Balance of Food

Does Organic Ragu stand up?

So why did I try the Organic Ragu after insisting I never would?

I assured myself, despite my rhetoric, that I would not be a Ragu junkie. This isn't cigarettes or heroin, I thought, it's only spaghetti sauce.

On principle, I wasn't going to pay $2.99, and I stuck to that point. However, as is done with many new products, I was able to buy it for $1.67 with a grocery store discount card. The $1.67 charge wasn't going to hurt my wallet too much.

Finally, my journalistic curiosity was flaring up. Why not give it a shot?

Before I tell you how this turned out, I decided to dig into what Ragu is like these days. I turned to America's Test Kitchen from Cooks Illustrated on PBS.

The show staff tests numerous food products throughout the series. Ragu did not score well at all. The sauce was one of two to be listed as "not recommended."

"More than one taster said that this sauce tasted as if it came from a tin can. The absence of favorable comments was striking: "might as well be tomato paste," "extremely salty," and tastes "heavily cooked/cooked for days," "like V-8," and "more like tomato soup," with a texture like ketchup."

Ouch!! Not very kind, I see. They were harsh to all sauces made from tomato paste instead of a fresher product such as canned diced tomatoes. While that criticism is a bit harsh, I do see their point.

Then again, their "winner" was $8.49 for 24 ounces. Certainly, you can do better for a lot less if you went the homemade route. And to be fair, the test was done on traditional Ragu, not organic.

Despite the not-so-glowing review, I still gave Organic Ragu a shot. I poured it into the pan. It looked thicker than the regular kind. As per childhood tradition, I sprinkled dried oregano on top. My mother always did that, so it seemed appropriate to do it now.

To make the presentation as equitable as possible, I used Dreamfield's, the only white-flour pasta I still eat at home. It was the closest thing I had to the spaghetti of my youth. I also used a lesser parmesan cheese, again to replicate the plate of my youth. All in all, the picture looked the same. But how about the taste?

Definitely better than I remember from my childhood. It was thicker as I poured it on the hot plate of spaghetti. The corn syrup taste was not there; that's for certain. But it was still too sweet. If I feared becoming a Ragu junkie again, the high sweetness level convinced me otherwise.

Overall, it wasn’t bad, but way too sweet. There are better sauces out there, even from a jar. But this is a huge step up from regular Ragu. I admit I was surprised a Ragu product could be as good as it was. In a pinch, and with a lot of oregano, it could work. I conquered the challenge, knowing I will never be a Ragu junkie again.

What is in your Canadian Mountain Dew?

Under the "you may not have known this" department: Mountain Dew in Canada has no caffeine. That's right: none. At least, regular Mountain Dew doesn't. But Mountain Dew Energy does have caffeine. And a rather impressive warning label about the dangers of caffeine. Apparently, Canadian law requires that non-colas be caffeine-free to avoid confusion.

I could understand that, except this new Mountain Dew Energy does have caffeine. But since the caffeine is licensed, it does come with an amusing warning. Remember, caffeine is for medicinal purposes only.

RECOMMENDED USE: Developed for periods of increased mental and physical exertion. Helps temporarily restore mental alertness or wakefulness when experiencing fatigue or drowsiness.
RECOMMENDED DOSE: Drink 591mL (1 bottle) as needed.
MEDICINAL INGREDIENT: Per 591mL: Caffeine 91 mg
CAUTIONS: Contains caffeine. Not recommended for children, pregnant or breast-feeding women, or caffeine-sensitive persons. Do not consume more than 1000mg caffeine per day.

What does a dictator eat for a snack?

So I know Saddam Hussein loves Doritos and hates Froot Loops. As tempting as it is to track horrible dictators and their junk food intricacies (did Stalin love pork rinds?), I hope this isn't a trend.

Since curiosity keeps me alive, and since I cover food, let's talk about what GQ magazine reported, which was the "lighter" side of Saddam during his capture.

Saddam referred to Doritos as "Doris" and inhaled by the bagful, after unaccountably sprinkling them with water first. For a time, his favorite snack was Cheetos. When that ran out, Saddam would "get grumpy" according to GQ. One day, guards substituted Doritos corn chips. In fact, according to the article, he'd eat a family size bag of Doritos in 10 minutes.

Saddam liked Raisin Bran Crunch for breakfast and got upset when offered a substitute. He absolutely did not want Froot Loops when that was offered as a substitute.

Also, he ate fish and chicken but refused beef.

Large pizza might be too large

A pizzamaker in Iowa Falls, Iowa has what he hopes is the world's largest pizza.

The Pizza Ranch put together an unofficial estimate of 129 feet by 98.6 feet, totaling almost 50,000 slices for what is hoped to be the Guinness Book of Records largest rectangular pizza. The pizza was assembled and cooked on a grain bin platform at the local high school.

The only pizza record on the books is for a circular pizza, set in South Africa in 1990.

Unlike huge hamburgers, large pizzas make some sense in that you don't fit the whole thing into your mouth. Biting into a 15-pound hamburger is much more difficult than chewing on this pizza. That said, this big pizza can't taste as good as a smaller pizza.

Also, we should know that many people don't consider rectangular pizza to be nearly as good as circular pizza. That probably has something to do with pizza pi, or pie.

New dessert just the thing

According to Eleanor Randolph in The New York Times, the Righteous Urban Barbecue in New York City has a great dessert to go with ribs, chicken, slaw, beans, and beer: Deep Fried Oreos.

I am more partial to deep-fried Twinkies because they benefit from the process. But I can't really knock deep-fried Oreos if they fulfill the same wonder for those cookie fans. What, donuts aren't enough!?!?

Super size drinks are back

When McDonald's took away the super size portions, it did offer that they would come back for promotions. Sure enough, 15 months later, restaurants in the Chicago Co-Op (McDonald's franchisees in the area) will reintroduce the 42-ounce drinks this summer.

The local promotion allows customers to get a free, 42-ounce beverage with a purchase of a Big Mac and fries. The promotion will start July 11 and last through the month. A McDonald's spokesperson said this is not super-sizing.

Bringing back the promotion is no surprise. If customers buy a Big Mac and fries just to get the free coke, McDonald's will have accomplished its objective. The biggest profit margin in fast food comes from soft drink sales. So a Coke actually costs pennies.

A 42-ounce Coke contains 410 calories. Given the average ideal calorie allotment is between 1,500-2,000 calories, 410 is a huge figure. A large Coke at McDonald's, which is 32 ounces, contains 310 calories, according to the company's Web site. By contrast, a 7-11 Super Big Gulp holds 44 ounces; a Double Gulp, 64.

Even if healthier, addictions still not good

Health trends motivate food manufacturers to shift their marketing focus. "Organic" and "trans fat free" are just some of the more recent buzz words to set products apart as being distinct. I thought I had seen it all until I hit upon Organic Ragu spaghetti sauce.

My initial reaction to seeing the product in the store wasn't desire, but laughter. Right there in the grocery aisle. I'm sure passers-by wondered how or why spaghetti sauce could inspire laughter.

I used to be a Ragu addict. I spent my childhood with a constant craving for the red, red flow of the sweet, sweet sauce. If I went too long without a Ragu fix, I would feel the physical effects of withdrawal. I felt weak and disoriented. Fortunately, these periods never lasted too long. However, I have not had a drop of Ragu in 15 years.

Yes, tastes change. Foods I loved as a child (bologna) are gone from my diet. Other foods (mushrooms) have been added to my plate as an adult, but were missing from my childhood.

To my current tastes, Ragu is too sweet. Some of that is the overwhelming impact of high fructose corn syrup, which I have talked about previously. The sauce also doesn't have enough herbs or garlic.

Ragu is what it is: an Americanized version of what spaghetti sauce might be. Sanitized for American tastes, it shouldn't be overwhelming or highly flavorful. It serves a niche.

My transition away from Ragu is complete, or at least, I thought it was. Organic Ragu sounds great. There wouldn't be any high fructose corn syrup, a huge bonus. The ingredients would have to taste better. I seriously thought about trying Organic Ragu.

I looked over the ingredients. The list was basically organic versions of what was in the regular sauce. It certainly had some appeal. If I were going back on the Ragu train, this would be the product I would use.

But with most addictions, going back a little isn't viable. I don't want to get sucked in by an addiction to Ragu, no matter how much better it was.

I worked hard to get off the Ragu train. I am proud of my willpower. I realize now that spaghetti sauces shouldn't be that sweet.

What has kept me healthy is reducing my desire for sweet and salt. I even got rid of sugar in my homemade spaghetti sauce. If I don't need sweet, I shouldn't have any.

Even if Ragu put in healthier sweetness sources, with the Ragu name, it would taste just as sweet. Otherwise, it wouldn't be Ragu.

So for right now, I will say no. I used to need Ragu desperately, and I didn't like myself for it. Now, I really have to want it. Even with organic, the truth is I don't.

If this product had come out 5 years ago, I would be on top of it. And maybe if I had a chance to sample it, I might still try it. But it's not even worth $2.99 and my time to do it. Where I am now, Ragu is a childhood memory that needs to stay right where it is — as a memory.

(Editor's note: I asked my readers if I should try the new Organic Ragu after all. A majority of you said I should try it, what the heck. Those who supported my efforts to maintain the ban wrote very noble words, and I greatly appreciate your time and effort. Here is the resulting column.)

Going after the food police

The food police, they live inside of my head ... oh, I guess that's the Dream Police. I saw Cheap Trick recently so I was having a flashback. "C'mon, Rick. Throw me a pick."

Seriously, Melanie Warner had a story in The New York Times on June 12 on Rick Berman and the Center for Consumer Freedom. Think the opposite of Michael Jacobson and the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI), the food and nutrition activist group. Berman and his group are funded by major food manufacturers, of which they are unnamed.

I do endorse balance. I respect the CSPI because they do good work. But they can be overzealous. The other center has its heart in the right place, but again, it goes to the other extreme. If it wasn't in bed with huge corporations, I might shift my view. But its "corporateness" sends a bad message.

Berman comes off really well in the place, a little too well for my tastes. Some of that stems from the fact that few people know him or his group. Still, Berman must be thrilled in the piece, especially being in The New York Times.

Heart association says take it slow

The American Heart Association is trying to help people reduce cravings, but the solution isn't that severe. Instead of giving up pizza, eat two slices instead of your regular three. Try a sorbet when craving ice cream. These are two pieces of advice in the new diet book from the AHA, "No-Fad Diet: A Personal Plan for Healthy Weight Loss."

Dr. Robert Eckel, president-elect of the heart association, told the AP that the idea was to work around fad diets. "The theme is based on behavior, nutrition and physical activity."

Along with a full menu plan, the book also offers the more flexible "75 percent solution" and "the switch and swap approach."

As a possible, and I emphasize possible, option to someone who is really desperate, this could work. But addiction is difficult, and it's not clear how 2 slices of pizza helps much more than 3. Yes, in the first week or two, reduce. However, the goal should be having these items every so often.

Hamdog creator on NBC

Chandler Goff, architect of the Hamdog and inventor of the bacon cheeseburger on the Krispy Kreme bun, was on Jay Leno on NBC last night. Goff showed Leno how to make both sandwiches.

I said at the time "I'm rather surprised this didn't get more publicity." Being on Leno qualifies as "more publicity."

Goff showed Leno how to make each sandwich. He started with the bacon cheeseburger: cook the burger, put bacon and then cheese. The donut was sliced in two and each half was placed on the grill. Both sides hit the flame. One note: the glaze side went next to the meat. It helps the sandwich stay together and keeps the outside less greasy for your hands. "Sounded like my kind of food," said Leno.

• Calorie and fat count: 900 calories, 65 grams of fat. Cost (w/a side): $6.50.

The hamdog came next. He rolled the hot dog in hamburger meat, deep fried them. he then added chili, bacon, and grilled onions to the meat in the hoagie bun. Previous reports hadn't mentioned the bacon. "How do you even eat it? You need a pitchfork or something," said Leno. The fried egg went on top and Leno took a bite. He ended up using his hands.

• Calorie and fat count: 1600 calories, 100 grams of fat. Cost (w/a side): $9.

Thanks to Leno and NBC for giving Goff the publicity he deserved. The only thing that would have been funnier is if Tom Cruise, the earlier guest, would have eaten one of those sandwiches. Cruise doesn't seem the type who would try one of those, but it would have been hilarious.