McDonald's has added brats to their menu. For a limited time only!

Personally, I haven't tried them, and I'm not planning to either. I mean really, aren't brats unhealthy enough? Do we really want McDonalds taking a stab at them? Those people deep-fry apple pie for God's sake! More recently they developed the unholy McGriddle -- a sandwich that merges the contents (fat and calories) of a fully-stocked breakfast buffet into a neat little package suitable for drive-time consumption. In grand McDonalds style, the bun is actually a pancake/muffin hybrid -- infused with syrup even!

But I digress. Is anyone else bothered by the fact that the Packer Meal-Deal commercials are referring to brats as brat sandwiches? What's with the extra description? Are they attempting a Genus, Class, Phylum classification to help us categorize, and more completely cement them into our culinary psyches? It's weird.

I realize that brats are a bit of a regional fair, but I think the concept is pretty straight-forward. A tube-encased meat product served in a bun? You know, sort of like a hot dog? Is this ringing a bell at all?

Notice that I didn't need to write hot dog sandwich. Same holds true for a hamburger, gyro, taco, burrito, chalupa, quesadilla, well -- anything at Taco Bell.

The point is, we know what it is. And if we don't know, we can learn! Americans are good about embracing new embodiments of fast food. It's what makes this country great -- okay, maybe not.

But as far as the brats go, I think McDonalds should leave them alone. As a chain, they're losing their focus. Not to mention the fact that they're overlooking a golden (hah!) opportunity. Oh yeah, McDonalds could learn a thing or two from the State Fair. Since they obviously have no interest in the overall health or fitness of the nation, why just deep-fry French fries and pie? Are you with me on this one?

Imagine it: "Ma'm, would you like to Super-Fry that an extra 55 cents?"

See, it sells itself! They could offer the whole menu with the deep-fry option! McGriddles, Big Macs, even the cookies. Go ahead, throw the whole mess in the deep-fryer, then sit back and count the profits. Really, what's an extra thousand calories or so between friends?

Best of all, McDonalds wouldn't have to double-up on the descriptors for this offering the way they have with the brat sandwich. Oh no. No new words to learn. No strange condiments or freaky bread.

Everything would be exactly the same -- just better because it was deep-fried.