Bite Size Me
By Mary Claire Ickes and Stephen Gargas
In 2004, Morgan Spurlock’s film “Super Size Me” became a popular topic of discussion among dietitians, fast food fans, and education professionals in America.Spurlock ate McDonald’s fast food for 30 days and filmed his experience. Viewers marvel and gasp in disgust as Morgan Spurlock struggles to eat only McDonald’s, even at his family’s Thanksgiving dinner. “Super Size Me” inspired the culinary students of Apicius School of Hospitality to take their menu to the next level. The culinary students were inspired to recreate the typical fast food burger. Their vegan hamburger was made with beets, lentils, and other vegetables. The natural dye from the beats bleeds through the lentils recreating a meat-look before it has hit the grill. Compared to fast food, this bite size happy meal took 2 hours to prepare the buns, lentils, and assemble the look. I would say it is worth the wait!
When at a fast food restaurant, one orders the sandwich and then the “combo” – fries and drink. The phrase “Super Size Me” is to get the large fries and the large drink. What vegan burger and chicken wings would be complete without a sidekick? The third chef of the night dehydrated potatoes, sweet potatoes, and other vegetables to remove the excess oils. After creating a potato “chip”, he fried the vegetables to give a fry texture without the famous fast food grease.
The next chef in the trio had something for all the KFC and Chick-Fil-A fans. The student chef deboned chicken wings creating an inner pocket for the flavor. Using celery, carrots, onions and other vegetables – she created a stuffing. After taking a bite, I thought I was at the dinner table for Thanksgiving. Her thoughtfulness and precision took her 2 hours to debone, cook down the stuffing, and eventually stuff. The flavor was all there with the outside having a juicy quality with a little crunch. After experiencing Ganzo’s bize sized take on fast food, I am convinced Director Morgan Spurlock would not mind eating solely Ganzo for 30 days. I know I wouldn’t!