Great Food Truck Race: Peaches and Herb(s)

Welcome to the penultimate episode of The Great Food Truck Race 2.  Still reeling over the shocking end from last week’s show that sent the (allegedly) cheating Korilla BBQ packing?  Yeah, me neither.  Let’s move on!  Let’s start this week off talking about how Roxy’s has been the underdog but have pulled out some important wins in the last couple of weeks.  Or at least, that’s what Tyler tells us.  Uncle Tyler continues the bedtime story by reminding us The Lime Truck is not as cocky as when they started out, after having a rough week in Manhattan, Kansas (Quit hating on the locals, Limeys!) and not coming in first in Memphis.  Hilariously, Tyler then reminds us that Hodge Podge is just lucky to be there.  Well, true.  They would have been eliminated last week if those pesky New Yorkers would have kept their hands out of the till.  But that is history.  Let’s move on.  Or rather…let’s get rolling!

I want you teams to know:  I have 19 more of these exact same shirts and I intend to wear them all by the finale.

As the trucks head toward Atlanta, each team is talking strategy.  The Lime Truck wants to keep it easy, don’t change too much and perhaps add a little southern twist.  Roxy’s is going to go a little more gourmet but it doesn’t need to be overly complex.  Hodge Podge is also going to go a little more upscale.  Take that, you terrible palates of Manhattan and Memphis!  Tyler welcomes the teams in Centennial Olympic Park.  He tells them if they thought Atlanta was going to be relaxing, they were wrong.  Because when you’re about a step away from $100,000, most reality competition shows offer a week of relaxation and no pressure.  Oh, Tyler, never change.  Your shirt, I mean.  Tyler hands them their seed money, which for this city is a whopping $500.00.  There is much rejoicing by the teams and then Tyler goes right into this week’s Truck Stop.  Tyler tells the teams Atlanta is known for two food items:  peaches and peanuts.  He shows the teams three picnic basket, each containing different ingredients they can use, if they choose.

No, you MUST use every mystery basket ingredient!

The two things not in the basket?  Peaches and peanuts.  They must go and beg for those items and both of those ingredients must be in their dish.  They have one hour to find peaches and peanuts and make their dish.  The teams take off and Roxy’s run right into a nearby restaurant and pay $10.00 for a shirt full of peanuts and peaches.  Hodge Podge runs into a restaurant Chris is familiar with and even I was a little impressed (because I give Chris a hard time), he was able to spout off a peach and peanut dish from the very restaurant he was running into to beg for his stuff.  I mean, the guy apparently does his homework.  He gets his peanuts and peach…cobbler.   Yikes.  The Lime Truck gathers their ingredients and the only thing notable about that was their peaches were dried, not fresh.

But that’s even more awesome, because we’re complex!  And gourmet!  And from Orange County!

Roxy’s was back first to start cooking and they make a toasted peanut coated lamb chop and couscous.  The Lime Truck is doing a surf and turf and helpfully foreshadow the episode by saying they are the only truck with two trained chefs on board.  Quick cut to Hodge Podge where Jacqueline is trying to help Chris by toasting the peanuts, but wa-wa…she doesn’t have the burner on the pan.  Hodge Podge is doing a scallop dish.  And with that time is called and it is time to meet our guest judge!

I hate peaches and I’m allergic to peanut dust.  Good luck!

Tyler reminds the teams whoever wins has an absolute huge advantage and will almost certainly coast into the final two.  Unless they really stumble.  Anybody else think the editors of this show tend to overdo it a touch?  They’re almost as bad as the editors of Top Chef.  I mean, can you just let us go on the ride a little?  Roxy’s is up first with their dish and Kevin seems to like it but it is missing a little bit of richness, like fat.  I knew I liked this guy!  I’m like the wife who could eat no lean.  Let’s talk about The Lime Truck’s dish.  They overdid it and made it just a little too complex.  HAHA!  In fact, there were two separate bites when really their dish should have combined the two flavors.    Hodge Podge’s dish is well received, but the peaches were too sweet.

Cobbled.

And the winning team is Roxy’s!  Hodge Podge immediately tells us he’s getting annoyed losing consistently to a grilled cheese truck.  Dude, you make tater tots.  And what is this huge advantage Roxy’s wins?  A large peach.

Friendly with Bugs

Friendly with truck drivers and chefs

Poor James looks so confused and Tyler taunts him for a while before announcing the actual prize is $1000.00 toward their total take at the end of the weekend.  Okay, now that is a pretty big advantage!  The Lime Truck takes a moment to remind me why I don’t like them by saying they don’t even think Roxy’s can blow that one.  And they are off to cook and sell!  Hodge Podge calls a contact at Atlantic Station, which is a big center for restaurants, bars, spas, shops, etc.  Hodge Podge gets a one day exclusive to sell at the Station because only one food truck is allowed there at a time.  And odd rule, but for the purposes of this show—perfect!  We see Roxy’s heading to a local supermarket and planning to go near Atlantic Station also.  Rut-roh.  The Lime Truck meets up with a buddy who is getting ready to open his own food truck and shop directly from him.

Oooh…ahhh….beautiful…stunning, really.  (cough) Can we have all your produce?

Hodge Podge is actually getting their food delivered and Chris starts prepping while Jacqueline starts taking a bunch of orders from the huge crowd at Atlantic Station already gathered.  She tells us she’s scared to death of the speed bump.  Jackie, Jackie.  It is not like Tyler is going to call and REALLY change up the game.  Is he?  Is he???!!!  Let’s check in with Roxy’s—doing fancy grilled cheese and oysters roxyellers.  The Lime Truck is heading to a place called Culinary Square so now everyone is in business.  Well, for a while.  Roxy’s isn’t doing so hot since they’re not actually within the confines of Atlantic Station, they’re actually situated behind some buildings, so they’re struggling.  They know they have to move and realize that huge advantage from the Truck Stop has just slipped through their fingers.

If this ends badly, I will destroy all fuzzy fruit south of the Mason-Dixon.

The Lime Truck is now also struggling with their non-crowd and let’s check in with Hodge Podge!  They still have a huge crowd and the Mayor even shows up to eat.  Roxy’s drives for over an hour (ouch) and finally ends up in midtown with a very sparse crowd.  James tells us he’s not going to beg people to eat his food, he’s just going to rely on word of mouth.  Um, James?  It is a competition.  At this point, you really should be belly dancing and open a kissing booth to get customers.  Well…maybe not that specifically.  Hodge Podge is still selling like crazy and Chris takes a minute to tell us that they are really Korilling it except they won’t stuff their box.  HAHA.  The Lime Truck is also trying to find a new location and they’re talking to Atlantic Station about being the exclusive truck for the following day.  Meanwhile, they’re driving around aimlessly and finally decide just to park it.

Park it, crash it, scrape it.  Whatever it takes.

Roxy’s sells a bulk order of 20 sandwiches and they’re trying to get back on track.  The Lime Truck is excited for the next day as that location is locked up.  Roxy’s knows they need to work harder the second day and Hodge Podge totally killed it and they are all happy.  On the second day, The Lime Truck heads to their spot at Atlantic Station and Hodge Podge and Roxy’s both head to a place called Virginia Highlands, which is another shopping/dining district.  One that obviously did not exist the day before.  C’mon people, it is called Google!  And while all the teams are settling in their spots, Tyler’s working his way to ruining their fun with an awful speed bump.    He’s hanging around the front of Atlanta’s High Museum of Art and he calls the teams to tell them this:  Jason (The Lime Truck), Chris (Hodge Podge) and Mark (Roxy’s) are all taking the day off.  They are the main chefs for each truck, but as we already know…Hodge Podge will be the one most affected by this twist.  Tyler tells the trucks Jason, Chris and Mark will all spend the day at the museum and they are not allowed to be near their trucks or by phone.  They have five minutes to update their teams on menu preparation.  The Lime Truck is not too worried and neither is Roxy’s.  James isn’t too worried as long as they can communicate.  Guess who’s worried?

Aaaghhhh!   Tater tots!!!

Chris freaks out for a while, but eventually calms down and informs his girlfriend and sister, they are going with a revised (and simpler menu).  He lays it out calmly for them and for once during this whole season, I’m kind of rooting for them.   After he leaves, they have a huge crowd to deal with and a stack of orders to get out as soon as possible.  Jacqueline says she’s never even been in the kitchen.  Wow, really?  It is a food truck.  Is there some kind of hidden library or game room where she’s been hanging?  All three teams are working hard and pushing out food.  Meanwhile, with our benched chefs:

Chris:  It looks like despair.

Jason:  It looks like Orange County.

Mark:  It looks like a grilled cheese sandwich.

Catie is now starting to get in her groove and Jacqueline tells us she is shocked how well Catie is doing.  Daniel from The Lime Truck tells us he wants to sell $5000.00 in one day.  And Roxy’s is running out of food and feel like they are back in the game.  The Lime Truck’s group is starting to thin out and Daniel starts working the crowd.  He tells us he can be just as successful as a cute girl because he’s a good looking guy.  Whatever snaps your headband, buddy.  Back at Hodge Podge, Catie is exhausted but they no longer have a line and they need to do something fast.  A nice customer tells them where Roxy’s is and says they should go park by them, because Roxy’s still has a bunch of customers.  They park about a block or so away from Roxy’s and Jacqueline tries to steal customers from Roxy’s line.  Jacqueline and James trash talk a little bit, but in the end, she gets one poor, lonely dude to leave Roxy’s line to join her.

So…you sell food out of a truck around here often?

The missing chefs come back and for the last hour, everybody’s working hard to pull in whatever customers they can.  They all close up and it is now time to find out who was least successful.  Elimination:  Tyler reminds the teams they’ve covered 2700 miles and nobody wants to drive that lonely drive back to Cleveland (Hodge Podge), Boston (Roxy’s) and of course, Orange County (The Lime Truck).  For the two days the teams were in Atlanta, they brought in over $24,000.  Wow.  And in first place:  Hodge Podge!  Chris rightly gives praise to the ladies and they are as excited as can be.  They made $8937.00.  So the final two teams are The Lime Truck and Roxy’s.  Because the editors did such a good job dropping obvious clues, we know that Roxy’s is gone.  They made $7121.00, which included the $1000.00 advantage after the Truck Stop win.  Ouch.  For the record, The Lime Truck pulled in $8447.00.  So that first day of Roxy’s really hurt them.

Roxy’s leaves very gracefully and tells us they enjoyed getting to know the other teams and they would definitely have their backs, etc.  As far as the final two teams:

What the world needs now…

The finale will be in Miami, FL.  Now that Roxy’s is gone, I think I’m going to root for the underdog (according to The Lime Truck), which is Hodge Podge!  Crazy, I know…

Thanks for joining me and as always, thanks for your comments!