Wow! What A Meal!

We all should stop what we are doing and have a moment of silence today in remembrance of Bob Evans, who passed away from complications of pneumonia at the age of 89. Bob, as many of you know, was the founder of Bob Evans Restaurants. I do not want you to think that I am making light of anyone's life or death, but Bob needs to be remembered as an icon of American
cuisine.

Bob became famous for his sausage, which is still sold in many supermarkets today. According to the news report, he started with $1,000, a couple of hogs, 40 pounds of black pepper, 50 pounds of sage and some secret ingredients. Now that is a recipe that I can make at home. He, it is said, relied on the best parts of the hog as opposed to the scraps commonly used in sausage.

I carefully read Bob's obituary, but nowhere did I find that he was the inventor of "mystery meat." When you were in elementary and high school, you all were introduced in the cafeteria to an unidentifiable substance they called meat. Sometimes it was covered with a gravy-like stuff. Remember?

Well Bob turned this invention, the cornerstone of his menu, into a restaurant empire with sales of $1.6 billion with almost 600 restaurants in 18 states. And some of you were wondering how you could be successful in life. Bob showed us the secret with his restaurants -- start with nothing, discover or invent something that is also nothing and convince millions that they like this nothing.

If you have an uncontrolable desire to eat at a Bob Evans, look for a red brick building with white trim and the yellow "Bob Evans" name, reflecting Evans' handwriting, at the top of the building. One thing you can say, Bob had good penmanship. Order the country-fried steak -- you can opt for white or brown gravy, only the color distinguishes them -- a side dish of mashed potatoes that have never seen the soil of Idaho -- either green peas or baby carrots or have them mixed, and you have got yourself a meal that you will never forget. Thanks Bob!

Side Note: I have found that two or three Bob Evans in the Memphis area have closed their doors -- wonder why? Could it be that Memphians are maybe "gourmet lite?"