Regional Californian

[MaxH]

I consider myself a native (after some generations). Imported or adapted foods are a tradition in the San Francisco area including the Cantonese subculture around SF's Chinatown since 19th century, and the Italian-Americans who set up various things in that town, for example Amadeo Peter Giannini (born 1870 in San José) with his Bank of America (originally the Bank of Italy).

Quoting chefzadi:

Let's talk about regional differences in California.

Some questions:

1. What type of cuisine did you grow up eating?

Various.

2. When did you first try another ethnic cuisine?

Can't remember, my parents were food fanatics and always trying new things.

3. When did you start noticing ethnic restaurants?

On first noticing any restaurants, as there had always been a mix. Especially, Chinese.

4. Do you remember which types of ethnic restaurants first opened in your neighborhood?

There were already Chinese ones there, and others.

What came after?

Well, in 1971 an upstart French-bistro-type restaurant opened nearby (1517 Shattuck, Berkeley) and there went the neighborhood. Gradually the family-owned soda-fountain drugstores, the Goldbergs' delicatessan ("The Pantry Shelf"), variety store (MacLarty's), and other small-town US institutions -- all local family businesses, by the way -- were displaced by nouveau specialty food shops (later dubbed the "gourmet ghetto") selling exotic cheeses and intense chocolate products (e.g., later, 1980s, an expensive flourless chocolate cake in the shape of El Salvador labeled a "Revolution Torte" -- Marie Antoinette, where were you???) One ancient apothecary, on Vine Street, (McCaffie's?) that used to have a barn out the back with 19th-century chemicals -- no "pull dates" then -- became a retail complex and on the corner, a man named Peet sold fresh roasted coffee beans (he sold his business in 1979 if I recall) and acquired lines of addicts stretching out the door.

The house at 1517 Shattuck (Chez Panisse) occupies a recent "Alice Waters" thread here.

5. What was the first ethnic meal that you had an ethnic friends house.

Probably Mexican because we had friends down the street who had moved from there.

-- Max (Edited to add name of specific recent thread.)

Edited February 28, 2005 by MaxH (log)