#20 - The Baked Potato

Here's something that truly can only be classified as disappointing and a hell of an indictment on the state of our fair country.

The Food Network has published their yearly list of the 100 most popular recipes on their website. It is my presumption that the grand majority of the visits to the site are from good ole' America.... It does not take a genius... even a Socastee resident might be capable... of inferring that this is a pretty good representative of American thoughts and desires on food and cuisine.

Just to throw it out there... I think the search term Giada was not eligible for consideration in this list.

It can be accessed here, but there are a couple of interesting things that we felt you would be remiss if they were not pointed out.

Food Network 100 Most Popular Recipes

1. Creamy Macaroni and Cheese
2. Baked Macaroni and Cheese
3. Good Eats Roast Turkey
4. Baked French Toast Casserole with Maple Syrup
5. Good Old Country Stuffing
6. Chicken and Rice Casserole
7. Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf
8. S'more Brownies
9. Dutch Oven Peach Cobbler
10. Melt-In-Your-Mouth Barbecued Ribs

20. The Baked Potato
25. Beer Can Chicken
65. Bat Sandwiches
70. Snake Bites
100. Bobby's Goulash

The immediate and most egregious absence on the list is that there exists no Hamburger of any sorts. If there was any one food that could win in a congressional general election, it would be the burger... And it is perplexing to say the least. Judging from the list Americans like Macaroni and Cheese... We didn't know just how many Americans eat macaroni and cheese... It seems like it is the gift that crosses all ethnic, racial, financial, and caste barriers and unites Americans as one.... As everyone can find a macaroni and cheese recipe to suit their personal and sexual preferences... with everything from Bacon, bread crumbs, STD's included in the recipe. We are not surprised by this.

That and Americans eat a lot of dessert. I propose this unofficial statistical study to be placed in front of the FDA as supporting evidence for what some people deny is an obesity epidemic.

I have no idea what Bat Sandwiches are, and why thousands of people would search for them on food network.

But I am a little perplexed, not by the fact that a baked potato would be on the list, as many Americans eat one a day... But what is the intellectual capacity, and elementary grade reading level of someone who cannot figure out that a baked potato is ... well either baked or nuked in a microwave. It is kind of embarrassing, but there is not much left about our country that doesn't leave us reeking with embarrassment.