Sleepy_Dragon

The last time my partner sat with me while I was playing a video game, the game in question was a convenience store simulator. I was arranging the shelves and stocking this one particular section with instant noodles, candy, chips, ice cream, and beer, and when finished she asked "Is that supposed to be PMS Corner?" Pat

Anyway, I know some of y'all dearly love your non-food compatible partners and spouses. I'm just glad it isn't me in that position. I mean, if there was such a wide rift in food likes, dislikes and passions between us, they might as well be of an entirely incompatible sexual orientation to me! Worst couple I know: Chinese friend and her American boyfriend, former eats just about everything and the latter is incredibly annoying to be around because he always whines about needing beef. It was so tedious the first (and thankfully last!) time we all went to dim sum together, every other phrase out of his mouth was something like "That's not beef", "I need beef", "I gotta have beef", etc. Sheesh. Thankfully, she no longer brings him along whenever we go out for food other than middle American. I probably wouldn't have found it all that bad if he wasn't so rude about it. Ah, visions of shoving a fistful of gai lan down his throat with a handful of "phoenix claws" to chase it... just to shut him up, as I was well past the point of caring if he expanded his food horizons or not. Pat

A fisharian obviously! In my school, we call these folks "fence-jumpers". Pat

I agree completely with such examination, and that question is one that's important to me as well. I do think a lot of history gets passed down through food, and it disturbs me to see it lost, because in many cases we're talking about a kind of labor typically done by women and servants, as well as something that allows for survival of the spirit in oppressive times whether then or now. So in that sense, it's not that much different to me than trying to understand and record any other chunk of missing history, because they contain important keys to what's going on now, and could lead to people asking important questions around why things are so crazily processed today. I just think food is one of those things that tugs at the fabric of existance. Could people exoticize that kind of info as well rather than putting it to wise use? Sure, and it sucks when that happens, but I'm hopeful that this won't be everyone. The incessant attraction to what's shiny and exotic irritates hell out of me too, but it goes beyond just the cultural vampirism; it's also a kind of disavowal of tending to things in one's own backyard and how it affects the backyards of others, so to speak. Ideally, there will be folks who get clue elsewhere and figure out a way to regard it as a tool that allows them to see what else is going on, and will allow them to do something about it without being a self-styled guru about it precisely because there's no room for ego or self-aggrandizement in it if there's any sincerity there. Yes, no argument there. I assumed the OP thought it was a dubious concept as well since they'd put mastery in quotes too. Hopefully, people see it as a journey rather than some type of mountain to climb in order to have the privilege of sitting atop it. If I ever do something like that, it's a sure sign my cooking will not improve beyond that point, among other things, and I'd deserve to freeze my ass off all by myself up there. Pat

Maybe the history and stuff doesn't matter that much to you, but IMO there's a bunch of context that people who've lived in particular cultures just take for granted. Sure, the background is no substitute for life and experience, but I think of all the choices left for those of us outside of a particular culture, it's the next best one. Otherwise it just feels like a bunch of ham-handed bull in a china shop bungling to me. Which isn't to say that the exoticization isn't also ham-handed bungling (among other things)... most New Age stuff and its accompanying cultural vampirism gives me hives as well. But, somewhere in all this, there's also a line between cultural vampirism and finding respectful ways of interacting with something outside of one's realm of experience, and IMO history and context are a possibility for that. At least with them, we're talking about people putting forth some kind of effort of their own accord rather than demanding others teach them only the shiny and cool parts. But, maybe it is just food to you. Alright, fair enough. I can't imagine thinking that way about the stuff I grew up eating but ok. Pat

I managed to track down a used copy of this book. Though in hardcover rather than paperback, yay! It's really good so far. What I'm appreciating the most about it are two things: 1) how she conveys information like an experienced member of your family would with regard to times and quantities being imprecise, but at the same time, not to worry about it too much and trust your judgment, because it'll be ok in the end, just let the right side of your brain take over. Besides, the truth is, a lot of it is impossible to quantify like that anyway because the ingredients won't always be on the same level day by day. Maybe this would be nerve-wracking to some people, but it feels liberating to me. I can dispense with all the noise in my head around tracking exact temperatures and such. Cook until tender, brown, etc. works for me! 2) her grouping the spices in four rough categories, with the caveat that it's not a categorization written in stone, but is a good place for the rest of us to start out in order to make sense of what goes with what. Also amusing to read in a black humor sort of way were her words around discovering the ways food animals were fed in other countries, and feeling safer eating meat which had been raised on a vegetarian diet rather than a cannibalistic one, back in 1988. So, thanks for the recommendation, bhelpuri. This book makes me really happy, I can't wait to cook out of it. It's a bummer that it's out of print, and yes, I agree pictures would be great if it ever gets a second edition. Pat

Yes, I noticed this at the places we went. Was hard to decide! And very cool. It's not like that here at all. And I'm in an oceanfront city. Maybe that's what it is. Around here a lot of it is breaded and then pre-frozen, or maybe just held too long or handled too much. Though I've never seen shark served in any capacity aside from Chinese shark's fin soup. One of the things that was remarkable to me in the Oz shops was seeing entire fillets to choose from out of display cases you'd expect to only find at a fishmonger's, and the fillets themselves were all in long slabs that looked like the side of a fish. As opposed to the small pieces and strips we get here. It was the greatest thing to me to lift one of those crispy succulent fillets and take a bite out of it like a slice of pizza. If someone in Seattle could figure out how to open up an authentic Oz/NZ chip shop, my wager is they'd put everyone else out of business, excepting the places that do regional stuff like US southern style fish 'n' chips. Thanks for the comments, everyone. I wasn't kidding about Oz fish 'n' chips teasing me in my dreams. It gets really bad, drooling while asleep with those taste memories on the brain, and waking up to the disappointment of it all. Oh well, this thread will probably make tonight even worse. Pat

And here is the menu for Square One bistro. It, along with the One World menu above this post, are good for Tuesday - Thursday, April 14 - 15, and April 20-22. Fridays are our buffet days. STARTERS $2.25 Vegetable Minestrone Walnut Pistou Italian Parsley Soup Saffron Dumplings Arugula Salad Pecorino, Spicy Walnuts, Red Beets & Lemon Olive Oil Dressing Mesclun Greens Fresh Herb Dressing, Toasted Pumpkin Seeds ENTREES Served with a cup of soup or salad Sauteed Mahi Mahi Basque style Ratatouille & Curried Jasmine Rice -- $6.50 Spiced Pork Tenderloin Currant Couscous, Swiss Chard, Plum-Port Sauce -- $6.25 Crispy Calamari Lime Dressed Baby Romaine Lettuce & Roasted Pepper Coulis -- $5.95 Grilled Herbed Vegetables Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes & Chimichurri Sauce -- $5.95 Grilled Salmon Ginger Sauteed Spinach, Yam Puree & Herb Beurre Blance -- $6.50 Desserts -- $1.95 Beverages Coffee/Tea/Decaf, Coke/Sprite/Diet Coke/Diet Sprite -- $0.75 Pat

As it was explained to me, green jello = Mormon soul food. And for whatever reason, ice cream places in Utah seem reknowned for doing these huge sundaes that are basically a giant bowl trucked out to your table with like 14 scoops of different ice cream and a heap of syrup and whipped cream just dumped on top, like Homer Simpson's chocolate cow taking a big old dump over the whole thing. Pat

Hell would look something like Division Street in Spokane, WA. It's a street of fast food chains intermingled with this incredible array of really bad Chinese places, all of them with crazy amounts of neon climbing up the sides of each wall, over the roof, swirling and curving with the pagodas, all lined up one after another. Each one advertises "Chinese and American Food", because that's the only way to bring along Uncle Bob who won't eat none of that ornamental food. But to make it truly Hell, as opposed to merely being in Spokane at any given moment, the only thing you would be allowed to order for all eternity is volcanic red and syrupy sweet 'n' sour pork. To be washed down with ice water. Ok, maybe only older Chinese folks would think that last bit was hell... Pat

Yeah, Union was fine for me as well. I went during the March Madness promotion, and just made sure to get there at 5pm in order to get an actual table. I also did that when Marcha was there instead of Union, and that had been fine. Boisterous partying all around me, but who cares when the book is good. Pat

Are there places that actually treat lone diners badly? I've never had that experience in Seattle. Well, ok just once but that's only once in around 11 years, and I mostly chalk up that once to ditzy service overall. I just go before a place gets busy, and hit them on weekday evenings. It's nice to be recognized as a regular, and I figure it's easier on the restaurant as well. They get a low maintenance repeat customer during a time when they want more customers, and I get to be there when they're not overly harried. I bring my book, enjoy my food, and whether or not anybody else is in the place doesn't matter because it all falls away. Should mention that I generally don't go to the higher end places, so I don't know if I'd get treated differently at a place like Rover's, Troiani, etc. Especially considering I'm allergic to alcohol. Pat

Oh boy... is that really all it takes? Duh, why didn't I think of that. Thanks for the tip. Pat

I managed to get one of the menus, they were still working on the copy for the second menu, and I didn't see what the other quarter was preparing for it. Both menus are supposed to go up tomorrow morning. Anyway, here's the one, specific wording subject to change: JAPANESE CUISINE The following selections are served with tsukemono, sunomono, and makisushi Tempura Udon Shrimp tempura served over Japanese udon noodle $5.75 Nabeyaki Udon Chicken, shrimp, surimi, kamaboko, shiitake mushroom are served over Japanese udon noodle $6.25 The following selections are served with sunomono, tsukemono, and misoshiru Katsudon Fried pork cutlet simmered in broth and served over rice $5.25 Tendon Fried shrimps over rice with tempura broth $5.75 Oyakodon Chicken and egg cooked with onion and dashi broth and served over rice $5.25 The following selections are served with makisushi, sunomono, tsukemono, and misoshiru Negimayaki New York loin slice rolled with scallion, broiled and served with glazed sauce $7.95 Tori no Teriyaki Boneless chicken leg grilled and served with teriyaki sauce $6.50 Tempura Shrimps and variety of vegetables are deep fried and served with tempura dipping sauce $6.95 Sukiyaki Thinly sliced beef and vegetables are cooked in sukiyaki sauce $6.95 Wasabi Shake Koganeyaki Broiled salmon with wasabi flavored kimizu sauce $7.25 Pat

I am seriously envious of this. My own screwed up family life means this was never going to be an option, but even so, I do wish there was some way I could have recorded recipes of all the things I grew up eating. If nothing else, for those of you who still have parents, grandparents and relatives alive and kicking, get recipes from them before they pass on. Pat

79. And to think I thought that was a lot before seeing this thread. I haven't finished reading about half of them, and around 20 of them I got in just the last month thanks to egullet. So, no more cookbook buying for me until I deal with what I've got first. This is surely the fast track to wrecking a student budget. Pat

I've only got two at the moment, but I really like them both: Banquet: Ten Courses to Harmony, by Annette Shun Whah & Greg Aitkin -- this is mostly a food-related history of the Chinese community in Australia with recipes scattered throughout. kylie kwong: recipes and stories -- good food with family stories behind them Pat

Well, there's this thread on the US/Pacific Northwest board about the best fish 'n' chips in Seattle, but I've kept quiet in it because after tasting the fish 'n' chips in Melbourne and Daylesford, there is just nothing that even comes close in Seattle. So, what's the secret? Most of ours are made with halibut and cod, whereas I understand Aussie chips are usually shark or whiting? Is there anything else to it? So juicy, crunchy and good... Aussie fish 'n' chips tease me in my dreams! Pat

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/03/15/1079199154297.html My partner and I refer to her as "Iron Mama". Pat, Yankee with an Aussie partner

Well, I don't have anything to say about what to do with crab in any type of Indian cuisine, but as far as the differences between dungeness and blue crabs go, the blues do seem to hold up better against stronger flavors. I've been living in Seattle, WA for the past decade, but grew up in New York City, so do have some basis of comparison that way. We always got blue crabs fresh, live and thoroughly pissed off at us (and who could blame them?) from Chinatown on Sundays. Was always a pain trying to lug them home on the subway because they'd always poke out whatever spikey bit they could manage from the bag they'd been unceremoniously stuffed into 12 at a time. A little dangerous when you were carrying them while wearing shorts! My mother would prepare them one of two ways, the first being steamed live and whole in a wok until they stopped scrabbling and had turned red, then serve with a dipping sauce of soy, minced ginger, sugar, garlic, pepper, and so on. The second way was to flip them onto their backs, chop them in half with a cleaver (how she managed to always do this without getting pinched is still a mystery to me), then dip the cut part into corn starch. Then they got sauteed in a wok in a savory gingery brown sauce until it stuck to the crabs, which provided for flavor when you cracked them between your teeth to get at the meat. Don't know what it is about Dungeness that doesn't hold up as well under strong sauces. They're great when prepared simply, because you get big chunks of succulent crab meat to chew on with much less effort than with blue crabs. I suppose one way to think about them is to treat them similarly to lobster, and not do anything to mask the taste of the meat. Pat

Freshly steamed from the Gits box! Seriously though... I have trouble getting idli batter made from scratch to ferment properly. Guess I don't live in a hot enough climate for that. Pat

Ah, thought I saw a thread from before, but for some reason my eyes just skipped over it. If any mods want to merge this, feel free. Anyway, I don't have the menus on hand, but I'll do my best to post them here next Tuesday after school if nobody else beats me to it. Right now I'm only aware of my team's part of the menu for Chef's Express. Pat

(edited first post to add address and days of operation) Seattle Central Community College is on 1701 Broadway, on Capitol Hill on the corner of Pine and Broadway, across the street from The Egyptian movie theater. The Seattle Culinary Academy restaurants are in the atrium, look for One World Dining, Square One Bistro, and Chef's Express. Pat

So what's the reason for only eating the adductor muscle of a scallop? Does the rest of the animal just taste so bad not even the most creative cook could do anything with it? Pat

/begin disclosure I am a culinary student at Seattle Central Community College. /end disclosure We start serving lunch for spring quarter next Wednesday, April 14, from 11:15 AM to 1:00 PM. After that, it's Tuesday to Friday each week until the end of the quarter. The school is not allowed to advertise, so please come support us. You guys get an inexpensive fine dining lunch, we get more chances to practice in the kitchen. And please consider the bread and pastry case out front from our bakeshop too. Seattle Central Community College is on 1701 Broadway, on Capitol Hill on the corner of Pine and Broadway, across the street from The Egyptian movie theater. Many thanks. Pat