CharityCase

Before I go off quoting a few things here, I think we need to tackle this statement: The issue of shrimp farming being political is very much on-topic, and I would urge us to keep it that way. Limiting it to a debate of cheap vs. expensive completely ignores some of the economic, social and political factors and variables that influence that price. So far we've mentioned World Bank, IMF, free trade, market price and the difference between capitalist and socialist economies as possible explanations for this but there may also be others. I think in doing that with the shrimp trade it prevents you from rationalizing this debate as follows (and I apologize in advance Robyn, because I don't wish to be seen as ganging up on you): Agreed. It's nice, but it's unrealistic, and not at all reflective of the actual cost of the good. If only for a second let's put the shrimp debate aside and talk about bananas, also heavily commodified and subject to these same market fluctuations. Here's an interesting graphical breakdown of the cost of bananas: A bar graph of production costs (taking into account that, at the moment, the wholesale price of a 43 pound box of Ecuadorian bananas is $2.90 USD): I couldn't find the same data for Shrimping but would suspect the lessons to be the same....that is, we aren't paying the full price of the thing because so many "costs" aren't accounted for. And about 5% of what we pay ends up in the hands of the producers. Let's go back to Shrimp then, shall we? Well, if you're a supporter of free trade I'd think you'd be ok with the death of US shrimpers. It's a matter of efficiency, and shrimp farms (rather than the trawling that occurs domestically) maintain a reliable volume, with lower labour costs and higher economies of scale. Of course the protectionist antidumping laws could also kick in and help prop up an industry that's a victim of these same "market economy joys" many speak so highly of. But wouldn't that be contradictory? This isn't a question of trust one bit. I'd love to think Vietnam could make their own decisions around secure livelihoods. But when they rely on a very fickle U.S. economy for the bulk of their revenue in that sector, then it's just not the case. Unfortunately the fickle nature does not include our demand for shrimp, or our willingness to absorb a fluctuation in price that actually DOES reflect changes in the propducing country. So begins a long rant on the dangers of a market economy that I'll put aside, but I would invite your comments about what I've posted here. Some of the sources for the graphs and such: www.newint.org www.foodfirst.org UN FAO (Food & Ag. Association) http://www.mises.org - Article on The Fallacies of Shrimp Protectionism

Charity Case, I can see that you have been eating the real stuff which is not easy to come by. The breakfast soup of shallot, cilantro, broth and crunchy little cracker things is called a 'Misal' and is the standard breakfast dish in Maharashtra especially the rural areas. And yes eating a 'down to earth' meal and gazing at the Hampi ruins can be an ethereal experience. Not many foreign tourists make it to HAMPI ←

I think all of my meals in India were memorable. Of course the restaurants where I had them were forgettable too, in that the exterior didn't tell you what was in store. One of my favorites was a breakfast in Maharashtra state...perhaps Bijapur? It was a breakfast soup of shallot, cilantro, broth and crunchy little cracker things. Served with hot buffalo milk. It was memorable for me because I got lost on a train, and a man in the army helped me out and took me to a a little restaurant to recover. Another favorite was in Karnataka (don't recall which city I was in) because I had a real cup of local coffee, and for the first time tried Dal Dhansak. I really must make this again sometime. My first "real" meal in Hampi, sitting in the ground and staring at ruins was very special too.

It might help if you could mention where in India they are going. ← I can think of a few but it would help if you narrow down the regions. Just in case though. 1. The newish and shiny looking restaurant near the Trivandrum train station. 2. Traveling between Cochin and Trivandrum there is a town called Mavelikara. In the center of town is a restaurant called Hare Krishann's (sp). They will make you the best Masala Dosa you've ever tasted. And it will cost you 10 rupees at the most 3. In Hyderabad there's a small chain of restaurants near one of the theatres called Kamal's. They have a Roti restaurant that is fantastic, and also has one of the better after-dinner Pan selections. 4. There's also a restaurant in Hyderabad with "Café" in the name, but I've forgotten it. It's a fancy shmancy place, but when I was there I only had the Thali because I was on a budget.

I would most agree with this statement. The ebb and flow in our dietss, where we alternate between ultra-sensory deprivation (think 0% fat mayonnaise) and gluttony, is already swinging back to gluttony in some ways. Think Hardee's Monster Thickburger. The idea of Artisanal food products mentioned earlier in the thread makes sense too, yet it's amazing that the popularity of it is growing in tandem with store-prepared meals. At a store near me, I've seen less and less $5 BBQ chickens and more prepared Tandoori Chicken, or Complete Indian Meals that need only to be warmed in the oven for a few minutes. Even if you don't consider yourself a foodie the taste palettes of the average person is expanding, and these in-store meals seem to recognize that.

Well, since I'm calling in from snowy Ottawa right now (bring on the Canadian sterotypes) I'd say this isn't a trend here. The profusion of Indian convenience food maybe, but Mexican or Latino food don't seem to be in the rise.

Well, I'm going to start an Ottawa thread here purely out of self-interest. I see very little discussion going on about our restaurants and food choices...probably because Toronto overshadows us. Admittedly Ottawa hasn't had much new in the way of restaurants in a little while, but last week's Xpress mentioned a new Keralan restaurant that I'd like to try: Coconut Lagoon. Last week I went to the Vietnamese Kitchen, at Bank and Gladstone. It's not the best Pho hangout (I'm still dedicated to Pho bo Ga) but it's pretty close...I mean soup and noodles are sort of universal and difficult to screw up, no? My last brunch at Stoneface Dolly's was a real standout to be sure. A Mexican Omelette with black olives, cilantro chutney and a generous squeeze of avocado puree on top. That little place has been consistently good in the brunch department but I've never tried it for lunch or dinner. So Ottawa...Ottawites..whatever you are...what have you been eating and where?

In terms of food safety and security, development of the communities where shrimp is harvested, and environmental sustainability I'm afriad Shrimping is a whole lot of bad news. In the Egullet world I'm really taken aback that there are people who profess a love of food, it's origins, its history and its importance...and yet ultimately make their consumptive choice solely on price. One of the most critical social problems identified by local peoples as part of expansion of the Blue Revolution is the loss of communal resources - including mangrove areas, estuaries, and fishing grounds - that local people depend on for both subsistence and commercial economic activities. Commercial shrimp farming has displaced local communities, exacerbated conflicts and provoked violence involving property and tenant rights, decreased the quality and quantity of drinking water, increased local food insecurity, and threatened human health. The major questions to ask include, do the touted benefits of shrimp farming outweigh the risks/costs to local people and environments? Do employment opportunities compensate for declines in access to communal resources and other social and cultural costs? Are the environmental and human costs balanced in some way by improving local lives, livelihoods, and cultures?

If Café Olympique is the place near St.Viateur bagelshop, then it's one of the best Lattes that I've ever tasted. It's definitely a once in a while thing though...If you don't specify I think it's made with Homo...maybe not but it sure was creamy!

Hmm..In Kerala I ate Butterfish regularly...the cut itself was definitely from a fish larger than 6 inches! Other times it was mixed up with Pomfret.

Anything with Caraway (save Rye Bread) - Blech. The worst flavour I have ever known.

So cool! I'm relatively new to EGullet but the travelogues are so inspiring. From the picture above it appears french fries and onion rings are dessert items in China. Phew. If that's the social norm I may have to move there then.

Sigh...I don't get the Food Network anymore, but when I did, I enjoyed: Mario Batali - you have to get past his tone to see that he's making really great italian food. I'd also never heard of deep frying in olive oil. Alton Brown - Can't imagine why people are so hard on a guy who makes perfect fried chicken and explains why it's perfect Two Fat Ladies Nigella...to a certain point Surreal Gourmet - The "Bacon and Eggs" was pretty silly but I've made a few of his salads and liked them. In latter episodes I think he toned down some of the themed meals Test Kitchen - Heresy to those who dislike bowtie man. He made scrambled eggs three, no four ways to find the best method. Plus the equipment reviews can be helpful, and a lack of no commercials since it's on PBS. I dislike Emeril for reasons of personality...his recipes and spice mixes are quite tasty

I am in the same pot luck boat. This year I'm making a meat pizza and a veggie pizza and cutting it into squares to serve as appetizers. Everyone I know loves pizza so it's hard to go wrong with that. Last year I brought curry wraps. Basically make your favorite curry recipe (using smaller chunks of veggies as it will be wrapped). Buy a melange of spinach, whole wheat, white and tomato tortillas, spread with either cream cheese or sour cream. Then spread a thin layer of curry, roll and cut into pinwheels. It was a smash hit, perhaps because it tasted good but most likely because there's a lot of chip n' poppers in our office.

Hmm, I wonder how I feel about this statement. In terms of coffee quality and culture I completely agree, they have raised the bar and in some senses elevated coffee beyond morning drink to a walking, talking persona with an outlandish personality of its own. Vanilla bean, soy, half-caf, cinnamon sprinkled...all of this in stark contrast to a 10 cent cup of Mother Parker's. Creating this "brand" out of a simple bean is what gave Starbucks such a lead over every other coffee establishment...harnessing our psyche and showing us how uplifting, relaxing and enjoyable the PROCESS of drinking coffee is, versus the PRODUCT which is really no different in preparation than any other coffee shop. Cannibalizing their own store's sales in trendy neighborhoods was mostly unheard of but look at where it got them. My criticism of Starbucks is not based on the quality of the drink, and while I presonally don't enjoy that either that's a much more subjective thing than labour practices and environmental standards. I'm also not doing the "hippie fright" thing that says you must hate all large companies because they are large. Here in Canada and presumably the U.S. Starbucks does pay staff a higher than average wage, and provide flexible benefits and other little perks that alot of retailers would scoff at. Good on them. But if they've got it in their mind that they can invent new ways of ordering, while still overlooking their lack of environmental responsibility and ethical wages for the workers they DON'T see every day then I'll continue to boycott them and recommend others in doing so. I can buy a properly made organic fair-trade regular or specialty coffee for the exact same price from these people: www.bridgehead.ca

DC is an area bristling with self-important asshats. Very few want to linger over coffee. They don't even want to wait a couple of minutes for their venti caramel whatevers. ← It varies by location I'm quite certain. And I should retract what I said about research because it may in fact show that most starbucks customers are on the run. It just so happens that the two near my house are in residential funky shopping districts, and many folks are not in the same rush they would be in at a downtown venue.

1. If you order a coffee to stay, are you offered a mug? I've only been to Starbucks a few times but have never been offered a mug. ←

Hmm, another quick follow-up that's been bothering me: 1. If you order a coffee to stay, are you offered a mug? I've only been to Starbucks a few times but have never been offered a mug.

One more Sriracha sauce fan. Made a batch of it myself recently, and although I ended up with more of a sambal it has become an indispensable cooking sauce (rice vinegar, garlic and chili...how could you go wrong?) I am a fan of the Tabasco Chipotle as well as Cholula. There's also a bottle of a locally made hot sauce that is quite spicy and has mango puree on the ingredient list. Not a big fan of the glitz n' glam labelled sauce as so many I have tried seem to have been thickened with something...After some time they start to get to gelatinous for my liking.

Hmm..There's also falafel world in Bloor West but it's sub-par I think. Does Jerusalem's still exist? Excellent Middle-Eastern food from what I recall although it's been years since I was there.

Just saw a few of the postings in the Middle East forum that got me thinking. Despite the abundance (Market Saturation anyone?) of Shwarma places/palaces/kings/queens in the Ottawa area, not a single one of them makes a good falafel. I've asked to have fresh falafel straight out of the oil before and gotten either an already-cooked falafel tossed back in the oil (understandable, but not the same) or "extra charge sir". I'm also anti-toasting, and yet every place seems to do it. I know there's some subtle variations here and there but for the record, Shwarma City on Bank St has a so-so falafel and have made it fresh before. Still, Aida's falafel is almost a better option. Please help. Where can I get a good falafel in Ottawa, Toronto or in-between?

Thank you so much for all the contributions. The Podi recipe from the site you posted is below. I will try it and let you know how it tastes (in myu mind...it was almost a chocolatey coconut taste from the roasting). In the recipe below though I think I would grind or pwder this once cooled. Fried coconut chammanthi podi: 1. Grated coconut 6 cups 2. Dried red chilies 10 (adjust according to taste) Coriander ½ teaspoons Black pepper corns ½ teaspoon Curry leaves 2 sprigs 3.Asafetida a small piece fried in Sesame seed oil Roasted split black gram without skin 2-3 tablespoons 4 Ginger one small piece Tamarind the size of a goose berry Shallots 6 5. Salt to taste Method: Heat up a heavy bottom saucepan. And fry grated coconut, red chilies, coriander, black pepper and curry leaves. Fry until the coconut turns to a brown color. Take a small pan and add a little bit of Sesame seed oil and fry a small piece of Asafetida, and then roast split black gram to a golden brown color. Grind well the roasted ingredients with ginger, tamarind, shallots and salt. Take this out and spread it on a tray and let it cool. Taste and adjust salt, Tamarind, chilies etc. when cold store this in a clean dry bottle.

I'll second that. I buy all my Riedel there (I live in Toronto) thanks to their policy that if one of them breaks, they'll charge you the cost of replacing it rather than the retail like Ashley's or The Wine Establishment. Something to consider. ← I'll.."third" that as I've had really excellent service from C.A. Paradis. While you could easily spend a thousand bucks on a blender, you could also spend $3 on a spatula that never melts, as I did. Free knife sharpening too, no matter where you bought yours from.

Although I don't have a direct answer to your question, I must say that in my observation one of the prerequisites to Parathas is an...ahem...extensive use of ghee. WHile my experience was in the South I'll never forget seeing street vendors working and stretching the Paratha on a flat steel-topped cart that was swimming in ghee.

I spent several months in Kerala in 2002, and I've been dying to either make or find these dishes again. The closest I've come is a Sri Lankan restaurant that serves similiar dishes, although they somehow miss the mark. If there's any Keralites out there, please help! :) (P.S. I was based in Mavelikara for the four months I was there) 1. Thoren - I may have the spelling wrong, but this was served with lunch, and was sort of a cabbage-based mix that was crunchy and so so tasty! 2. Pachadi - also like a salad I beleive 3. Many times when I was invited to someone's home, there was a reddish-brown powder that was sprinkled atop rice or other dishes - I believe the base was toasted coconut and chili but I don't know what it was called 4. Theeyal - Bar None. This was the single-best thing I ate. It had several different incarnations, one of which was made with Tapioca. Another was bitter melon I think. It reminded me of a mexican mole sauce in that it was spicy but somehow a little bit chocolaty? I know my clues haven't been terribly helpful, but if you knew anything about these dishes I'd be so happy to hear from you.