161 replies to this topic

[percyn]

OK, Susan wins !! Not only did she precede this blog with a great installment of her own, but she also guessed the identity of this humble blogger, based on Soba's teaser. Good job Susan...have a beer on me

Being a first time blogger, I studied the masters who blogged before me. So who am I to give tradition a cold shoulder? From what I gather, we are all supposed to

Hail to the temple of caffeine....



And keeping with tradition...a little about your blogger for the week (the foodblog Czars must really be scraping the barrel if they asked me to blog)...

I belong to a small (approx 100K worldwide) religion/community called Zoroastrian or Parsi, who's origins date back to 1500 BC. This community originated in Persia and settled in India around 700 AD. Throughout this time, they have maintained their unique culture and cuisine. (The only reason for me mentioning this is to share some of the hard to find recipes from this community....see list of topics below).

Having spent my formative years on 3 different continents with very different culinary outlooks put my taste buds through the wringer and frazzled my poor little mind. WARNING: what you may be exposed to in this blog will be from my own twisted perception of "good eats", so proceed at your own risk !!

Seriously though, while I enjoyed "good food" for as long as I can remember, my interest in cooking only peeked when I was in college, where I did not have my mom or the private chef who helped her to cook family meals. It was at this point that I decided to get an off-campus apartment and start making my own meals. I soon realized that I could not do much worse than the so-called chef in the college cafeteria, though I did come close a few initial occasions. Soon friends and friends of friends showed up for weekend dinners (that's college weekends, which start on Thursday and end on Monday), many of which we would start cooking around 3am after a few rounds of "social drinks" at the local bars.

Anyway, having spent most of my life in big cities, I currently reside in a suburban area, bordered on the East by Philadelphia and Lancaster (Amish country) on the West. Over the next week, I hope to bring you a glimpse of each (city dining as well as Country/Amish dining). I would like to make this blog as interactive as possible and I plan to answer each question, but I do ask for your patience, as I have a busy work week and a sick family member.

Speaking of family, there are 3 of us, my wife, myself and our cat Peanut, aka "little miss foodie" (she prefers foie gras and caviar over almost anything else). Wendy, you may have that alias on eGullet, but in this household, it is already taken


You may see some posts of what I have for lunch while at work, but for legal reasons, I prefer not to go into details or identify of my employer (remember the Google and American Airline incidents?). All I can say is that it is a large multinational company, for which I get to do a little overseas travel and enjoy the local customs and cusine.

This is where I need some audience participation...... I already have a few special events planned (on Wed and Sat evening) and given the limited amount of time we have, I need your help in prioritizing a list of topics you would like me to feature on the blog. Please post or PM me your top 3 choices:

* Lunch at an Amish restaurant
* Visit to an Amish farm
* Tour of Philadelphia's Reading Terminal Market
* Philly Cheesesteak Kings
* Breakfast Bonanza
* Special "Parsi dishes" like Dhansak or Sali Gosht or Machi (Fish) nu Sauce
* Typical Indian dishes like Tandoori or Goan Curry Rice
* Other food topics of your choice (please specify)


While it is with some trepidation that I embark on this journey, I hope you are as excited as I am about this blog.

Cheers
Percy

[lesfen]

This is where I need some audience participation...... I already have a few special events planned (on Wed and Sat evening) and given the limited amount of time we have, I need your help in prioritizing a list of topics you would like me to feature on the blog. Please post or PM me your top 3 choices:

* Lunch at an Amish restaurant
* Visit to an Amish farm
* Tour of Philadelphia's Reading Terminal Market
* Philly Cheesesteak Kings
* Breakfast Bonanza
* Special "Parsi dishes" like Dhansak or Sali Gosht or Machi (Fish) nu Sauce
* Typical Indian dishes like Tandoori or Goan Curry Rice
* Other food topics of your choice (please specify)


While it is with some trepidation that I embark on this journey, I hope you are as excited as I am about this blog.

Cheers
Percy

Sweet! Here are my votes...

* Lunch at an Amish restaurant - Hey, pick me up some Amish Roll Butter while you're out. I LOVE Amish food. It's like eating at your grandma's house on Sunday, but when ever you want.
* Special "Parsi dishes" like Dhansak or Sali Gosht or Machi (Fish) nu Sauce - I'm intrigued...
* Breakfast Bonanza - Ohhh yes.

[kitchenmage]

Gleaming kitchen appliances and a cat. You're off to a good start, Percy.

My votes:
* Visit to an Amish farm
* Lunch at an Amish restaurant
* Special "Parsi dishes" like Dhansak or Sali Gosht or Machi (Fish) nu Sauce

[suzilightning]

cool... intercourse...and bird in hand, too. some of the nicest places to visit.

percyn, i'm really interested in the parsi and indian foods so those combined would be my #! pick

the farm should be intersting - especially if you see any quilts or pepper relish(MMMMMMMM pepper relish ) along the way

breakfast blowout since your posts on the breakfast thread are always so mouthwatering....

a question - does your practice of Zoroastrianism impact your diet/food choices/cooking? many thanks

[Monica Bhide]

I am not going to be able to do any work now.. first Susan and now you!! GGGGGGGGGGOOOOOOOOOOOOOO for it. i am thrilled you are blogging. I agree on the above choices that folks have listed. Looking forward to it.

[Susan in FL]

Yesss!! You know I've always wanted you to blog...! I am so looking forward to it.
We have to see your eggs. You must include breakfasts.
Enjoy!

[Adam Balic]

I think that we have missed the gahambars? But I would be very interested in specific Parsi foods .

[Carrot Top]

Parsi, please, Percy.

Perhaps?

No, particularly.

[Monica Bhide]

Ah yes, eggs.. if you can do akoori.. that would be awesome

[zilla369]

I have a question!

If you do visit the Amish spots (I'd love that, I used to live in Camp Hill near Harrisburg) - you wouldn't be able to take any pictures, would you? At least not pictures of people, right? Or is than an old rural myth?

[TPO]

Audience participation? How exciting! Here are my top three votes:

* Lunch at an Amish restaurant
* Special "Parsi dishes" like Dhansak or Sali Gosht or Machi (Fish) nu Sauce
* Philly Cheesesteak Kings (I am a sandwich freak at heart)

I am looking forward to this blog. Anyone who starts with a loving photo of their coffee maker is a-okay with me!

[Megan Blocker]

Yay, Percy! I'm so psyched to follow your blog - your posts are always top-notch!

My votes are:

* Tour of Philadelphia's Reading Terminal Market
* Special "Parsi dishes" like Dhansak or Sali Gosht or Machi (Fish) nu Sauce
* Visit to an Amish farm

Best of luck this week!

[percyn]

...
a question - does your practice of Zoroastrianism impact your diet/food choices/cooking?  many thanks

Yes, it does...I eat everything in sight
Actually, I do not have any religious or cultural dietary restrictions. In fact, the culture is one where food plays a major role and we take every opportunity to celebrate and have a feast (including most Sundays). I may provide web references to typical Parsi celebrations and "ghambars" (big feasts where the entire village/town was fed for 3 days straight) in this blog, if there is interest.

Cheers
Percy

[percyn]

I have a question! 

If you do visit the Amish spots (I'd love that, I used to live in Camp Hill near Harrisburg) - you wouldn't be able to take any pictures, would you?  At least not pictures of people, right?  Or is than an old rural myth?

Well, it seems to depend on the person. While I have not taken portraits of the Amish themselves, I have several pictures where they are in the frame and they do not seem to mind.

An odd fact...do a search on Lancaster or Amish, and most of the websites returned in the search results will be Amish run....so much for not leveraging modern technology.

[bergerka]

OMG, that is the cutest cat EVER.

I vote for Amish restaurant and Parsi dishes, please.

K

[percyn]

cool... intercourse...and bird in hand, too. some of the nicest places to visit.

It really is pretty...especially in fall when the leaves start changing color.

For those of you wondering about the "interesting names" in the title and whether I have a screwed up mind (childish perhaps), let me share the history of the name

[Priscilla]

Well this is going to be exciting. And what a cute, ladylike kitty!

My votes are for: Parsi cuisine, Indian cuisine, and Philadelphia cheesesteaks, but of course I will have nothing to complain about regardless of the outcome.

Percy, do you have any contact with a Zoroastrian community where you live?

[Gifted Gourmet]

Percy, that link was quite interesting in the amount of information on the shopping and dining in the area. I think I had never realized how much goes on in the Pennsylvania Dutch country although I had lived in Pottstown, Pa, at one time.

[Genny]

OMG, that is the cutest cat EVER.

I vote for Amish restaurant and Parsi dishes, please.

K

Ditto on all of Kathleen's except I can't say the cutest cat EVER since my own feline baby would be offended. I'll say Peanut is the cutest kitty on the whole blog!

[Corinna Dunne]

This sounds like it's going to be wonderfully exotic! My votes go for:

1. Parsi dishes
2. Indian dishes
3. Visit to an Amish farm

[liamsaunt]

Definitely Parsi dishes!
My other two choices are Amish farm and breakfast.
I am looking forward to this blog.

[Sartain]

From a decidedly city-dwelling Pennsylvanian: Parsi and Indian dishes and Amish Farm (with or without pictures), please!

That's one adorable kitty. My own 23lb Highness graciously limits himself to pates and mousses when it comes to human food, and yes, he would like that on a plate at the dining room table.

Sounds like a foodie play date in the making ...

[percyn]

For breakfast this morning, I had a bagel, vegetable cream cheese and some coffe that I bought from our Cafeteria.


And for lunch (which I am currently eating as I type) - Rosemary roasted pork loin with sides of mashed potato and sauteed greenbeans, baby corn and mushrooms.


If I did not care for this entree, my other choices were (each very reasonably priced under $5):

Salad Bar
Sandwich Bar
Vegetable Beef Barley Soup
Italian Antipasto Salad with Basil Garlic Vinaigrette
Artichoke, Olive and Prosciutto Pizza
Breaded Buffalo Chicken Sandwich
Roast Beef wrap with Roasted Red Peppers, Pepper jack Cheese and Garlic Aiol

Having worked at many places (including Wall St), I must say that this cafeteria does a good job in providing edible food at a decent price and is convenient enough to increase productivity.

However, on days like today, when it is 75F degrees and sunny, you sometimes feel like stepping outside (but who would update the blog then ? ).

[percyn]

Judging from previous blogs, I guess I am supposed to add the obligatory pictures of kitchen, etc, so here goes...



The lights were a new addition. Thanks for your input Daddy-A


The Deck - which we do grill on in summer and fall (hopefully will get a chance to use it during the blog)




The Dining room (that we rarely use)



This is my version of the "mans room" (for the Al Bundy fans) - which is also where we have a wine cooler. The idea behind this room was that it would be one room where I had free reign to design it and use it the way I wanted....don't ask me if that has worked








Since Peanut's aka LMF (the cat) pictures seem to be a big hit...here is another one.

[tejon]

I vote for:

*Tour of Philadelphia's Reading Terminal Market - I lived in Media for three years and wish we had something like that here in Southern California.

*Visit to an Amish farm - how often do we all get a chance to see such a different lifestyle and approach to food?

*Typical Indian dishes like Tandoori or Goan Curry Rice - Indian of any kind is always a good thing!

[Gifted Gourmet]

Percy, the wine cooler and your extensive collection of wines on the racks shows a definite interest in being an educated wine oenophile. (redundundundant...)

Do you have any formal training in wines?

[maggiethecat]

I had the very rare good fortune to attend a Parsi feast, when a co-worker invited me to the Navjote Mubarak (have I got that right? of her two children. The ceremony itself was fascinating, as was the opportunity to learn about Zoroastrianism.

But, oh the food! Rivers, oceans of exotic, delicious fabulous food. (And very large ponds of Johnny Walker Black!) I eagerly await anything you can share about your culinary traditition. That was one heck of a party!

[Ling]

percyn, I've long been a fan of your dinners and breakfasts, so I'm so excited you're posting! My votes are:

-lunch at an Amish restaurant
-Reading Terminal Market
-Parsi dishes

Your cat is the cutest lil thing!

[Pan]

Percy, very happy to see you blogging! Folks, those of you who don't frequent the dinner and breakfast threads have to look through some of their pages to see Percy's amazing creations.

For what it's worth, I'd like to see some Parsi food and a breakfast blowout. As for the rest, I trust you to post things that are fascinating and beautiful.

[handmc]

I have been looking forward to this! Go Percyn!

Edited by handmc, 27 September 2005 - 01:21 PM.