Reply #15: Eggs for one

[juno jones]

We couldn't use more than x number eggs for anything (health code) unless we went with a pastuerized processed egg product. We couldn't make our own mayonaise for our basil chicken tortellini salad and sandwiches because of the egg thing and our customers thought anything that wasn't 'Hellmans' or what ever didn't taste right anyway (19 years ago, most of our current crop of health-food products didn't exist and many that did tasted radically different). That's sugar and soy oil right there. This was awhile back, so I don't remember HCFS being such a big thing and we tried to make everything in the kitchen from absolute scratch, but stuff surely slipped by. Things as innocuous as canned tomatoes are sweetened with sugar or HCFS these days (because it's easier to transport unripe tomatoes), so even a 'homemade' salsa or chile might very well contain it and the chef who made it would be shocked to know it was there. Basic condiments that have been used for years change formulation overnight and cooks don't always notice. Supply and availibility adds to the problem too. Before they started outlawing transfat frying oil that stuff was all over, mostly because that was pretty much all to be had. Even after they discovered it was bad, many restaurants kept using it because it was cheap and easy to find. There might still be states where it's legal, caveat emptor.

We did some good at the 'New Leaf', even though we had to comprimise. We were one of the first semi-vegetarian restaurants in the area and taught a lot of midwesterners that food without meat could still be tasty. So I don't feel TOO bad. :)