Notes for "A Vibrant Symbol of the American Dream"
These are the notes for "A Vibrant Symbol of the American Dream."
Food trucks offer a more affordable entry into food production than restaurants. Learn how to start one. Many towns in Terramagne-America support this business model, and a few in local-America do too. Search for food trucks by city.
Attaching a refrigerated trailer behind a food truck makes it possible to store much more food. Since almost all of the Syrian Foods stock is prepped in advance and stored in a refrigerator, this greatly increases the amount of potential sales per day.
Syria belongs to the family of Mediterranean countries. Syrian cuisine uses key ingredients that generally match the Mediterranean food pyramid. The Mediterranean diet is the best by multiple measures. Learn how to follow it. Enjoy some Syrian recipes and culinary resources.
(Some of these links are controversial. Others involving slaughter techniques are graphic.)
The Syrian Foods truck serves only halal items. Halal food standards describe what Muslims may eat or use, in simple or more complex terms. These vary across cultures, and even between individuals, as we saw in the debate over halal-tayyib. Halal certification offers various benefits for producers and vendors. This discussion of the knowledge base covers things such as animal feed and the difference between halal and certified-halal products. In particular, foodstuff which is halal by category may be made haram (forbidden) if it comes into contact with haram substances or practices; for example, if any pork products are used in a factory, they tend to contaminate everything. Here is a very detailed description and demonstration of halal slaughter techniques, with the basic concepts in earlier videos and actual slaughter in last of the three. The results are quite impressive, but be aware that it requires a level of faith-based magic and animal-handling skill that not many people achieve. Here is a whole book on religious slaughtering techniques, but it allows mechanical methods not as good as hand slaughtering. Note that commercial slaughterhouses, as opposed to small businesses or individuals, are primarily concerned with cutting as many corners as possible, as you can see from the things they have subsequently been told not to do. As with any product, if you want to be SURE what you're getting, do it yourself or buy from a producer you know and trust. Good ones exist, but they are not common here as the market works against them. T-America does somewhat better. It can be difficult and expensive to obtain halal food, but Muslims are obligated to do so, which makes food a major concern for those living in non-Muslim areas.
Zabiha meat is processed according to halal requirements.
There are instructions on halal cooking for home cooks and professionals. In general, washing is sufficient to purify cookware contaminated by unclean things, but given a choice most Muslims would prefer new cookware. Here are more detailed directions on purifying tools that have been contaminated. This discussion explores some group and individual variations, in which the most important is to follow an imam you know and trust, because they sometimes make different rulings.
Syrian Cuisine
Kebabs
Kebab Halabi (lamb)
Khashkhash Kebab (beef)
Koobideh Kebabs (goat)
Kardal devised several recipes that use maple syrup for a unique Syrian-Vermont fusion.
Za'atar Maple Chicken Kebabs
Za'atar Maple Sesame Seed Bars
Za'atar Maple Candied Nuts
Syrian Za'atar
Dips and Accompaniments
There are usually at least three dips besides the hummus, and the flavors rotate, typically one yogurt and two vegetable.
Muhammara (roasted red pepper and walnut dip)
Mutabal (eggplant and tahini dip)
Mutabal Shawandar (beet and tahini dip)
NaNa Wa Jorz (mint and walnut dip)
Syrian Baba Ganoush (smoky eggplant dip)
Toum (garlic sauce)
Elephant garlic is good for roasting and makes excellent dip.
Laban (plain yogurt) is available in small, medium, or large tubs alone or with one topping (fresh fruit, pickled vegetables, maple syrup, etc.) and as a blob on top of anything. Customers may add any of the available spices or oils at the condiment station. They can also buy a crunchy accompaniment like a Za'atar Maple Sesame Seed Bar, Hot Chicks, Jumble Munch, or Screamin' Squirrel Granola. A Yogurt Parfait is made in a tall milkshake cup with 1 cup yogurt layered with 1 fruit or vegetable mix-in, 1 crunchy mix-in, and 1 drizzle (maple syrup, honey, chocolate sauce, or any of the dips).
Garlic Yogurt Tahini Dip
Kishkeh (bulgur and yogurt dip)
Labneh (yogurt cheese spread) with olive oil and za'atar or as balls
Syrian Pita Bread
Pita bread can be plain and soft, or crunchy chips either plain or za'atar flavored. It is a component in many combinations and also available as a side order.
Fresh fruits and vegetables are available in a separate cup for snacks, as a side dish with main items, or as a component in several other things like a hummus platter with vegetables.
Syrian Sweet-and-Sour Olives
Kabiss (Syrian pickled vegetables)
Hard boiled eggs are available in a cup of 3 or 6, and are components of some combination items. They are convenient to make ahead and store cold.
The basic Dip Tray has 1 dip with fresh vegetables, pita bread, or pita chips. People often buy that as the start of lunch and then add extra things like falafel or a side salad.
The Friendship Dip Platter is available in several sizes:
* 2-person: 2 dips with fresh vegetables and either pita bread or pita chips
* 4-person: 3 dips with fresh vegetables, pita bread, and pita chips
* 6-person: 4 dips with fresh vegetables, pita bread, pita chips, and either hard-boiled eggs or falafel
* Party Size: some of every dip that day with fresh vegetables, pita bread, pita chips, hard-boiled eggs, falafel, kabiss, and olives
This is the service window of Kardal's Syrian food truck, showing some of the offerings.
Salads
There is usually one fresh vegetable salad in addition to the everyday tabouli.
Tabouli is a salad of bulgur, tomatoes, and parsley. It is available alone, as a side dish, or as a component in various combinations.
Syrian Chopped Salad
Shâmiyât (toasted flatbread salad)
Kompot (dried fruit salad with yogurt)
Main Dishes and Side Dishes
Shawarma comes with slivers of spit-roasted meat and fresh or pickled vegetables wrapped in lavash. It is traditionally served with a white sauce inside the wrap or on the side.
* The Shawarma Munch Combo adds a cup of yogurt with topping and a drink.
* The Shawarma Meal Combo adds a cup of yogurt with topping, Syrian Sweet-and-Sour Olives, dessert, and a drink.
* Shawarma meat also appears in some other items.
Lavash is a thin flexible bread used for making wraps, also available alone. It can be made with various combinations of flour; a blend of flax, oat bran, and whole wheat makes a very soft and flexible wrap low in carbohydrates.
Makhluta (mixed whole grains and lentils) is available by itself in small, medium, or large tubs; the large has a "bottomless" option. In the Healthy Plate combo, it counts as either a grain or a protein.
Sambousek (phyllo meat pies)
Im'warah b'sbanech (phyllo spinach triangles)
Falafel (fried chickpea balls) is served alone in batches of 3, 6, or 12 with optional drizzle of dip.
* A Falafel Snack Tray comes in 3 or 6 with a small tub of dip and fresh vegetables.
* A Falafel Meal Platter has 12 with a medium tub of dip, fresh vegetables, olives, a side salad, and a drink.
* The Falafel Feast has 12 with two small tubs of dip, fresh vegetables, olives, two side salads, 6 im'warah b'sbanech, 2 drinks, and 2 desserts.
Sauces include Tahini Sauce and Shawarma White Sauce.
Hummus is a thick paste made from chickpeas that comes in myriad flavors; here the most common offerings are lemon, garlic, and Aleppo pepper. It is available by itself in small, medium, or large tubs. It appears in various combination meals and as a component in some items. Hummus can be eaten with many dipping foods, used as a spread, or incorporated into other recipes. The food truck offers just a sampling of options.
The Hummus Snack Tray comes with a small tub of hummus, fresh vegetables, and pita bread or chips.
The Hummus Sampler Platter comes with three small tubs of hummus, fresh vegetables, pita bread, pita chips, and optional fresh fruit.
The Hummus Meal Platter comes with a medium tub of hummus, fresh vegetables, pita bread or chips, choice of boiled eggs or falafel, a side salad, and a drink.
The Hummus Buster is a giant sandwich made with two big ovals of pita bread filled with:
* Za'atar Maple Chicken Kebab meat, shawarma meat, OR falafel
* tabouli, Syrian chopped salad, kabiss (Syrian pickled vegetables), OR fresh vegetables
* hummus spread on both pita ovals OR hummus on one oval and any other spread on the other oval
Basically, Kardal learned about grinder sandwiches and figured he could build something better. The Buster Munch Combo adds a side order of fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, or salad and a drink. The Buster Meal Combo adds a side order of fresh fruit, either fresh vegetables or salad, dessert, and a drink. You can get it cut in half and it will feed two people if they order sides. The Buster Couple Combo has a Hummus Buster cut in half, fresh fruit, 2 side salads, baked onion crisps, olives, 2 desserts, and 2 drinks.
A long sandwich may be called a sub (most places), grinder (Boston, also Vermont), hoagie (Philadelphia), hero (New York City), poor boy, bomber, Italian sandwich, baguette, or samey. It is a subset of giant sandwiches along with the dagwood. The Hummus Buster is a new Vermont addition.
Large sandwiches have many names. Grinder Day is October 9. Explore some of the best sandwiches in America.
The Humdinger is a platter with two large tubs of hummus (same or different flavors), pita bread, hard-boiled eggs, falafel, either Za'atar Maple Chicken Kebabs or shawarma meat (or extra falafel in the vegetarian version), tabouli, date or pomegranate jallab drink (with extra syrup available), and dessert.
Kardal designed this after Zipper found his food truck and told all his teleporter friends about it, then Kardal learned that teleporters are high-burn.
The Hummus Dessert tray comes with that day's flavor of sweet hummus, an assortment of fresh and dried fruit, and yogurt pretzels. The most popular is maple hummus. (Vanilla extract is replaced with halal vanilla, and other substitutions as necessary.)
Desserts
There are usually two or three different Syrian desserts. Those not shown include Halawet el Jibn, Karabij Halab (Aleppo cookies) with Natef, Ma'amoul (date, pistachio, or walnut stuffed cookies), and Ballourieh Baklava. Most are sold individually. Ruz ib Haleeb (Syrian rice pudding) is instead sold in small, medium, or large tubs.
Finger Baklava
Swar as-sitt (lady's bracelet baklava) Watch a video recipe.
See the desserts in the food truck.
Condiments and Extras
The condiment station customarily has za'atar, baharat, and Aleppo spice blends; sea salt and black pepper; dried mint and dried parsley flakes; plain full-flavor olive oil and one herb-infused olive oil; plain vinegar, one herb-infused vinegar, and one fruity vinegar; and squirt bottles of Tahini Sauce and Shawarma White Sauce.
Fruity vinegar can be brewed or infused. Here are some recipes. You can pick your own fruit, and consider what grows in Vermont.
Baked Onion Crisps can be used as a crunchy topping or as a side dish.
Date Bars
Packaged Snacks
Packaged snacks hang on a rack outside the food truck and include:
There is a company of several multicultural women that's making packets of just crispy chickpeas in different flavors. The Hot Chicks are extra-spicy, the Saucy Chicks are milder, and the Sweet Chicks are sugary. The promotional characters are baby chickens dressed as bikers on the Hot Chicks, the Saucy Chicks have more eclectic "go out and have fun" outfits, and the Sweet Chicks are dolled up in pink. So cute, I wish I could draw these.
Indian Hot Chicks (plus red chile powder)
Za'atar Saucy Chicks
Maple Sweet Chicks
Screamin' Squirrel Coconut-Date Energy Balls
Halva comes in bars from assorted brands and flavors.
Apricot Bars and Fig Bars
That's It Fruit Snacks
Jumble Munch
Good Curry (chickpea papadums, lentil papadums, plantain chips, chopped curry leaves, plain puffed rice cereal, curried pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, spicy roasted chickpeas, curried nuts)
Protein Power House (lentil papadums, kale crisps, pumpkin seeds, candied chickpeas, spiced mixed nuts, peanut butter-quinoa granola clusters, protein granola squares)
Beverages
(soft drinks, water)
Tea, coffee
Doogh (salty yogurt drink)
Polo (Syrian mint lemonade)
Jallab is a beverage popular throughout the Middle East, made with date syrup or pomegranate molasses. High-burn diners can get extra syrup added to theirs.
Healthy Plate
LPI Rx for Health Plate is one popular example of a Healthy Plate. Terramagne-America offers these as flat or divided plates, disposable or reusable. An advantage of divided plates in a food truck is that they assist with measuring consistent servings of each food.
Healthy Plate LPI Rx for Health
Whole Grains: lavash bread, makhluta (mixed whole grains with lentils), or tabouli (salad of bulgur, tomatoes, and parsley)
Healthy Fats: olives, dip with olive oil on top, nuts, or cheese
Protein: hummus, falafel, makhluta (mixed whole grains with lentils), hard boiled eggs, or meat kebab
Vegetables: Syrian chopped salad, shâmiyât (toasted flatbread salad), kabiss, (Syrian pickled vegetables), any vegetable-based dip, or fresh vegetables for dipping
Fruit: kompot (dried fruit salad with yogurt) or fresh and/or dried fruit with optional sweet hummus
Beverage: water, unsweetened tea, or black coffee
Food trucks can serve healthy meals and menus. Organic foods are especially helpful. Here are ways to make a menu healthier.
Eat Wisely Rutledge is a program similar to Eat Healthy Omaha described in "The Discovery of a New Dish" and the notes for "Another Expression of Art." EWR has a special subset of guidelines for food trucks to accommodate their limited menus. Those serving healthier food get the best spots (near entrances, exits, crossroads, or restrooms) at events. They also gain access to EWR's food science department and labs. They can upload their schedules and menus to an app that helps customers find healthy food fitting their dietary plans. Food trucks are ranked based on how many points they score: Healthy (90+ points), Helpful 70-89 points), Average (30-69 points), Unhelpful (11-29 points), or Indulgent (10 points or less). Those specializing in single foods or food types tend to score the poorest, unless they only sell healthy things; more diverse menus have an advantage. See details in "Layering Flavors, Tastes, and Textures."
* * *
Food trucks must cater to their target audience. Learn how to analyze an audience and reach your target demographic. It's important to test your recipes and find creative ways of marketing your food truck.
This type of prayer mat is made of rugged indoor-outdoor material. The GPS chip goes in a sturdy case under the point of the niche.
There are various methods to calculate Qibla, the direction Muslims face when praying. A Qibla compass can be done as a handheld device, desktop program, or mobile app.
Teleporters typically have good instincts to avoid materializing inside anything, but this does not prevent other people from crashing into them when they appear suddenly. So it is safer to have a designated teleport area out of the traffic flow, especially in busy areas. Temporary fenceposts can be made quickly and easily, with purchased or partly scavenged materials. Red privacy mesh lets some wind through so it doesn't blow over easily, but screens the view.
Food trucks offer a more affordable entry into food production than restaurants. Learn how to start one. Many towns in Terramagne-America support this business model, and a few in local-America do too. Search for food trucks by city.
Attaching a refrigerated trailer behind a food truck makes it possible to store much more food. Since almost all of the Syrian Foods stock is prepped in advance and stored in a refrigerator, this greatly increases the amount of potential sales per day.
Syria belongs to the family of Mediterranean countries. Syrian cuisine uses key ingredients that generally match the Mediterranean food pyramid. The Mediterranean diet is the best by multiple measures. Learn how to follow it. Enjoy some Syrian recipes and culinary resources.
(Some of these links are controversial. Others involving slaughter techniques are graphic.)
The Syrian Foods truck serves only halal items. Halal food standards describe what Muslims may eat or use, in simple or more complex terms. These vary across cultures, and even between individuals, as we saw in the debate over halal-tayyib. Halal certification offers various benefits for producers and vendors. This discussion of the knowledge base covers things such as animal feed and the difference between halal and certified-halal products. In particular, foodstuff which is halal by category may be made haram (forbidden) if it comes into contact with haram substances or practices; for example, if any pork products are used in a factory, they tend to contaminate everything. Here is a very detailed description and demonstration of halal slaughter techniques, with the basic concepts in earlier videos and actual slaughter in last of the three. The results are quite impressive, but be aware that it requires a level of faith-based magic and animal-handling skill that not many people achieve. Here is a whole book on religious slaughtering techniques, but it allows mechanical methods not as good as hand slaughtering. Note that commercial slaughterhouses, as opposed to small businesses or individuals, are primarily concerned with cutting as many corners as possible, as you can see from the things they have subsequently been told not to do. As with any product, if you want to be SURE what you're getting, do it yourself or buy from a producer you know and trust. Good ones exist, but they are not common here as the market works against them. T-America does somewhat better. It can be difficult and expensive to obtain halal food, but Muslims are obligated to do so, which makes food a major concern for those living in non-Muslim areas.
Zabiha meat is processed according to halal requirements.
There are instructions on halal cooking for home cooks and professionals. In general, washing is sufficient to purify cookware contaminated by unclean things, but given a choice most Muslims would prefer new cookware. Here are more detailed directions on purifying tools that have been contaminated. This discussion explores some group and individual variations, in which the most important is to follow an imam you know and trust, because they sometimes make different rulings.
Syrian Cuisine
Kebabs
Kebab Halabi (lamb)
Khashkhash Kebab (beef)
Koobideh Kebabs (goat)
Kardal devised several recipes that use maple syrup for a unique Syrian-Vermont fusion.
Za'atar Maple Chicken Kebabs
Za'atar Maple Sesame Seed Bars
Za'atar Maple Candied Nuts
Syrian Za'atar
Dips and Accompaniments
There are usually at least three dips besides the hummus, and the flavors rotate, typically one yogurt and two vegetable.
Muhammara (roasted red pepper and walnut dip)
Mutabal (eggplant and tahini dip)
Mutabal Shawandar (beet and tahini dip)
NaNa Wa Jorz (mint and walnut dip)
Syrian Baba Ganoush (smoky eggplant dip)
Toum (garlic sauce)
Elephant garlic is good for roasting and makes excellent dip.
Laban (plain yogurt) is available in small, medium, or large tubs alone or with one topping (fresh fruit, pickled vegetables, maple syrup, etc.) and as a blob on top of anything. Customers may add any of the available spices or oils at the condiment station. They can also buy a crunchy accompaniment like a Za'atar Maple Sesame Seed Bar, Hot Chicks, Jumble Munch, or Screamin' Squirrel Granola. A Yogurt Parfait is made in a tall milkshake cup with 1 cup yogurt layered with 1 fruit or vegetable mix-in, 1 crunchy mix-in, and 1 drizzle (maple syrup, honey, chocolate sauce, or any of the dips).
Garlic Yogurt Tahini Dip
Kishkeh (bulgur and yogurt dip)
Labneh (yogurt cheese spread) with olive oil and za'atar or as balls
Syrian Pita Bread
Pita bread can be plain and soft, or crunchy chips either plain or za'atar flavored. It is a component in many combinations and also available as a side order.
Fresh fruits and vegetables are available in a separate cup for snacks, as a side dish with main items, or as a component in several other things like a hummus platter with vegetables.
Syrian Sweet-and-Sour Olives
Kabiss (Syrian pickled vegetables)
Hard boiled eggs are available in a cup of 3 or 6, and are components of some combination items. They are convenient to make ahead and store cold.
The basic Dip Tray has 1 dip with fresh vegetables, pita bread, or pita chips. People often buy that as the start of lunch and then add extra things like falafel or a side salad.
The Friendship Dip Platter is available in several sizes:
* 2-person: 2 dips with fresh vegetables and either pita bread or pita chips
* 4-person: 3 dips with fresh vegetables, pita bread, and pita chips
* 6-person: 4 dips with fresh vegetables, pita bread, pita chips, and either hard-boiled eggs or falafel
* Party Size: some of every dip that day with fresh vegetables, pita bread, pita chips, hard-boiled eggs, falafel, kabiss, and olives
This is the service window of Kardal's Syrian food truck, showing some of the offerings.
Salads
There is usually one fresh vegetable salad in addition to the everyday tabouli.
Tabouli is a salad of bulgur, tomatoes, and parsley. It is available alone, as a side dish, or as a component in various combinations.
Syrian Chopped Salad
Shâmiyât (toasted flatbread salad)
Kompot (dried fruit salad with yogurt)
Main Dishes and Side Dishes
Shawarma comes with slivers of spit-roasted meat and fresh or pickled vegetables wrapped in lavash. It is traditionally served with a white sauce inside the wrap or on the side.
* The Shawarma Munch Combo adds a cup of yogurt with topping and a drink.
* The Shawarma Meal Combo adds a cup of yogurt with topping, Syrian Sweet-and-Sour Olives, dessert, and a drink.
* Shawarma meat also appears in some other items.
Lavash is a thin flexible bread used for making wraps, also available alone. It can be made with various combinations of flour; a blend of flax, oat bran, and whole wheat makes a very soft and flexible wrap low in carbohydrates.
Makhluta (mixed whole grains and lentils) is available by itself in small, medium, or large tubs; the large has a "bottomless" option. In the Healthy Plate combo, it counts as either a grain or a protein.
Sambousek (phyllo meat pies)
Im'warah b'sbanech (phyllo spinach triangles)
Falafel (fried chickpea balls) is served alone in batches of 3, 6, or 12 with optional drizzle of dip.
* A Falafel Snack Tray comes in 3 or 6 with a small tub of dip and fresh vegetables.
* A Falafel Meal Platter has 12 with a medium tub of dip, fresh vegetables, olives, a side salad, and a drink.
* The Falafel Feast has 12 with two small tubs of dip, fresh vegetables, olives, two side salads, 6 im'warah b'sbanech, 2 drinks, and 2 desserts.
Sauces include Tahini Sauce and Shawarma White Sauce.
Hummus is a thick paste made from chickpeas that comes in myriad flavors; here the most common offerings are lemon, garlic, and Aleppo pepper. It is available by itself in small, medium, or large tubs. It appears in various combination meals and as a component in some items. Hummus can be eaten with many dipping foods, used as a spread, or incorporated into other recipes. The food truck offers just a sampling of options.
The Hummus Snack Tray comes with a small tub of hummus, fresh vegetables, and pita bread or chips.
The Hummus Sampler Platter comes with three small tubs of hummus, fresh vegetables, pita bread, pita chips, and optional fresh fruit.
The Hummus Meal Platter comes with a medium tub of hummus, fresh vegetables, pita bread or chips, choice of boiled eggs or falafel, a side salad, and a drink.
The Hummus Buster is a giant sandwich made with two big ovals of pita bread filled with:
* Za'atar Maple Chicken Kebab meat, shawarma meat, OR falafel
* tabouli, Syrian chopped salad, kabiss (Syrian pickled vegetables), OR fresh vegetables
* hummus spread on both pita ovals OR hummus on one oval and any other spread on the other oval
Basically, Kardal learned about grinder sandwiches and figured he could build something better. The Buster Munch Combo adds a side order of fresh fruit, fresh vegetables, or salad and a drink. The Buster Meal Combo adds a side order of fresh fruit, either fresh vegetables or salad, dessert, and a drink. You can get it cut in half and it will feed two people if they order sides. The Buster Couple Combo has a Hummus Buster cut in half, fresh fruit, 2 side salads, baked onion crisps, olives, 2 desserts, and 2 drinks.
A long sandwich may be called a sub (most places), grinder (Boston, also Vermont), hoagie (Philadelphia), hero (New York City), poor boy, bomber, Italian sandwich, baguette, or samey. It is a subset of giant sandwiches along with the dagwood. The Hummus Buster is a new Vermont addition.
Large sandwiches have many names. Grinder Day is October 9. Explore some of the best sandwiches in America.
The Humdinger is a platter with two large tubs of hummus (same or different flavors), pita bread, hard-boiled eggs, falafel, either Za'atar Maple Chicken Kebabs or shawarma meat (or extra falafel in the vegetarian version), tabouli, date or pomegranate jallab drink (with extra syrup available), and dessert.
Kardal designed this after Zipper found his food truck and told all his teleporter friends about it, then Kardal learned that teleporters are high-burn.
The Hummus Dessert tray comes with that day's flavor of sweet hummus, an assortment of fresh and dried fruit, and yogurt pretzels. The most popular is maple hummus. (Vanilla extract is replaced with halal vanilla, and other substitutions as necessary.)
Desserts
There are usually two or three different Syrian desserts. Those not shown include Halawet el Jibn, Karabij Halab (Aleppo cookies) with Natef, Ma'amoul (date, pistachio, or walnut stuffed cookies), and Ballourieh Baklava. Most are sold individually. Ruz ib Haleeb (Syrian rice pudding) is instead sold in small, medium, or large tubs.
Finger Baklava
Swar as-sitt (lady's bracelet baklava) Watch a video recipe.
See the desserts in the food truck.
Condiments and Extras
The condiment station customarily has za'atar, baharat, and Aleppo spice blends; sea salt and black pepper; dried mint and dried parsley flakes; plain full-flavor olive oil and one herb-infused olive oil; plain vinegar, one herb-infused vinegar, and one fruity vinegar; and squirt bottles of Tahini Sauce and Shawarma White Sauce.
Fruity vinegar can be brewed or infused. Here are some recipes. You can pick your own fruit, and consider what grows in Vermont.
Baked Onion Crisps can be used as a crunchy topping or as a side dish.
Date Bars
Packaged Snacks
Packaged snacks hang on a rack outside the food truck and include:
There is a company of several multicultural women that's making packets of just crispy chickpeas in different flavors. The Hot Chicks are extra-spicy, the Saucy Chicks are milder, and the Sweet Chicks are sugary. The promotional characters are baby chickens dressed as bikers on the Hot Chicks, the Saucy Chicks have more eclectic "go out and have fun" outfits, and the Sweet Chicks are dolled up in pink. So cute, I wish I could draw these.
Indian Hot Chicks (plus red chile powder)
Za'atar Saucy Chicks
Maple Sweet Chicks
Screamin' Squirrel Coconut-Date Energy Balls
Halva comes in bars from assorted brands and flavors.
Apricot Bars and Fig Bars
That's It Fruit Snacks
Jumble Munch
Good Curry (chickpea papadums, lentil papadums, plantain chips, chopped curry leaves, plain puffed rice cereal, curried pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, spicy roasted chickpeas, curried nuts)
Protein Power House (lentil papadums, kale crisps, pumpkin seeds, candied chickpeas, spiced mixed nuts, peanut butter-quinoa granola clusters, protein granola squares)
Beverages
(soft drinks, water)
Tea, coffee
Doogh (salty yogurt drink)
Polo (Syrian mint lemonade)
Jallab is a beverage popular throughout the Middle East, made with date syrup or pomegranate molasses. High-burn diners can get extra syrup added to theirs.
Healthy Plate
LPI Rx for Health Plate is one popular example of a Healthy Plate. Terramagne-America offers these as flat or divided plates, disposable or reusable. An advantage of divided plates in a food truck is that they assist with measuring consistent servings of each food.
Healthy Plate LPI Rx for Health
Whole Grains: lavash bread, makhluta (mixed whole grains with lentils), or tabouli (salad of bulgur, tomatoes, and parsley)
Healthy Fats: olives, dip with olive oil on top, nuts, or cheese
Protein: hummus, falafel, makhluta (mixed whole grains with lentils), hard boiled eggs, or meat kebab
Vegetables: Syrian chopped salad, shâmiyât (toasted flatbread salad), kabiss, (Syrian pickled vegetables), any vegetable-based dip, or fresh vegetables for dipping
Fruit: kompot (dried fruit salad with yogurt) or fresh and/or dried fruit with optional sweet hummus
Beverage: water, unsweetened tea, or black coffee
Food trucks can serve healthy meals and menus. Organic foods are especially helpful. Here are ways to make a menu healthier.
Eat Wisely Rutledge is a program similar to Eat Healthy Omaha described in "The Discovery of a New Dish" and the notes for "Another Expression of Art." EWR has a special subset of guidelines for food trucks to accommodate their limited menus. Those serving healthier food get the best spots (near entrances, exits, crossroads, or restrooms) at events. They also gain access to EWR's food science department and labs. They can upload their schedules and menus to an app that helps customers find healthy food fitting their dietary plans. Food trucks are ranked based on how many points they score: Healthy (90+ points), Helpful 70-89 points), Average (30-69 points), Unhelpful (11-29 points), or Indulgent (10 points or less). Those specializing in single foods or food types tend to score the poorest, unless they only sell healthy things; more diverse menus have an advantage. See details in "Layering Flavors, Tastes, and Textures."
* * *
Food trucks must cater to their target audience. Learn how to analyze an audience and reach your target demographic. It's important to test your recipes and find creative ways of marketing your food truck.
This type of prayer mat is made of rugged indoor-outdoor material. The GPS chip goes in a sturdy case under the point of the niche.
There are various methods to calculate Qibla, the direction Muslims face when praying. A Qibla compass can be done as a handheld device, desktop program, or mobile app.
Teleporters typically have good instincts to avoid materializing inside anything, but this does not prevent other people from crashing into them when they appear suddenly. So it is safer to have a designated teleport area out of the traffic flow, especially in busy areas. Temporary fenceposts can be made quickly and easily, with purchased or partly scavenged materials. Red privacy mesh lets some wind through so it doesn't blow over easily, but screens the view.