Monday, May 9, 2011

What's for Breakfast: Sausage and Egg Sandwich

By Ed Bruske
aka The Slow Cook

Kids seem to like these egg and sausage sandwiches. Finally, I broke down and tried one myself.

I've noticed before, the breakfast sausage is bland and spicy at the same time. Meaning, there's not much seasoning except what seems to be red pepper flakes. I'm surprised the kids aren't put off by it.

These days the eggs are not scrambled in a factory hundreds of miles away and shipped frozen. They're scrambled in the school kitchen from liquid eggs. They could use a little more salt. But the future of school food is no salt. In fact, even the USDA is at a loss to figure how schools will cut the salt in cafeteria food by half over the next 10 years. Does that mean school food will be healthier but flavorless?

Fitting perfectly in that category is this English muffin. It has no flavor at all. None.

2 comments:

  1. Hey, salt does not add flavor! I am so surprised at the stuff you write on your blog sometimes. Salt is just as bad as sugar. Also, why are you surprised that the kids are put off by the red pepper flakes? Kids need to be exposed that stuff earlier on!

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  2. Ed, did you not detect the saltiness of the sausage patty? Eggs eaten on a sandwich with a sausage patty do not also need to be salty. I'm inclined to agree with the anonymous reader above that salt does not add flavor. A moderate amount of salt enhances flavor. Too much salt overpowers flavor. With all due respect, your professional culinary background is showing. You folks are brainwashed to over-salt food. To someone who doesn't over-salt his/her food, an English muffin has a distinctive sourdough flavor. I think it's a sad commentary that some folks can't detect (and therefore cannot enjoy) that flavor.

    The future of school food is 50% less salt, not "no salt" as you assert. I think you realize that but the notion scares you. I used to have the same reaction. Truly, the idea freaked me out, but the adverse health implications scare me far more if I'm honest with myself. It is possible to cut salt successfully by doing it gradually and I wholeheartedly support this initiative.

    We adults need to lose our "salt equals flavor" mentality and stop passing it on to the next generation. I think it's one of the most important things (if not the most important thing) we can do for our kids as far as nutrition is concerned.

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