StreetFoodJoe.com

Fast food often comes with negative connotation, but it doesn’t have to. Fast food didn’t start out with preservatives, and some forms of fast food still don’t have those additives. Fast food literally means “already-cooked food” and spans to many genres. This idea first began in Ancient Rome where citizens could purchase fresh bread and wine from street stands. Noodle shops were some of the first fast food establishments in Asia, while falafel and flatbread were the first in the Middle East. Indian foods also brought in stands near the time that the French began selling meat sticks on the street.

During the Middle Ages fast food popped up all over London and Paris in the form of pies, pastries, waffles, and pancakes. Roman cities catered towards those who did not have the means to cook their own food. Later the rich were associated as the majority of fast food consumers. Coastal areas first prepared shellfish, seafood, and fish, leading to the popularity of the fast food fish and chips. Ultimately fast food is different in every region, with some more elaborate than others. For instance some forms of British fast food include pies with poultry, whereas American fast food includes some forms of sandwiches.

Many American fast foods items are those of other cultures. Examples include pizza, hamburgers, hotdogs, sandwiches, fries, and various other foreign to-go items, like Chinese and Mexican. Many people believe that America has the most fast food restaurants per person, but ironically this is wrong. A 2008 study showed that the United Kingdom is number one in the world, with Australia as second. Of course American came in third.

Fast food was again transformed when cars became popular. Drive-ins first arrived during World War I in Kansas. Hamburger chains were the first to use this innovative idea, later transferring to delivery to car via roller skating waiters. Now the most popular and well-known form of fast food is the drive-thru window, which has encompassed a majority of chain fast food restaurants.

Food trucks are becoming more and more popular. They are a different kind of street food because they combine the mobility of the ice cream truck with the amazing taste of the street vendor. Some cities are more blessed with these mobile food wagons than others. The best part is that some of these trucks are incredibly unique. Instead of serving the hotdog or the corndog, these trucks serve specialty foods in unique combinations.

New York is home to several well-known yet creative food trucks. The Big Gay Ice Cream Truck serves caramelized bacon with chocolate ice cream. The Mud Truck serves coffee blended with cherry and cocoa. Schnitzel & Things of course serves schnitzel. And the Van Leeuwen Ice Cream truck serves mountains of ice cream sundaes with gourmet toppings.

Nearby in Cambridge, Massachusetts the Clover Food Lab prepares lavender lemonade and chickpea fritters. Washington, DC is home to several trucks of its own. Sâuçá combines foods from Vietamn, Europe, India, and Latin America. Curbside Cupcakes sells over one thousand cupcakes per day in a variety of flavors. And the Taco Truck drives through Hoboken, New Jersey selling authentic pork tacos.

Now the East Coast is not the only section of the country to enjoy the luxury of the food truck. Boulder, Colorado houses the Comida truck with sweet potato, short rib tacos. Portland, Oregon is home to the Nong’s Khao Man Gai truck where real Thai food is prepared. And Seattle, Washington houses Skillet, a traveling trailer of prime beef burgers with a decadent flare.

California possibly has the most food trucks in any one area, especially the Los Angeles area. Many include the Fox Pizza Bus with wood-fired pizza; Great Balls on Tires of mobile meatballs; the Green Truck with vegan burgers; the Grilled Cheese Truck of gourmet grilled cheese; India Jones with chutney and various meats; and the Lake Street Creamery full of old-style floats.

One street food that is rather unknown as a street food is the ice cream truck. The target for this kind of food is children. Who as a child has not been outside playing and heard the catchy little tune? We have all dashed inside searching for change or begging a parent for a dollar. The ironic part is that chasing down the ice cream truck after it has driven by is half the battle. By the time you have your money in hand, the truck is gone.

The ice cream truck is not just an American street food. It is found all over the world. Some include the United Kingdom, Scandinavia, Southeast Asia, Australia, and Peru. The style of vans and trucks vary with each country but the idea is the same. Different kinds of ice creams are available from soft serve to popsicles to everything in between. In England ice cream trucks of sell hotdogs and crisps too.

Some American ice cream trucks sell snow cones, candy, soda pop, and other items. Instead of selling ice cream and popsicles from a truck, in both Thailand and Cambodia ice cream is often sold from a motorcycle. No matter the place where the ice cream is sold, the music and the idea behind the ice cream truck is the same. And we all become kids again when we hear it.

Street foods have been around for hundreds of years. Small ventures simply park on the side of the street and sell what they make best. Nearly every country has its own style of street food. Street food is classified as any food that is sold, ready-to-eat right from the purchase. Fairs and markets often have street vendors for the taking. Foods are often regional specialties, but most are fast foods that are eaten with the hands. Different specialties have spanned from one country to another. For instance Chinese and Thai foods are often sold on the streets of the United States. The Food and Agriculture Organization states that 2.5 billion people consume street foods each day. They are fast, simple, and usually taste better than anything in a fast food restaurant, so why not?

Because of the kinds of foods sometimes sold on the streets, they are often associated with junk foods, despite some healthy options. There are also often concerns of cleanliness. Most street food venders do not have refrigeration devices; however these kinds of foods are usually fresher than those at a fast food restaurant because they contain local ingredients. Most governments are making new food safety requirements for vendors for increased safety measures.

Some countries have more elaborate street foods than others. The United States has relatively simple carts in comparison. American choices usually include hotdogs, hamburgers, fries, crepes, pizza, corndogs, egg rolls, sandwiches, tacos, and other melting pot favorites. Other countries combine their local favors and delicacies, such as fried insects. Some street vendors allow you to purchase fresh meats and will cook them on the spot for you. A specific American favorite, that is most often found at the fair, is the fried candy bar. Vendors place a whole candy bar on a stick, dip it in a sweetened batter, and fry it like a corndog. Afterward the candy bar is covered with powdered sugar or drizzled with chocolate sauce. Twinkies and other Hostess snack foods are also commonly fried.

Street food is becoming more and more popular as preservatives and packaged foods become more popular. It is true that street food vendors produce the best food—period. It is fresh, made-to-order, and original. Street foods come in all forms from hamburgers to tacos, but what is sold doesn’t matter. It is all good. There is one thing for sure: it will be creative and amazing. That is why the great city of San Francisco created the Street Food festival in 2010.

The year 2010 marked the maiden voyage of this tasty feast and will carry on into future years. The second annual festival will take place at the end of August. The festival is separated into two parts. La Cocina will be held on the twentieth, for the third year in a row, from eleven to seven on Folsom Street from 26th Street to 22nd Street. La Cocina includes some of the best food from around the bay.

The second half of the festival lasts for two days from the twenty-first to the twenty-second. At the National Street Food Conference vendors gather for culture, politics, economics, and the future of the street food industry. Tickets range from twenty-five dollars to one hundred fifty dollars and can be ordered online.

Each ticket is called a passport and allows you different privileges and surprises. The $150 passport includes $150 worth of street food, three beverages, three secret snacks, and three small bites. All passports can be shared.

Check www.sfstreetfoodfest.com for extra details.

Adam Richman takes his Man vs. Food hunting adventure on the road for another exciting food experience. This time Adam encounters a Monte Cristo hotdog with cheese and jam.

One of the oldest dating opportunities just got kicked up a notch. Men have been taking their dates out for a shake for decades. But now men can take their ladies out for another frozen treat with a twist. YoZone frozen yogurt has swept the towns and comes with so many options it is incredible.

First start with the size of container you want. Then walk up and down the frozen yogurt dispensers and create your own combination of sweet and tart flavors. Flavors range from chocolate bases to fruity bases. These include chocolate, New York cheesecake, cookies ’n’ cream, mango tart, plain tart, vanilla, blueberry tart, peach tart, strawberry tart, strawberry, Irish mint, orange cream, pineapple tart, cake batter, raspberry, pistachio, and peach. Seasonal flavors are also available at different times of the year: peppermint, pumpkin, and egg nog.

After choosing your yogurt flavors then move on to the mix station. Pick whatever toppings you wish and in whatever amounts. Mix coconut and raspberries. Mix kiwi and chocolate chips. The possibilities are endless. Toppings include peanuts, almonds, walnuts, graham cracker, peanut butter chips, Reese’s pieces, granola, sprinkles, gummi worms, Cap’n Crunch, Fruity Pebbles, Cocoa Pebbles, yogurt chips, carob chips, chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, Snickers, Twix, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, strawberries, kiwi, mixed berries, blackberries, blueberries, cantelope, honeydew, cheesecake bites, cookie dough, chocolate sauce, caramel sauce, marshmallows, strawberry sauce, and peanut butter sauce.

The price of each container is based on weight. The options are endless. Just use your imagination.

Kneaders Bakery is a small quaint little bakery, café that originated in Utah. It has now in ten Utah locations and two Arizona locations. Kneaders was created to mimic the European-style of bakery where everything is fresh and homemade. This bakery specializes in eloquent sandwiches and desserts. There are five different menus for you special needs: a lunch/sandwich menu, a breakfast menu, a catering menu, a specialty cake menu, and a wedding menu. The sandwich selections come in dozens of choices from chicken and pesto to reuben Panini. The menu doesn’t stop there. Salads are also available. The ingredients are fresh and include feta cheese, cucumbers, red onions, raspberries, spinach, avocados, chicken breast, bacon, tomatoes, and countless others.

Breakfast options are also very popular. The French toast is of epic proportions. Pancakes and breakfast egg sandwiches are also provided. If you don’t come for the sandwiches or the salad, you definitely come for the dessert. The dessert starts small and gains momentum. There are éclairs, cinnamon rolls, cookies, brownies, cakes, pie, bread pudding, and cheesecake. But it doesn’t just stop there. Each comes in its own variety and style.

The hearth bread is what Kneaders in known for. These breads also come in large ranges, including rosemary focaccia, hazelnut 12 grain, rye, croissants, cinnamon, wheat, asiago cheese, and rolls. Finally Kneaders’ cakes are incredible just to look at. Carrot, chocolate mousse, German chocolate, black forest, Oreo, chocolate drizzle, fruit French vanilla, strawberry vanilla, pineapple coconut cream, and orange berry. The wedding menu include miniature portions of each menu item, specifically dessert.

Very few burger place come highly recommended and actually have good quality hamburgers. Five Guys is one of those places. This burger restaurant is equip with nearly nothing but hamburgers and fries in whatever fashion you like.

Five Guys was first opened in 1986 in Arlington, Virginia. After spreading along the east coast over the next two decades, Five Guys is now in 750 locations in the United States and Canada. This restaurant is Zagat rated and comes with ordering lines out the door.

The menu holds single, double, and triple patties with or without bacon. They even come in smaller versions. These come with or without cheese at no added cost. The best part is the toppings. Five Guys burgers do not come with anything on them. You get to tell them exactly what you want. An entire condiment and topping list is provided at the register. These include grilled onions, grilled mushrooms, mayonnaise, relish, onions, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, ketchup, mustard, green peppers, jalapeno peppers, A1 Steak Sauce, barbeque sauce, and hot sauce. This means more than 250,000 ways to dress a burger.

Kosher and vegetable hotdogs and grilled cheese are also on the menu. Fries come in large and regular sizes in original or Cajun varieties. Besides beverages that is Five Guys’ entire menu. But do not be discouraged. These burgers are thick and flavorful. They are made right as you order them as are the fries. The ground beef is fresh. No Five Guys restaurant even owns a freezer. The entire menu is trans-fat free and only peanut oil is used.