We’re riding on St. Charlie, and we never may return …
But still, the hour is early and we’ve got a lot to learn!
We’re gonna do some research and we’re gonna work all night!
Now junk food and bureaucracy …
Makes everything all right!
[CHORUS:]
Yummy-yum-yum!
Nommy-nom-nom!
More sliders and more files!
We’re sick and tired of sitting ’round and waiting for GODOT!
Now Ruby, would you kindly bring us everything you know?
We’ll fuel our minds and bodies with these greasy little things,
And then we’ll go and top it off …
With Arby’s onion rings! [repeat CHORUS:]
With paperwork and cruddy food, our evening is complete!
You know that old cliche that says how you are what you eat?
There is a grain of truth to that, and as a cop it’s fair!
‘Cause sliders are my fa-vo-rite …
And I am such a square! [repeat CHORUS:]
There’s a white castle half a block down Western Ave from the Central T stop. They sell falafel there, because the White Castle franchise disappeared sometime after constructing the distinctive building.
Bizarrely enough, I’m British but I HAD heard of White Castle…. because it turned up as a punchline in Shortpacked once, and the comments explained it. Webcomics = educational (kind of).
*east* coast? I thought I had never heard of them because I grew up on the *west* coast!
Maybe there’s no such thing as White Castle and it’s all an elaborate hoax to make everybody think it’s a horrible phenomenum which exists everywhere except their home area. I mean c’mon! *Steamed* hamburgers? Who on earth would ever steam a hamburger and be proud of it? Defies credibility. There’s no such thing, right?
No, no, the patties are fried. However, they are designed with holes in them to let the steam through, and the buns are placed on top during cooking so they get the steam.
The steam actually comes from the ONIONS frying underneath: White Castles are cooked by spreading a layer of chopped onions on the griddle, then placing still-frozen “beef” patties on top of the onions, then covering the whole mess with a ginormous lid to hold the steam in while the onions fry, and steam the burger patties. (White Castle burgers are square in order to completely cover the onion-layer during the cooking process; ISTR that the griddles, with lids, are something on the order of 8 x 14 “patties” in area; a precisely-sized “scoop” measures out the onion-layer to the right thickness to support the patties when spread to the edges of the griddle. The buns are NOT steamed; the tops are placed over the patties just before taking them off the griddle, and the burgers are picked up with a spatula that takes two at a time, and the bun-tops are used to slide the burgers, by hand, off the spatula onto the bun-bottoms; hence the name “sliders”.)
Okay, thanks for clarifying. I was and still am mystified by White Castles proud claim to being “the original steamers”. I think I always will be mystified but better to be mystified with ones facts straight then simply pig-headed.
I did have a family member who insisted the mid-west doesn’t actually exist. Despite having driven coast to coast two and a half half times I don’t have any proof that she was wrong.
I have encountered the fabled White Castle in my home state of Minnesota. Maybe it’s a Midwest thing. Great burgers and passable fries. Can’t be any worse for you than other fast food.
Yes, Five Guys is everywhere. They have peanuts everywhere, so be careful for those who are allergic to peanuts, if you’re within a block of Five Guys.
I too am in Minnesota and have been to such establishments that call themselves White Castle. I’m telling you, they are much worse than other fast food. Not only are they so tasty that you eat a lot of them, but the stink that comes out of you later is enough to clear a house. I banned my hubby from ever eating there again, it’s so bad. At least after Mc Donald’s I don’t have to leave him alone for 24 hours.
All right, everyone, I’ve checked, and according to the White Castle website they have locations in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Wisconsin. I guess that makes it mostly a Midwest thing, with parts of the East Coast or Mid-Atlantic or whatever you want to call it thrown in.
Despite having lived in both New York and Pennsylvania, I don’t think I’ve ever even seen a White Castle, much less eaten at one.
I first heard of White Castle a few years before the Harry and Kumar movie when Michael Feldman was making fun of them on “Waddya Know” and they sounded truly awful!
I admit, I have never heard of Five Guys. (Never heard of Sonic until about four years ago. Gee, we Americans eat !CRAP!)
Hmmm…, “..not seals this time..”?? Don’t even want to think about Unity and baby seals, but I suppose something like that would be a ‘tail-wagging’ moment for her, while poor Sweetheart is trying not to show how exciting paper work is for her.
Are these two typical public servants, do you suppose?
Whoah; get Sweetheart a six-pack of Pabst Blue Ribbon and set up some screensavers of squalid back-alley slums and she’ll be so jazzed she’ll start chasing her tail!
U.N.I.T.Y. wanting to go clubbing, but not seals this time, reminds me of the Police Squad episode (yes, I’m old) where Frank went to the Club Flamingo – a nightclub where the neon sign is of a guy clubbing a flamingo.
When Police Squad premiered, it was on at the same time as Hill Street Blues, and VCRs were still on the horizon. I would watch Police Squad, then switch to the second half of Hill Street. Talk about your cognitive dissonance!
In Tuesday’s comic, Ruby says “We’ve got White Castle, too.” Apparently they’re gonna get take-out from a moving restaurant. That’s really food on the go.
It’s not all that far-fetched, really. I don’t know how common it is in general, but Blå Tåget (“The Blue Train”), running between Uppsala and Gothenburg, has an actual restaurant on board, with kitchen and bar (including of course chefs and waiters). I’ve been meaning to find an excuse to travel with it.
Unfortunately though, it doesn’t come with the extra space and the mad scientists. And the restaurant is not a White Castle.
Wikipedia says The Blue Train is Swedish, so those of us in the USA won’t be traveling with them. The name is also used for a ‘progg’ band and a ‘dark ride’ attraction.
Hm, if you’re in a moving city, how can you wait for GODOT? Or would you Worry About Infernal Technologies (WAIT) for GODOT?
I come to you, from the vast future, to say: Nice backronym for Wait – I’ve been looking for that sort of joke since GODOT was first brought up.
Can unities face even contort in that expresion
Obviously yes.
(TUNE: “Ghost Riders In The Sky”, Stan Jones)
We’re riding on St. Charlie, and we never may return …
But still, the hour is early and we’ve got a lot to learn!
We’re gonna do some research and we’re gonna work all night!
Now junk food and bureaucracy …
Makes everything all right!
[CHORUS:]
Yummy-yum-yum!
Nommy-nom-nom!
More sliders and more files!
We’re sick and tired of sitting ’round and waiting for GODOT!
Now Ruby, would you kindly bring us everything you know?
We’ll fuel our minds and bodies with these greasy little things,
And then we’ll go and top it off …
With Arby’s onion rings!
[repeat CHORUS:]
With paperwork and cruddy food, our evening is complete!
You know that old cliche that says how you are what you eat?
There is a grain of truth to that, and as a cop it’s fair!
‘Cause sliders are my fa-vo-rite …
And I am such a square!
[repeat CHORUS:]
Ed, I just read your comment to Kay over on N:TDC, and I must respectfully disagree. You win the internets today.
Apparently, fun is a relative term.
Gotta love Sweetheart’s expression as she is trying to deny that fact.
Never heard of White Castle, since I’ve always lived on the east coast. But if they had said “Five Guys”, it would have clicked for me.
And I just checked – there are no White Castles in the Boston area, but there are a couple Five Guys. You’re welcome.
Note to self – reread older comments before making new.
There’s a white castle half a block down Western Ave from the Central T stop. They sell falafel there, because the White Castle franchise disappeared sometime after constructing the distinctive building.
Bizarrely enough, I’m British but I HAD heard of White Castle…. because it turned up as a punchline in Shortpacked once, and the comments explained it. Webcomics = educational (kind of).
I’ve not been to White Castle, but (while I haven’t seen the movie) I know Harold and Kumar went there.
*east* coast? I thought I had never heard of them because I grew up on the *west* coast!
Maybe there’s no such thing as White Castle and it’s all an elaborate hoax to make everybody think it’s a horrible phenomenum which exists everywhere except their home area. I mean c’mon! *Steamed* hamburgers? Who on earth would ever steam a hamburger and be proud of it? Defies credibility. There’s no such thing, right?
No, no, the patties are fried. However, they are designed with holes in them to let the steam through, and the buns are placed on top during cooking so they get the steam.
They’re cleverly engineered!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Castle_%28restaurant%29
Argh. To clarify, the steam is from the frying. Most food has water in it, which turns to steam during cooking.
The steam actually comes from the ONIONS frying underneath: White Castles are cooked by spreading a layer of chopped onions on the griddle, then placing still-frozen “beef” patties on top of the onions, then covering the whole mess with a ginormous lid to hold the steam in while the onions fry, and steam the burger patties. (White Castle burgers are square in order to completely cover the onion-layer during the cooking process; ISTR that the griddles, with lids, are something on the order of 8 x 14 “patties” in area; a precisely-sized “scoop” measures out the onion-layer to the right thickness to support the patties when spread to the edges of the griddle. The buns are NOT steamed; the tops are placed over the patties just before taking them off the griddle, and the burgers are picked up with a spatula that takes two at a time, and the bun-tops are used to slide the burgers, by hand, off the spatula onto the bun-bottoms; hence the name “sliders”.)
Who in the hell would want their buns steamed?!?!
Okay, thanks for clarifying. I was and still am mystified by White Castles proud claim to being “the original steamers”. I think I always will be mystified but better to be mystified with ones facts straight then simply pig-headed.
I did have a family member who insisted the mid-west doesn’t actually exist. Despite having driven coast to coast two and a half half times I don’t have any proof that she was wrong.
I have encountered the fabled White Castle in my home state of Minnesota. Maybe it’s a Midwest thing. Great burgers and passable fries. Can’t be any worse for you than other fast food.
Kansas City has ‘White Castle’ AND ‘Five Guys’!
Guess the Mid-West rocks! (though I have to admit I do like Five Guys better)
Yes, Five Guys is everywhere. They have peanuts everywhere, so be careful for those who are allergic to peanuts, if you’re within a block of Five Guys.
I too am in Minnesota and have been to such establishments that call themselves White Castle. I’m telling you, they are much worse than other fast food. Not only are they so tasty that you eat a lot of them, but the stink that comes out of you later is enough to clear a house. I banned my hubby from ever eating there again, it’s so bad. At least after Mc Donald’s I don’t have to leave him alone for 24 hours.
All right, everyone, I’ve checked, and according to the White Castle website they have locations in Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Wisconsin. I guess that makes it mostly a Midwest thing, with parts of the East Coast or Mid-Atlantic or whatever you want to call it thrown in.
Despite having lived in both New York and Pennsylvania, I don’t think I’ve ever even seen a White Castle, much less eaten at one.
I first heard of White Castle a few years before the Harry and Kumar movie when Michael Feldman was making fun of them on “Waddya Know” and they sounded truly awful!
I admit, I have never heard of Five Guys. (Never heard of Sonic until about four years ago. Gee, we Americans eat !CRAP!)
Hmmm…, “..not seals this time..”?? Don’t even want to think about Unity and baby seals, but I suppose something like that would be a ‘tail-wagging’ moment for her, while poor Sweetheart is trying not to show how exciting paper work is for her.
Are these two typical public servants, do you suppose?
Maybe the seals Unity is talking about are Navy? Considering her idea of fun?
That does sound more Unity’s speed.
Whoah; get Sweetheart a six-pack of Pabst Blue Ribbon and set up some screensavers of squalid back-alley slums and she’ll be so jazzed she’ll start chasing her tail!
U.N.I.T.Y. wanting to go clubbing, but not seals this time, reminds me of the Police Squad episode (yes, I’m old) where Frank went to the Club Flamingo – a nightclub where the neon sign is of a guy clubbing a flamingo.
I actually have all the old ‘Police Squad’ episodes on DVD, but they keep me young at heart. (..and laughing, no matter how often I watch them!)
When Police Squad premiered, it was on at the same time as Hill Street Blues, and VCRs were still on the horizon. I would watch Police Squad, then switch to the second half of Hill Street. Talk about your cognitive dissonance!
She’s seriously expecting take-out to deliver to a train?
In Tuesday’s comic, Ruby says “We’ve got White Castle, too.” Apparently they’re gonna get take-out from a moving restaurant. That’s really food on the go.
It’s not all that far-fetched, really. I don’t know how common it is in general, but Blå Tåget (“The Blue Train”), running between Uppsala and Gothenburg, has an actual restaurant on board, with kitchen and bar (including of course chefs and waiters). I’ve been meaning to find an excuse to travel with it.
Unfortunately though, it doesn’t come with the extra space and the mad scientists. And the restaurant is not a White Castle.
Wikipedia says The Blue Train is Swedish, so those of us in the USA won’t be traveling with them. The name is also used for a ‘progg’ band and a ‘dark ride’ attraction.
Sweetheart’s line and expression in the fourth panel is one of my most favoritest things I’ve ever seen her do.
I grew up (In Minnesota) knowing about White Castles and I’ve *still* never eaten one. ‘Cause, you know, ewww.
Arby’s onion rings, OTOH, nom.
If you live in the South, you may have had a White Castle clone called Krystal Burger. Same basic quality and side effects.
Krystal actually predates White Castle. And neither of them are related.