I just bought a little beef jerky. Haven’t had any in quite a while. It was supposed to be spicy. What I got was something sweet, rubbery and gummy, with barely a hint of heat. (In the US) W.t.f.
When I was a kid, jerky was dry AF, thin, salty, tooth-rippingly tough sometimes, never sweet unless you specifically got a teryaki flavor or something. If you wanted spicy, it was covered in pepper and your mouth would be on fire after just a couple pieces. It was awesome.
Now it’s sugary and chewy. Why people gotta put sugar on everything? Can’t find that dry, thin, peppery stuff anywhere.
What food of yours has disappeared or been wrecked in order to appeal to more people?
Old El Paso taco seasoning. I think they changed it a long time ago. I’m sure it was cost considerations, and not broader appeal.
I’ve tried making my own but I can never get it quite right.
I made tacos with this one the other day and it was pretty damn close. Fiance was happy with them too and we eat a lot of old el paso tacos.
https://www.recipetineats.com/taco-seasoning/#recipe
Also, highly recommend these recipes in general. A lot of them have made their way into my regular rotation. The lasagna is delicious.