Wrap!
Middle America only has so many classic foods. After naming the hamburger and the hot dog, most people come up blank. Wendy's may sell chili, but does anyone buy it? If the menus of every chain restaurant in the country are a guide (and shouldn't they be?) then America has a new friend in the wrap.
The wrap is a vague food item. A wrap is not a burrito, not a shawarma, and not a roti, because wraps are post-racial. The scrupulous non-ethnicity of wraps makes them seem instantly traditional, as the draining of cultural signifiers from a dish usually takes centuries. Other than that, there's not much to say. Wikipedia keeps its counsel, describing the typical fillings of a wrap as, "shredded lettuce, some fruit, some vegetable, some meat, and some condiment."
I think wraps arose as an Atkins thing, since tortillas seem less bready than bread. Better yet, tortillas can be made in extra-low carbohydrate versions, which resemble "wrapping" bubble gum around your meal. Moreover, unlike bread, tortillas can be flavored with chipotle, which is a very hip flavor indeed. I doubt whether wraps can currently be flavored with green tea or açaí, but if this becomes possible in the future, they will probably be the only food eaten in America.
One thing is for sure: Although they are sold everywhere, neither I, nor anybody I know, has ever had a wrap.
The wrap is a vague food item. A wrap is not a burrito, not a shawarma, and not a roti, because wraps are post-racial. The scrupulous non-ethnicity of wraps makes them seem instantly traditional, as the draining of cultural signifiers from a dish usually takes centuries. Other than that, there's not much to say. Wikipedia keeps its counsel, describing the typical fillings of a wrap as, "shredded lettuce, some fruit, some vegetable, some meat, and some condiment."
I think wraps arose as an Atkins thing, since tortillas seem less bready than bread. Better yet, tortillas can be made in extra-low carbohydrate versions, which resemble "wrapping" bubble gum around your meal. Moreover, unlike bread, tortillas can be flavored with chipotle, which is a very hip flavor indeed. I doubt whether wraps can currently be flavored with green tea or açaí, but if this becomes possible in the future, they will probably be the only food eaten in America.
One thing is for sure: Although they are sold everywhere, neither I, nor anybody I know, has ever had a wrap.
posted by apk01004 at 4:58 AM
2 Comments:
I have had a wrap, I think their appeal to wrap-pushers is twofold. First, unlike bread, tortillas won't get soggy sitting in a case, filled with things like hummus and shredded lettuce and sprouts. A conference I help plan ended up with an overabundance of wraps, and it turns out, properly refrigerated, they experience little or no degradation until the lettuce begins to rot, about a month in the case of iceberg.
Second, you can really load in the cheap filler vegetables, without creating the appearance of a sandwich composed of a half pound of iceburg and alfalfa sprouts, and a single slice of roast beef. Toss in some black olives, and some roasted pepper, and you have a six-dollar sandwich, good in the display for at least 2 weeks.
I'll pass, thanks
I too have eaten a wrap. I will agree with John's sentiments about the economics of vending wraps. I would like to add that I cannot think of a situation when I choose to eat a wrap because they're any good. Unless I am really desperate I too will pass.
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