# Chinese in a can?



## Pappy (Oct 20, 2017)

When I worked in a grocery store, in the 50s, we use to sell quite a lot of this stuff. I think we tried it once, but the only good thing was the noodles. I don’t see it on the shelf’s anymore. Probably a good thing....


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## Aunt Bea (Oct 20, 2017)

I was never a fan but I remember it coming in a kit with a can of noodles and a can of chow mein taped together!







We used to buy the canned chow mein noodles to make these easy cookies at Christmas.

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/9519/chow-mein-noodle-cookie/


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## CeeCee (Oct 20, 2017)

That doesn't look too good.  I actually only ate homemade Hungarian cooking growing up and it was delicious.  That's all I cooked when I first got married but as my kids got older they wanted lasagna and spaghetti and mac and cheese so I obliged them but still cooked my husband his favorites.  He hated anything with tomato sauce.


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## Cap'nSacto (Oct 20, 2017)

It used to taste ok. Tasted even better if you didn't think of it as Chinese food. 

I bought some recently for reasons of nostalgia, but it tasted very different than I remember. I threw it out without finishing my plate. ick!


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## RadishRose (Oct 20, 2017)

Yes, that stuff was pretty awful but in truth not much worse than the Chinese takeout available in my area today.

Chun King had some funny commercials back in the early 60's. The one I thought was the funniest is no where to be found. It took place in a movie theater with people whispering "Chun King" to each other, getting louder and louder until they were all screaming.

But here is one vintage tv ad-


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## Meanderer (Oct 20, 2017)

We have been getting La Choy Chicken Chow Mein w/dark meat sauce and Asian style Veggies.  It is packed in two cans, glued together by label.  It is very good over rice, and makes for a quick meal.  It is what it is.


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## NancyNGA (Oct 20, 2017)

Had one of those just a couple of years ago.  I thought it was fine.


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## RadishRose (Oct 20, 2017)

Gee, maybe I should try it again....it's been many years.


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## Cap'nSacto (Oct 20, 2017)

RadishRose said:


> Yes, that stuff was pretty awful but in truth not much worse than the Chinese takeout available in my area today.
> 
> Chun King had some funny commercials back in the early 60's. The one I thought was the funniest is no where to be found. It took place in a movie theater with people whispering "Chun King" to each other, getting louder and louder until they were all screaming.
> 
> But here is one vintage tv ad-



Hey, the elevator operator is Arte Johnson. Remember him from Laugh-In?


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## Pappy (Oct 20, 2017)

Then I guess from what I’m reading, they still make it. Going to have to look for it next visit to Publix.


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## jujube (Oct 20, 2017)

That's the only "Chinese food" I knew growing up.   It was a special treat as my mother always cooked from scratch, but we felt so ....._citizens of the world_.....when we ate "foreign" food.   What can I say?  I grew up in Midwestern America, where Italian was considered exotic.  I didn't have pizza until I was 13 and Mexican food until I was 18.  

As wonderful a cook as my mother was, her idea of spaghetti sauce was browned hamburger, onions and green peppers with a large can of tomato paste that she had liberally spiced with an elderly can of oregano.  I had no idea that I loved Italian food until I actually had some Italian food that a real live Italian had made.


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## RadishRose (Oct 20, 2017)

Cap'nSacto said:


> Hey, the elevator operator is Arte Johnson. Remember him from Laugh-In?



I just looked again, didn't recognize him until the end, but yes that's him!


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## Iodine (Oct 20, 2017)

We ate that when I was young and I thought it was great.  I used to drown it in Soy Sauce.  Bought some 2 or 3 years ago and thought it tasted like crap.  Times and tastes change.


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## Meanderer (Oct 20, 2017)




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## tnthomas (Oct 20, 2017)

The _Chinese-in-a-can_ never was a hit with me.

However, just the other day while in the market I had a wild thought, and looked for canned enchiladas.    

Didn't find any, could have sworn I'd seen them before.   Could only find enchilada_ sauce._


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## Meanderer (Oct 20, 2017)

One of the strangest things we came across was a whole chicken in a can!  It was 1983, I had been on strike for 6 months.  It came from our food co-op in a generic white & black 50 oz can.  As I recall it was fully cooked and not bad.





  How about a canned Cheeseburger??


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## Aunt Bea (Oct 20, 2017)

In the late 60's my parents purchased a popup camper and my mother stocked up on all sorts of food in cans for us to _enjoy_ when we traveled.

I saw this in the local dollar store and had a horrible flashback to those family camping adventures.


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## jujube (Oct 20, 2017)

Here's a real handy-dandy time saver:


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## Pappy (Oct 21, 2017)

I’ll be darned. My own canned meal......


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## Meanderer (Oct 21, 2017)

Pappy said:


> I’ll be darned. My own canned meal......
> 
> View attachment 43633


Ruff...your own canned Dog Food?


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## Pappy (Oct 21, 2017)

Lol...it is dog food, isn’t it?


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