Dinner tonight on SW Chief

[andytiedye]

Pizza is an acquired taste that is frequently tied to what you ate while you were young. I have had pizza in NY and in Chicago that locals swore were the best in the world. They were decent pizzas to me, no more.
I have arrived late to the Neapolitan pizza scene but that is frequently a VERY good pizza! But some Neapolitan pizzas that are highly touted left me cold.
Pizza is like love. You KNOW when you find the right one but sometimes your friends are positive you are crazy. And sometimes, they were right.

I grew up with Sicilian style, so I knew from the start that crust should be thick. Then I encountered that wonderful thick crust whole-wheat pizza with weird toppings like raisins and nuts along with wonderful homemade sausage from Bel Cantos in Cambridge Massachusetts, and realized that the best pizza doesn't have a style. I came out to the Bay Area and developed a taste for sourdough. So now I bake my own. Deeeeep dish sourdough pizza with pecans, homemade sausage, assorted veggies and a couple of different cheeses.

 

[20th Century Rider]

I'm a diabetic and found drdumont's comment funny.

There are high protein snacks you can bring with... nuts, certain cheeses will last a few days... tuna in the pouches, etc. Also celery, carrots, and certain other veggies travel well. With the upgraded dining on LD trains stick to veggies, salads, fish and meat. Also check with your doctor before your trip and print off one of the menus.

Unfortunately with the flex stuff you would end up picking out bits and pieces that appear edible... or just push it away. Also push away those adverse comments... any good transportation group provides foods for diabetic needs.

34.2 million Americans—just over 1 in 10—have diabetes. 88 million American adults—approximately 1 in 3—have prediabetes.

 

[drdumont]

in the grand universe of stuff...spelling is sooooo unimportant.....

Unless you want to communicate with accuracy. One misspelled word can change an entire meaning.

 

[crescent-zephyr]

While the responsibility falls on the person with the dietary restriction to have snacks, medicine, and other sorts of things to get through short times without more substantial food they can eat, I strongly denounce your post. There are many people who have restrictions for conditions other than the latest fad or trend. Yes, Amtrak is a transportation service, but they are also expected to provide food that passengers have paid for. It's really disrespectful that you are lumping in fad diets with life-and-death conditions and joking about someone convulsing on the floor. Next time, put yourself in someone else's shoes before making a generalized statement about conditions you know nothing about living with.

Agreed. I eat gluten free. It honestly is nobody’s business why. That’s how I choose to eat. It’s super easy to mark items as GF on a menu.

 

[drdumont]

Agreed. I eat gluten free. It honestly is nobody’s business why. That’s how I choose to eat. It’s super easy to mark items as GF on a menu.

I could not agree with you more. Posting such information on a menu "SHOULD" be a no-brainer.
But in this day and age, "Shuold" and "DID" don't seem to go together.

 

[drdumont]

While the responsibility falls on the person with the dietary restriction to have snacks, medicine, and other sorts of things to get through short times without more substantial food they can eat, I strongly denounce your post. There are many people who have restrictions for conditions other than the latest fad or trend. Yes, Amtrak is a transportation service, but they are also expected to provide food that passengers have paid for. It's really disrespectful that you are lumping in fad diets with life-and-death conditions and joking about someone convulsing on the floor. Next time, put yourself in someone else's shoes before making a generalized statement about conditions you know nothing about living with.

The airlines USED to provide special meals on request, whether dietary, religious or other preferences. I haven't flown in ages, don't know if they even serve food any more, much less accommodate such requests.
I don't remember seeing that AMTRAK has the capability. So, the onus is on the consumer, whether the preference is medical or religious or merely a personal preference, to ensure their needs are met.

Disrespectful? Sorry, in this hypersensitive day and age you can't say two words without someone claiming insult or lack of respect.

 

[jis]

The airlines USED to provide special meals on request, whether dietary, religious or other preferences. I haven't flown in ages, don't know if they even serve food any more, much less accommodate such requests.

Here is a quick guide to what is on offer on domestic flights these days in the US.

https://thepointsguy.com/news/inflight-service-resuming/
And here is a sample of what is on offer in international business class:

https://www.tripsavvy.com/best-airline-meals-in-the-world-4136937
As for special meals I am not sure about the situation on domestic flights, but they are certainly available on international flights upon request.

 

[PVD]

Federal law requires that 8 major allergen groups be identified on a menu. They make up around 90% of all food allergies. Gluten is different, since it is not an allergen in the classic sense, but its presence can trigger very serious episodes in certain people, and a range of symptoms in others. Some of those people can be triggered by minute amounts of gluten. Amtrak lists GF items on the menus, but can not guarantee 100% none is present in foods that come from outside suppliers. As an example, a Hebrew National Hot Dog is gluten free, a person who doesn't want gluten in there diet for a personal but critical reason can throw away the bun, whereas a person with a serious enough medical condition might be triggered by residue from the bread. Other than providing the information, and people actually using it to plan ahead, I'm not sure how much else can be done in a practical fashion.

 

[niemi24s]

How many gluten linked molecules does it take to trigger a reaction in a person with serious enough medical condition?

 

[user 14106]

Redacted

 

[crescent-zephyr]

As for special meals I am not sure about the situation on domestic flights, but they are certainly available on international flights upon request.

Domestic as well. You just have to request ahead of time. Usually one of the on board choices is GF as well, but best to order ahead.

 

[west point]

I know someone who got bitten by a ticks. He now has an allergy to beef and pork. He has not decided how he is going to travel on Amtrak.

 

[drdumont]

I know someone who got bitten by a ticks. He now has an allergy to beef and pork. He has not decided how he is going to travel on Amtrak.

That is unfortunate, indeed. However, with a little effort, he can bring his own supplies, even an electric cooler bag. (Mine is about 14x28x10). Alas, AMTRAK will not heat anything for you, citing a number of reasons. I use a small "breakfast sandwich maker" and it works well. Heats chicken strips, toasts, and is pretty small.

 

[me_little_me]

I know someone who got bitten by a ticks. He now has an allergy to beef and pork. He has not decided how he is going to travel on Amtrak.

Allergy to eating them or just being around them or just having your food cooked in the same convection oven as they are? Big difference! There's always the pre-packaged (salmon and chicken, I think) kosher meals which he could ask to have delivered to his room. They must be pre-ordered days in advance. And the kosher breakfast most assuredly does not contain "kosher pork".

 

[Lonnie]

That is unfortunate, indeed. However, with a little effort, he can bring his own supplies, even an electric cooler bag. (Mine is about 14x28x10). Alas, AMTRAK will not heat anything for you, citing a number of reasons. I use a small "breakfast sandwich maker" and it works well. Heats chicken strips, toasts, and is pretty small.

Could you suggest a 120v electric cooler bag? All I see are 12v.

 

[drdumont]

Could you suggest a 120v electric cooler bag? All I see are 12v.

YAPASPT Electric Car Cooler - Collapsible Soft Cooler Warmer Bag 36-Cans for Lunch Picnic Camping Hiking Beach BBQ Party

Brand: YAPASPT
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
110V Power supply is
Wagan EL9903 - 5 amp AC to DC Power Adapter, 5A Power Converter, Converts 110V AC to 12V DC, Car Cigarette Lighter Socket, UL listed , Black
On AMAZON
I am quite happy with mine. There are many others from which to choose. This is the lightest one for the size.

Let me know how you get on!

 

[me_little_me]

Could you suggest a 120v electric cooler bag? All I see are 12v.

All that takes is a power supply.

 

[John Santos]

I grew up with Sicilian style, so I knew from the start that crust should be thick. Then I encountered that wonderful thick crust whole-wheat pizza with weird toppings like raisins and nuts along with wonderful homemade sausage from Bel Cantos in Cambridge Massachusetts, and realized that the best pizza doesn't have a style. I came out to the Bay Area and developed a taste for sourdough. So now I bake my own. Deeeeep dish sourdough pizza with pecans, homemade sausage, assorted veggies and a couple of different cheeses.

My favorite pizza ever was Bel Canto whole wheat with sausage, carrots and walnuts. I don't generally like walnuts very much (too bitter), but baking them mellowed them out. The carrots were shredded and worked great with the tomato sauce and cheese. A co-worker's daughter worked at the Lexington Bel Canto around the corner from my office until it burned down. All the other Bel Cantos closed over the next few years. Still miss them. One of my college roommates came to a reunion (now lives in Seattle) and the first thing he wanted to do was go to Bel Cantos, but it had long since closed.

 

[niemi24s]

Some 120V coolers are as small as 6-pack capacity: https://www.walmart.com/search/?query=small 120v refrigerator

Take your pick.

 

[drdumont]

All that takes is a power supply.

It takes a rather healthy one. Like 5A. This one comes with the cigarette lighter socket. You can keep the wall wart
in the pocket in the cooler, along with the

CyberPower Systems 3 Outlet, 400 Joules, 2 USB charging ports (2.4A) Surge Protector w/ 6 ft. Cord - Black

Available from MicroCenter and elsewhere I am sure.

 

[neroden]

Amtrak Food Facts

I've been trying to get them to provide complete ingredients lists for over 6 years. Amtrak seems incapable of passing along the ingredients lists, which is bizarre. I'm violently allergic to guar gum. It *probably* isn't in *most* of the foods, but I have to avoid anything which *might* contain it if I don't have an ingredients list. If I did have ingredients lists, I could probably eat most of the things on the menu. It's absolutely infuriating that Amtrak cannot provide ingredients lists. Most of the onboard staff have done their best, but official policy throws all the packaging with ingredients in the trash before departing and doesn't publish the ingredients lists either online or on paper.

This is illegal. Severe allergies are a disability and ingredients lists are a reasonable accomodation. But there's a disconnect at Amtrak management, who seem to have a lot of trouble doing the simplest things to improve the situation for their disabled customers.

 

[drdumont]

I've been trying to get them to provide complete ingredients lists for over 6 years. <snip>

This is illegal. Severe allergies are a disability and ingredients lists are a reasonable accommodation. But there's a disconnect at Amtrak management, who seem to have a lot of trouble doing the simplest things to improve the situation for their disabled customers.

In a case such as yours with a documented case of allergy, I wholeheartedly support your effort. It is a shame that in this litigious age that something as like simply documenting ingredients will demand legal action to solve the problem. We are today constantly cracking walnuts with a steam hammer, when a simple request should suffice. One would hope that a registered letter to CEO or mayhap your Congressman would help, but that is wishful thinking.
If there is not an association or active group supporting this issue, then I reckon your only avenue of redress will be with legal assistance.
The use of a soy filler in a hamburger once nearly killed me. After a year of wrangling and legal expense, I finally prevailed and was made whole financially. But what a waste of time and effort that should have been avoided with a simple posted list.

 

[PVD]

Food is an area where progress has been made, but there is a lot left to accomplish. Allergens have to be listed on menus (along with gluten) but only the 8 most common. Nutrition labeling information requirements do not apply to transportation in many cases. Since sleeper passengers are paying for meals and they can not be unbundled, it is possible the Lesley Agreement may cover, but maybe not. I'm not so sure legal action would be successful, as to establishing an ingredient list as a reasonable accommodation in the context of the Amtrak environment. but regardless, there really isn't any reason they can't do better. Soy and Guar Gum are in 2 different worlds, Soy is on the major allergen list, and must be listed while I don't believe Guar Gum is.

 

[jis]

Here is an informative Q&A on the matter of food accommodation requirements flowing from the Lesley Agreement:

https://www.ada.gov/q&a_lesley_university.htm
It also has a pointer to what the agreement was about.

 

[neroden]

Amtrak's suppliers know the ingredients in their food -- it isn't "mystery meat" that "fell off the back of a truck" -- that would not be legal! Passing along the *information* is a reasonable accomodation, and any judge or jury would agree. I'm not even asking for Amtrak to supply any food I can eat, I'm just asking to be able to TELL.

I am also not so sensitive that I need to be worried about cross-contamination. Just, is it in the ingredients or not.

If all of Amtrak's food contains guar gum, then fine, I'll pack my own food. What's infuriating is that it probably doesn't. It probably is safe for me to eat. But I can't eat it because they won't provide the information.

It really shouldn't take a court case to get the simple publication of ingredients lists. Every packaged food sold in the grocery store has them. Amtrak's suppliers know what's in the food, and the labels are even on the packages they arrive in, as well as in product data sheets from the suppliers.

They just have to task someone to take those ingredients lists and slap them up on the amtrakfoodfacts website. Or provide laminated copies to the train crews. Or both. I've seen restaurants which put the ingredients on the website, and I've seen restaurants which put them in a laminated book of ingredients behind the counter. Either works. This is something the vast majority of restaurants have solved.