Brian Boone
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Articles for Grunge, The Takeout, and Vulture; editor at Humorist Books; writer for Uncle John's Bathroom Reader since forever; Mortdecai jokes here
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Articles by Brian Boone
The best Maggie Simpson moments on The Simpsons
The Best Maggie Simpson Moments On The Simpsons Most episodes of The Simpsons center on a member of the titular family — foolish Homer, optimistic Marge, troublemaker Bart, or conscientious Lisa. But there are five people in the Simpsons, with baby Maggie joining the family just a few short months before the events of the show began.
Shady things grocery stores do to get you to spend more money
Shady Things Grocery Stores Do To Get You To Spend More Money We get most of the food we need to live from supermarkets. Brightly lit and abundantly stocked with thousands of foods from all over the world, and packaged in brightly-colored and tantalizing packaging, the grocery store serves as both a gateway and roadblock to sustenance and nutrition.
The Rare '70s Album Pressing That Became A Collector's Treasure
While it's an album that sold 3 million copies, one particular pressing of the the Doors' 1971 LP, "L.A Woman," makes it a rare '70s album turned collector's jackpot, characterized by a unique sleeve, liner, and packaging combo. There are hordes of the album floating around, but only the one with a cutout on the cover can command a fortune or cost die-hard Doors fans a fortune.
5 Underrated Artists Every Bubblegum Pop Fan Should Know
Bubblegum pop is generally overlooked and undervalued. While dismissed as lightweight because it was produced with blatant commercial intentions for an audience of children, bubblegum pop also introduced youthful music fans to rock 'n' roll.
The ancient history of popcorn
The Ancient History Of Popcorn Almost everybody likes popcorn, because what's not to like? It's a grain, so it tastes a little like bread, but it's also got a nutty taste while remaining light and fluffy and maintaining its flavor even if it's drenched in butter, doused with salt, slathered with caramel, or formed into a sweet and sticky ball .
The forgotten bubblegum pop group that had more hits than you remember
One of bubblegum pop's biggest acts was the 1910 Fruitgum Company. Best remembered for one big hit — 1968's Top 5 smash "Simon Says" — the project was far more successful on the charts (and impactful on the music industry) than the world might believe all these years later. Bubblegum was built on gently rocking jangly guitars and friendly lyrics about lighthearted themes — crushes, fun, candy — to appeal to kids and tweens too young for psychedelic '60s rock.
Discontinued Burger King Sandwiches That Deserve A Comeback
Burger King is historically indisputably a fast food power player. Despite being one of the more mundane American burger chains, it sells more burgers than almost any fast food establishment, forever jockeying for position in the hearts, minds, and stomachs of fast food fans around the world with competitors like McDonald's and Wendy's. Still, Burger King is undeniable in a few ways: It's the place that brought the world the fire-cooked Whopper and the Original Chicken Sandwich, after all.
Old-School Fast Food Sandwiches That Disappeared
While they're known by all sorts of ear-catching names like sub, grinder, Double Stack, Big Mac, Jumbo Jack, Double Double, and Club, make no mistake: Those tall and tantalizing towers of protein, cheese, and veggies are just sandwiches. One of the simplest, most delicious, and open-ended creations in the realm of food, the sandwich has served as the foundation of American-style fast food for the last near-century or so.
People Who Eat These 12 Foods Late At Night Are Putting Themselves At Risk
Our whole lives, most of us have been told that food is to be eaten on a certain schedule: breakfast in the morning, lunch in the early afternoon, and dinner around nightfall. But not everybody's body follows such a strict nutritional intake pattern, and that's why snacking was invented. If dinner is eaten around the early evening, and one stays up until late into the night, that's quite a few hours that have passed to allow the stomach to empty.
Not the Byrds, not Buffalo Springfield: The band that time forgot helped invent country rock
A handful of bands that came to prominence in the late 1960s are credited with inventing and popularizing country rock. Along with the Byrds in their latter period under the direction of Gram Parsons, and Buffalo Springfield, which included Stephen Stills and Neil Young in its lineup, there's a group that wasn't as commercially successful but was no less creatively impactful, and that's Poco.
1980s Food Fads That Should Stay In The Past
For better and for worse, a lot of what's a regular, everyday part of eating for millions of Americans was established in the 1980s. It was a time of great innovations in food science and food marketing, propelling changes in how and what people ate as well as an era in which slowly ingraining habits became fully entrenched.
Every State's Most Legendary Casserole
While the name of this broad category of culinary classics is a French word that refers to the cooking vessel and not what's in it, a casserole makes life easier, and it's perhaps the quintessential American food. Also called a bake or a hotdish, a casserole is an umbrella term for literally hundreds of different one-dish meals that can feed a family or any other large group of people, as well as side items so substantial and calorie-packed that they might as well be a main course.
The Signature Sandwich Of Every State
Humble and elegant, simple and elaborate, the sandwich is a quintessentially American contribution to food history. Although its creation may be attributed to Britain's Earl of Sandwich, the U.S. has more than made the sandwich its own, and a gift to the world. But what even is a sandwich? We're choosing to define it as anything between two pieces of bread, or a bread-like flat carbohydrate folded over to approximate two pieces of bread.
Not Ace, Not Squeeze: The Other Paul Carrack Band You May Have Forgotten
Paul Carrack is a rock 'n' roll journeyman so versatile and musically evolving that he's played in numerous high-profile bands. Most famously, he sang and played keyboards for '70s one-hit wonder Ace, who hit No. 3 in 1975 with "How Long," and then joined Squeeze for a visible and successful run in the 1980s. But after singing on the band's big hit, "Tempted," Carrack pursued other opportunities, including a spot in one of the best rock supergroups of all time.
Once-Popular Restaurant Chains That Now Barely Exist
There certainly isn't a dearth of places to get a bite to eat in the United States. There are more than 140,000 restaurants associated with a chain, and that accounts for fast food, fast casual, and nicer, sit-down establishments. While that climate has made for an American restaurant atmosphere that's been largely nationalized and homogenized, it also means that customers come to expect specific things and a certain level of quality from all of those networked eateries.
6 Facts You Need To Know About The Infamous Arby's Oven Mitt
Fast food is a hyper-competitive world, and all the big national or global chains will do whatever it takes to differentiate themselves from the places that sell similar tasty food served up fast and cheap. And often marketing can make all the difference. One particularly utilized method of marketing, especially in decades past: Appeal to younger consumers and be entertaining in the form of advertising mascots.
Seinfeld featured more Breaking Bad stars than you probably think
Seinfeld Featured More Breaking Bad Stars Than You Probably Think "Seinfeld" is famously a show that purports to be about "nothing," a look at the annoyances of daily modern life through the eyes of an observational stand-up comic (Jerry Seinfeld) and his circle of fussy, quirky, self-absorbed friends.
12 Old-School Alcoholic Drinks You Won't See At Parties Anymore
For the past several decades, the alcoholic beverages that hosts offer their party guests, or stock their bar carts and drink fridges with, have remained pretty much the same. Beer, wine, and a few standard spirits and common liqueurs still dominate the American alcohol canon.
The 5 Longest No. 1 Album Streaks In Classic Rock Music History
Classic rock albums from the Monkees, Fleetwood Mac, the Beatles, and Pink Floyd spent the longest time at No. 1 in rock history. Here are their record numbers. While there's a particular canon of albums considered to be milestone recordings of classic rock, some of those historic LPs made history right from the start. Shortly after they were released in the 1960s and 1970s, they became the best-selling album in the United States — and then they just kept flying off of record store shelves.
The Most Famous Secret Recipes In Food And Drink History
It seems like the best and most authentic way for a food brand to get out the message that its product is not only one-of-a-kind, but better than anything the competition might offer is with a special "secret recipe." That instantly creates lore and an aura of mystery for a food or the company that makes it that's also unimpeachable and unchallengeable, because that unique way of making the product has to be kept secret to maintain integrity.
Things only adults notice during the Yule Ball in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
Things Only Adults Notice During The Yule Ball In Harry Potter And The Goblet Of Fire "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" marked a turning point in what was ultimately a seven-book (and eight-movie) saga about the titular boy wizard engaged in an epic, long-simmering battle with the evil, violent, and power-hungry Lord Voldemort .
Things only adults notice in The Flintstones
Things Only Adults Notice In The Flintstones As the famous theme song goes, the Flintstones are the modern Stone Age family from the town of Bedrock. The continuing adventures of Fred and Wilma Flintstone, Barney and Betty Rubble, their kids and their prehistoric animals was a pop culture sensation upon its debut in 1960, as it was one of the first animated series to air in primetime television.
Cheap Beer Brands You Should Avoid Buying, According To Customer Reviews
Up until the craft brewing movement made beer into a beverage that was thick, powerfully hoppy, aggressively flavored, very boozy, and demanding analysis, beer was just one thing: lager-style, lightly-flavored, watery, and smooth.
Costumes and makeup that endangered actors on set
Costumes And Makeup That Endangered Actors On Set A handful of individuals seem to get most of the credit (or blame) for a movie, and it's usually a star, a writer, or a director. But a production is always a highly collaborative endeavor, and hundreds of people might help bring a film from page to screen. These people are experts in their field, be it lightning, cinematography, set design, costumes, or makeup.
Old-School Restaurant Chains That Are Attempting A Comeback
There are a lot of chain restaurants in the United States. Hundreds of them serve countless customers every day at their voluminous number of outlets. That makes for an overcrowded, highly competitive, and even cutthroat industry. How did the world of restaurants get so jam-packed with offerings of tasty and decadent treats from far too many options? Pioneering chains introduced Americans to new foods, cuisines, and flavors, which opened and thrived in the latter half of the 20th century.
The untold truth of Disenchantment
The Untold Truth Of Disenchantment After creating a show set in the present ( The Simpsons ) and one set in the future ( Futurama ), cartoonist Matt Groening decided to head back into the past with Disenchantment . Premiering on Netflix in the summer of 2018, Disenchantment takes place in the medieval kingdom of Dreamland and thereabouts, a richly rendered and well-developed fairy tale world populated by elves, sorcerers, fish queens, put-upon peasants, heartless royals, and invading hordes.
Actors who slipped up and spoiled plot details to fans
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The ultimate guide to McDonald's soft drinks
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12 Steakhouses That Time Forgot
Starting in the mid-20th century, and continuing to this day for a lot of people, the very peak of luxurious dining and a classy night out begins and ends with a steak dinner. A prime cut of a nice sirloin, with a baked potato, roll on the side, and a salad — prepared table-side, in the kitchen, or obtained and assembled by the customer themselves at the salad bar — is the definitive dinner out, reserved for special occasions like promotions, birthdays, and anniversaries.
The Biggest Controversies In Smithfield Foods History
Once a little meatpacking company formed in Virginia in 1936, Smithfield grew into one of the largest food producers in the United States. Specializing in pork, Smithfield helped elevate and popularize the Virginia ham and assisted in making bacon a key player in the classic American breakfast, along with processing all kinds of pork, pork-based breakfast meats, deli meats, and more.
The 12 Best Fast Food Chains To Work At
There's a long and deeply held perception that a job in fast food is by its nature rigorous, tedious, and punishing — and without much reward for serving up food safely, accurately, and deliciously. Fast food positions are thought to be low paying, with little to no benefits or opportunity for advancement in terms of position or finances.
Bizarre fast and furious ripoffs from around the world
Bizarre Fast And Furious Ripoffs From Around The World It's not like the "Fast and Furious" movies are paragons of cinema, highly regarded by cinephiles for their excellent taste and unpredictable storytelling. They're by and large ridiculous movies, unabashedly big, dumb, and fun, offering plenty of escalating craziness for their hordes of fans, from car chases to car jumps to helicopter stunts to all manner of explosions and property destruction.
13 Things You Should Think Twice About Ordering From Dairy Queen
In the mid-20th century, Dairy Queen conquered America with its soft serve-based, ice cream-approximating treats. Today, there are many reasons why one would choose Dairy Queen over its flashier, newer, more culinarily interesting competitors.
Frozen Fish Fillets That Can Satisfy Your McDonald's Filet-O-Fish Craving
There are more than 13,000 McDonald's restaurants in the United States, which means you're never too far away from the nearest Golden Arches. The chain established itself as a fast food juggernaut with a lineup of crowd-pleasing signature offerings, including the irresistible McDonald's Filet-O-Fish. First introduced to the menu in 1965, the sandwich is a relatively basic affair.
13 Costco food court secrets not many know
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Discontinued Little Caesars Items We Desperately Want To Return
Little Caesars has always differentiated itself from the other large national pizza chains like Pizza Hut and Domino's. It knows the answer to how much should pizza cost is not a lot, after all, and has consistently offered big values and stocked its menu with innovative items and novelties that can't be found elsewhere. The chain has cooked up some tantalizing curiosities over the years, delighting Little Caesars' regular customers while helping pull in new ones.
We Tried 14 Popular Australian Candies, Sweets, And Snacks To See If They Live Up To The Hype
Throughout history and across the globe, every country and culture has its own culinary traditions based on ingredient availability and what locals have deemed the most tasty and nutritious over the millennia. But no matter where one might go, there's one aspect of food that's pretty much universal, and that's snacking.
Every Flavor Of Spam, Ranked From The Worst To The Best
The Hormel Corporation created Spam in the 1930s to provide an inexpensive animal protein source made from pork shoulder and ham, according to the Oxford Encyclopedia of Food and Drink in America. During and after World War II, the meat proved to be an easily shippable, shelf-stable, and inexpensive form of protein that came to be consumed around the world and made its way into local cuisine (as per Time).
The 10 Biggest Shark Tank Food Fails, Ranked
With more than 300 episodes aired since 2009, ABC's "Shark Tank" is one of the most popular and enduring reality shows of all time (via Imdb). That's likely due in part to the show's high stakes and real-world implications. In each episode, business owners, inventors, and entrepreneurs enter the "tank" to pitch a panel of high-profile and extremely successful investors and venture capitalists on their big idea.
How Walmart's Great Value Chocolate Bars Compare To The Name Brands
Walmart's entire, stated reason for being is to save its customers money whenever possible. In that vein, it operates like so many other grocery and retail chains do by offering store brand, or private label, versions of name brand products. Often no-frills, low-key takes on well-known foods, treats, and snacks, the Great Value line is the name listed on Walmart's unfailingly cheaper versions of national, famous products.
8 Secrets Of The $4.99 Costco Rotisserie Chicken
Costco is nothing if not consistent and reliable. A customer — or rather a member, because it's a club-style store that charges an annual fee for the privilege of shopping — can expect the same experience whenever and wherever they decide to make a Costco run.
Microsoft Cares About Your Privacy Signs Jack in the Box is struggling
Brian Boone Signs Jack In The Box Is Struggling : Jack in the Box has survived in one form or another since the 1950s. While it initially started out as a hamburger stand, it later toyed with the idea of being an upscale and mature chain called Monterey Jack's before finally taking its place among the icons of fast food. How did the company do it? Part of its success comes down to the fact that it has always been willing to try new things.
Signs Jack In The Box Is Struggling
Jack in the Box has survived in one form or another since the 1950s. While it initially started out as a hamburger stand, it later toyed with the idea of being an upscale and mature chain called Monterey Jack's before finally taking its place among the icons of fast food. How did the company do it? Part of its success comes down to the fact that it has always been willing to try new things.
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