Linen + Plastic

Two types of tablecloths grace my dining room table, depending on my mood. On this blog I write about all things food, some fit for foodies and others ripe for roadies.

Sunday, February 7, 2010

My Semi-Secret Pleasure: Barbecue Shake ‘N Bake

Throughout my formative years, Mom employed the full suite of Kraft Shake-N-Bake products. My personal favorite was the barbecue chicken: tangy and teetering on the edge of spicy, entirely unlike any bottled sauce I knew.

Fast-forward to my late twenties and one of my first meals with my future in-laws. What's for dinner? Original recipe Shake 'N Bake chicken breasts. Though hardly gourmet, it was relatively satisfying. A week later, while strolling the aisles of Hannaford Bros. in mid-coast Maine, I spotted a box of the barbecue glaze and could not resist the urge to test whether my childhood preference had endured or expired.

Sure, I know it's mass-produced and stuffed with chemicals whose names I cannot pronounce (apologies to Michael Pollan), but I suffer small moments of Proustian rapture every time I scrape excess glaze from the baking pan with the tines of my fork. The taste balances the paired stings of mustard seed and vinegar with multiple forms of sugar (miraculously, none come in the form of High Fructose Corn Syrup). Cooked properly, the pink powder melts into a smooth, tacky glaze worthy of the name. And it is tough to beat the ease of preparation: tear the brown paper pouch, pour into a durable plastic bag, rinse the chicken, shake to coat, and cook at 350F for ~19 minutes.

The problem is availability; none of the grocery chains in Massachusetts stock this flavor though they feature ample supplies of the original recipe (my wife's preference) and numerous variations I do not endorse –- ranch, Italian, and parmesan.

I turned to Amazon ("Amazon Grocery" -- who knew?). Three exuberant, five-star reviews prove I am not alone in my devotion (and frustration). Under the title "Awesome!" C. Schuchman mourns: "For some reason they stopped selling this in stores in Fort Worth." Meanwhile, according to Viccki from San Fran: "It's perfect for company because it is unique...I am always afraid that they will stop making it." Me too.

Two cases (that's 32 meals at $1.10 each) arrived at my apartment two weeks ago. My friends, especially those who count themselves foodies, laugh at the glaring eccentricity of my diet—duck confit with braised lentils on Wednesday, Shake N Bake on Thursday, heirloom tomatoes and baby arugula with imported pecorino on Friday.

Eccentric or not, I was pinched for time last evening and hungry for something
savory. I shook and baked and was not disappointed.

CORRECTION: This post originally drafted in November 2009; upon searching Amazon today, no barbecue glaze in stock at Amazon. Thank God I have another box in my pantry. More to follow.

Labels: PlasticCuisine