Completely OT: Food

[Fred TBP]

Originally posted by Dr. Sweet Willie:

Eggs and cheese are a great match made all the better by a healthy dose of hot sauce.

Let's meet at an IHOP some Sunday morning!

 

Originally posted by Dr. Sweet Willie:

A small piece of serious dark chocolate can make my day.

It also stimulates the same portion of the brain that causes orgasms. Seriously.

 

Originally posted by Dr. Sweet Willie:

Sidenote: Word on the streets is that getz76 makes a killer red sauce. I have yet to have the chance to evaluate it.

He MUST bring some to the next LDLD local gathering.

 

Originally posted by Dr. Sweet Willie:

Sixth, vegetables are our friends. Spinach and garlic sauteed lightly in olive oil is a simple yet delightful accompaniment to many meals.

It's time for you to visit the Park & Orchard in East Rutherford, NJ. The menus speak for themselves. Been there twice, it's very nice.

[Mark Zeger]

How did I find this topic so late?

 

Food. It's pretty, pretty, pretty good.

 

I've always loved the dream of owning a restaurant. I wouldn't want to actually own one. I just like thinking about it. I'd model it after this place I used to love in Toronto called La Scala. hey served fine Northern Italian cuisine. It was located in an old Victorian style house on Bay near Bloor St. (there is a high rise condo building where it used to be). What must have been the living and dining room became the main dining area. All the wait staff were in tuxedos. They did a lot of tableside service (Caesar salad, fileting whole fish, etc.). When you finished dinner, you were escorted to this huge back bar area set up like a parlor with couches and big comfortable chairs for dessert, coffee, and after dinner drinks. Then they could turn the tables more often while allow diners to linger over the end of a meal. Great dining experience.

 

I'm fortunate to do business in NY so I've been to many of the expense account restaurants. But the best US restaurant meal I've had was Charlie Trotter's in Chicago around 5-6 years ago.

 

I LOVE to cook. With three kids, I don't have the time I once had for cooking at home. But last New Year's eve, I pulled out a few stops for a small dinner party:

 

Arepas topped with smoked salmon and creme fraiche (Veuve Cliquot "Yellow label" Champagne)

 

Field green salad with roasted gold beets and pistachio crusted goat cheese, blood orange vinagrette

 

Pan seared cumin crusted tuna with shiitake mushroom barley risotto and Pinot Noir reduction (David Bruce Pinot Noir)

 

Individual Sharfen-Berger* molten chocolate cakes with espresso ice cream (Graham's LBV port)

 

* I actually don't like chocolate but I know well enough to use the good stuff

[cloclo]

Originally posted by butcherNburn:

A few quotes:

"Give me some red wine, bread, onions, peppers, and garlic, and I'm a happy man." - Me

 

"I'm not a vegetarian because I love animals. I'm a vegetarian because I hate plants." - Unknown

 

"Mmmm Bacon..." H.J. Simpson

-------------------------------------------------

"Vivian: When we moved in here we had an arrangement. You do the cookin' and I take care of the plants and goldfish.

 

Neil: And do you remember what we ate that first night?

 

Vivian: Well it was a Tuesday so I believe we had sausages

 

Neil: Sausages and....

 

Vivian: Sausages and plants and goldfish.. " - The Young Ones

aaaah the young ones

 

"i hate animals. i don't like meat but eat it out of principle." - Hans Teeuwen

[_Sweet Willie_]

Originally posted by CMDN:

I'm also a HUGE fan of jerky... I have a theory for jerky quality:

The quality of jerky is inversely proportional to the degree of civilization in a given area.

 

Yep. Jerky. It's always better out in the sticks.

 

Word. Jerky has got it goin' on!

 

Had deer...errr, venison jerky yet? That is the shizznit.

 

You wrote a whole lotta truth in just a couple of sentences.

 

Peace.

--s-uu

[Basshappi]

Elk jerky, Mmm Mmmm good!

[moot]

I gotta comment on the oyster thing here.

I have never liked oysters. I have tried to like them and failed. I don't like them cooked or uncooked. IMO they are one of the things that are not meant or fit for human consumption. I do not like them Sam I am.

A couple weeks ago my girlfriend and I were sitting in a restaurant on a pier (not swanky, just a fish house) I naturally ordered the beer battered Fish and Chips and she ordered oysters on the half shell. A dozen. It was all I could do to watch the spectacle. A couple drops of hot sauce and *slurp!* down they went. After dinner I was offering gum every 5 minutes. And yeah, I kissed her after.

[Tim C]

IT MAY BE DEHYDRATED FOOD, BUT IT'S STILL FOOD! yes, i mean beef jerky oh the wonderous things you can do with it, namely eating it. I also feel cereal deserves its honorable mention as well.

[moot]

I would chime in on the cold cereal side also.

During the summer monthes it's fruit and cold cereal for me almost exclusivly.

I'm talkin' Honey Nut Cheerios baby!

[Dave Brown]

Originally posted by mattulator:

I gotta comment on the oyster thing here.

I have never liked oysters. I have tried to like them and failed. I don't like them cooked or uncooked. IMO they are one of the things that are not meant or fit for human consumption. I do not like them Sam I am.

A couple weeks ago my girlfriend and I were sitting in a restaurant on a pier (not swanky, just a fish house) I naturally ordered the beer battered Fish and Chips and she ordered oysters on the half shell. A dozen. It was all I could do to watch the spectacle. A couple drops of hot sauce and *slurp!* down they went. After dinner I was offering gum every 5 minutes. And yeah, I kissed her after.

Well, OF COURSE YOU DID!!!

 

It's well-known what oysters do to the libido. Can you testify:

 

Actually, I've never had one, and won't anytime soon.

[carpedebass]

Actually, I'd give anything to slink over to Akbar over in Plano, Tx. right about now for their Indian buffet!

[Phil W]

When I eat a decent raw oyster, I actually get a kind of 'buzz' like a slightly increased awareness for a few minutes. I hope I can put that down strictly to the wonderful taste. My wife and I are big oyster fans - definitely best raw (but then most seafood is best raw or lightly cooked). I also like deep fried oysters with peppersalt, Cantonese atyle.

Jerky is a great foodstuff, what a snackfood! A friend used to get Biltong sent over from her family in South Africa and pass some on to me.

We had a wierd snackfood growing up that I loved (very, very unhealthy) - 'pork scratchings' - dried salted fried pork rinds - I loved it.

I have always had a love for roasted pork with really crisp 'crackling' = skin; served with apple sauce and roast potatoes.

There are some vegetables that really turn me on: spinach, eggplant/aubergine, parsnips, brussel sprouts and dau miu (Cantonese for the young shoots of snow peas/mange tout).

I dissed the English sausages that Alex praised but, to tell the truth there are some great sausages about here now. As Alex said, they are very different to German, Italian or French sausages. They are lighter and juicier. The best supermarket version I've found recently is called 'Porkinsons'.

I start most days with Oatmeal - it's not really my favourite food but (apart from a fried breakfast) it's the one that keeps me going (almost) until lunch.

Carpedebass, I've had some decent Indian food in America, very different to that over here. I enjoy sag panir and bhelpoori (and varieties thereof) - that high calorific snack food including puffed rice, fried noodles and potatoes.

Cereal, I never 'got' that stuff. Each to his own, I guess!

[_Sweet Willie_]

Originally posted by Phil W:

I have always had a love for roasted pork with really crisp 'crackling' = skin; served with apple sauce and roast potatoes.

Yeah! Now we're cookin' with gas! You are so on target with that meal!

 

Originally posted by Phil W:

I start most days with Oatmeal - it's not really my favourite food but (apart from a fried breakfast) it's the one that keeps me going (almost) until lunch.

I like oatmeal quite a bit. I really like true Irish oatmeal w/ the "fat" oats in it. My personal preference is for oatmeal w/ a little butter, a little milk, and some maple syrup.

 

Maple syrup -- freakin' amazing stuff. The corn syrup varieties don't do it. It's gotta be tapped from the tree, pure maple syrup. It is ridiculous what a wonderful sweetener this stuff is.

 

Peace.

--Doctor Luv

[Phil W]

Yes, Irish Oatmeal - I travel all over London to find McCanns; ironically, they stock it at Trader Joes in the US. Maple syrup is great, great stuff! I'll have to try oatmeal with butter - sounds interesting.

[_Sweet Willie_]

Yup, we buy McCann's here in our household.

 

Not too much butter in the oatmeal, Phil. Just a little.

 

Peace.

--SW

[moot]

It's well-known what oysters do to the libido. Can you testify: - Dave Brown

Boy howdy! I was definetely feeling my age.

[rumpelstiltskin.]

i bought a sample pack of different maple syrup grades once. it was really cool, because the stuff you buy in the store is all grade A dark amber, but this had grades AA medium, AA light, and AAA light, too. AAA light was really good plain, or would be excellent in tea instead of honey. i wish i could buy other grades at the regular stores, but all i can find is grade A.

 

in the south they also use moleasses. not my thing. but most of them don't realize how good maple syrup is. they mostly have only the fake stuff there.

 

speaking of honey, i really enjoy it, and i find it fun to try a bunch of different blossom sources to see how the taste changes with different flowers. blueberry honey is very spicy, and my current favorite is the honey of killer bees, which is very sweet and smooth. i like to buy local honey whenever possible.

 

i've tried mccann's before, but i didn't find it that spectacular over quaker. i really like raisins in my oatmeal, or dried apples. but i'm having plain oatmeal, i like to use a little butter and a little silk. sometimes i use brown sugar, sometimes i use maple syrup. sometimes i use both.

 

robb.

[Danzilla]

Did someone mention oatmeal ? I had a nice heapin' bowl yesterday morning! Thick, with a little bit of milk, some butter (more than just a little), dried fruit, and maple syrup. MMM-MMM-Good!

[Phil W]

I've tried the different grades of maple syrup too, I've run out right now. I've been having my oatmeal with greek yoghurt (full-fat, very creamy and wildflower honey). I like this butter idea, I wonder if that originated Stateside or is it an Irish thing? I'm using another type of (organic)oats now called Mornflake which are pretty good. McCanns are so hard to find here.

I hate it that you can't find any yoghurt in the US stores which is not low-fat - yoghurt needs to be full-fat and creamy for me.

Does anybody here do the Scottish thing and put salt in their oatmeal?

[butcherNburn]

I guess I'm total swine for eating the store brand of Quaker's raisin oatmeal 5 times a week.

Then again, swine has done quite well on this thread.

[Tom Capasso]

I find that the McCann's/Quaker thing can depend on what type you are using. For oatmeal that I'm cooking, I find the difference negligible. I prefer the McCann's instant to Quaker (for bringing it to work).

 

I'll have to try butter. My favs have been maple syrup, brown sugar, and crasins (one at a time, though...hmmmm......).

 

I haven't tried the different grades, but would probably enjoy that type of tasting exercises. I agree - no corn syrup stuff for me. And while I don't use it often enough to buy it, boysenberry is kinda cool. Hmmm - maybe an IHOP run next week....

 

Tom

[rumpelstiltskin.]

IHOP is on time.

 

robb.

[Phil W]

I tried butter in oatmeal today with a little maple syrup - good stuff -thanks guys!

[alexclaber]

Toast. Some nice fresh white bread, unsliced of course, toasted to taste, with real butter and real marmalade. And of course, a mug of tea (proper tea - you know, hot and strong with milk (and sugar for some) - the drink of a cold damp country) on the side.

 

Alex

[alexclaber]

Phil, don't we normally call oatmeal 'porridge' over here?!

 

Alex

[Phil W]

- well this is an international forum, even in my Anglo-American household I forget which words are American and UK English.

I read a book about the development of American English and it's stunning to realise how many of the everyday expressions we use here in England (and elsewhere in Britain) originate in the US; even expressions I heard my grandparents use that I thought were English or even local dialect turned out to have originated Stateside.

The oats you buy over here are called oatmeal/porridge oats, though.

We have some great marmalade at home right now; I'll have to look at the label and let you know what it is!

I've been forcing myself to live without coffee for a while -it's tough! I do enjoy a mug of hot tea though - I miss it when I'm in the US, I think the next time I visit I will take some tea with me.

[alexclaber]

Originally posted by Phil W:

...I forget which words are American and UK English.

Too many years of reading Bass Player magazine, interviews with American musicians and all these US dominated forums have resulted in me often using phrases that just aren't British!

 

Originally posted by Phil W:

...I read a book about the development of American English...

Made In America? I must give that another whirl - very readable but so densely packed with information.

 

It is very interesting to see how the languages split those centuries ago and then continued to pass words and phrases between each other in a seemingly random nature. And English is a very diverse language anyway thanks to years of being invaded by the rest of Europe, and then building the world's largest empire and collecting more language in the process.

 

Alex

[Phil W]

Warning OT even for an OT topic!

The English language is one of my passionate interests, I spent time learning Old English and reading Beowulf and other pre-1066 literature in the original and studying a little philology.

There's a great little paperback book I have somewhere that summarises the development of the Romance and Germanic languages and how they have evolved.

Er, sorry guys!

Yeah,

My dad used to run a fish and chip shop - you know!

[Dave Brown]

"Er?"

 

[carpedebass]

Perhaps you guys from across the pond can tell me this........

What's up with the Geico lizard talking about free pie and chips? I've heard of fish and chips, but pie and chips? What do you get a free slice of French silk pie with fries???

[Phil W]

Pie and chips is a classic English meal. The pies can be circular or rectangular. They have a kind of flaky pastry crust and a filling of meat and gravy (or vegetables/sauce etc.) The most well known is a steak and kidney pie.

http://www.pukkapies.co.uk/images/LargePie.jpg

They are, by tradition, eaten by the working classes and are the traditional food at football games, hence the traditional chant of 'Who ate all the pies?' to an overweight goalkeeper/match offical/coach.

Both fish and chips and pie and chips are frequently accompanied with 'mushy peas' - dried green peas that are soaked then cooked to a mushy consistency.

http://www.oldengine.org/members/arnie/yank2000/9/mushypeas.jpg