A Hot Dog Is a Sandwich - What's The Correct Way To Make Nachos?

Episode Date: May 10, 2023

Today, Josh and Nicole break down the elements of the popular cheesy, crunchy snack nachos and if there really is a correct way to make them! Leave us a voicemail at (833) DOG-POD1 Check out the video version of this podcast: http://youtube.com/@ahotdogisasandwich To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This, this, this, this is Mythical. Hey Nicole, what do you call cheese that isn't yours? Nacho cheese! That's a crime, Nicole. You're going to jail. You're gonna rot in a cell. This is a Hot Dog is a Sandwich. Ketchup is a smoothie. Yeah, I put ice in my cereal, so what? That makes no sense.

A hot dog is a sandwich. A hot dog is a sandwich. What? Welcome to our podcast, A Hot Dog is a Sandwich. I'm your host, Josh Scherer. And I'm your host, Nicole Inaidi. And we're internet chefs over on the Good Mythical Morning channel. Is that what it's called?

Yeah, that's what one of them is called. Okay, and Mythical Kitchen. When we're not making fancy IKEA Swedish meatballs, you can find us here breaking down the world's biggest food debates. That's right, Josh. And guess what we're going to talk about today? Prison reform. Oh. I'm right, Josh. And guess what we're going to talk about today? Prison reform. Oh.

Oh. I'm an abolitionist. Oh. What? Ish. I've read some theory about it. A little bit of praxis. Anyways, what are we talking about, Nicole?

We're talking about nachos and what is the correct way to make nachos. No, no. Is there even a correct way to make nachos? I feel strongly that there. Okay. If you imagine every single thing on earth. Right. Got it. And the processes to make those things. Yes. I feel strongly that they're, okay, if you imagine every single thing on earth, right? Got it.

And the processes to make those things. Yes. There is a most efficient process for everything insofar as you can control for things like labor efficiency and climate. Like making a car. Or like a brick. Oh. Even something as simple as, like the pyramids. How were they built? Nobody knows.

Aliens? We know via Ben Carson, disgraced presidential candidate wasn't it the jews that what the jews built the pyramid they were alien jews they were extraterrestrial jews well i'm pretty out of this world have you no but for real i i do think that there is a most efficient best way to create damn near everything okay if you were to really, again, this is only in theory. This cannot be done in practice because if you're making nachos in one humidity level, that's not going to be the same as another humidity level.

Are you being for real right now? No, I think I was talking about bricks. But when it comes to nachos, there's a lot of different ways to make it, right? That's right. And you can't necessarily account for taste. Different people have different preferences. But I'm here to tease out our individual taste on nachos to try and figure out if there is.

This is the kibitzing. This is the give and take, you know? Okay. I've started talking with my hands more and I think I really like it. I think it's important. Yeah. I started doing weird things though. I've noticed especially on Guests with Last Meals, one of the shows we produce on Mythical Kitchen.

It's a good show. I do this one a lot. I'm like, in your memoir you said that. Really? You do this? I don't know what it is. Huh. It's a way that like helps my mind think of things and access memory.

Why don't you bring it down here and just do a memory shake? You said. So you said in your last memoir something about your childhood. This is like fun mom energy, like a mom who drank one too many Sandra Lee recipes, sangrias. And she's like, I'm a fun mom. I love a good Sandra Lee. When she sees a good Target deal. Oh, I love a Target deal.

I'm trying to be one of those moms one day. I'm gonna be a good mom. You are a good mom. Okay, nachos? How do you make nachos? How do I, okay. What are the variables that we have to consider? Chip, the chip choice.

Chip choice is very important. Chip choice. I think sheet versus choice is very important. Chip choice. I think sheet versus pile is very important. Sheet versus pile is important. Or if you're piling, how many layers go on the pile, that's important. That's definitely involved. And then I think it's the type of cheese you use.

If you're using queso, if you're using shredded cheese. And then the heating method I think is very important. Yes. And then accoutre I think is very important. Yes. And then accoutrements. Accoutrements. Accoutrement. Nachos are their accoutrement. Yes.

Entirely, you know what I mean? Totally. They are a vessel. The nacho chip is a, the tortilla chip is a vessel for which the nacho exists. There's one more, there's one more variable. Okay, what is it?

And this comes straight out of Texas. So, Nicole, do you want, do you want a quick history lesson? I know how much you love when you go to quick history lessons. Do I want one or are you just going to give me one? Well, I want you to want me to give you a history lesson. And I need you to need me to give me one. I want you to not sue me for using your song.

It should be common usage by now. They're not 100 years old yet. Who did that song? I think the rule is 100 years. I want you to want me. I want to say the knack. Wow. Deep cut.

That's why the happy birthday song is very used, right? Because they're dead. Good riddance to whoever wrote happy birthday. Wow. Oh, cheap trick. I think the knack wrote my Sharona. That makes sense. No.

So, okay. Nachos were invented in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico. Piedras Negras. Piedras Negras. It is like basically a border Piedras Negras. Piedras Negras. It is like basically a border town. It's very, very close to the Texan border. There were a lot of American GI station there, especially during World War II.

And Nacho is literally the nickname for somebody named Ignacio. Yes, that's true. It was really funny because I remember growing up, I heard somebody named Nacho. I was like, you're named after the food. It's like, no, the food was named after a homie named Nacho. So Ignacio Anaya, the chef at the Victory Club.

So the legend goes, this probably never happened, as we've talked about often on this show. Bunch of military wives come in, and this guy's the maitre d' at the Victory Club. And they go, we're hungry. We want some food. And he inexplicably goes, the chef isn't here. I will make you food.

Of course. I don't know in what context that would ever happen, but apparently it happened. And he goes and he takes two tostadas. Okay. Which is like a chip, but a whole ass tortilla. A whole ass tortilla that is fried and dehydrated into a chip. Exactly. And he covers it in cheese and he puts it in the sally, the salamander, the broiler.

Great. And it was a grated yellow cheddar too. Cool. Wisconsin cheddar, in fact, and then puts pickled jalapiler. Great. And it was a grated yellow cheddar too. Cool. Wisconsin cheddar, in fact. And then puts pickled jalapenos on it. And that was it. So the original nacho recipe is... A tostada.

A full tostada. And if you go to Texas to these days, what people will call Texas-style nachos, I'm not saying every nacho plate in Texas does this, but I'm saying it is something that is known as Texas-style nachos. Big-ass chips, often two-biters, and they are each individually designed. Oh, that's so nice. So each one has the perfect amount of topping.

So you're making it like a, what are those canapes? It's like a canape. Wow. It's like a Tex-Mex canape. Like how big, show me with your hand how big like it would be. Like each nacho is this big. I'm trying to make like a triangle, but it'll be like that big. This is how you make a triangle.

Like a. Look at how I'm doing it. Oh, I'm dumb. Okay, so I'd say it's about the size of like the palm of This is how you make a triangle. Like a... Look at how I'm doing it. Oh, I'm dumb. Okay, so I'd say it's about the size of like the palm of my hand, which is quite small. Imagine like the biggest chip in any bag of chips. And this is, they're all the biggest chip. All of them are that big. Wow.

That's incredible. And I find that to be a very compelling nacho experience. I agree. I've never had a nacho experience like that. Like each nacho is curated. Yes. Oh, that sounds great. Because one of the fun parts of eating nachos is trying to construct the perfect bite. However, imagine if you had the perfect bite on every single nacho.

I wouldn't want that, though. You wouldn't. You want the variance. I love the idea of finding the big kahuna, the perfect chip. And sometimes I never find it. And you know what? I'm still wholly satisfied with the nacho eating experience, even though I don't have the Bicahuna chip. There's something satisfying about the imperfection of a plate of nachos. Yeah. Like one of my favorite things. So if you pile nachos too high and the toppings are all, there's like a solid 50 to 60% of chips that don't have any toppings on them. Yeah. It's underneath and the perimeter that always are lacking. But sometimes I'm not going to lie, depending on how delicious and intense all the things you put on top,

that little side chip that's naked is actually really special. Palate cleanser chip. It's a palate cleanser chip. And it's really good for sharing because, you know, maybe there's, I don't know, spinach and artichoke dip on that side and you want to, you know, dip it in there. I'm not lying. I agree with you. But yeah, I think having some naked and some fully formed chips are the beauty it's the bitter and the sweet of nacho building and i think it's important for those chips to exist wabi-sabi dude beauty lies in imperfection um i love the sour cream only chip as a palate cleanser there's always one chip that only has sour cream on it. Oh, my gosh. And you're like, yo, I just burnt the crap out of my mouth with a bunch of habanero hot sauce.

Maybe you had some El Yucateco. Maybe you had some Marie Sharps. Maybe you had some Mexico Lindo habanero. Wow, you love all these hot sauces. I love habanero hot sauces. All of them. I can see all of their packaging in my head right now. Yeah, yeah.

Mexico Lindo would be better if they didn't use as much food dye. It just kind of cheapens it a little bit for me. It cheapens it a little bit.'t use as much food dye. It's just kind of cheap. It cheapens it a little bit for me. It cheapens it a little bit. It's a very food dye. It's a very food dye. But anyways, it's very good. But what I like to do

is I take the unseasoned chips on the bottom. They're still crunchy. Okay. And I will find the Big Daddy chip that has the most toppings on it, too many toppings on it,

bring an unseasoned chip, sandwich it on top, and I take great pleasure in being able to train game theory out every single nacho on that plate until they're gone. I see. I see. So you bring them together.

You don't allow them to exist separately. Sometimes I do, but I agree with you that you have to do that. So the point is Texas-style nachos where each one is individually dressed, though that is a compelling experience occasionally. Sure. I get it. I don't think can be the perfect way to eat nachos. I agree.

Okay. What kind of chip do you use? Let's start at the base. Okay. It's normally Tostitos. Use Tostitos. Tostitos restaurant style. You don't think they're too thin?

I kind of like how thin they are. Interesting. But that's just me. I try to do either salted or salted with a hint of lime if if so permits yeah i also like what are the really yellow ones that are circular they're really are you talking about the mission like the cause i grew up eating the mission um one strips and they'll do white and yellow no i like the mission rounds sometimes yeah now it depends on what kind of cheese application i'm doing now i think it's very important to state that.

Oh, you're like a nacho sommelier. Yeah, you didn't know this about me? No, I didn't know you didn't put that on your resume. Yes, I did. You just don't read the fine print. So, I recently got into queso making. I used to never melt cheese in a pot. I'm not kidding.

Like, I used to just be a bag cheese, on the chips put it in the oven top that was my my mo yeah but now that i'm like dude i'm a chef like i know how to cook things i know how to cook things well so the concept of queso has been introduced into my home so and so i just take i like make my own queso from scratch i chop my my own, I get like the canned chilies and stuff. I chop my tomatoes, whatever I throw it in there. It's really beautiful. I make a really bomb queso. And then I put that on there.

And then sometimes I broil it. Sometimes I don't broil it. If there's queso on there, you're still broiling it? Sometimes. Crazy? Yeah. Well, the thing about my household is that we like really burn foods. Like we like crusty, crunchy.

Like the concept of crunch is very important in our house. So- I hear you act like that's only a your house thing and that isn't like a thing that many other people would like. You're like, well, I'm really quirky. It's not that I'm quirky. It's like, it's like the singe chip is really good. You know, that one little singe on the chip,

that's really important. And then it's always got to have guacamole. Doesn't always need sour cream. Lots of chopped veggies. I love putting like raw onion all over it and raw jalapenos. And then sometimes I do, what are they, the little pickled jalapenos? Sometimes. But mostly it's all about raw and like sliced really thin on a mandolin.

And then sometimes I put meat on it. Like I always have like a bag of like frozen brisket that I made from like three months ago. So I just like defrost it. You use use the leftover meat I use the leftover meats always um and that's all she wrote and I do it always on a sheet pan I never I never pile it on like I never do a pyramid of chips never I'm all about the the straight sheet pan style and it's really good I was more just asking about the chip and wanted to go layer by layer, but that's fine. I'm so sorry.

I got impassioned and I got a little bit flushed. I'm sorry. Sometimes I can't help myself. It is getting hot in her indeed. The Tostitos restaurant style chips to me, they're slightly too thin. I've been weirdly brand loyal.

They're good and they remind me of going to the Chili's. Okay. The Chili's. What is Chili's? What to the Chili's. Okay. The Chili's. What is Chili's? What do you mean, what is Chili's? Chili's is like the biggest- I'm just kidding.

I know what Chili's is. Cheese and rice, Nicole. I scared you, didn't I? Chili's is Bobby Flay themed Applebee's. Oh, I got it. Yeah. I know what Chili's is. I was just pulling your leg for like a second.

Don't you ever scare me like that again. I'm sorry. I promise I won't. I have drained so many free chips and salsas from a Chili's in my life. I do that everywhere I go. Oh, my God. The hot chips, they're so thin. I think it stretches the margins at Chili's.

The salsa is so watery. You got to slurp up a little bit. Can't water it. Yeah. So though I do love a Chili's experience, I don't think they're great for nachos because to me, it doesn't hold up enough. but you can also get chips that are too thick. To me, Mission corn chips, a bit too thick, a bit too corny in a way that I would normally like on its own, but also corny.

They're very corny. And I don't know. It's, it's got a very pronounced toasted corn flavor. Very pronounced. It's the only thing you taste when you're making nachos, which is why I like the Tostitos, the thinner restaurant style ones. Yeah. Cause they are, they, they are a nice foundation to Tostitos, the thinner restaurant style ones. Because they are

a nice foundation to build your nacho upon. A blank canvas. Yes. And I like that about the Tostitos. Like a communion wafer. Yes. Oh, let's make communion wafer nachos. I think Dennis Lee, aka Fart Sandwich, follow him on Twitter. Or Vulgar Chef. Or maybe both of them. Sounds like something

they would both do. They're both great artists. Yeah, we love you guys. Sorry, I got a little bit sidetracked. Occasionally, I will use, if you go to a Mexican grocery store or a lot of restaurants will just sell this, their homemade chips. Yeah, the totopos. Yeah, totopos, which is how chips were invented. You take stale corn tortillas, you drop them in a fryer, and those tend to have a much heftier, shattering crunch. And especially when those get soaked in layers of liquidy cheese, of salsa, of meat juices, they still hold up.

But those are sometimes too obstructive for me. Santitas. Santitas white corn chips. That is my ideal nacho chip. I've been using it for years. Okay, okay. See, I like those for dipping into salsa. Those are the perfect salsa chip for me.

Listen, I like my nacho chips like I like my salsa chips. There's no punchline to that. It's just a thing I was saying. And then the next thing that we got to decide on, melted cheese versus like queso liquido. Do you judge people that put like shredded cheese over it and then they broil it? Do you judge? Silently, I do.

And I shouldn't. I shouldn't. I used to be hurt. Yeah. I used to be hurt. Especially if it's, I just think it makes for a much worse nacho eating experience. Even though that was the original nacho recipe, right? Yeah.

But for me, when you do that you're generally using pre-shredded bag always always a three mexican blend and it never melts well especially if you're using the really finely shredded because it's it's caked in so much anti-caking agent that it just like it doesn't quite melt you can still see the strands it gets really tough after like three minutes out if you're putting cold ingredients on it yeah just hardens into like a paste yeah you're picking up six nachos at a time yeah yeah you know but if you're using a quality cheese and you're melting it over the top but no one's doing that no one's doing that and i think maybe they should i think i think it's improper to use bag cheese but it's just so nostalgic that sometimes you have to do it i agree you know what i mean

and you kind of if the cheese gets too hard, you kind of wet it with a jalapeno juice and that relivens it. No, it doesn't. It makes it weird and coagulating. No, no, no. It's nice. You chew it. It's like a sponge for the jalapeno juice. You know what you need to do? Instead of putting it in the broiler, you gotta microwave it for like 18 seconds and then broil it.

Oh, microwave nachos? That's what you have to do. You gotta microwave it and then broil it and then that can work. That was childhood. That was childhood. Microwave nachos is childhood. that was childhood yeah yeah that's good see that that's where shredded cheese makes sense if you know how to like do the process properly then it can work but if you're just like throwing it and then broiling it's not gonna work out but if you do the melting and then the broiling there is promise in that nacho i'm just a big fan of liquids i you know how much i love wet foods yeah but you don't drink water i drink so much water what are you talking about sparkling water is water what do you think the main ingredient is nicole if i were to drink no hold up if i were to hear me out if i were

every okay every single thing in the world is just a composite of its parts right it's good it's the gestalt you know what i mean please don't talk about gestalts with me. I'm going to talk about gestaltianism. So if I were to drink a 12 ounce thing of plain water and then just huff a bunch of CO2, would you say that I don't drink water? No, I'd say you drink water. But those are the same ingredients that are in this. I'm doing this. This is the same thing as me huffing CO2 and drinking 12 ounces of flat water. If you were huffing CO2, I would call some people. I'd have to make some personal calls. You've never seen me just crouching behind the cars in the alley just huffing CO2, I would call some people. I'd have to make some personal calls. You've never seen me just crouching behind the cars in the alley just huffing CO2? No, I don't.

Okay, let's stay on the topic, young man. I was on topic. Sorry. I said I like wet foods. You said that you never drink water. Sorry, it's my fault. You love liquids. You attacked me.

I feel attacked. I feel like I'm on a Bravo reunion show. Maggie's Andy Cohen. Maggie, say something pithy. N reunion show. Maggie's Andy Cohen. Maggie, say something pithy. Nailed it. That's pretty good. So I love cheese sauce, but the only exception is I think there's three main components to nachos that could be considered soupy. Okay.

But you have a choice to make them soupy or not. Okay. Sour cream and salsas, those are by definition going to be soupy. Sour cream is not a soupy liquid. Like a crema. Okay. You know what I mean? Like some sort of, but it's still wet.

It's still wet. We can agree. Okay. Okay. Guacamole. Guacamole is wet. It's not soupy. It's not soupy, but it's wet.

Let's say wet. Imagine I never said soupy. We said wet. Okay. Nicole, there are three ingredients that could possibly go on nachos that you could either make wet or dry. Okay. Beans. You can either make a soupy, liquidy bean or you can put whole beans on them.

And I love beans. I like on nachos. I think that refried beans are better than black or pinto. I generally agree with that. But hear me out here. I don't want to. Nicole, you're illegally contracted to hear me out. I know. You signed the employee handbook. out here. I don't want to. Nicole, you were legally contracted to hear me out. I know, it sucks.

You signed the employee handbook. It sucks. I don't like it, you don't like it, but we're here. I love it. Meats. You can make wet meats or you can make dry meats. I like wet meats. I tend to like wet meats too.

I like a nice braised beef. I like a nice liquidy Taco Bell style ground beef. Yeah. Stuff like that. Or you could have grilled steak or grilled chicken. And then then cheese you can either have wet cheese or drier cheese you can have a like melted broiled cheddar or a cheese sauce so to me you have to balance the three and you can you can only have two be wet one has to be dry i love wet nachos but but would you have hear me out would you do this is the way taco bell does it taco Bell's nachos are just seven different wets on top of chips.

Oh my God, I just had a revelation. Huh? I love wet nachos. Nicole. What is wrong with me? I don't like this. No, welcome. You gotta let it.

They're all wet. Uh-huh, and that's how it should be. Oh my God. And I hear the people, Nicole, I hear the people complaining, oh, they get soggy after three minutes. It doesn't matter. I don't believe in this gendered phrase, but I'm going to say it because I mean it. Man up.

Eat soggy nachos, okay? Oh, my God. I love wet ass nachos. Wet ass nachos. Wet ass nachos are the best. Get a bucket and a mop for the wet ass nachos. Oh, my God. I'm sorry, you're talking about Taco Bell,

but this is the craziest thing I've ever- No, Taco Bell has the wettest nachos in the game, and that's why they're so good. Yes, they do, they do. It's because they put, you know what it is? They throw all the liquids in the middle, and then they allow the edges to kind of like dance on the top like little flamingo wings.

You get one little reprieve from the wet. Yeah. You get a little bit of dry as a treat with Taco Bell nachos because you get an edge chip that's not fully submerged, but then you get back to what you were there for. The soupy volcano pool in the middle. They'll put that red sauce that they maybe call enchilada sauce, despite not having a single enchilada

on the menu in about 20 years. Then you get the liquid nacho cheese, and you get their beans, which is literally just 80% boiling water and bean powder. And then you get their beef, which we actually know is only 77% beef and the rest of it is wet. That's crazy. And you get like a single piece of white tomato on top.

It has to be white. It was like grown in a greenhouse in Iceland or something. Nobody knows. So you fully co-signed just a pure wet plate of nachos. I mean, this is news to me, but yes, I love wet. Everything you said about what makes a better experience is wet. But what else we have to talk about is the layers. How many layers make a good nacho dish?

I am ethically opposed to double layering nachos. We're not making lasagna. We're not making lasos. We're not making lasagna. We're not making lasagna. We're not making lasagna. It's got to be a topping and that's it. But what about for a crowd? What about for a crowd? Go wide.

This is the same thing with hamburgers. Big hamburgers should not be taller. They should be wider. Big nachos, more surface area. You'd put a tablecloth, not a tablecloth, whatever Dexter uses when he murders somebody. Polyurethane. Polyurethane. Polyurethane.

Big old polyurethane tarp over your entire table. Pour all the chips out and you wet them with all your nacho toppings. People come in. They take a bite. They have a good time to say, wow, you're such a gracious host. Josh, most of the time I'm normally butting heads with you like a ram, but I really, really respect you right now for opening my eyes and my ears to this whole discussion. It means a lot to me, Nicole.

You're right. For you to be able to supplicate yourself. Yeah. No, no, no. And do that. Everything you're saying is making sense like a million times over. Do you feel good about it? How do you feel?

I don't know. I feel like a dog chasing a car where I've been waiting for this moment for so long. And now that it's here, I'm just like, well, it's just a car. I see cars all the time. It was driving, so I was chasing it. But now that it's here, I'm just like, well, it's just a car. I see cars all the time. It was driving, so I was chasing it. But now it's just parked. I'm like a dog chasing a car. A dog chasing a car.

My father was a drinker. Was a drinker. And a fiend. Yeah. R.I.P. Heath Ledger. This is doing it to you. Can we get the in memoriam, Maggie, on the screen? Thank you so much.

I just learned about. Anyways. Anyways. What other variables are there in nachos that we have to go with because there's other forms of nachos movie theater nachos ballpark nachos hate both of them you do you hate like the ultra processed no i don't like i like i don't like an ultra process i liked i like it a little bit amped up just turned up a little bit you know we've never done like a nacho battle we do a thing on the mythical kitchen where we just pick a food and see who could make the better version

of it it's not the most creative thing but it's the thing we have the most fun we have a lot of fun doing because we just get to cook dank food yeah um we've never done a nacho battle would you like to do one well yeah let's let's figure it out right now like how i don't want to give it away make we did a queso battle and we both we both made really awesome quesos that I think we're all super proud of you sabotaged me but that's fine

it was not a sabotage it was an accidental how can it be sabotaged if it's an accident listen up y'all it's a sabotage you know that the BC boy said it

that song was about you no it wasn't I wasn't even born yet or was I I don't even know okay so what nachos would I make hmm

let me think so I'm just trying to think about my absolute ideal platonic nacho. Would you make homemade nacho chips? Nacho. I keep calling them nacho chips. Would you make homemade tortilla chips? I think I might.

I wouldn't. If I'm talking about trying to make the best plate of nachos, I think I would ditch Santitas and I think I would use, I don't know if I'd make them homemade, but I'd at least get like the, from like Viarta. Yeah, yeah, yeah. They sell like, they'll sell like 10 pound bags of them. They're awesome make i think i'll do viata chips yeah i think i'll get viata chips i think what i would do is make a hot well this is what i made last time i made nachos and they were killer um i would do a habanero jack queso it was really good and then um i would make

my own salsa i would make a i would make probably a red salsa and a fire roasted green salsa yeah and then i would again i love the brisket i use but i think chicken i like chicken nachos i not not everybody likes chicken nachos and then i would probably make like a creamy sour creamy cilantro lime situation and then just a big ass scoop of avocado not even guacamole just like smashed avocado with like lime juice and stuff. Maybe some radishes, some serranos. It's funny the way that we talk about guacamole. I know we've talked about this to death, but the way that we think, like you just said,

like not even guacamole, just smashed lime or smashed avocado with lime and salt. That's like what a lot of people in certain parts of Mexico do consider a guacamole. I guess it's a simple guacamole. But if we went to like a restaurant and ordered that in America, you'd be like, people would be like, where's the cilantro? Where's the onion? Yeah. And I don't need that. Yeah, that's really funny.

Yeah, I don't need that in like a good guacamole. If the avocado is good enough, it can stand on its own. If it needs a little bit of help, you can throw in the other stuff, you know. And then, hmm, I guess some pico and just, I wouldn't put chicken. That's a lie. I wouldn't put chicken. I would do a pulled beef situation. A braised, a wet meat, if a wet meat a braised wet meat i don't know if i would add beans to a nacho battle i don't know if i would but if i had to i would do really really wet really really

wet refried beans like the wettest like really wet and then yeah that would be it i do love i do have a pop of color and a pop of like freshness. So I think that like radish and like red onion would really save the day. But that would be probably the nachos I would make. Wow. Yeah, it sounds pretty good, right? I kind of had an epiphany in my mind that goes against a lot of the things that I say about wet food. Because I don't think I would make a nacho cheese sauce.

I'm thinking about like what I would ideally want right now. The flavors I want in my mouth sauce. I'm thinking about what I would ideally want right now, the flavors I want in my mouth. And I'm thinking about eating a corn chip. My single favorite corn chip that I've ever eaten in any context in the city is at Gelagetza, Oaxacan. They serve you a plate of chips with three of their seven moles. That's right. They have all seven regional moles of Oaxaca on the menu.

And it's just chips and mole to me is the single like best thing oh wow but if you were to make a nacho platter out of a lot of these Oaxacan flavors Oaxaca also has my favorite beans they just call it like pasta de frijol negro uh the recipes and the gala gets a cookbook which is oh you've made it before we made it before it's it's um avocado leaves are what get it. Yes. It's signature. And they're very, very soupy. Very, very good. Very fragrant. Oh, they're so beautiful.

Drizzle that on the chips. You make like a mole coloradito. Uh-huh. Which is my favorite mole, I guess. Yeah. It's mole negro is like, you know, a little dark and chocolatey. Coloradito, you get a little bit of that spice, a little bit of that complexity toasted chili flavor. Put mole coloradito on there with the black beans.

You do quesillo, not melted. The cheese gives you the chew. Oh, really really so tell people what quesillo so quesillo uh oaxacan string cheese people call it if you imagine kind of american string cheese but even more of that like kind of protein snap and even a little bit more salt is it braided sometimes it's braided often it'll shred finer too but it eats like a protein like a paneer almost but it's a lot saltier than paneer and a lot chewier and yeah it's like not as curdy. Paneer has like curds. This is more of just like string cheese.

And I don't know if I would put any meat on there. I wouldn't want to distract from the mole using like barbacoa or something like that. I didn't think adding grilled chicken to it would just be another layer of texture that I don't want. I think I'd go no meat. I do pickled onion. I do fresh chili. I do cilantro. That sounds great.

No crema. Boom. That is exactly what I want in a loaded chip eating experience. do cilantro that sounds great no crema boom that is exactly what i want in a loaded that sounds delicious yeah that sounds really good on top oh does mole clorodito have a strong sesame flavor i wouldn't consider no i do that on mole negro yeah no sesame seeds it's all about editing josh no sesame that duca i'd make a duca oh no please duca i do a vietnamese bon minachos oh no no it's okay banh mi nachos josh josh josh your first iteration was perfect but i think what we learned

today is that there is no correct way to make nachos unless they're wet the wrong way to make i went to a restaurant that had banh mi nachos and it was the worst way to make yeah i feel like i would just be very upset about it you've made nachos significantly worse you made banh mi significantly worse exactly the flavors Exactly. The flavors could work. The flavors could work. Alright, Nicole. We've heard what you and I have to say. Now it's time to find out what other wacky ideas you had

out there in the universe. It's time for a segment we call... Opinions are like casseroles. Let me hear the music in it. Opinions are like casseroles. Yeah. Okay, Christina Aguilera, that was good. I know.

Let's get to our first voicemail. I know it was good. I know. Calling from Louisiana. good i know let's get to our first voicemail i know it was good i know um calling from louisiana uh you know how people like put cheddar on like apple pie yeah i was cooking uh apples for an apple pie cooking them down brown sugar butter whatnot yes sir and when i was done i still had all the residue left in the pan so i figured boom flip it apple grilled cheese instead of cheese on apple pie so i made yes a grilled cheese yes sir in the residue from the apples i was cooking down and probably the best grilled cheese i've ever had. Yum. So yeah, love the podcast.

Yeah, you two are great. Bye. Thank you. That was delicious. I could taste that right now and I'm so happy. The man's got ideas. The man's got bars. Good ideas. I don't love cheddar cheese on apple pie. I think precisely for the reason that he's talking about. Do some people put American cheese on it? Or is it a slice of cheddar? I think a slice of cheddar is like

typical. Got it. I understand the idea of it but like i'd rather if you bake cheddar into the crust i think it's pretty solid we've made a cheetos apple pie i love i love the cheddar cheese in the crust same yeah but to me like the ratios are kind of off when it's just like a slice of sweaty cheddar but the ratio is right on track if i don't know about frying it in the residue is that what he said or does or do like schmeared it on the bread i i would have smeared it on the bread but frying on the outside is a really unique way of doing it caramelize it that's a trip sounds good but a little bit of yeah just cook down sugary apples you get that tartness to a little bit of freshness with the cheese in the bread but then the bread's still like the star and the apples and cheese are

accenting it that is bangerang and right yeah sounds really good damn and there's a common uh what do they call it? It's like a cheese toasty with chutney. It's like a very common kind of like Indian. I've never heard of that. A little snacky. Okay. Yeah, they'll just put like a sweet fruit chutney in a grilled cheese type of thing.

It's a very British colonial, you know, kind of thing. There's one brand of cheese that was very processed that was popular in India for a long time. Baga? No, I don't think it was that. I don't know. Anyways, but yeah, that's like a very common thing and absolute delight India for a long time. Baga? No, I don't think it was that. I don't know. Anyways, but yeah, that's like a very common thing and absolute delight.

You know what I love to do? Ma. Brie cheese. Girl. Raspberry preserves. More like Brie Larson. You just killed it. Just next opinion, please.

It's fine. I'm going to close this. Brie cheese, raspberry preserves. Yeah, and I just put in between sourdough and I fry it with butter. It's really good. It's not about Brie cheese, raspberry preserves. Yeah, and I just put it in between sourdough and I fry it with butter. It's really good. It's not about Brie Larson at all.

Josh, obviously not. You promised me Brie Larson. And next thing. Hey, Josh and Nicole. My name is Abby from Central Valley, California. Central Valley! Today, I thought of you guys because not only was I listening to your podcast, but my Filipino aunt made me one of my favorite Filipino snacks,

which is getting a pandesal, which is essentially a homemade Filipino dinner roll, slicing up a hot dog diagonally. So, you know, it's almost butterflied and then spreading some mayo on the pandesal and making a little sandwich. And it made me think, huh, a hot dog is a sandwich. Thank you guys.

Wow, that was really nerve wracking. Oh, how sweet. We did a podcast called What's the Most American Food? And we said hot dog. It also might be the most Filipino food. There's a basketball team called Pure Foods, the brand in the Philippines. They're called Pure Foods Hot Dogs.

That's awesome. And I think that's awesome. Pondasol,ol mayonnaise and processed meat is sounds like heaven a great sandwich if you jolly b they got rid of their dollar sliders their dollar sliders are my favorite thing in the whole same did you go corned beef or spam i would do all of them say yeah one of each there was three right uh i only had corned beef and spam what was the other one? There was one other one. I can almost like guarantee it.

But I think I would just get all of them and just like dole it out throughout the day. Oh, God, it's so good. So good. Was it with pandesal? Yeah, it was a little pandesal like rolls. It was. Oh, please, Jollibee, bring it back. It was one of the best things about living in L.A.

Like you would like make a wrong turn. Like, hey, it's freaking Jollibee, bro. Time to turn into the drive-thru. I don't care whether they're chicken joint but the Pondesal $1 Sammies were one of the best things

I've ever had from a fast food joint. Could not pass Jollibee without just turning in and then seeing what like seasonal pie flavor they had. Oh yeah.

Oh yeah. Yeah absolutely fantastic. Also Central Valley where are you from? Like Visalia? Shout out Visalia. Have you ever had the Jollibee spicy chicken sandwich? Yes.

One of the best. With the fresh jalapenos on it. One of the best in the game. It is so underrated. People don't talk about it enough. The Jollibee spicy chicken sandwich. They came in late. They came in pretty late to the chicken sandwich wars, but never too late.

Unbelievably delicious with a side of honey mustard. Highly recommended. Please, if you're listening to this podcast, please try it if you have a local Jollibee. And then message me, not Josh me. Sorry. I like their spaghetti. Hey, guys. My name is Garrett.

I'm from Spokane, Washington. Spokane pizza is not a thing. That's not true. I'm curious what you think the next burger fad is going to be. You had those thick burgers like Gordon Ramsay burgers. Now you have these smash burgers. What do you think the next burger fad is going to be?

Let me know. Bye, guys. I got it all over my feed right now. You ready for it? Big Mac tacos. You ever seen those? Yes, you're talking about the smash taco. The smash taco is the next burger revolution, and people will be doing it everywhere.

I think it's a fad. I think it's a fad that is... Yeah, what's the next fad? Isn't that what they ask? But I think it's a fad that's never actually going to go mainstream. You think so. I think when we're talking about Smash Burgers, we can call it a fad, but everything's cyclical.

Yes, that's true. The most popular burger spot that really blew up in la was burgers never say die i've still never been it's it's it's good i mean they're all good that's the thing is they're like good but to me there's like a ceiling of how good they can be yeah i find myself having a fair amount of nostalgia for the thick fancy burger days not necessarily going to a restaurant paying like 26 dollars for a sit-down burger with raclette and comte or whatever yeah but i mean like umami burger to me yeah they did a great job and making a very good like 12 13 i'm sure inflation now it's more i haven't been there in a long time it's been a long time yeah you know what i mean um i'm hoping that we get some sort of return to that you know what i mean because i don't know what what other options

are there patty melts you know fancy patty melts that we kind of even of return to that. You know what I mean? Because I don't know what other options are there. Patty melts, you know, fancy patty melts. We kind of even had that moment in LA a little bit. Yeah. There's a place called Cassell's Hamburgers. Which is phenomenal. Shout out to Top Chef alum Elia Abumrad, who used to work there.

Oh, cool. Okay, okay. Yeah, yeah. But, and Patrick Q is or was the general manager. No way. But anyways, I would love for patty melts to be a thing a thing that i think has been neglected in the burger discourse is buns the ramen burger had its fad all that but i think like people making more conscious decisions about

the type of bun because the artisan bread movement is so big right yeah bakery is like we went from the labrea bakery era started by nancy silverton um to you know like the tartine era where they're making these crazy wet hyper high hydration breads i would love to see somebody really perfect the burger bun in a great way okay and then that be used as the vessel like market produce driven burgers on ours and buns. That's what I want. I want to see the burger taco happen in real time. But instead of the taco,

it's just a flattened out bun. Oh. I want to see it happen. I want to see people take the buns. It's one order. It's a top bun and the bottom bun. They flatten it out. They put the meat on.

They flatten that out. They cook it on the top. Similar to Smashburger. They put the meat on. They flatten that out. They cook it on the top, similar to Smashburger. They put the cheese on. They put the toppings on. You eat it like a taco. I think that would be so fun to see throughout America. That's just lahmacun. I know.

I get it. It's not lahmacun. But not really because it's smaller. It's more compact. You fold it up. Lahmacun, you don't always fold up. Sometimes you tear it. Sometimes you roll it, depending on what country you're in.

I love that idea, and I want to see it happen. Arayes. Oh my god, I love Arayes. So Arayes, you make a very spiced ground meat mixture and then you stuff that into a pita while the mixture's still raw. You grill it off on both ends and then you bake it. I love Arayes. It's almost like a

bit of a Wowshi, I believe it's an Egyptian term. I'll call it a Wowshy Yeah That would be a fun one But again as far as Like taking over You know Mainstream American

I don't think It's gonna happen No I think it's between Thickburger and Smashburger I know like We're just gonna fluctuate Between those sizes

Patty melts on Hyper high hydration Camet wheat Emery bread That's the next fad Hey did you ever have The Wowshey place on Westwood? Juicy Lucy's. The cheese is inside the burger.

Wait, listen to me. Did you ever have it? The Wowshey's in Westwood? Do you know what I'm talking about? At Bella Pita? Did we talk about this already? I have had so many. They got me to crave fried cauliflower when I was drunk.

Because they were open until two in the morning. You and I could have crossed paths. You think we might have? Well, you look really different. I've been going there since I was like 15. Well, you look really different. Yeah, I didn't expect you to be like, hey, I'm going to work with you in nine years.

I also was very different, but I really wonder if I ever saw you there. They had $5 Walshies, and honey, when you were inebriated and over the age of 21, they are so good. I love that place. Oh, dude, their condiment bar with the hummus, the trina.

By the time I was there, it was all strewn about. It was all a mess. Yeah, same, same. Though the spicy sauce is in the yogurt. Nobody cared. Oh, my God. But you know what? It was so good.

And I hope everyone can try this too. I love Bella Pita. Best restaurant in all of Los Angeles. I know I've said certain things. It is Bella Pita. was so good and i hope incredible i hope everyone can try this too i love bella best restaurant all of los angeles i know i've said certain things it is bella pita it's it is nine feet by nine feet one dude work in there and it is the greatest and they'll remember you and they'll remember you i'd walk in the guy would just go hey falafel guy and i'd be like what's up dude five dollar bean wow she you got the blue you're the black bean wow i've never had it and i always wondered who got the black bean wow she almost alwayse. I've never had it. And I always wondered who got the black bean wau-shee.

That was me, Josh. Almost always got falafel there. No, I always got the black bean wau-shee. If you wanted lamb, you went to Shawarma King across the street. Which is closed now, by the way. So sad.

Okay, next one. I'm sorry. We're getting really insular right now. I just really had to bring it up. But Shawarma King, they would do the batata on top? The fried potatoes? I loved Shawarma King.

I loved Shawarma King. RIP potatoes? I loved shawarma king. I loved shawarma king. RIP shawarma king. You were the king. I would have disagreed maybe a year ago, but I think that kimchi goes along with 90% of food. Thank you. I love your podcast. Thank you. I love you. I love

kimchi. I had a side of kimchi today with my noodles. They go together. Whatever. I love kimchi. Is that kimchi in kimchi today with my noodles i they go together whatever i love kimchi is that kimchi in the fridge up for up for grabs though i'm taking it home because it's it doesn't have shrimp in it dang it's kosher style um i fully agree i going to korean barbecue so much and having all the banchan all the different styles of kimchi white kimchi uh radish kimchi you know uh normal like red napa cabbage kimchi. It's ruined other food experiences for me because I'm like,

why don't I have a delicious pickled refreshing vegetable bursting with flavor next to me? It's true. It's true. I love Chinese hot pot

because I love wet foods and I love soup. But there's no punch on to go with it and I'm like mad. And I know I'm not expecting them to have it. Sure. Yeah, I agree with that. I will at home often just have a side of it. I'm like mad and I know I'm not expecting them to have it but

yeah I agree with that I will at home often just have a side of it I'll be eating a burrito a bean burrito or something it's so good I always have a little side of kimchi because it's a nice little I always have like a side of like something like vinegary on the side if it's torche if it's kimchi if it's escabeche as it doesn't matter there's always for some reason recently I always have like a side of something pickled or vinegary to cut through my food. How recent? I don't know. Nevermind.

Are you asking? Next one. It's a thing. No. Legally, I'm not asking. But you said that. Okay. It's like, it's like, nevermind.

It's like watching a movie and like a female character just gets up to throw up randomly and you're like, okay, what's what bad storytelling? No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no. I'm not. I'm not. I'm not what you think I am. I will love the baby. I'm not what you think I am.

I am not. Of course you're going to love it. You're going to be his or her uncle. What? Yeah. Like biologically? Is it John's? Is it my brother's we don't we don't use the term uncle like that like my you never call like your your like dad's friend he didn't have friends he borrowed money from all of them and then they stopped talking

you never like okay so you never like call them like Uncle John or like, No. Oh, see like every, like I have like all my dad's friends are like my uncles. Oh, okay. Oh, that's context. They're like my uncles. They're not my dad's friends.

I'll be your baby's uncle. I'm not pregnant. I know. In the time, if you do have kids eventually, I will be your baby's uncle. Okay. Cheese and rice.

Deal. Golly. Thanks. We have very, I have someone from, Good paternity leave policies at mythical oh man as someone from philly i just have some thoughts and feelings that i need to get out about a cheesesteak number one it's a cheesesteak if anywhere is calling it a philly cheesesteak run do not order it it is not a philly cheesesteak it is a cheesesteak. If anywhere is calling it a Philly cheesesteak, run. Do not order it. It is not a Philly cheesesteak.

It is a cheesesteak. If you're ordering something called Philly cheesesteak, it's not going to be right. It's a very Philly opinion, yeah. Number two, peppers and mushrooms. What the heck is with that? They do not belong on a cheesesteak. You get onions and you get cheese. I also agree with this.

Longhots are acceptable, however. What's acceptable? What's doing peppers and mushrooms on there? No, no, no. That is not a philly cheesesteak and a little shout out josh i do appreciate your your philly cheesesteak hoagie hoagie i did say philly cheesesteak but your cheesesteak hoagie comment um correct cheesesteak hoagies i understand why you'd be scared to order them there's a time and a place um for that but

shout out to you for using hoagie um basically end of the day a cheesesteak is cheese sometimes onions sometimes long hot depending on the preference nothing else go bird go birds um there were so many words in there that i didn't understand like what long pepper hoagie long hot go down to constitutional hall get yourself a hoagie okay what what is a cheese she said cheesesteak hoagie oh so a cheesesteak hoagie is where you get a cheesesteak that also has like lettuce tomato and all the toppings of a hoagie on it it is a very controversial order i don't like that i do order it occasionally it is fun um but you need the vegetables you need the vegetables and sometimes i like that interplay of hot and cold it's like getting a big old like taco salad you know what i mean but it's a cheesesteak version um yeah longhots are

just like it's an italian long hot pepper uh that's been grilled yeah yeah they're super bitter and they're great okay you like i don't love i had a lot of those in uh in turkey and they're i'm sorry turkey and they're very bitter yeah yeah i love it um you like it yeah or they'll be called like hungarian longhots sometimes yes yes yeah they're like squiggly a little thick skin on them not a ton of flesh. Yeah. Yeah, I really love it when it gets blistered, especially you marinate it in olive oil, stuff like that. I'll give it another shot.

But you need the bitterness to counter all the cheese. Hilarious that you said not to call it a Philly cheesesteak, which I've heard that opinion a lot. And like, I'll only do it for clarity's sake. But then she herself called it a Philly cheesesteak, which is a very Philly thing to do. Listen, you know, we're from Philly. F***ing Philly. No one likes us. We don't care. Sorry, Maggie. Did you say the F word right now? I said the F word. Okay, we'll

go back. You're going to disintegrate into a puddle of sand. Oh, no, we're allowed to curse, but we decided that we're not. Josh, did you forget that that's in your contract? That is a direct quote from Jason Kelsey, American Hero. Go birds. Go birds. Agreed. The mushrooms and peppers are there to weed out the out-of-towners.

Oh, okay. You don't order them. I get. Okay. I've never been to Philly. Also, Jason Kelsey put mayonnaise on his cheesesteak. Do you think I should go to Philly? Philly is a really great place.

Absolutely lovely city. Tons and tons of history. Philly is in... I always ask this because I forget. What are you about to say? You're about to say it's Philly in Pennsylvania? Yeah. Yes.

Okay. Sometimes I feel like I forget. Hey. But it to say? You're about to say it's Philly and Pennsylvania? Yeah. Yes. Okay. Sometimes I feel like I forget. Hey. But it's only like a three-hour drive from New York. Philly was the original capital of the United States of America. I know that. I know that. You have the Liberty Bell.

I've watched every season of It's Always Sunny. Constitution Hall. Yeah. So you've basically been to Philly. Yeah. Right. Go to the Reading Terminal Market. Wrigley Field?

No. God, that's Chicago. The Link. You go to the Link. The Link. The Linkley Field? No, God, that's Chicago. The Link. You go to The Link. The Link. I'm sorry. This would be called Veterans. You can drink a lot in the field.

You can drink. I did drink a lot. I went to some great dive bars. Is it cold there? Does it ever snow? Does it snow? Oh, my God, yes. And it is cold as all hell.

But I had the best Lebanese brunch I've ever had at a place called Soraya. Oh, nice. I went to the Reading Terminal Market, and I got a Tommy the Knicks roast pork sandwich and then had a half a Peking duck for dessert at 9 a.m. It was a fantastic time. Ate some fantastic food. Middle child clubhouse. Oh, so good.

One of the best cocktails I've ever had. They had something. It sounds good. And this is a very Philly attitude for a fancy restaurant. They had something called a trash can Amaro, where they took if there was less than one shot in any bottle of Amaro, they poured it into a trash can, and then they mix it up, and they sell each shot of it for half price. That sounds so good.

It was great. Sounds like my kind of town. Go birds. Go birds. And on that note, thank you so much for stopping by the podcast. Got new audio-only episodes every Wednesday, new videos out on Friday. That's right.

And if you, you, listener, if you want to be featured on Opinions Are Like Casseroles, you can hit us up at 833-DOGPOD1. The number again is 833-DOGPOD1. Bye now. For more Mythical Kitchen, check us out on YouTube. We launch new videos every week. We'll see you next time.