really create a useful number.

It's hard to state what I mean, exactly, but statisically speaking, whether someone or not likes the food in question in the poll is rarely an important number, because what you really want to know is, of those who eat ice cream, what do you like. 

For example: Best place for pizza: NY, CT, Chicago, Gary IN, Philly, I don't like pizza.

"I don't like pizza" is irrelevent. What's the use of that statistic? If you're trying to figure out where to have the next Roadfood pizza meet up, the percentage of people who don't like pizza doesn't matter. They won't come no matter where its held. And if you're trying to see what pizza people prefer, "prefers none" won't help you - unless you're going to change your food choice.

None of the above works if one likes the food, but prefers a different choice, but then you have to do some statistical balancing to figure out what percentage of those people just don't like pizza rather than some other region not listed - like Scranton (that's for you Mosca).

I guess the point is, that expressing that you dislike a food in most polls seems unhelpful. Most important part of BBQ? Rub, woodchips or charcoal used, quality of meat, the sauce, I don't like BBQ.

Well, if you don't like BBQ, then your opinion on what makes BBQ good, is irrelevent to the discussion.

Most of these polls seem to come from some current topic being discussed in the threads. They seem to come out of "since we're talking about what we're making for SuperBowl Sunday, lets see what people make for the game." In a case such as that, "I don't like football" is completely irrelevant. It's not like any useful statistic can be used from those few people who respond like that. And, who cares if you don't like football. You're probably communist, but, since we can't discuss politics, that opinion has no place here.

It's about as useful as someone coming into a thread like "what I'm making for SuperBowl Sunday" and saying "I'm not making anything because I hate football." In that case, the thread, doesn't apply to you, move along.

Which is different that someone showing food they made, and more or less asking for comment.

None of the above, or all of the above, could be useful sometimes. A rating system would be really useful for some of those polls - especially ones that look really lopsided, but you know the 2nd favorite item is well loved, but it looks pathetic in numbers in a one pick scenario and a rating system would show the love better. But, I know thats a much more involved software program to do that kind of a poll.

I probably haven't made the world's strongest case on the matter - it's late in the day, I'm ready to go home, so I'm not putting my usual "all angle" position on the floor here where I can dig my heels in and swing from a grounded position. Ultimately, it just bugs me and I see not point to say, "I don't like hotdogs" when someone asks you what toppings you like on hotdogs. What can I say. We all have our limits. ;o)

Yeah, Scorereader, I pretty much agree with everything you say.  My inclination, though, is to get maximum participation rather than useful data.  People like to play along.  Once in a while, the "I Don't Like" number is even interesting.

You'd be surprised - the polls almost never come from the threads.  I don't spend a lot of time there.  There is probably a lot of overlap because I often try to make the poll appropriate for the season, which is also the natural thing to be discussed in the Forums.

The taco poll was inspired by a recent Michael Stern review where he raved about the freshly made tortillas, and how that made such a difference to the tacos.  That fit with my own experience, and it got me thinking how much I also enjoy salsas and garnishes that are bright and fresh rather than dull and old and sad-looking.  I'm pretty sure that I'll try to tie in the next poll to the recently announced New Mexico Roadfood tour.

Michael, at times I've tried to cover as many bases as possible.  Like the poll for mustard type on hot dogs, I included some main types, an "other" category, and a "no mustard on dogs" category.  I suppose to be true to my inclusive philosophy I could have also included "I Don't Like Hot Dogs" as a choice but it starts to seem a little silly to me at that point.

The part of the software allocated to the front page poll is very limited.  Not only are all those complex answer choices not available, but even the number of characters for the title of the poll, and the choices, is very limited, which sometimes results in some pretty strange wording as I try to shoehorn the poll into the space provided.

I'd still rather have "all of the above" than "none of the above" as the last choice.

I prefer the most choices, i.e., combinations, none of the above, all of the above, etc.

bill voss


I'd still rather have "all of the above" than "none of the above" as the last choice.

definately for this poll!

Many times you need an "other" as a choice. I'm thinking back to the buttering question and corn on the cob wasn't even a choice.