I always make sure to stop at In-N-Out Burger when I head out the Californy way. So I drove 20 minutes out of the way with my family in tow and waited in the queue for 30 minutes just so I can order my usual Double Double Animal Style. Unfortunately, this burger isn't as succulent as burgers past. I happened to watch the documentary
King Corn last night. It is about two friends from Boston (who are probably Red Sawx fans and love the Green Mawnsta) who plant an acre of corn in Iowa and follow it through the processing system, and all the way to the digestive system. They kindly reminded me that what I am about to consume is not a delicious In-N-Out burger, but a giant ear of corn. The burger paddy is corn-fed ground beef, the soda is made with high fructose corn syrup, and the french fries were (probably) boiled in canola (corn oil). I read the
The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals about half a decade ago, so I was already briefed on the subject of the ubiquitousness of corn. The problem is, that it hasn't even been 24 hours since I watched said documentary, so my usual insatiable thirst for In-N-Out burger is AWOL.
Tangent... This is my first blog entry so please excuse the inadaqute segue. The In-N-Out story is a fabulous tale that exemplifies the American Dream. If you have time, pick up a copy of
In-N-Out Burger: A Behind-the-Counter Look at the Fast-Food Chain That Breaks All the Rules. It is a great way to learn about this family-run business, and of the fast food industry in general. It is also teaches you (in this ever increasing world of debt) that you can build an empire by compounding your profits using only your cash flow. It just takes a little patience and a lot of hard work.
