I'm pretty sure we are voted #1 with Great Britain being a close second.quote:
Originally posted by Pablo:
I wouldn't say we have the worst food - we just have a broad spectrum !
Mexican food question
- Thread starter moribundman
- Start date
- Status
that's why you need friends of different ethnic backgrounds. If you go to an indian restaurant with an indian friend, the food is VASTLY different than if you go there with all whiteys.
I have a good friend who is korean and whenever we go out for dinner I end up getting the best food, whereas the same place by myself is attrocious and americanized.
heh
heh
It's probably just business and not discrimination. Get your friends to write you a note on paper or learn how to communicate that you want the "real deal", not the toned down Americanized versions. You're paying for it, so get it your way, even if your eating alone. It's probably not that you have ethnic friends, it's just that they are communicating either directly or implied.quote:
Originally posted by slugsgomoo:
that's why you need friends of different ethnic backgrounds. If you go to an indian restaurant with an indian friend, the food is VASTLY different than if you go there with all whiteys.I have a good friend who is korean and whenever we go out for dinner I end up getting the best food, whereas the same place by myself is attrocious and americanized.
heh
What I strongly recommend NOT doing is going to lunch with a bunch of co-workers in Singapore who think they need to "out-hot" you at their favorite Indian restaurant.....
"Would you like some meat with that curry powder, sir?"
It was ridiculous. My wife could smell it on me 2 days later. I can only imagine what the folks next to me on the 13 hour plane ride home the next day.....
but with Mexican (actually TexMex), it's almost a religious thing here. Whenever we move, there are 3 things to find: a house, a church and a good TexMex place; and not always in that order. We've been at the same spot here in Houston almost every Friday night for almost 15 years.
"Would you like some meat with that curry powder, sir?"
It was ridiculous. My wife could smell it on me 2 days later. I can only imagine what the folks next to me on the 13 hour plane ride home the next day.....
but with Mexican (actually TexMex), it's almost a religious thing here. Whenever we move, there are 3 things to find: a house, a church and a good TexMex place; and not always in that order. We've been at the same spot here in Houston almost every Friday night for almost 15 years.
- Joined
- Jun 2, 2003
- Messages
- 23,591
Actually, American food is not the worst food, but the ratio of "good" food to "bad" food is unbalanced or rather out of control -- very much like the average diet. And eating habits are bad, probably worse than anywhere. The results can be seen waddling in the streets.
As for basic American food, is really not all that different from European food. The overly popular consumption of fast food also appears to ruin people's taste for anything more substantial than empty calories. Some of my American friends, those who mostly live from BK, Wendy's et al, like nothing more than overly salted and other wise bland, deep-fried meat, with a soda that's so sweet my teeth hurt when I only look at it. Give them a decent meal and they become strangely picky.
Living in San Francisco, I can't complain about access to good food and a vast variety of options. While most available ethnic dishes have been bastardized, many of the creations are actually very good. And others are doing the same thing. The Japanese make their own versions of western and Asian dishes, and they are mostly very good. Look for katsu-anything or a Japanese style curry, and you will find out what I'm talking about.
In American food, I do notice a few general trends that I don't find particular well-suited to my taste:
- too salty (my biggest complaint about meat dishes). Cold cuts and cured meats are more often so salty, I might as well have a go at a salt lick.
- too bland (there are other spices than salt and pepper)
- too much sauce/cheese/dressing (Food should ot be drowned)
- too sweet ( I swear my own cake recipes contain at least 50% less sugar). Why's got almost every cake or pastry a quarter inch layer of sugar glazing? Is it too glue my mouth and small intestine shut?
- too much use of garlic. It seems you can't get anything without that vile weed in or on it. I'm a garlic-breath and garlic body odor hater. The smell of garlic makes me physically ill.
Mori - Great post until you got to the garlic part. There is nothing wrong with garlic used in some of the great quiz-zeens of the world. Even French 40 clove chicken is great! Italian, Chinese, Korean, Thai, French, Cajun, Creole, Mexican, Cuban, Indian all need garlic!
I do agree with the salt and sugar……some crap is so sickly sweet it makes me puke.
I do agree with the salt and sugar……some crap is so sickly sweet it makes me puke.
- Joined
- Jun 2, 2003
- Messages
- 23,591
I know I'm in the minority when it comes to garlic. Unfortunately my girlfriend likes it, too. That's why I keep feeding her parsley -- at least it takes the edge off the smell.
I'm sure I like foods other find horrible. For example, I have a fondness for smelly cheese, including Limburger. Its smell makes many people "go Pablo." Revenge is sweet.
I'm sure I like foods other find horrible. For example, I have a fondness for smelly cheese, including Limburger. Its smell makes many people "go Pablo." Revenge is sweet.
I do like ton katsu (sorta rhymes with panko fried pork cutlet, doesn't it?). Weirdly I do like some of the Japanese curry in the winter - as long as it's not too sweet. But it's a once every couple of months thing.
I don't let out that much gas. Why the rap?
I don't let out that much gas. Why the rap?
Pablo,
Glad you like Indian food, problem is even the best rated so called Indian restaurants in major metros sell real junk, they spend most of their money in decorations. I lived in NYC for 17 years so I know well, also visited San Francisco and LA, same story, worse was Washington DC where a supposed high end joint usually patronized by politicians turned out to be sheer junk.
Actually, westerners who come to India and taste the real stuff fall in love with it, spices are aromatics, not heat so chillies means bad Indian cuisine period, so when properly combined blow away most other cuisines, case in point being Bill Clinton who regularly visits India or make short stops for food, he was recently on his way to China and stopped for one night just to savor some food. Same goes for Bill Gates and many more.
Knock it off Gurkha - not only am I now hungry, I'm jealous, too.
What you say seems strange - no chili's in Indian food? Maybe it's a regional thing - because I know they use capsicum peppers. I believe the biggest secret is all fresh ground (some toasted) spices - and the right varieties, which are sometimes not available in the USA. Do they have some of the potato dishes in India? (potato is also a new world food) I like the vegetable and lamb dishes the best. How about vindaloo? From the old Portuguese outpost port, Goa. Pork Vindaloo!
My wife and I have a couple authentic cookbooks and if we shop right, cook all day we can have a good feast. My wife makes awesome naan bread. (some restaurant really have terrible naan)
Actually I don't trust Bill's tastes because he likes McDonald's.
What you say seems strange - no chili's in Indian food? Maybe it's a regional thing - because I know they use capsicum peppers. I believe the biggest secret is all fresh ground (some toasted) spices - and the right varieties, which are sometimes not available in the USA. Do they have some of the potato dishes in India? (potato is also a new world food) I like the vegetable and lamb dishes the best. How about vindaloo? From the old Portuguese outpost port, Goa. Pork Vindaloo!
My wife and I have a couple authentic cookbooks and if we shop right, cook all day we can have a good feast. My wife makes awesome naan bread. (some restaurant really have terrible naan)
Actually I don't trust Bill's tastes because he likes McDonald's.
- Joined
- Jun 2, 2003
- Messages
- 23,591
Beats me.
I also like all donburi like chicken or pork katsudon. It's the safest choice in a Japanese restaurant if you don't know if their food is any good.
Maybe I mentioned I like "Blazing Saddles" in the movie thread or something?
Pablo,
Come down to India and be my guest. About new world veggies, they actually are the life of vegetarians in the north. India is a sub continent so food and cooking differs from region to region, also most books written on Indian cooking do a very poor job as they evade the process and shorten it for western audience. Madhur Jaffery is one book which though not authentic in any way, I can recommend just because it gives you a fairly good idea.
About chillies, the best and the most aromatic food comes from the North of the region, it is called Muglai cuisine, uses cream, yogurt, almonds, cashews, raisins, as well as whole spices like peppercorns, cardamom (green and brown), cloves, cinnamon, mace, saffron, nutmeg etc along with some exotic spices which are not found elsewhere. The idea is to make a confluence of aroma, not pungency. The Mongol kings patronized this food and it derives influence from the Turks, middle east, Persian and Indian. Punjab brings the yogurt and spice marinated charcoal grilled food called Tandoori which is cooked in special cylindrical clay oven. The tandoori stuff is far more tastier than the colored rip off sold in US by Indian restaurants. Actually there should be no color, that part should be ideally imparted by saffron.
Vindaloo and south Indian dishes are exact opposites, strong, overpriced, over hot, super pungent and sometimes just repulsive in general.
Bengal region is known for its fish dishes as thats daily staple but they cook it with very little spices and prefer mustard oil as medium. They also have a voracious sweet tooth with average shop there selling 300 kinds of sweets all made out of milk.
Glad to hear that your wife makes Naan, actually you need a Tandoor for it but oven does a fair job.
Bill may eat McDonald's but when he comes here, he seems to know the dishes quite well.
Come down to India and be my guest. About new world veggies, they actually are the life of vegetarians in the north. India is a sub continent so food and cooking differs from region to region, also most books written on Indian cooking do a very poor job as they evade the process and shorten it for western audience. Madhur Jaffery is one book which though not authentic in any way, I can recommend just because it gives you a fairly good idea.
About chillies, the best and the most aromatic food comes from the North of the region, it is called Muglai cuisine, uses cream, yogurt, almonds, cashews, raisins, as well as whole spices like peppercorns, cardamom (green and brown), cloves, cinnamon, mace, saffron, nutmeg etc along with some exotic spices which are not found elsewhere. The idea is to make a confluence of aroma, not pungency. The Mongol kings patronized this food and it derives influence from the Turks, middle east, Persian and Indian. Punjab brings the yogurt and spice marinated charcoal grilled food called Tandoori which is cooked in special cylindrical clay oven. The tandoori stuff is far more tastier than the colored rip off sold in US by Indian restaurants. Actually there should be no color, that part should be ideally imparted by saffron.
Vindaloo and south Indian dishes are exact opposites, strong, overpriced, over hot, super pungent and sometimes just repulsive in general.
Bengal region is known for its fish dishes as thats daily staple but they cook it with very little spices and prefer mustard oil as medium. They also have a voracious sweet tooth with average shop there selling 300 kinds of sweets all made out of milk.
Glad to hear that your wife makes Naan, actually you need a Tandoor for it but oven does a fair job.
Bill may eat McDonald's but when he comes here, he seems to know the dishes quite well.
Even in India? I'll have to try it! I must apologize bacause I like spicy lamb curry and pork vindaloo and aloo gobi....sorry
I think my wife uses a 7000°C oven and the clay pizza cooker, or some times the clay romertopf for naan.
Some restaurants do use a tandoori - but they still put the fake red stuff on the tandoori chicken.
I'm saving for the airfare now!
I meant over spiced and not over priced, typo problems, by spicy lamb curry if you mean the disgusting yellow stuff called curry powder, then I must inform you, it is not available here in India and never used either. John Sharwood, an Englishman in the 1800s devised this smelly concoction as he could not figure out the complex method of blending Indian spices which differs from region to region, since he was in spice **** south, it just got worse with excessive coriander and turmeric.
For cheapest air fare, look at the Indian travel agents in your area, about 50% less than what you will get normally, just don't' go in the summers as that is the peak time all Indian ex pats are going home.
Do drop me a line before your visit.
For cheapest air fare, look at the Indian travel agents in your area, about 50% less than what you will get normally, just don't' go in the summers as that is the peak time all Indian ex pats are going home.
Do drop me a line before your visit.
- Joined
- Jun 2, 2003
- Messages
- 23,591
Pablo, you have a Römertopf? You should make pork roast in there! *drool*
NO store bought yellow "curry" powder, for us. Anyone who knows anything about India cookery knows about fake curry and such. Though, Gurkha I must note quite a lot of the stuff is exported from India! Madras curry powder and other brand names.
So there is no garam masala in India?
As I noted we shop hard (used to in Vancouver, BC), toast and grind our own spices.
Mori - Yes we have a Römertopf! The real thing Yes pork roast....
So there is no garam masala in India?
As I noted we shop hard (used to in Vancouver, BC), toast and grind our own spices.
Mori - Yes we have a Römertopf! The real thing Yes pork roast....
I like all mexican food. I don't care what it is, I'll like it. anyone got some menudo or tripas?
We have an excellent Indian food restrant in town. mmmmm lamb masala or chicken saag.
We have an excellent Indian food restrant in town. mmmmm lamb masala or chicken saag.
Pablo,
No curry powder in India but Garam Masala is there,it is a quintessential tool and exists in different variations, the purists prefer to make their own and have secret proportions, my mother for instance would make her own by roasting all the spices individually and then grind them. Apart from Garam masala, there are many more combos, five spice for instance used exclusively in Bengal or Sambar masala in south, all using uniquely different spices, sometimes only available locally.
Madras curry powder is made exclusively for export, it has no use in India. By the way, there are dishes in Muglai cuisine which don't use garlic, just onions, that too caramelized.
No curry powder in India but Garam Masala is there,it is a quintessential tool and exists in different variations, the purists prefer to make their own and have secret proportions, my mother for instance would make her own by roasting all the spices individually and then grind them. Apart from Garam masala, there are many more combos, five spice for instance used exclusively in Bengal or Sambar masala in south, all using uniquely different spices, sometimes only available locally.
Madras curry powder is made exclusively for export, it has no use in India. By the way, there are dishes in Muglai cuisine which don't use garlic, just onions, that too caramelized.
anyone ever eat puerto rican food? it is quite a bit different than mexican food but some dishes are similar. they like to put olives in everything.
I don't think I'll be travelling across the continent any time soon to get mexican food from detroit. mexico is only a 5 hour drive from here, and we have plenty of mexican folks living here that love to cook.
I don't think I'll be travelling across the continent any time soon to get mexican food from detroit. mexico is only a 5 hour drive from here, and we have plenty of mexican folks living here that love to cook.
- Status
