So, today I felt like cooking. We recently came back from a weekend at a cabin and a week at camp. We had a bunch of new stuff ready in the garden, and some stuff past ready.
Here are three quick recipes that I posted on Instagram. The Poblano peppers, banana peppers, straightneck squash, and snap beans were grown in our garden.
Well, that turned out well. Got some poblano from the garden this week. I mixed some bacon bits, minced garlic, shredded cheddar cheese, and steak seasoning into some cream cheese, cut the peppers in half, stuffed with the peppers with the mixture, sprinkled more cheddar on top, wrapped with bacon, & baked on a sheet pan at 375° for 40 min.
Some fresh snap beans from the garden. Steamed, then tossed in with some sautéed mushrooms, French fried onions, minced garlic, a pinch or 2 of flour & fresh cooked bacon pieces. (Used the leftovers from the peppers.)
Had some straightneck squash that grew a bit too big while we were at camp. I had it in my head to prepare it sort of like eggplant parmesean & fried zucchini. I didn’t want the stacked lasagna version, I wanted something with a bit of crunch.
I sliced then up, dredged in flour/cornstarch, egg/buttermilk. & coated in regular & panko breadcrumbs with a bit of parmesan “shake cheese” mixed in. I seasoned each step with Italian seasoning, garlic powder, & black pepper.
I baked them for about 25 or 30 min. on 400°, then topped with provolone & mozzarella slices & a bit more parmesan. They went back in for 10 min.
Served with bowtie pasta & covered in our favorite slightly doctored sauce.
Added the needed flavor to the overgrown squash and I actually preferred the consistency to eggplant.
🥒🧀🌶🥓🧄🍄🌱🍝
All in all, I was really pleased with the results, and I think the family was too.
Do you have some good recipes, tips, & tricks for these garden ingredients?
I DM’ed them and told them of me real name and my cause. I think more companies are engaging people personally & directly with Twitter like this, and it’s a great thing. Who doesn’t like free stuff?
Today the mailman delivered some goodies…
Free stuff!
The card s pretty cool too!
@Bronco_Jalapeno #ThanksRadioShack...? Yes, yes he does.
Hilarious. How fun is that? I do need some soldering stuff, I guess it’s off to Radio Shack for the stuff next time I need it! (I might get a couple of capacitors to mess around with.)
So, thanks to Radio Shack for being cool, for the laugh, & for the T-shirt!
I walked into the house today and saw this rather large box on the couch where I normally sit. My wife had arrived home a little while earlier, and brought it inside. FedEx dropped it off on the front porch earlier in the day.
I saw my name, then the Arby’s logo, and I could hardly contain my excitement.
...For me?
I mean, I thrive on the ridiculous, and this is most certainly ridiculous. This couldn’t be a box full of Bronco Berry Sauce, could it? Indeed, it could. Absolutely ridiculous. Personal supply? I mean, I like to eat but…
Yee-haw!
That is a whole lot of horses and berries! Well, it would be… if Bronco Berry Sauce actually contained any broncos or berries. The label on the box says that it’s 240 1.5 oz. containers of this decadently delightful dip. It also contained this lovely letter…
Hala Moddelmog, President of Arby's
A letter from the President of Arby’s?Hala Moddelmog rules. I mean, I don’t see the presidents of McDonald’s, Wendy’s, or Pizza Hut responding to a crazy person on the internet with such individually directed kindness & generosity.
I’m obviously going to need help finishing this case. It expires in June, so I highly doubt we can get through it all. Want some Bronco Berry Sauce? I’m willing to share what is now a rarity in our region.
I’m saddened by the news that Jalapeño Bites won’t be returning to Arby’s in Pittsburgh any time soon, but I do believe that my emails have actually been passed along. I will pass on the Occupy Arby’s sauce sit-in. But I still may write a song, even if no one helps me.
Perhaps the song will be the thing that puts our market managers and the marketing team over the edge. I’ll have to write to my new friend Ms. Moddlemog, and see exactly where to direct my comments.
I almost want to build something out of them. It looks like 1 or 2 popped (or was squeezed) open, but it’s an acceptable loss. I mean, it was free. We had some Bronco Berry Sauce tonight with a few Tyson chicken tenders for dinner in lieu of boring old bottle barbecue sauce.
Bronco Jalapeño’s appetite may be satisfied for now, but my quest is not over. Arby’s in Pittsburgh, are you listening? Bring back the Jalapeño bites! This potato bite shenanigans is just that, shenanigans.
To follow the story from the start, check out these posts:
So, on one hand… Arby’s is trying to placate the great Bronco Jalapeño with the promise of personal gain. I think. They don’t flat-out say that, but that’s what I read from it. What do you think?
So they intend to silence the great Jalapeño with a free sample or some coupons? Perhaps with just their word? I have not received a reply to the tweet yet… and I’m not sure how they would send a supply of Bronco Berry Sauce as I don’t think Bronco Jalapeño has an address… unless they know that I am Bronco Jalapeño… (which isn’t too hard to figure out) but then again I don’t remember if I provided my address in their contact form, and they haven’t reached out to ask me for it.
On the other hand, I received this email…
From: “customerservice@arbys.com” <customerservice@arbys.com> To: me@my.email.address Sent: Tuesday, March 27, 2012 10:20 AM Subject: Customer Feedback #474233
Dear Mr. Carroll,
Thank you for your comments regarding our Bronco Berry Sauce. Our customer’s input and comments are always welcome and very important to us. We use this information to guide the decisions we make about our brand and our products. We have shared your comments with our Menu and Product Development team for future consideration. Also, Bronco Berry sauce is not available for retail sale.
If you have any additional questions you can give us a call at 800-599-2729.
Thank you again.
Sincerely,
Arby’s Customer Relations
Allow me to translate a few key lines…
No hat is too big for Bronco Jalapeño!
“We have shared your comments with our Menu and Product Development team for future consideration.” means a couple of things:
“We’ve shared your comments” means that it’s off of their collective customer service desk, so they consider the issue resolved, and can blame any further lack of progress or answers solely on the “Menu and Product Development team.”
“For future consideration” means I won’t get a reply from them either, and this will most likely go ignored, completely negating the statements “Our customer’s input and comments are always welcome and very important to us. We use this information to guide the decisions we make about our brand and our products.”
Perhaps I’m too cynical.
“Also, Bronco Berry sauce is not available for retail sale” means “too bad for you!”
From: Eric <me@my.email.address> To: “customerservice@arbys.com” Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2012 Subject: Re: Arby’s Feedback #473197
Hello friends,
It’s been a week, and I haven’t heard back from my feedback submission… #473197.
Any hope of some answers?
Thanks,
-Eric
.seitilibasid gninrael fo nuf ekam ot ynnuf ton yllaer s’tI
I did get this engaging missive after I inquired about a response using my trusty tracking number…
From: “customerservice@arbys.com” <customerservice@arbys.com> To: me@my.email.address Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2012 Subject: Arby’s Feedback #473197 Follow-Up
Dear Arby’s Guest,
This e-mail is related to your feedback tracking number 473197.
In order to better serve our customers, we would like to know if you have been contacted by a representative of Arby’s in our efforts to resolve your issue or answer your question.
We appreciate your comments and will use them to improve the overall experience of our customers at our restaurant.
Sincerely,
Arby’s Guest Feedback Team
So I wrote back (again)…
From: Eric <me@my.email.address> To: “customerservice@arbys.com” <customerservice@arbys.com> Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2012 Subject: Re: Arby’s Feedback #473197 Follow-Up
Hello,
I have not been contacted. That’s why I wrote again. Should I include a copy of my 1st email?
Thanks,
-Eric
.seitilibasid gninrael fo nuf ekam ot ynnuf ton yllaer s’tI
Is it just me, or was the purpose of my original email to state that I had not yet received a reply? Yet, that asked me if I had received a reply? Are you even reading these emails, Arby’s?
Comparing my minor inconveniences to a “massive” political movement? Yes. I just did that. I generally make light of many things. You’re about to read one of those things.
"*Limited availability at participating locations" roughly translates to "NONE FOR YOU!"
This is ridiculous. I can be more ridiculous. So, I decided to submit an email via Arby’s webform:
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
No more Jalapeño Poppers & (perhaps more importantly) BRONCO BERRY SAUCE®?
Please tell me that this is temporary insanity & that they will be back soon. Please?
I understand that the stores were given a choice between carrying some loaded potato bite shenanigans and the Jalapeño poppers, and local stores in my area (Pittsburgh, PA) opted for the not-so-awesome menu selection.
I understand that we (the consumers) are directed to voice our opinions to the local Arby’s locations.
My questions to you are as follows…
☘ WHY? Why did they have to choose? Why not carry both?
☘ WHY (again)? Why would one choose some potato things over the awesomeness that is BRONCO BERRY SAUCE® (& Jalapeño Poppers)?
☘ HOW? How do I contact the local Arby’s via email? Do they each have email addresses? Is there a regional manager?
☘ WELL? If I can’t get the BRONCO BERRY SAUCE® locally, can I order some online? Will you start bottling & selling it in grocery stores now that it’s no longer readily available to the masses?
It most certainly does not put me in a good mood to not have my BRONCO BERRY SAUCE®. I’m pretty sure I could straight-up just drink the stuff were it a little thinner. Rude Mood Food is more like it now, my friends.
I may have to organize an OCCUPY ARBY’S at a nearby location. It may get crazy. There may be news cameras. It will be a peaceful protest, so please don’t pepper spray any of us. You may, however, shower us with packets of BRONCO BERRY SAUCE® and hot fresh Jalapeño Poppers. We’ll have to chant things like “Don’t be a dingleberry, bring back the Bronco Berry!”, “No Jalapeños dude, that’s Rude Mood Food!”, or “Potato Bites, really bite!” (Well, that one may need work.)
Please, talk some sense into the Arby’s locations in the Pittsburgh area before it comes down to this insanity.
Bronco Berry Backer, -Eric
This is all I have received so far:
From: “customerservice@arbys.com” <customerservice@arbys.com> To: me@my.email.address Sent: Wednesday, March 14, 2012 Subject: Arby’s Feedback #473197
Dear Arby’s Guest,
We have received your Guest Feedback message and are directing it to the appropriate department. For follow-up purposes, your feedback tracking number is 473197.
Your feedback helps us improve the overall guest experience at our restaurants. Thank you for taking the time to contact us.
Sincerely, Arby’s Guest Feedback Team
Ridiculous. It’s still not the most ridiculous thing that’s happened in an Arby’s parking lot around here. I mean, remember this dude?
If they have to tell you that it's delicious, maybe it's not really delicious.
Not that I’m the biggest Arby’s fan in the first place. I’m more of a fan of actual Roast Beef, not this lunch-meat stuff like Arby’s or the all-gone-except-the-ones-on-the-Turnpike Roy Rogers has. (Remember Rax? They had that too.) Ever been to Lion’s Choice? I believe they’re centered around St. Louis. That, my friends, is how roast beef is done.
You might say “just get your jalapeño bites (or poppers) somewhere else, you weirdo”. To that, I say…
I can’t, most places that have them also have some form of deathfish in the fryer… which may possibly kill me (and put a damper on my dining experience).
Are you also angry about this? Voice your opinions below… perhaps we can get Arby’s to look here & reconsider this grievous error. If not, maybe we’ll to the Occupy Arby’s thing. I bet we could get on the news.
Beyond that, the next step may be petitioning McDonald’s, Wendy’s, & Chick-fil-A to carry them…
Do you have any suggestions for protest slogans? Would you join an Occupy Arby’s movement? What should be our next course of action?
World (and Lunar) Domination 