White Chicken and Grey Skies
November 2nd 2006 08:46
Ok, I’m gonna start by asking- Does anyone remember the grey McDonalds chicken nuggets? If so, does anyone (like me) MISS them?
The only thing I ever used to eat at McDonalds was the chicken nugget meal. I’ve never been big on burgers and nothing else really appealed. I don’t know if you recall all the different rumours about how “chicken” the chicken nuggets really are. Some said rat, others said rabbit, some think lips and arseholes. Me, I didn’t care as long as they were the grey ones.
The white nuggets always lent themselves more to real chicken but the grey ones were the ones with the taste, whatever it is they were made of. The white were tougher, less greasy and more bland but the grey were soft, salty and mmm…. Delicious!
I used to do trades with my friends, who preferred the more chicken-y chicken. I remember once, I even specifically asked for the grey ones but was informed it was the luck of the draw. I even worked out a system to tell which were which before the initial bite, which made trading that much easier.
I never saw “Super Size Me”, I don’t have much patience for documentaries. I once started it but couldn’t get into it.
I felt the ripple effect though. Suddenly, take away joints started these special “healthy” menus. The recipes changed, the nutrition guide was provided in every store and I knew the inevitable would occur but I still wasn’t prepared for it.
I’d been saying to my friends for ages, “I bet this scares them into making those beautiful grey nuggets with the boring, proper white chicken!”.
I walked into Maccas at Circular Quay on my lunch break and there it was… The sun was shining on the plastic sign, causing the ray to strike me in my already watery eye. The words were blurry as the tears started to form but I could still make it out “Chicken breast nuggets, now made with 100% chicken breast”. I still wasn’t ready to let go, I mean, what if it had always been chicken breast? What if sometimes a particular part of the chicken breast just happened to have slightly greyer, tastier meat? What if indeed…
So I ordered them and waited patiently whilst they cooked them (you no longer get the ones that have been sitting there for hours, the focus is on the “fresh”). I apprehensively opened the carton, tentatively picking those shapes which rarely let me down. I took my first disappointing bite, the white chicken dropping from my betrayed mouth. I took a bite into the next and tore open the next few. Nothing. Nothing but piece after piece of pure, white, breast fillet.
I’ll never forget that moment. The room blurred as I hunched over my carton of offensive nuggets, tears streamed down my face as I realised this was the future of fast food. If only I had savoured the last one. If only I had known It was my last. Things might have been different for me, for us.
I rarely visit Mickey D’s these days. The betrayal is too big, there’s too much history to pretend that what I am eating is what I truly want. We’ve lost the trust that I never thought would falter. The worst thing is, it’s not just the big arches. KFC has never been less greasy, Oporto’s chips have never made my bag as translucent as I once recall. I implore you, if we cant trust takeaway stores to provide us with a greasy, unhealthy treat… who can we trust? Who can we trust…
I ask once again, do you feel my pain?
Did you notice the grey nuggets?
Do you miss them like me?
The only thing I ever used to eat at McDonalds was the chicken nugget meal. I’ve never been big on burgers and nothing else really appealed. I don’t know if you recall all the different rumours about how “chicken” the chicken nuggets really are. Some said rat, others said rabbit, some think lips and arseholes. Me, I didn’t care as long as they were the grey ones.
The white nuggets always lent themselves more to real chicken but the grey ones were the ones with the taste, whatever it is they were made of. The white were tougher, less greasy and more bland but the grey were soft, salty and mmm…. Delicious!
Little Judah the cutey from Flickr
I used to do trades with my friends, who preferred the more chicken-y chicken. I remember once, I even specifically asked for the grey ones but was informed it was the luck of the draw. I even worked out a system to tell which were which before the initial bite, which made trading that much easier.
I never saw “Super Size Me”, I don’t have much patience for documentaries. I once started it but couldn’t get into it.
I felt the ripple effect though. Suddenly, take away joints started these special “healthy” menus. The recipes changed, the nutrition guide was provided in every store and I knew the inevitable would occur but I still wasn’t prepared for it.
I’d been saying to my friends for ages, “I bet this scares them into making those beautiful grey nuggets with the boring, proper white chicken!”.
I walked into Maccas at Circular Quay on my lunch break and there it was… The sun was shining on the plastic sign, causing the ray to strike me in my already watery eye. The words were blurry as the tears started to form but I could still make it out “Chicken breast nuggets, now made with 100% chicken breast”. I still wasn’t ready to let go, I mean, what if it had always been chicken breast? What if sometimes a particular part of the chicken breast just happened to have slightly greyer, tastier meat? What if indeed…
Whitechickennuggs from Flickr
So I ordered them and waited patiently whilst they cooked them (you no longer get the ones that have been sitting there for hours, the focus is on the “fresh”). I apprehensively opened the carton, tentatively picking those shapes which rarely let me down. I took my first disappointing bite, the white chicken dropping from my betrayed mouth. I took a bite into the next and tore open the next few. Nothing. Nothing but piece after piece of pure, white, breast fillet.
I’ll never forget that moment. The room blurred as I hunched over my carton of offensive nuggets, tears streamed down my face as I realised this was the future of fast food. If only I had savoured the last one. If only I had known It was my last. Things might have been different for me, for us.
I rarely visit Mickey D’s these days. The betrayal is too big, there’s too much history to pretend that what I am eating is what I truly want. We’ve lost the trust that I never thought would falter. The worst thing is, it’s not just the big arches. KFC has never been less greasy, Oporto’s chips have never made my bag as translucent as I once recall. I implore you, if we cant trust takeaway stores to provide us with a greasy, unhealthy treat… who can we trust? Who can we trust…
I ask once again, do you feel my pain?
Did you notice the grey nuggets?
Do you miss them like me?
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Comment by Chantal
Comment by Anonymous
ps. your blog is HOT! love ya, Pen xoxoxoxox
Comment by Chantal
Dont let me get started on those burgers!!
Comment by Phil
Comment by Chantal
I guess if it was deep-fried with plenty of chicken salt, I'd give it a go
And we both know, I'm more than a little nuts!
Comment by Always Eighteen
Always Eighteen
My aunt brought snacks and spices from the Philippines laced with MSG. IT'S GREAT AND FRIGHTENINGLY ADDICTIVE!
Comment by Bulelwa
Whenever there's a challenge, there's an opportunity. You may be onto something! Open your own greasy food and meat of suspect origins chain of restaurants. I still can't vote, my pc gives me an error message.
Bulelwa
Comment by Chantal