"Dave Smith" > wrote in message
...
> On 2016-04-13 2:15 PM, Robert wrote:
>
>> Where what? The question was what is the traditional American food.
>> Every Sunday my mom served meatloaf mashed potatoes and a vegetable
>> (either peas and carrots, green beans, spinach, or corn). So I said it
>> was meatloaf.
>
> That would make it a typical family meal for you and your kin. I have
> often advised people that if a restaurant has meatloaf or meatloaf
> sandwiches on their menu you should order it because it is likely to be
> good. Other than higher end places, there aren't many restaurants that
> don't have burgers on the menu. There are a number of fast food
> franchises that specialize in burgers. Most have diversified a little,
> but the vast majority of their meals involved hamburgers.

My dad always warned us not to get meatloaf at a restaurant because you
never knew what they put in there and it was likely leftovers. I didn't
heed his advice and I did have it a few times at various places. It was
always good. But not like my mom made it. And she said that hers was the
only kind that she liked. I actually did like hers cold. Wasn't as good
hot. But mine bears no resemblance to hers. She has eaten mine and didn't
complain. I used to make it as a child but in a pie pan then cut it in
wedges, topped with a scoop of mashed potatoes. I don't make it that way
now.

I do remember the horror that was said to be meatloaf at a restaurant where
we used to dine. I only say used to because it's no longer on our route to
anywhere. Otherwise, we'd still eat there. But I heard a person at a table
behind me complain that what they'd been served was not meatloaf. I turned
to see the waving about a giant, dried out looking patty of some sort of
meat. Did not look like meatloaf to me! Who makes it into a patty?
Wouldn't that be a Rissole? But the waitress insisted that it was in fact
meatloaf. Said it was made the day before and fried to reheat it. Who does
that either? But it looked hideous and not at all like meatloaf.

The customer insisted that they dined there frequently and got the meatloaf
but it was never like that. And I truly don't doubt it. Never did figure
out what it might have been. But I do know that they were very inconsistent
on things. Never knew if you'd get a tiny or huge portion. And the soup
was never the same twice. So at least you knew that it didn't come from a
can.