I hate America
Saturday night I wanted to bake a cake for friends. We didn't have any icing. I ran to my local grocery store for some chocolate icing. This is what I was confronted with:
These were just what was handy. Seven freaking varieties of chocolate icing. Prefer "Creamy Homestyle Classic Chocolate?"-got it. "Creamy Supreme Chocolate Cream Cheese?"-done. "Whipped Supreme Milk Chocolate?"-Thank GOD it's here!
Let me make this clear. These were just in one section. There were other sections. This is Crazy (capital "C" intentional).
Once I grabbed one (Creamy Supreme Chocolate Cream Cheese thank you very much), I then had to go grab some ice cream...once I'd settled on Edy's slow Churned 1/2 Fat Vanilla, I still had to decide between Vanilla, Vanilla Bean, or French Vanilla.
I hate America.
The cake was magnificent.
These were just what was handy. Seven freaking varieties of chocolate icing. Prefer "Creamy Homestyle Classic Chocolate?"-got it. "Creamy Supreme Chocolate Cream Cheese?"-done. "Whipped Supreme Milk Chocolate?"-Thank GOD it's here!Let me make this clear. These were just in one section. There were other sections. This is Crazy (capital "C" intentional).
Once I grabbed one (Creamy Supreme Chocolate Cream Cheese thank you very much), I then had to go grab some ice cream...once I'd settled on Edy's slow Churned 1/2 Fat Vanilla, I still had to decide between Vanilla, Vanilla Bean, or French Vanilla.
I hate America.
The cake was magnificent.
Labels: America, cake, Chocolate icing
January 14, 2008 at 10:30 PM
Creamy Supreme Chocolate Cream Cheese ??!!! Now THAT was a mistake. But to each their own.
If by hating America you mean loving it for its choices and diversity, I couldn't agree more.
Much like cake frosting, options abound in America. You can join one of almost 3,000 Christian sects, numerous Jewish ones, Muslim, and Hindu sects, a vast array of neo-pagan religions, etc. etc. Even chose no religion / no belief at all.
Some would seek to take those choices off the shelf, and mandate one flavor of religion... i.e. "The State Religion" for all. While it would certainly reduce confusion, it wouldn't be America.
Choice, and it's inherent confusion factor, is one of the things that makes this country great. Whether its icing, ice cream, politics, religion/or rejection thereof.
PS: I love Edy's. top
January 15, 2008 at 11:54 AM
Sounds like you guys would rather live in a third world country where you have no choices - icing, o that doesn't exist here. healthcare - no need to worry about which doctor to choose - there are none here, etc... top
January 15, 2008 at 2:08 PM
I think the "I hate america" comment was a bit tongue-in-cheek...I truly do appreciate the opportunities available here (specifically in the icing category), I'm just sensitive to the time and energy (and money) sunk into all those "opportunities," and aware of the needs in other places. Maybe two chocolate icing choices? Is this silly? Use the other 200 million dollars in R&D and marketing for something else? Silly I know. Just a thought... top
January 15, 2008 at 4:58 PM
i was just messing with you top
January 16, 2008 at 8:48 PM
I just had a very similar experience. I was waiting for someone at the grocery to check something for me and I looked up and saw a wall of syrup. To kill time I decided to count how many options were available to me. Twenty seven. Twenty seven different kinds of syrup. That's not an opportunity. It's just too much damn syrup. top
January 16, 2008 at 10:37 PM
yummmmmm ... cake top
January 20, 2008 at 6:29 PM
AP said: Maybe two chocolate icing choices? Is this silly? Use the other 200 million dollars in R&D and marketing for something else? Silly I know. Just a thought...
I'm surprised this blog subject received so many comments. maybe it was the "I hate America" comment, which I dismissed as a joke, or maybe because you guys spend too much time thinking over your shoppinglists.
Anyway, I would wager that Pilsbury (i think it is) has a pretty good handle on their cake frosting marketing program. If they were simply canabalizing sales of one frosting type for another, and not generating incremental sales by such a broad assortment, they'd cut back the assortment. I doubt they are sitting on their R&D hands because of a loss of operating capital due to an icing glut.
My suggestion: next time your eoverwhelmed at the supermarket close your eyes and take the first one that your hand touches. Should be an effective stress reducer. top
January 22, 2008 at 9:39 AM
But I don't like coconut...what if I get coconut? :-) top