American cuisine

Far from enjoying delicious American cuisine, I still held a sense of unexpected jubilation when our eyes met in the store. Could it be?

"Smack" -- Hungary's equivalent to Top Ramen. Never mind the picture this was Top Ramen, baby!! First time EVER finding it here in Hungary. As kids, our family grew up on Top Ramen as the poor peoples version of pasta. That flavorful little packet does so much! :D Anyways, I learned that it's good with shredded cheese melted on top. Ad if there's not much else to eat or if you're living in another country and familiar foods are thoroughly enjoyed, you appreciate things.....even as simple as Ramen noodles.

Now when I'm really missing home or in the mood for comfort food in Budapest, there are two American fast food chains conveniently located near my bus stop. Directly across from one another, Pizza Hut and KFC are dangerously good and very convenient. I rarely eat either in the states, but since I've been here in Budapest....well, yeah.

For the past few months KFC has been under remodel and closed to the public. After a nice makeover from an early 90's decor to a more trendy look, I recently made a mental note that KFC re-opened.

But a very funny thing happened the other night! As I was coming home from an English conversation club, I realized my hunger pains as I neared the bus stop. I figured it was the best time to get that delicious twister. I started to walk towards the front entrance of KFC where a beautiful red and white arch of balloons cascaded over the entry door in all it's well-lit glory. I assumed they were celebrating the re-opening of KFC and I thought to myself, "God bless America" as I could taste the twister in my mouth.

As I came closer to the entrance, I noticed a table just inside with glasses of champagne poured and lots of people mingling. It looked so.....classy. I thought....Wow! Customer service at its finest in a KFC, no doubt. In this part of the world, I've seen stranger things. It's an interesting mix, but I'll go for it. Free champagne and a twister.

This is where perception is NOT necessarily reality.

As I approached the front door I failed to see the burly Hungarian body guard keeping watch over the entrance and giving the eye to all who passed by. As I came within a foot of the door, he looked at me sternly and said,
"Zarva van" as he stood in front of the entrance. (Which means "It's closed.")

"Zarva van?" I said disappointed, "Bistos?" (are you sure?).

"Zarva van" he said again.

No questions asked because they won't get answered. Just "Zarva van".

OK, I guess I won't be eating a twister tonight! As I joined the other bystanders whom I noticed were also looking into the windows as if to wonder why it's not closed to these people inside, I had a brief moment of understanding what it might even slightly be like to live in communist times when you stood in line for food rations.

I guess I'll never quite know why I didn't get that twister. As a select few were wining and dining on American cuisine and champagne inside KFC, I thought to myself, this is just really strange. :D Strange place for a reception, office party or whatever they were doing in there! But the nicely remodeled atmosphere doesn't look half bad and I'll get that twister soon, I'm sure.

With this ravenous appetite it will be sooner than later!!
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Did you know how KFC got started? Here's the details.

Take a trip down KFC's memory lane
1890 Colonel Harland Sanders is born just outside Henryville, Indiana
1900 – 1924 The Colonel holds a series of job as a farm hand, streetcar conductor, army private in Cuba, blacksmith helper, rail yard fireman, salesman and service station operator for Standard Oil.
1930 The Colonel starts serving meals to travelers in a small room of a gas station in Corbin.
1937 The Colonel bought over a motel and café, which caters enough for 142 people.
1939 The Sanders Court & Café is first listed in Duncan Hines' "Adventures in Good Eating". The pressure cooker is introduced. It enables the Colonel to fry his chicken within a shorter time.
1940 The Colonel perfects the Original Recipe of the secret blend of 11 herbs and spices.
1952 - 1955 An interstate highway is built to bypass Corbin. The Colonel sells off his restaurant and goes on the road to seek new franchisees. Pete Harman in Salt Lake City becomes the first KFC franchisee.
1957 KFC is first sold in buckets.
1960 KFC has more than 600 franchise outlets in the United States, Canada and the first overseas outlet in England.
1964 The Colonel sells his interest in the U.S. company to a group of investors headed by John Y. Brown Jr. and Jack Massey for $2 million.
1966 KFC goes public.
1971 Heublein Inc acquires KFC.
1980 The Colonel dies from leukemia.
1982 KFC becomes a subsidiary of R.J. Reynolds Industries Inc. as Heublein Inc. is acquired by RJR Nabisco, Inc.
1986 KFC becomes a subsidiary of PepsiCo, Inc. for $840 million.
1997 PepsiCo, Inc. announces the spin-off of its quick service restaurants - KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut - into Tricon Global Restaurants, Inc.
2002 Tricon Global Restaurants, Inc., the world's largest restaurant company, changes its corporate name to YUM! Brands, Inc. In addition to KFC, the company owns A&W® All-American Food® Restaurants, Long John Silvers®, Pizza Hut® and Taco Bell® restaurants.
2006 More than a billion of the Colonel's "finger lickin' good" chicken are served annually in more than 80 countries and territories around the world.