OY-Gut Bombs-OT

[randroid]

Gents,

First a quick background if you haven't been follow the other thread - I'm thinking of opening a strictly gut-bomb roach coach and am looking for fast-and-dirty recipes. I own a van suitable for the concept, I have the food service background to allow me to please the Health Department, and I want to line my pockets even if just moderately. There are an inordinate number of softball fields in our relatively small city and they’re filled continuous during the sunny months by local teams, but the public parks don’t provide concession stands and I want to fill that void by offering things that the other ‘roach coaches’ don’t offer. I want to vend ‘gut bombs’, which by my definition are meals that are cheap, taste good, and the arteries be damned! We all like them, we’ve all had them, and most of us are smart enough to not make a steady diet of them. Once in a while it’s fun to suck down a gut bomb, and when better to foul one’s digestive system other than while re-living one’s athletic youth vicariously through the athletes on the playing field?

I once met a man with a two-wheeled cart who haunted the ball fields of Portland selling one specific gut bomb, and did so successfully. He’d fill a miniature bag of Fritos with a small can of Hormel No Bean Chili and top it with a bit of shredded Velveeta, then hand you the bag and a spoon. Cheap, easy, delicious, Hormel Chili on Frito's sprinkled with Velveeta is my all-time favorite gut-bomb. What’s yours?

I’d offer hot dogs and burgers and chips and soda, but I’m looking for something off the beaten track to lure patrons to my roach coach rather than the one parked next to me. What do you think would kill you fastest and taste the best while doing so?

-Randy

(PS: Please don’t comment on any social obligation I may be offending by offering a excessively trashy menu because that sort of ‘logic’ dwells within the reasoning that resents programs being aired on TV you don’t want to watch but you can’t find the ‘off’ button.)

[Young Ed]

My suggestion is actually similar to the one you mentioned. Pretty popular item around here is called taco in a bag. Bag of doritos a scoop of taco meat and some cheese.

[Norm's Coupe]

Randy,

Your Chili idea sounds like a good one to me. You don't normally see that offered on a roach coach. I too like Frito's with Chili, usually put mine on top though. I'd offer it with and without cheese. I like cheese, but not in/on my chili. Not only is the chili cheap and easy to fix, but if the whole mix doesn't sell today, it's still good tomorrow when warmed over.

That said, Hot Dogs are an all time favorite with just about everyone when out walking around, etc. So.........I'd still offer Hot Dogs and maybe Brats, or some other similar sausage sandwich.

A specialty wagon like you mentioned is the way to go I think. It's like the Walworth County Fair here in Wisconsin. There is a Pork wagon at that fair that specializes in Pork Sandwiches. That wagon always has a big line of people waiting to get one of their Pork Sandwiches. While those pork sandwiches are good, they are really not all that good to have that big of a line. I think the primary reason for that large line is simply due to the fact they are the only one selling a pork sandwich. So........it's something different for people than just buying a burger or hot dog. Plus, they are always in the same spot at the fair. They also have a large Pigs head on top of the trailer.

[Flatie46]

My easy dip is a can of rotel mild diced tomatos and chilies and a can of campbell's chedar cheese mixed and heated, good on nacho's but it's no secret though.I can't think of anything that hasn't been done but I'll be watchin the local menu's for ya and keep you in mind.

[Young Ed]

Good idea Norm with the hotdogs. Then the chili can be multi purpose with an offering of a chili dog or even a chili cheese dog.

[Norm's Coupe]

Ed, I forgot all about Chili Dogs. While they are good, it's been a long time since I've had one. I do prefer the Chicago style hot dog though. However, when I go to a swap meet or something I'm always looking for something easy to handle while walking around. That way, I can keep walking while I eat. So........I just buy a couple of plain hot dogs on a bun. Don't have anything other than the hot dog on the bun, not even ketchup or mustard, just dry on the bun. There's no mess, no fuss that way. Don't even buy a bag of chips to go along with it because that takes two hands to eat chips and the hot dog at the same time. When finished with the hot dogs, I'll stop at another wagon and buy a soda to wash it down.

[greg g]

Around these parts you can't do summer without, grilled italian sausage (link style) on a sub roll with grilled peppers and onions. Some folks like a bit of marinara sauce but purists don'need it.

[Flatie46]

Fried pickels, breaded and served with ranch dressing.May not be what your lookin for but have never seen em on a gut truck, there cheap and sell well around here.

[claybill]

you beat me to it...

but nothing beats Italian sausage heating up in a beer broth with onions and huge slices of green peppers on a big roll dipped in the juice!!. you can charge anything you want for that sandwich! thats CHICAGO STYLE.!!! similar chicago hotdogs are loaded with relish and peppers and tomatoes..a lot of extra stuff, but it brings people to your wagon!!

bill

[Powerhouse]

  claybill said:

you beat me to it...

but nothing beats Italian sausage heating up in a beer broth with onions and huge slices of green peppers on a big roll dipped in the juice!!. you can charge anything you want for that sandwich! thats CHICAGO STYLE.!!! similar chicago hotdogs are loaded with relish and peppers and tomatoes..a lot of extra stuff, but it brings people to your wagon!!

bill

THAT's THE TICKET! I'l take one...no make it two!

[Norm's Coupe]

  claybill said:

you beat me to it...

but nothing beats Italian sausage heating up in a beer broth with onions and huge slices of green peppers on a big roll dipped in the juice!!. you can charge anything you want for that sandwich! thats CHICAGO STYLE.!!! similar chicago hotdogs are loaded with relish and peppers and tomatoes..a lot of extra stuff, but it brings people to your wagon!!

bill

Bill,

You hit the head on the nail with the Chicago style Italian sausage sandwiches and the Chicago style hot dogs. When I lived down there in the late 60's use to buy those all the time. I'd leave the relish off the hot dogs though. Just got them with chopped onions, mustard, chopped tomatoes, cucumber slices, finely shredded lettuce and sprinkled with a little salt and pepper. Makes a great hot dog.

[greg g]

Another option is a sandwich of polish sausage, with saurkraut cooked in beer with onions and paprika.

Quesidillas would be a quick and easy roach coach item also. and of course pulled pork. And you can rock out another Buffalo NY deal Beef on a Weck.

Rare roast beef sliced thin and served on a hard roll encrusted with course ground salt (similar to pretzel salt) and caraway seeds the (Kimmelweck rolls get dipped in the beef juice, slapped with some horseradish pilled with roast beef, and served with more au jus like a french dip. Damn now I'm hungry!!!

[JerseyHarold]

Now here's a topic I can sink my teeth into....

Several items from my gourmet past are worth mentioning:

1. Bloomin' Onions---deep fried whole (breaded?) vidalia onions cut apart to look like a flower

2. Giant fried turkey legs (my daughter reminded me of this one) very popular in Disney World

3. Shredded swiss cheese with shredded ham on a roll

4. A GOOD burrito... popular but might be pricey for ingredients, also difficult to make unless you've had practice rolling stuff in the past

5. Buffalo wings

6. Pierogies and potato pancakes (might be a little too ethnic for your area, maybe not)

I'll probably remember some more later on. Buffalo has an amazing variety of fast food that's only sold in that region. I have lots of great gastro-memories from when I lived there. If you want to get some ideas, try going to buffalofoods.com or mightytaco.com .

[Norm's Coupe]

Geez Randy, you're going to need a bigger wagon for all this stuff. May as well throw in some Fried Ice Cream for desert.

[Norm's Coupe]

  greg g said:

Another option is a sandwich of polish sausage, with saurkraut cooked in beer with onions and paprika.

Quesidillas would be a quick and easy roach coach item also. and of course pulled pork. And you can rock out another Buffalo NY deal Beef on a Weck.

Rare roast beef sliced thin and served on a hard roll encrusted with course ground salt (similar to pretzel salt) and caraway seeds the (Kimmelweck rolls get dipped in the beef juice, slapped with some horseradish pilled with roast beef, and served with more au jus like a french dip. Damn now I'm hungry!!!

Greg, I think I would pass on the sandwich you pictured. That meat is not dead yet, it's still bleeding.

[Plymouthy Adams]

ok Norm fess up...you are a vegan...now we know the rest of the story about the paper towels on the table..

[greg g]

first word of the description is RARE, shouldn't be suprised. They will make one with more done meat if you ask (scorn, finger pointing, and derisive laughter will be the side orders)

Actually, that is a bit well done for me.

[Norm's Coupe]

I know a lot of people like their beef rare. But.........You gotta kill it if you want me to eat it. Otherwise the cook will get it back. Once back in the 80's at a national sales meeting we all went to dinner to a Prime Rib joint. I sent that piece of meat back about 5 or 6 times for them to cook it. Each time it came back dripping in blood. Finally the waiter ask is I wanted the heal since it was normally well done. So........had him bring that out and it was ok.

Ever since then when I order steak or even a cheeseburger I tell the waiter/waitress to make sure they kill the cow before serving it to me.

[greg g]

My brother is the same way. Last time we went to dinner, I sent my stuff back because it sat under the heat lamps and dried out while they were cooking all the goodness out of his meal. He ordered a well done 1/3 lb cheesburger and I had Chicken parm. What I do not want well done is my pasta, nor do I care for a crust on my tomato sauce.

[Captain Neon]

  greg g said:

Another option is a sandwich of polish sausage, with saurkraut...

We were in Minnesota this weekend visiting the 'rents. We picked up a few packages of real Polish sausage from the small local butcher where my parents used to have their hogs and steers slaughtered. We also picked up some Old Dutch potato chips. No one here in northern Missouri even knows what Polish sausage is, and Old Dutch is not sold in Missouri.

My wife cooked up the Polish sausage and opened a bag of Old Dutch potato chips this evening. The only thing that would have made supper better would have been a cold glass of Coors N/A. Can't find it here in MO, real beer too easy to get.

[randroid]

Gents,

Your comments and suggestions are almost overwhelming, and I thank you all for your input. Please keep it coming. Doing this on a poor-boy budget I’ve had to take a number of things into consideration so far as how far I could create a roach coach from an otherwise usable van, and I’m allowing that to help formulate my menu. The van was originally purchased by a retired couple, and the wife was confined to a wheelchair so the right front Captain’s chair was removed and put in tandem with the driver’s seat. Wheelchair tie-downs were installed where the passenger seat was and again directly behind it even with the tandem chair, giving me a new depth with two secure anchor points, should I need them. The rear third of the cabin is open to allow the wheelchair to be rolled to the back doors and onto the hydraulic lift, and I think that lift gate will be my sales platform. The entire cabin is decked-out in shag carpet that the Health Department will want removed so if I handled the food on the ramp a foot or so above the ground I’ll only need to remove carpet about four feet behind the rear doors. I’m almost anal about sanitation around food so the carpet won’t be removed begrudgingly, but you must remember that while I’m putting hours and money into the van I’m not putting hours and money into painting Pigiron so I’m doing a balancing act. The best of all possible worlds would be for me to finish Pigiron and build a trailer to tow behind it (I envision a modified teardrop) and that would draw a crowd anywhere, but this is a project best done in stages on my budget.

The secret to success in this sort of venture is the KISS method, which is why I hadn’t thought of chilidogs because I don’t want to have a pot of chili steeping all day. If I had a hot dog large enough to hold a half-can of the Fritos gut bomb I could do that, but I don’t want hot water or hot grease or a hot grill floating in the back of the van. (A deep fryer requires special venting and fire control that is S.O.P. for a restaurant but unrealistic in a motor vehicle.) Quesadillas are out for now but are something I’d like to find a simple way of serving well. Brats are a given: There are so many types and flavors that they can quickly become confusing so I’ll stick with pork and veal with homemade sauerkraut (I work in a German restaurant for Pete’s sake) and concentrate on doing a few things well as a start.

Please keep your suggestions coming!

-Randy

[Don Coatney]

  Norm said:

Randy' date='

Your Chili idea sounds like a good one to me. You don't normally see that offered on a roach coach. I too like Frito's with Chili, usually put mine on top though. I'd offer it with and without cheese. I like cheese, but not in/on my chili. Not only is the chili cheap and easy to fix, but if the whole mix doesn't sell today, it's still good tomorrow when warmed over.

[/quote']

Somehow Norm I cannot picture buying any food from a roach coach. Knowing you like your food served by a waitress and with napkins not paper towels. However there could be a whole new business established with a traveling roach coach that makes driveway calls in Milwaukee:cool:

[Don Coatney]

  greg g said:

Around these parts you can't do summer without, grilled italian sausage (link style) on a sub roll with grilled peppers and onions. Some folks like a bit of marinara sauce but purists don'need it.

I must be the only person in the world who cannot tolerare onions in any way shape or form. If I get even a hint of onion in my food I can not stand to eat it. The same with garlic.

[Don Coatney]

  Quote

I know a lot of people like their beef rare. But.........You gotta kill it if you want me to eat it. Otherwise the cook will get it back. Once back in the 80's at a national sales meeting we all went to dinner to a Prime Rib joint. I sent that piece of meat back about 5 or 6 times for them to cook it. Each time it came back dripping in blood. Finally the waiter ask is I wanted the heal since it was normally well done. So........had him bring that out and it was ok.

Ever since then when I order steak or even a cheeseburger I tell the waiter/waitress to make sure they kill the cow before serving it to me.

Norm;

It is all in how you order your prime rib. I always request an end cut (a heel is on a loaf of bread not a prime rib) and tell the water that if I wanted prime rib soup I would order it that way. I always get it dry and cooked well.

Randy;

One thing that I have not seen for a long time and I am sure would sell well is a tenderloin sandwich. I am not talking about the wimpy little things available today. I want the ones that were sold in the 50,s and 60,s. They were so big that they stuck outside of the bun about 3 inches on all sides and the buns were big. A little musterd, cheese, and ketchup and you have a meal. Downside is a french fryer is required to cook them correctly.

[Tony Cipponeri]

  greg g said:

first word of the description is RARE, shouldn't be suprised. They will make one with more done meat if you ask (scorn, finger pointing, and derisive laughter will be the side orders)

Actually, that is a bit well done for me.

Greg, That reminds me of my sister in law, every time we took her out for dinner she ordered a filet migon butterflied and well done, you could hear the snickers coming from the kitchen. Tony C