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I have also read that whey was stored in oak barrels in Iceland for use as a beverage (or to put out fires) until recently. Have you heard of this? In Scotland it is called Blaand in Shetland.

Sure. If you scroll quite a bit down my article on the early history of Icelandic cuisine that I linked to, there is a section called Curds and Whey that discusses this. On the farm where I grew up, we had a couple of big barrels of fermented whey in the larder; food was stored in the whey and it was also used as a beverage and for cooking. Fermented whey is called sýra; when diluted with water, it is called sýrublanda or just blanda, same as in Shetland.

I can still recall how refreshing a drink of ice-cold sýra could be on a hot summer day. (Or what passes for a hot summer day in Iceland.)

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I almost visited Iceland as I had friends from there, alas I lost their contact information.

I could probably find them for you, in Iceland everybody knows everyone else.

I'll look all of my old business cards from Seoul to find their exact names. They were moving back to Iceland and should made it back by now since it's been several years. :biggrin:

I can be reached via email chefzadi AT gmail DOT com

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Ecole de Cuisine: Culinary School Los Angeles

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I love Iceland, I miss Iceland and one of the best thing was the Food.

Ok yes I ate the damn shark and it is foul, I ate the testicles, waitress said "you call them Balls,no?" I had the dried fish (hardefisker) all washed down with Brennivan -aka- Black Death, but the worst thing I had there was pickled herring....loved the world over, almost made me hurl.

But the roasted lamb is to die for, lobster soup, great bread, hotdogs arent bad, good pastries, the teeny shrimp, and the Butter.

Hot Cocoa covered in mountains of real whipped cream and chocolate shavings....at the mall food court yet...even a real cup and saucer.

tracey

The great thing about barbeque is that when you get hungry 3 hours later....you can lick your fingers

Maxine

Avoid cutting yourself while slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold them while you chop away.

"It is the government's fault, they've eaten everything."

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I personally nominate Belize as having a "Worst" local cuisine.

Yes, and I've always found that quite puzzling because they are located in a part of the world famous for delicious, spicy, inventive cuisine. Do you suppose it's because they were occupied by the British for a hundred years?

Kevin and I are heading there in about three weeks - his take is that while the fish is good, there is little variety and NO ONE knows how to properly butcher meat. While all grass-fed, it is cut so poorly as to ruin any of its potential. In a comedic note, because we changed our vacation plans to coincide with Belize's lobster season, we are packing an entire insulated bag of ingredients with which we can prepare the crustaceans. Expressly for the vacation, we acquired a vacuum packer and have already started shrink-wrapping jars of cornichons, capers, spices, etc. We are renting a boat and only anticipate eating in restaurants one or two times as we sail from cay to cay.

Worse than Belize -- according to my paramour -- is the cuisine of Panama, where we will be heading immediately after Belize, with a single connecting day in San Salvador... Will make for some interesting dining!

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I'm with him on the stodge and dumplings. I did a brave thing on Mother's Day and ordered a dish because it sounded really great - apart from the gnocchi. And it did taste great, apart from the gnocchi which certainly hadn't improved since the last time I braved it about five years ago. It's the one dish that lets the Italians down.

(Ducking for cover)

ALLELUIA

ALLELUIA

ALLELUIA

I've eaten gnocchi in Italy, gnocchi from chefs I consider unerringly brilliant, gnocchi made especially for me by my chef husband. I've tried my damndest to understand why this dish exists. Only one version was anywhere near worth eating. The rest tasted like nothing at all and loitered like gummy little stones in my stomach for days. For me, it is possibly the most pointless dish on Earth.

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I didn't know the second verse of "Zontik Bulbes" (with the "meat and potatoes"). Neither do I believe my grandmother did. So keep that in mind when I tell you that she said it was a happy and not a sad song, because the family in question at least had enough to eat! My Baba was born in a rural area of what's now Ukraine (then part of Austria-Hungary) on or around 1889.

Heh. Far be it from me to imply in any way that your bubbe was laying a bubbemeise on you. :biggrin: All I know is whatever bubbemeises my mother told me: in this case, her understanding was that this song was meant to be taken ironically. My grandparents' families were pretty danged poor, all from shtetls in one of those pieces of Poland that Russia kept on taking back all the time--their forebears were no doubt glad to at least have something to put on the table, but I could see how some would have been tempted to wax smart-ass about the recurring main ingredient, no matter how cunningly prepared.

Edited by mizducky (log)
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I personally nominate Belize as having a "Worst" local cuisine.

Yes, and I've always found that quite puzzling because they are located in a part of the world famous for delicious, spicy, inventive cuisine. Do you suppose it's because they were occupied by the British for a hundred years?

Worse than Belize -- according to my paramour -- is the cuisine of Panama, where we will be heading immediately after Belize, with a single connecting day in San Salvador... Will make for some interesting dining!

Not sure who your paramour is, or why he thinks that, but I lived in Panama for four years, and I loved the food there. I've only visited Belize, but I've been quite a number of times, and while there, felt I'd kill for the cuisine of Panama.

I don't understand why rappers have to hunch over while they stomp around the stage hollering.  It hurts my back to watch them. On the other hand, I've been thinking that perhaps I should start a rap group here at the Old Folks' Home.  Most of us already walk like that.

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Doesn't seem to be the case for Hong Kong and India.

Actually, I have thought about that while mulling over the (to me) puzzle of the blandness of Belize's food and wondering if the hundred years of British occupation had anything to do with it. Many things that figure prominently in Belizian cuisine are imported tinned items: evaporated milk, tinned peas, and the like. Things that foreigners might prefer.

Obviously, I'm just thinking out loud here, but decided that in the case of Hong Kong (China), and India, they were large countries with extremely well-developed cuisines when the British arrived. Not sure that either is the case with the relatively small British Honduras.

Clearly, I don't know and am just guessing, but it seems to be one explanation.

I don't understand why rappers have to hunch over while they stomp around the stage hollering.  It hurts my back to watch them. On the other hand, I've been thinking that perhaps I should start a rap group here at the Old Folks' Home.  Most of us already walk like that.

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I personally nominate Belize as having a "Worst" local cuisine.

Yes, and I've always found that quite puzzling because they are located in a part of the world famous for delicious, spicy, inventive cuisine. Do you suppose it's because they were occupied by the British for a hundred years?

Worse than Belize -- according to my paramour -- is the cuisine of Panama, where we will be heading immediately after Belize, with a single connecting day in San Salvador... Will make for some interesting dining!

Not sure who your paramour is, or why he thinks that, but I lived in Panama for four years, and I loved the food there. I've only visited Belize, but I've been quite a number of times, and while there, felt I'd kill for the cuisine of Panama.

Cool! Can you direct me to some things I should look for and taste while I am in Panama?

Kevin is mon amour who lived and sailed in Panama up until a year ago, when he moved to San Francisco. Before that, he had a business in Belize and travelled there every other week for almost two years. He was married to a Brazilian at the time which took him to South and Central America quite often. We have started a business together that will take us down there quite often so I am trying to expand my limited heat-sensitive palate...

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Kevin is mon amour who lived and sailed in Panama up until a year ago, when he moved to San Francisco. Before that, he had a business in Belize and travelled there every other week for almost two years. He was married to a Brazilian at the time which took him to South and Central America quite often. We have started a business together that will take us down there quite often so I am trying to expand my limited heat-sensitive palate...

If he has "lived and sailed in Panama" for a long time, he'll fondly remember the Balboa Yacht Club which, sadly, is no longer there, having burnt down a few years back. It was an absolute world-class, slightly seedy bar that sat at the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal, watching as the entire population of the planet eventually sailed past. It was open to the sea, with a few ceiling fans that did little but slightly disturb the perpetually humid, tropical air, and a bulletin board where people would post messages -- sometimes looking for friends and relatives, sometimes just saying hi to this or that traveler, sometimes asking for crew hands to hire on, either for a trip through the canal, or maybe to Fiji or some other exotic port. It would have done Sydney Greenstreet proud. If you mention it to su novio, I'll bet his eyes glaze over and he'll get a faraway look. I know I do.

But in so far as the food goes, for starters, I'd suggest you order ceviche at every opportunity (which will be every opportunity). The food of Panama is not particularly spicy. More similar to what you'd think of in Spain. There is lots of rice and tomatoes and chicken, fresh fruit, plenty of fish such as bonita, corvina. Also, because they imported a great many Chinese to work on the canal, the Chinese food is exceptionally good.

There are several threads on eG about Panamian cuisine, including one with contributions from a food writer based there. Perhaps we should reconvene this discussion over there.

:rolleyes:

Edited by Jaymes (log)

I don't understand why rappers have to hunch over while they stomp around the stage hollering.  It hurts my back to watch them. On the other hand, I've been thinking that perhaps I should start a rap group here at the Old Folks' Home.  Most of us already walk like that.

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Kevin is mon amour who lived and sailed in Panama up until a year ago, when he moved to San Francisco. Before that, he had a business in Belize and travelled there every other week for almost two years. He was married to a Brazilian at the time which took him to South and Central America quite often. We have started a business together that will take us down there quite often so I am trying to expand my limited heat-sensitive palate...

If he has "lived and sailed in Panama" for a long time, he'll fondly remember the Balboa Yacht Club which, sadly, is no longer there, having burnt down a few years back. It was an absolute world-class, slightly seedy bar that sat at the Pacific entrance to the Panama Canal, watching as the entire population of the planet eventually sailed past. It was open to the sea, with a few ceiling fans that did little but slightly disturb the perpetually humid, tropical air, and a bulletin board where people would post messages -- sometimes looking for friends and relatives, sometimes just saying hi to this or that traveler, sometimes asking for crew hands to hire on, either for a trip through the canal, or maybe to Fiji or some other exotic port. It would have done Sydney Greenstreet proud. If you mention it to su novio, I'll bet his eyes glaze over and he'll get a faraway look. I know I do.

You will be happy to know the Balboa Yacht Club was rebuilt -- that is where he moored his boat and drank his cocktails. It is alive and well and where I expect to be spending a great deal of time as all of his friends still hang out there.

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You will be happy to know the Balboa Yacht Club was rebuilt -- that is where he moored his boat and drank his cocktails. It is alive and well and where I expect to be spending a great deal of time as all of his friends still hang out there.

Yes, that's good news. Suspect it's not the way it was, but would be a true tragedy if it hadn't been rebuilt.

And as for the bad rap on Panama's cuisine, here are some threads that might be a little more encouraging to you as you plan your trip:

Panama's food press

Panama - recommendations wanted

See you over there! :cool:

I don't understand why rappers have to hunch over while they stomp around the stage hollering.  It hurts my back to watch them. On the other hand, I've been thinking that perhaps I should start a rap group here at the Old Folks' Home.  Most of us already walk like that.

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