What up?What up?It's your boy Baloo.It's coming at you with another episode of Between the Buns Podcast.I'm joined by my co-host, my brother, my friend.State your name.
What's happening, everybody?It's your boy Carlton, AKA Mr. Hype Beast Burger.Back at it again.Ready to get it on.
What's happening with you, Baloo? You know what it is, man.We're here to see another day in the crazy central Florida living.Happy to be here.Happy to say that I didn't sustain too much damage.Not too bad on this side.How about yourself?
Man, same, bro.You know I'm from Alabama, man.So us country folk, we don't play with mother nature.So as soon as I get that red alert, I got up out of there.Hurricane Milton was coming directly for the Tampa Bay area, which is where I reside.So, man.
I always felt safe when I lived in the Orlando area.So that's where I took me and my family.We only sustained a little bit of damage.I don't have a fence in my backyard anymore.So that's one minor mishap.But man, I'm blessed to be alive, man.
Blessed to see another day.And happy to be here with you, man.
Absolutely, absolutely.Something about growing up in Florida, you know, I'm only, I mean, I just turned 36 and I can say I've only experienced about three, four hurricane seasons in my entire lifetime growing up here. Wow.
I can only remember one back in 2004, 2005 when we got hit with four back to back.If you're in Orlando, you know exactly what I'm talking about.
We missed two weeks of school and we had to make it up with free lunch, but we lost our short days on Wednesday.That was my first hurricane experience.Y'all had short days on Wednesdays?
Yeah, so typically schools out here have short days on Wednesdays.So every day school starts the same time.But on Wednesdays, we got out an hour earlier.And so since we missed two weeks of school, we came back.
They gave us free lunch for a couple of weeks.But coming into the new year, we had every day be a regular day.So we didn't get out early anymore to make up the time.
Hey, I got to ask you, off subject, what's the most nostalgic school lunch experience you can remember.I know what mine is. And it's not a burger, believe it or not.But I want to hear yours, and then I'll ask you mine.
That I enjoyed, or just in general?Just your goal, like the day you look forward to the most in school lunch.I'm sure there could be a little bit of rollover into other states.
I grew up in Bama, but I feel like a lot of schools had that notorious either breakfast pizza or just those standard rectangle pizza slices. Yeah.So that's one of those core memories for me for school lunches.But that's not my favorite.
Wednesdays are my favorite.I go into it after you chime in.
I would have to say, well, elementary school, because that was the most natural school lunch I got from middle school and high school.And I'll get into more context on that later.
But elementary school, I would say the days I looked forward to the most was when we had those French bread pizzas. Now those square ones that they just put on there with some flimsy dough and cheese and sauce and sausages.
There were days we got French bread pizza with that hard crust and the cheese came over the top.Yeah, that was I knew when I saw that it would be a great day because I actually wasn't a fan of those rectangular pizzas.
Yeah, they weren't the best, man.I prefer a crispier crust.I love the thin concept, but yeah, it just didn't meet the crisp requirements that I like.But for me, man, it was Wednesdays and it was chicken finger day.
Chicken finger day used to go off, man, because it just seemed like there was a surplus of food on Wednesdays, man.It was rice and gravy, chicken fingers.
It came wrapped with three chicken tenders and some plastic or styrofoam or not styrofoam, wax paper.That's what I'm trying to say.And could it be, man, we would get those yeast rolls buttered up.
Then there would be a dessert item, whatever the case was. But I don't know, man.It was something about Wednesdays, man.It just used to set off the day, man.I knew I was going to have a great day of practice, fourth block.
So yeah, man, Chicken Finger Day was my day, man.Those pizzas, I think they're just nostalgic.I thought you were going to say that, man, because I feel like every middle school, high school, elementary school had those same squares.
They were getting it from the same manufacturers, something.Yeah.They had school systems in a chokehold, and they probably still do.
Yeah, yeah.I know in elementary school, Wednesdays, I feel like the school found a way to kind of maybe cheat the system or do something a little different because we had bagged Wednesdays.
And what they would do was do like a burger bun with like a turkey, cheese, and mayonnaise or like a bologna or ham and cheese sandwich on Wednesdays.So I felt like, OK, Wednesdays we did like a bag lunch when we got our school lunch.
And then all the other days was like, hey, this is what the cafeteria is cooking up. Yeah.And the reason why I mentioned elementary school, because for me in middle school and high school, we leveled up what we got to eat in the cafeteria.
I remember coming to lunch in middle school and seeing Papa John's pizza, six-inch Subway sandwiches, Gatorades, and eventually Chick-fil-A.And I'm sitting here thinking, this is what we got in middle school?
And then in high school, my older sister would tell me about what they had.They used to have smoothies, a salad bar, Popeye's fried chicken, pizzas.And yeah, bro.
And then when I got there, it's like every year they would get cheaper and cheaper because we went from having Papa John's to the typical like Brown.Tostitos.Yeah.Yeah.And then those frozen chicken patties.
Then those, you know, then like things like that.And I remember just being so disappointed afterwards hearing what was there and seeing what we had to what we had by the time I graduated.
I had some really good times in high school, but like the school lunches were definitely not the staple in my experience.But I just wanted to know one of those nostalgic meals that you used to have, man.
But back to it, man.I know you lived in Alabama.But when you were in Pensacola, did you ever encounter any type of storm in any way, shape, or format?
Yeah, but not to that capacity, man.So Pensacola, the times I was there.So I was there, moved there originally in 2016, stayed there for only a year. and then moved to the Orlando area.
So didn't experience anything that one year that I was there in 2016.Then post COVID, or I should say as COVID was ramping up, we moved back.And that was when I celebrated the birth of my first daughter in 2020.So we moved back up.
And in that time period, We may have gotten some bans of whatever storms that hit, but I was there for two more years.And yeah, nothing crazy, man.I remember in 2017, what was it?
Hurricane Ivan maybe hit the Tampa Bay area, or a little more south, but it definitely curved its way through Tampa.And then it eventually hit Orlando. I remember it just seemed like it was a little more panic with some people.
But a lot of Floridians, it's nothing new to them.So they were like, oh, we're just going to bunker down.We got our generators.We got our candles.We got our everything was already prepared.I was not prepped for any type of natural disaster.
So again, I fled then.But I went all the way up to Alabama.My worst experience with that moment coming back because a lot of Southern Floridians- Evacuate, they typically evacuate in the storm.
So coming back, which would have taken me, let's say seven hours max.It took me about 15 hours to drive from the Birmingham, Alabama area back to Orlando, man.And that was- All that traffic.At that point, I was like, okay,
I need to get some plywood, some hurricane shutters.I'm not taking my ass nowhere that far anytime soon with any kind of hurricanes.And going back to it, man, and I got a buddy who just transferred here from the Air Force.
And he was like, man, I don't know what to expect, man.I'm oblivious to this.And I was like, look, let me school you on it.I was like, we don't have to leave with Hurricane Helene, or whatever the name was.
This one was coming directly at us, and I was like, I don't think we need to go all the way back to Bama, but I would advise that we go a little more inland.
So we chose the Kissimmee area, which ironically enough, man, obviously we didn't link up, but you ended up being in Kissimmee and I was in Kissimmee with my family, man.We got a dope Airbnb, man.They turned the entire garage into a playroom.
So had a bounce house, had the basketball hoop, had the cornhole tables, had darts.
There's a lot of houses like that in that area, too, like perfect for just either celebrating something, either weekend or hurricane evacuation.
And I saw that setup y'all had, which is perfect, because I'm thinking, dang, next time we have a hurricane, I may just get my friends and do the same thing with our kids, man, because that's perfect to keep them occupied, especially if power loses, power goes.
Man, that was another cool thing that I kind of wanted to talk about, man.I felt like two of my biggest passions, for those of you who don't know, I'm real big on food, obviously burgers.
I love sports also, but another, I think nobody knows this about me.I love survival shows.So all things survival.
I've never really been camping, but I love the concept of just having to roll up your sleeves and just catch and cook, that type of stuff.So I watch a lot of that content. in my spare time, right?
So I felt like we were off the grid because as you know, the area of Kissimmee I was in, not a lot of things going on, man.The closest grocery store was a good 15, 20 minutes.
And with the traffic of everybody just panicking, it was a little further actually.So man, luckily I just thought to bring my little camping grill and I brought it. Power went out and I realized that that Airbnb, they only had an electric grill.
So good thing.Yeah, man, who does that?Who does that?Yeah, man.So luckily, I brought that, man.That really saved the day, man. I literally camped out on the pool deck, had a can of baked beans on top of the grill, man.
It cooked right in the can, grilled up some hot dogs, took one of the skillets and grilled up some sausage and scrambled some eggs for breakfast, did the hot dogs and baked beans and stuff like that for lunch, man.And then we got power back.
So then we were good.We were back in action, man.Me and my boy, plenty of booze.I was sipping on Uncle Nears.Shout out to Uncle Nears.For those of you who don't know, that's the original Daniels.Yeah, yeah.Sipping on that, man.
Had a few beers by the pool, man, until it got a little too crazy.But it was a good time, man.All in all, it just felt like a little getaway from home, man.
So as stressful as it was, man, I was definitely fortunate to have a cool experience out of it.
Now, you were able to enjoy something that I had to end up tossing out, but you kind of gave me some feedback on it.I had a bunch of beer and booze in my fridge, and I'm talking beer and wine and all that good stuff.
And I've always was told that when beer goes cold, then gets warm, it's not best to chill it again because, you know, it just loses all the best stuff of it and it can make you sick.So I opened the fridge enough to clear out what we needed.
But I'm looking at all those damn highlights that I had and some other beers and other cocktails I had.And my wife is looking at me like, Are you going to keep it?And I'm like, as much as I want to, I don't want to risk getting sick.
I just don't want to.And I remember telling you that.And you said, ain't nothing wrong with green beer.So can you elaborate for the people what green beer is?Because that was a term I've never heard in my entire life.
Sometimes you got to risk it for the biscuit, my boy.So green beer, I have no clue where the term comes from.
I grew up under the impression that when beer goes from cold to hot to cold, I guess it develops maybe mold or bacteria, and it essentially just turns green.Or maybe not realistically green, but that's the concept.
Or maybe it'll make you green because you'll get sick.But man, I grew up in the country, man. We weren't throwing beer away like that, man, especially when you were some young little punks just sneaking and drinking, you know what I mean?
So if we had a little stash of beer and something happened to it, it got hidden in somebody's duffel bag until the following weekend, we put them things back on ice. We drank them that probably contributed to our hangovers.I don't really know, man.
My system was built a little more sturdy than it is now.You know what I mean?Now I eat certain fast food, man.I'm out of commission for a couple of days.But no, man, the green beer, man, I'm not really sure what exactly it means.
I respect what you thought.My biggest gripe about what you dispose of, because I wish you would have just said, hey, bro, let me slide this bottle your way, was that moonshine.
Because that moonshine and that lightning, man, that don't withstand the test of time, my brother.Like, you should have kept it over there.
You know what, man?The thing with the moonshine is I just put it all in that same category of alcohol.I thought about it long and hard, too, because I knew that was a different strain compared to everything else.
But I also told myself, my plug for moonshine isn't far.
Why you saying my plug and you didn't name drop?You media trained, my boy.You media trained.I mean, I had enough street smarts talked to me.
So, so I'm just saying, man, you know, I gotta connect and when that connect is, is providing, it's like, hey, cool and it's not hard and it's not far.So, it's just saying, hey, pause.So, I just gotta say, hey, don't want throat.
Hey, we'll see, see if you can get him to cook up a batch or her, him or her, whatever.
Pick up a match, man.I'll be in the O mid-December, so.
I typically see around holiday time, so I'll definitely reach out and see about that.
Bet.Appreciate it, man.I drank White Lightning.And you know these are like bootlegger distillers, right?So I'm looking in the mason jar, and I see just specks of stuff, and I'm like, And they're like, Carlton, don't worry about it, man.
This liquor is going to kill anything that you see floating in it.And I was like, all right, when in Rome, let's do it.So I turned it up, man.That thing lit my chest on fire.But man, it's good stuff, man.Brings me back to my roots, man.
I haven't had it in years, over a decade.
Oh, yeah, I haven't had that in a while either.But I remember having to drive one way.I remember having some and having to drive somewhere to somewhere else.And I was nervous.
Because the further I got, I was like, oh, man, this may not have been the best decision.But I made it to my destination.
It hit different, that's for sure.
Hey, man, speaking of things that hit different, the notorious franchise that I've loved for so many years and hated by so many people.It's been constantly disappointing me as of late. There's no secret.McDonald's has been letting me down.
Shrinkflation is definitely a thing.I'm not here for it.But let's talk about this chicken mac.
If it wasn't for the hurricane, man, I had all the ideas to try to bring all, this time of year, man, a lot of fast food places are doing a lot of innovative things.
Let's touch up on that real quick.Let's touch up on that because I feel like the three big franchises right now are doing something.But one is not even being talked about.Another one is disappointing.
And this one has been the biggest talk of the town.And the one that's not being talked about is the Burger King Adler's Family Whopper.
The biggest disappointment has been the Wendy's Krabby Patty Meal, which I was already skeptical about when I saw it, because I looked at that and said, hold up.It's just soft.And then we got the Chicken Big Mac. Exactly.
Then there's the Chicken Big Mac, which a lot of people were doing.I do want to shout out the homie Sweet Melissa, who went on live with two other Florida influencers.
She did a Connect with a Jacksonville influencer and a South Florida influencer, went to McDonald's and announced it before the actual day came out.Oh, that's cool.So they did a little Connect with Melissa, man.Yeah, she's been doing it.
So I found out about that, but I knew the wave of this was going to be a craze.
Well, you know this made a debut in 2022 in select markets.I didn't know that.So I think it was tested in the South Florida area.And you know how they do, man.They probably did it in LA or something like that, just a really major market.
And it had a little buzz, a little bubble, a little sizzle. But yeah, man, I'm glad to see it back for a limited time.And by the time you guys see this, your opportunity to have had it is probably long gone.
Man, one thing I can say, man, and I told you I was going to wait to give you my feedback.So I just had it about an hour, hour and a half ago.It's better than the OG Big Mac, man.And I'm a beef connoisseur.You know this.
So what would make it better?Elaborate for me.
So for me, it's the texture.I think
What's gonna be surprising for those of you that have tried it, you're gonna know, but those of you who didn't get the opportunity to try, hopefully it'll make an appearance once again in the future, but it's actually the texture of a chicken nugget.
So it's almost like, you know how the chicken nugget is almost like a wet battered fry, right?Way different from all of their standard chicken sandwiches, but that complimented the special sauce, the pickles, And I am disappointed.
Once again, McDonald's failed me again.I didn't get not one onion on my family, man.So I was a little disappointed.How about you weren't supposed to get an onion on the Big Mac? Pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun.
I thought it was lettuce sauce.It was onions on there?
You don't remember the OG song?Two-all beef patty, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun.I remember the onion part.Yeah, it's supposed to have onions, man.And they duped me. I didn't get my onions.
So slightly disappointed.Maybe that would have taken away, or maybe it would have added to the experience.But for me, man, again, I'm standing firm on my take on it.I think it's far more superior.
And I think a large part of that, obviously, the chicken just complements those type of ingredients pretty well, right?
Because that looks like your traditional chicken sandwich, like if somebody is elevating the game when it comes to bringing chicken sammies out. It's a thicker patty.Those McDonald's beef patties have been on a diet lately.
Unless you get the quarter pounder, which is what.
That's the only way.That's the only way to really get it to my standard.
Now, something I did back in the day, especially in high school, was whenever I wanted to do a chicken Big Mac, I would just get a couple McChickens and get the Big Mac sauce and just make a little
bootleg version of it, because I always thought, hey, this would be pretty dope if they did it.And like you pointed out, it's like a giant chicken nugget versus the actual seasoned looking chicken patty that they use for the McChicken.
So that was something that I wanted to, because I want to try it.And of course, I want to do it on a video.And I want to show them so people see the difference.Because that's what I was going to do with that Wendy's one, too.
I was going to say, hey, here's a Dave single.Here's the Krabby Patty.What's the difference?But I already knew deep down, I was like, it's probably just the sauce.
Sauce is 1,000% what I could take on it.To me, the most exciting thing about that, and I literally saved the date of the Krabby Patty from Wendy's, unfortunately.
Hurricane Milton decided to roll in around that time period when I was evacuating, right?So didn't get to try it, but the only thing that seemed exciting to me about that was the pineapple frosting.
Yeah, and that was the one big standout from the whole meal.
Yeah, yeah.And from what I've gathered from other creators, food creators, the Krabby Patty special sauce or secret sauce, is their whole little mock-up of the Big Mac sauce.So nothing new to see here, you know?
That's very tacky and very cheap.Very cheap.You pointed out something really noteworthy, because you said that Hurricane Milton came in on the date you wanted to go and check it out.And for me, I'm near literally those three restaurants I mentioned.
The day after the hurricane, they were open and lines were just out in the street because a lot of people didn't have power.So they're grabbing a bunch of food for their kids.Lines were landlocked.So I couldn't even try at that time.
So when he asked if I had it yet, I was like, no.So I'm really thinking of maybe trying it this weekend to get my hands on it and bring some back.I know the kids will like McDonald's.But I'm like, I got to get this.
I got to try this for myself while this algorithm is going for it.
Yeah, man.And I thought about it.I took a couple of little quick clips.So I'll probably post something here pretty soon.It's been a minute.I think the last time I posted has been a month, man.I've been life, man.
But I was going to take this time, man.I want to know maybe the people's take on this as well as yours, man.I want to know what's one of those menu items from a fast food chain Or maybe not even fast food, just a chain in general.
Just so y'all know, everybody, we're going into our toss it on, toss it off segment.What's one of those items that you wish they would bring back or would make a resurfacing to the game?Like I think of things like the Mexi Melt from Taco Bell.
You know, like Taco Bell just brought back the Double Decker as well. They're bringing back my favorite item of fast food history.And I think it's coming out in December.Hopefully it goes nationwide.
I've heard that it was already launched in the California markets.And I was just in Cali not too long ago.And I was like checking out like every Taco Bell I passed by, I was like, oh, no, I don't see.But the caramel apple empanada
They took it away from us, and I'm so disappointed in you, Taco Bell.If you catch whiff of this, disappointed in you, Taco Bell, because you took away the best dessert that you could have ever distributed and blessed our taste buds with.
You took it away from us, man.If you listen to this, if anybody's listening to this, tag Taco Bell so they know.Let them know, man.You're making me sad over here.
I got the shades on, but my eyes are watering a little bit. Because Lynn started to fog up a bit.Yeah.But you know what, bro?Something that used to be my jam back in the day, McDonald's had those snack wraps, those chicken snack wraps.
And those things were, at the time, maybe under $2, maybe $1.50 after some taxes.And they had the honey mustard.They had the ranch.And then they even did a Big Mac snack wrap. just to throw in a little beef version of it, man.
And that was my stuff if I wanted to splurge on the menu.Because there was a dollar menu back then.Before now, they call it the value menu.
That was something that I would tear about two or three of those up before going to work because it would hit the spot. And then if you want to just save on the calories, you just got it without sauce, got them grilled.So you had the alternatives.
So that's something that I'm looking like, McDonald's, if you brought this back, I wouldn't be mad at you.
I got a confession.Never had a snack riff.
I noticed.I had a feeling you didn't, because when I was talking to you, I saw your head, so like, what?I've never seen that.But it was, they literally.I know.
I'm familiar.I think BK capitalized on, the people's demand and the people's request for the snack wrap to come back.And they brought their own rendition of a snack wrap, never tried it either.But I got news for you.
I'm almost, let me say I'm 75% certain that the snack wrap is making a comeback.I've heard rumblings. I've heard the word out there.I think it's coming back, man.
I may have to try it for the first time, man, especially if they bring a Big Mac snack wrap.I'm definitely going to try it for sure.Oh, yeah.But I think I got to go with the OG.I'm a big fan of honey mustard.
So when you said honey mustard, I'm like, OK, I can get that.
Yeah, that was my go-to.Now, I will confess this.I've never had the McRib. I have.Dead serious.I've never had it.And when it comes back, nothing entices me to get it.
I'm just like, come on, man.It looks like mystery meat.
I know.I know.I understand why people like it, because of the sauce, and they got the pickles, the onions.It's like a good barbecue rib sandwich without the bones, of course.
But it's not, though, Trev.It's not, man.
I'm sorry to put my air quotes up.
It's the nostalgia of it, man, because it's It goes away and disappears and goes into hibernation for a little while, and it comes back.So people are all like, oh, it's back.It's trash, man.It's not a good sandwich.It's not a good sandwich.
Don't let the people and the internet fool you.Social media creators, stop playing games with the public and the general public and convincing them that foods that are You just overhyping, man.You over whooping, man.Don't be whooping like that, man.
Keep it buck with everybody, man.That McRib ain't it.It's not, bro.
Yeah.I'm the same, man.I see people rave about it.And some people regret it once they get it.But I've just never saw the excitement for it.If I want a rib sandwich, I go to the barbecue plug and get me a good rib sandwich.
I just pulled this up.So one of my go-to fast food spots actually has a new resurfacing of a burger.And we didn't even mention it.And this is probably my number one fast food burger place, Culver's.
They brought back the curd burger.
Oh, they did?Oh, wait, I did have that.I thought that was on the menu.
So they got the big cheese curd on there, man.
Yeah, yeah.I had that.That's good.That's good.
I actually did some content on that. The last time it came around a few years ago, content was trashed, just because it's not a visually aesthetic burger.So I never posted it.Yeah, but it was fire, but it just doesn't look pretty.
You know what I mean?Because you got this big hockey puck of a cheese stick, essentially. plopped on top of buns and cheese and patties.
You know what I mean?But what you're not telling the people is that you're a little local celebrity at one of these Central Florida Culver's with your face grinning on there.
Looking like a franchise owner.I think that's Castleberry, man.That's the Castleberry location.They got me featured.So for those of you who don't know, I work in sports nutrition by day, right?
So one of the old managers at the vitamin shop in Altamont Springs, he's no longer the manager there, but he was my boy, man.And he's been following me for some years on Hype East Burger Page.
And him and his family, they went to that location, man, and they saw it.And anyway, he was like, man, Bro, you're on the TV screen in there.I was like, wait, what?And I was like, man, next time you go in there, send me a picture, man.
So he sent me a picture.I posted it on my stories, man.That was pretty cool.
I didn't even know.Yeah, local celebrity up here, man.But listen, bro, we're about to wrap up this episode.You got any final thoughts, final messages you want to say to close this out?
Man, look, man, I appreciate y'all rocking with us, man.Y'all let us know, man.Once we start dropping this, man, I want y'all to Keep your ear to the streets.Keep your ears to the Hypebeast Burger and the Balut Eats pages.Chime in with us.
Let us know what kind of content you want to see, what kind of topics you want to talk about.And also, we're looking for y'all, man.We want to also utilize this platform as an opportunity to share the stage, man.
There's a lot of y'all out there that Travis and I, we connect with, man, and we talk to y'all pretty frequently.So we want to give y'all the opportunity to pop y'all shit. sit with us, maybe have a Bev.
Today, my Bev of choice is this Voodoo Ranger, Tropical Force.I felt like going tropical, all things considering with Mother Nature and how these tropical storms that's hitting Florida right now, so.It's spitting, that's spitting.
Yeah, man, it's the IPA, Trav.You would love it.
Thanks, appreciate it.For those listening in, I'm smiling in the most sinister way. 9.5, you can't beat that, man.No, no, you can't with those IPAs, man.I'm good.But all right, y'all.That's my boy Carlton Hypebeast Burger with his words.
And this is Blue Wheats.Thank y'all for chiming in on episode four.Stay tuned for the next.Y'all know my slogan.I'm digging in.Make sure you follow us on YouTube, Instagram, everywhere you listen to your podcasts.Later.Peace.
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