Cuisines You Just Don't Get

[fifi]

Re peach cobbler.

No, I don't get desserts at all. But I mentioned peach cobbler because, well, it just sounds weird to me.

"Cobbler."

What is that? I don't get it.

I have a hard time with desert myself. Cobbler is a "delicious" concoction of stewed fruit with some sort of dough that gets deliberately soggy in the fruit and sugar juices. As to peach cobbler, whenever my great aunt Minnie would cook a peach cobbler, my dad would elegantly pronounce that he smelled "dirty drawers" (that is underwear to southerners).

[=Mark]

And yet I don't get much of American cuisine, especially Southern American.

You mean like Brazilian? Argentinian? They do eat lots of beef, never seen much in the way of salads

But like Jinmyo, middle American food is the one I really don't get, especially the weird salads.

You've probably just not had truly authentic Mexican cuisine. Again, not familiar with their salads.

Edited October 1, 2003 by =Mark (log)

[wawairis]

What is that? I don't get it.

I have a hard time with desert myself. Cobbler is a "delicious" concoction of stewed fruit with some sort of dough that gets deliberately soggy in the fruit and sugar juices.

[tryska]

i think they mean midwestern.

ie jello salad.

i have a tough time with salad not meaning green stuff. reminds me of a time i was in Schenectady NY, traveling for work. I was stuck over the weekend, and by Saturday i was craving something green - so i went to the convenience store across from the worst Holiday Inn in the world (i wouldn't get room service anymore because something i ordered came to the room lookign and smelling like a hockey puck covered in vomit - i think it was supposed to be pork)..anyways to make a long story short - i asked the guy at the counter if they had any salads he said - yeah right in that fridge - we got ham salad, macaroni salad, potato salad....

[Adam Balic]

I like Vietnamese food, but most of it seems like they tried to invent Thai food but failed. People who prefer Vietnamese food to Thai boggle me, but if they're from Vietnam, I can make an exception.

That's weird, I see them as very separate cuisines (obvious with some over-laps). Maybe because I was introduced to both at the same time.

[Adam Balic]

I get everything except 'Ambrosia salad' and Cheeseburgers.

[=Mark]

i think they mean midwestern.

ie jello salad.

I can get that, my kids are growing up in the culinary wasteland of Western Pa.

Ambrosia? Sweet potatoes with nasty marshmallow stuff baked in? Rigatoni? CHEESE SALAD?

They've been taught on the 2 or 3 times a year they get around to grilling burgers to put the spatula on them and lean with all their weight lest a drop of moisture might remain.

My MIL ,Lord rest her soul, would purchase a beautiful 2 inch thick sirloin steak, and wash it off in the sink (You never know who might have handled it), nevermind the following would ensure no possible pathogen might survive: A large skillet was heated, into which a dollop of that mystery spread from the plastic tub was added, which proceeded to separate into a puddle of bubbling liquid and a semi melted blob of scoojy slime. Into this said sirloin was placed, firmly covered and essentially steamed in it's own juices til it was a uniform gray throughout.

Even lots of black pepper & Worcestershire could not redeem the results.

[tryska]

oh the poor steak. :(

[Basilgirl]

Miracle Whip is a tough one.

Miracle Whip makes an excellent face cream. Really.

[Jason Perlow]

On the original premise what don't you get, I will commit blatant heresy and say I just don't get Chinese food, be it Cantonese or other variation. That's not to say I haven't enjoyed the occasional dish but never as much as my Sinophile friends. All that effort, all that presentation and in the end it's wasted on me my usual attitude is why did they bother. 

Thats because you've never had decent Chinese food in England. Ask Andy Lynes about it, he never had it either until he came to the states and I showed him what it is SUPPOSED to taste like. But even here you have to know where to go and you have to live in New York or San Francisco or Toronto.

Naturally some of the best chinese seafood dishes in the world are to be found in Hong Kong or Singapore. I've never been, but from what I've seen on TV and from personal accounts from others, it has to be amazing. Go do a stage there sometime.

[hwilson41]

OK, as long as we're being opinionated, I’ll play too. This may get me thoroughly flamed, but I’m a big boy, so here goes. One of the dishes I don’t get is pasta. It’s just disguised bread, fer chrissakes. And neither nearly as attractive nor as tasty as a well made baguette, a good sourdough, or dozens of others we all could name. And then it’s often served with...garlic bread. No shit??? We’re having bread and bread for supper? Did the market collapse and we went broke while I wasn’t paying attention? Where’s the beef? [Geez, I miss Clara ]

Yes, you can sauce it with anything you like, including some of the super-trendy concoctions that give a thoughtful person pause (blackened salmon infused with absinthe, in a coulis of raspberries, dandelion blossoms, and Pennzoil 10W40). But you can do the same with rice (if you insist on a real carb hit). I might make an exception for egg noodles, although frankly I prefer beef Stroganoff over a pilaf made with chicken stock. Pasta sauced with EVOO, garlic and coriander? Naaah. Pass the sourdough and butter please .

THW

[Jason Perlow]

OK, as long as we're being opinionated, I’ll play too.  This may get me thoroughly flamed, but I’m a big boy, so here goes.  One of the dishes I don’t get is pasta.  It’s just disguised bread, fer chrissakes.  And neither nearly as attractive nor as tasty as a well made baguette, a good sourdough, or dozens of others we all could name.  And then it’s often served with...garlic bread.  No shit???  We’re having bread and bread for supper?  Did the market collapse and we went broke while I wasn’t paying attention?  Where’s the beef? [Geez, I miss Clara  ]

Yes, you can sauce it with anything you like, including some of the super-trendy concoctions that give a thoughtful person pause (blackened salmon infused with absinthe, in a coulis of raspberries, dandelion blossoms, and Pennzoil 10W40).  But you can do the same with rice (if you insist on a real carb hit).  I might make an exception for egg noodles, although frankly I prefer beef Stroganoff over a pilaf made with chicken stock.  Pasta sauced with EVOO, garlic and coriander?  Naaah.  Pass the sourdough and butter please .

THW

We had this topic a while back. We had to put that person to death .

[hwilson41]

We had this topic a while back. We had to put that person to death.

So I should be looking over my shoulder when I leave the house, right ?

[Adam Balic]

OK, as long as we're being opinionated, I’ll play too.  This may get me thoroughly flamed, but I’m a big boy, so here goes.  One of the dishes I don’t get is pasta.  It’s just disguised bread, fer chrissakes.  And neither nearly as attractive nor as tasty as a well made baguette, a good sourdough, or dozens of others we all could name.  And then it’s often served with...garlic bread.  No shit???  We’re having bread and bread for supper?  Did the market collapse and we went broke while I wasn’t paying attention?  Where’s the beef? [Geez, I miss Clara  ]

Yes, you can sauce it with anything you like, including some of the super-trendy concoctions that give a thoughtful person pause (blackened salmon infused with absinthe, in a coulis of raspberries, dandelion blossoms, and Pennzoil 10W40).  But you can do the same with rice (if you insist on a real carb hit).  I might make an exception for egg noodles, although frankly I prefer beef Stroganoff over a pilaf made with chicken stock.  Pasta sauced with EVOO, garlic and coriander?  Naaah.  Pass the sourdough and butter please .

THW

We had this topic a while back. We had to put that person to death .

More un-dead really and he still doesn't get pasta.

[herbacidal]

And while thai iced coffee and iced tea is good, Vietnamese iced coffee is better.

i disagree. thai iced tea is better than vietnamese coffee, iced or not.

[Bux]

i have a tough time with salad not meaning green stuff.  ... - i asked the guy at the counter if they had any salads he said - yeah right in that fridge - we got ham salad, macaroni salad, potato salad....

In the US, a list of vegetables might include macaroni as well as ketchup. In France, the other name for lettuce is "salad."

[Bux]

Souvlaki is made with charcoal grilled skewers of meat with the perfect balance of lean, fat, and grissle.  The meat is marinated in a well seasond mixture.

We all have our short comings. I don't get gristle. I get offal and really love blood and guts, when well prepared separately or together.

[Jason Perlow]

And while thai iced coffee and iced tea is good, Vietnamese iced coffee is better.

i disagree. thai iced tea is better than vietnamese coffee, iced or not.

Clearly, you're not a coffee guy.

[tsquare]

Cobbler is a "delicious" concoction of stewed fruit with some sort of dough that gets deliberately soggy in the fruit and sugar juices.

Had a great fresh peach cobbler this weekend - my friend used Cook's recipe that bakes the biscuits separately from the fruit, then combines them at the end. The dough cooks through, you get more crunchy bits, and it looks great. She hates raw dough, so she loves this recipe. I'm not much for cooked fruits, but this was excellent.

edit to remove not getting stuff that don't constitute a "cuisine".

Can't think of one I would completely discount.

Edited October 1, 2003 by tsquare (log)

[tryska]

i have a tough time with salad not meaning green stuff.  ... - i asked the guy at the counter if they had any salads he said - yeah right in that fridge - we got ham salad, macaroni salad, potato salad....

In the US, a list of vegetables might include macaroni as well as ketchup. In France, the other name for lettuce is "salad."

apparently mayonnaise holds some sort of vegetable status in the US as well.

[tommy]

"i don't get xxxx."

"you're wrong, xxxx is good."

"no, no, you just don't understand xxxx, therefore, you are wrong."

[fifi]

Now Japanese cuisine is different, I "get" Japanese cuisine, just don't like it much. My worst nightmare was a working trip to Tokyo a couple of years ago, presented with all this exquisite food that made me want to barf (even some of the bits of cow in the Kobe beef bar). The greatest relief on the last night was escaping our minders and hitting the European restaurant in the hotel!

I have actually sent some of my minions to Japan instead of me for this very reason.

tommy... I would only add... "You just never had GOOD xxx."

What is wrong with... "I just don't like it, dammit."

[slkinsey]

"i don't get xxxx."

"you're wrong, xxxx is good."

"no, no, you just don't understand xxxx, therefore, you are wrong."

"Dude, there is no such thing as good xxxx."

I have to confess that my first thought was, "did Emeril take triple-x hardcore porn and 'kick it up an x?'"

[hjshorter]

Miracle Whip is a tough one.

Miracle Whip makes an excellent face cream. Really.

You'd get it if your family was from Oklahoma or Texas.

It must be some bastardization of boiled dressing, if anyone knows what that is, because it tastes nothing like mayonnaise.

I don't get German cuisine - except for the sausages.

Edited October 1, 2003 by hjshorter (log)

[jhlurie]

On the original premise what don't you get, I will commit blatant heresy and say I just don't get Chinese food, be it Cantonese or other variation. That's not to say I haven't enjoyed the occasional dish but never as much as my Sinophile friends. All that effort, all that presentation and in the end it's wasted on me my usual attitude is why did they bother. 

Thats because you've never had decent Chinese food in England. Ask Andy Lynes about it, he never had it either until he came to the states and I showed him what it is SUPPOSED to taste like. But even here you have to know where to go and you have to live in New York or San Francisco or Toronto.

Naturally some of the best chinese seafood dishes in the world are to be found in Hong Kong or Singapore. I've never been, but from what I've seen on TV and from personal accounts from others, it has to be amazing. Go do a stage there sometime.

Since I was along for Andy's introduction to decent chinese... I was going to give almost the same answer word for word. And frankly, the place we took him to was a bit under par that day and it STILL blew him away compared to what he'd had in Europe.

Similarly, I've got to think that most Europeans don't REALLY "get" Mexican food.