I'd like to shake some sense into the marketing geniuses at Betty Crocker for their amazingly useless and wasteful new product:
Get this: It's pancake mix in a plastic jug.
Now for only a few bucks more you can buy a plastic jug to mix your pancakes in, and throw it into a landfill afterward for all eternity. That right, it's SO easy and convenient that you no longer have to suffer the drudgery of washing the bowl and spoon used for your pancake mix. Heck, why not thrown away the rest of the breakfast dishes while you are at it. You know, those other dishes (plates, forks, etc.) that you wash still have to wash after cooking pancakes? To save yourself the horrible inconvenience of bowl-washing, all you need is this product and a little bit of water (What! I have to add my own water?!? What a rip-off!), shake it up (that part might at least be good exercise) and you are ready to cook light, fluffy, and delicious pancakes.
Somewhat more seriously, has our society become so degenerate that we can no longer mix our own pancake batter? Have people forgotten such basic cooking skills as stirring? The marketing people at Betty Crocker seem to think this is the case. They seem to think their customers are THAT stupid. I hope the plastic jug is at least recyclable, but I still won't forgive them if it is.Disclaimer: I'm probably going to cook pancakes for breakfast tomorrow morning, from a Bisquick mix. I will take extra satisfaction in the stirring though. Also, I think I might need to start making my pancakes from scratch.
Even the dry mix is a crying shame! Pancakes have only 6 ingredients (7 if you add sugar, but why?), all of which are standard boring stuff any kitchen not totally reliant on take-out and ready-made.
ReplyDeleteLet's hope that the public wises up some day.
I make pancakes from scratch. If you're going to choose something to make from scratch as a political statement, or even just for the sake of it, pancakes are a good place to start.
ReplyDeleteI also make cookies from scratch and it takes me barely 10 minutes longer than making them with the premade mix. It's not so scary once you try it.
I would admit there is some convenience to a mix, those as both N and G note, not very much convenience. The plastic shaker jug crosses the line into "intentional wastefulness", and is arguably less convenient than stirring in a bowl.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, seeing that commercial on the TV just set me off, and this made a nice mini-rant. If you Google "Shake and Pour" this post comes up as the #6 result, and that seems as good a way to strike back as any. TAKE THAT Betty Crocker!
We just had pancakes as part of a sunday brunch we hosted. It took no time at all to make the batter. I would like to recommend using half regular flour and half oatmeal. My wife does that and the things are fabulous. A perfect side dish to the bacon. :-)
ReplyDeleteSam
I am so glad you found my rant on this particular subject! I loved yours.
ReplyDeleteThanks Rachael. We are a growing movement, vying to recapture control of breakfast from the evil clutches of corporate America!
ReplyDeleteOr something like that. ;-)
BETTY CROCKER!!!!
ReplyDelete