My food is touching!

[tamiam]

Oh, you anti-touchers would hate eating with me. I like to mix different foods on the same fork. That way I can get little bits of all of them in every bite. Mmmm.

PS How does the anti-touch contingent deal with fudge sauce on ice cream? I like mushing it into a slurry.

[moosnsqrl]

Judy, I don't drink wine at all...

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Oh my - I guess I didn't notice! And absynthe? Didn't Edsel tempt you into an historical bit of the old nasty?

Wow. I totally remember my brother being a food seperatist growing up but I didn't dream it was so prevalent (as it apparently is from these responses) in adulthood. Interesting. Not judging at all, mind you, just interesting.

[markk]

if the beans were seasoned with a flavor that I considered not to be complimentary to the duck and sausage and would not want them to touch.

Well, I'm not a food separatist, but if there were/are beans seasoned with a flavor that isn't complementary to the duck and sausage, why would they even be served on the same plate to begin with, let alone in the same meal?

[gariotin]

I am in my mid-50s. I always HATED my food to touch - when I was a kid I would cry if things were against each other on my plate. I don't know why, but about 5 years ago, I started mixing things in each bite. I would spear a piece of chicken AND a green bean, and maybe scoop a little rice up with it. I still don't like to just mush things up on a plate, but I have become more of a mixed-up eater.

So you never know how you might change....

[miladyinsanity]

I'm Chinese, and most nights mom cooks rice, and a couple of dishes. If I want to eat more than one dish, I take a bit of rice and a bit of that dish, finish it, then take more rice and some of another dish and so forth.

It makes me want to climb walls when we're out and my dad will serve us, and then he'll be dropping fish or vegetables or whatever on my plate before I'm ready!

[ghostrider]

Mysteriously, hathor's  original post seems to have vanished from the blog, biut you can find  it quoted here at the top of page 3.

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If you follow the trackback, it does lead to the original. The problem is that there are so many pictures on the page that it sort of convulses and scrolls to a chaming picture of one of hathor's cats. (hathor's blog has to rank as one of the all-time best *ever*)

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Ah, I see it now, I wasn't focusing well earlier. Thanks. I thought eG had become unstable & that was a disturbing thought.

My FIL, God rest his soul, always mixed his food on the plate, no matter what it was. His philosophy was, "It all winds up mushed together in your stomach anyway." I simply tried not to watch and held my tongue, since he was a wonderful man in so many other ways.

I must add that, before I opened this thread, I expected from the title that it would be about some sort of food which was so marvelously incredibly delicious that it made you weep. The actual topic was a complete surprise!

[andiesenji]

Lordy, many parents have gone through this phase with one or more children. I have with one and I finally resorted to serving his meals on a divided plate with a side dish for any extras.

I had a set of these, made for restaurants.

Explaining that the food would all be combined in his stomach did not budge him off his attitude one iota.

He would eat each item, then go on to the next. He didn't want gravy on potatoes but was okay with it on meat. God forbid that his peas touch his mashed potatoes! Both were then "contaminated" and could not be eaten.

The first time the family went to a smorgasborg place, he went to the dessert section, got several of the little dishes and put each of his selections in a separate dish. I had to explain to the server about his little quirk - it was a bit embarassing.

Fortunately he outgrew it.

Apparently you are not alone because someone is marketing these!

Oh yeah! He wouldn't eat anything that was in a casserole or where vegetables were mixed with meat, chicken, pasta or ?? The only exception was tamale pie. That he liked.

Edited October 28, 2006 by andiesenji (log)

[torakris]

Andie,

I am not even close to that bad.

The kind of flavors I really hate mixing are things like sauces and salads. Growing up we always had salads at the end of the meal and everyone would just place their salad on their dinner plate even it it still had traces of tomato sauce (or other sauce) on it. I was the only one of 8 children who would get up to wash my dish before salad. My dad also made the comment that mixing your oil and vinegar dressed salad with tomato sauce you essentially had French dressing (well, the American French).

Well if I wanted French I would have asked to dress it with French!

I also spent some time on Maui with my husband and one plate meals are the staple in most restaurants. They are almost always certain to contain macaroni salad, the combination of the cold mayo based salad and hot soy sauce based meats always bothered me. I would leat around the foods that were touching and then let my husband finish my plate...

Maybe it is mostly salads?

[snowangel]

Oh, Kris:

Salads and other food have to be on separate plates, or you need to wash the plates in between.

I gak or hork every time some sauce encroaches on my salad. ICK.

Maybe I need divided plates...

[chile_peppa]

I don't like discrete foods to be all mixed up on my plate. I like to enjoy the unique taste of each dish that makes up my meal. How can you do that when it's all blended into an indistinguishable glop?

If ingredients are mixed to make a complete dish, that's ok. But if those same ingredients are cooked as separate dishes, then I like to eat each one separately, and I don't want them to "bleed" over into each other on my plate so that the flavors are muddled. Perhaps that is what is bothering you, too.

Maybe it's an Asian thing for me. My mother is from Japan, and she taught me to eat my rice separately, except in donburi or sushi, when it's part of the dish. I dislike food dumped on top of my rice.

I think there's also some undercurrent of respect to the person who took the time to plan and prepare each dish separately (even if it's a carryout meal!) and respect for the flavors of each dish on its own, though of course they should complement each other when they are served in the same meal. It's a difficult philosophy to explain.

p.s. I prefer my salad in a separate dish, too.

[GourmetLight$]

I can't have my salad touch anything either! It always has to be on a separate salad plate.

I'm pretty okay with other things touching, especially if there's gravy or butter involved. But I absolutely can't stand for pancakes and syrup to come into contact with eggs or especially egg yolk. When eating breakfast out, I always ask how the items are plated, and beg for separate plates if necessary by stating that I'm a spoiled brat deep down inside.

Cheers,

[Franci]

I was going to say to torakris:

Don't worry, you are not alone, you're just Italian.  As am I, at least in spirit.

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So I can blame this on my heritage? My grandfather is from Bari and my grandmother is from a tiny town called Baranello in the Campobasso Province of Molise. This makes me feel a little better...

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I am Italian and I pretty much keep my food separated, especially salad I serve in an other bowl (that is written in any etiquette book)

Also antipasti, in Puglia for example, an Bari is there, is known for its variety of antipasti. In a restaurant they will bring maybe 10 if not more. But all on separeted plates, it's up to you try one at a time or put more kinds on your plate.

My husband, chinese, is far more extreme than me: he would never mix the taste of his steak or fish with salad or any other side dish. So, he will eat the steak and then the other stuff. And he doesn't eat thinks that look messy to him: no lasagne in our house, or thinks like mapo dofu, he needs to see the food in discernible form, already stuff like dumplings and ravioli are not his favourites. Sometimes could be painful.

[Chufi]

The Dutch love their food to touch. They even made up a slang verb to describe the way they most love to eat:

prakken

Picture a plate with a meatball, boiled potatoes, steamed brussel sprouts, A small pool of gravy. Typical Dutch everyday fare. Now take knife and fork and break up your potatoes. Cut up your meatball. Put your knife down, and use your fork to mash everything together (= prakken). Add more gravy as needed (it is always needed). If there is another side dish, such as stewed apples, a cucumbersalad, etc., it's okay to mash this in, too. Use your fork to shovel this mixture into your mouth.

One of the very first things I knew when I was growing up, was that this could not be the right way to eat

[Arey]

That dreadful image has reminded me of my college days when I used to eat at a drugstore with a small lunch counter and booths in the back. The kitchen was a tiny room with a huge old black range so the cook and waitress had to use one of the back booths if they wanted to sit down and rest or have their meal. One evening the waitress asked me if I would mind if she sat at my booth to eat her dinner, and of course I said I'd be glad of the company. She had a hot roast turkey sandwich with mashed potatoes, and the plate was aready swimming in gravy. She carefully cut the sandwich into little cubes and then stirred the potatoes into the whole thing. There may have been peas in the mix too. I can't remember.

For people who can't stand for their food to touch, the approaching Thanksgiving Day dinner must be an ordeal. Turkey, stuffing, gravy, creamed onions, cole slaw, candied sweet potatoes, and another vegetable all mooshed together. And I almost forgot the cramberry relish adding a rosy glow to everything.

[Milagai]

The ultimate food-no-touch-please person's plate

arrangement, the Indian food thali.

Pictures here:

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=htt...GLD:en%26sa%3DN

and here:

http://www.southindiancafe.com/images/thali.jpg

and here:

http://www.gourmetindia.com/img/Rajasthani%20thali.jpg

and the banana leaf plate South Indian version:

http://www.pondichery.com/french/stages/Thali.jpg

Definitely a place for everything and everything in its place

BUT BUT BUT

the purpose is to keep everything separate UNTIL you mix

what you want to mix with the rice or roti.

Each little side dish sits in its own cup or pile until you

mix it with the rice or roti to make your own little mouthfuls.....

and so it goes...

Milagai

Edited October 29, 2006 by Milagai (log)

[ghostrider]

The Dutch love their food to touch. They even made up a slang verb to describe the way they most love to eat:

prakken

Picture a plate with a meatball, boiled potatoes, steamed brussel sprouts, A small pool of gravy. Typical Dutch everyday fare. Now take knife and fork and break up your potatoes. Cut up your meatball. Put your knife down, and use your fork to mash everything together (= prakken). Add more gravy as needed (it is always needed). If there is another side dish, such as stewed apples, a cucumbersalad, etc., it's okay to mash this in, too. Use your fork to shovel this mixture into your mouth.

One of the very first things I knew when I was growing up, was that this could not be the right way to eat 

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Fascinating. I'm 4th-generation US-Dutch, and, in spite of my obvious Dutch nose, I certainly didn't inherit any urge to prakken.

[Philanthrophobe]

For people who can't stand for their food to touch, the approaching Thanksgiving Day dinner must be an ordeal.  Turkey, stuffing, gravy, creamed onions, cole slaw, candied sweet potatoes, and another vegetable all mooshed together. And I almost forgot the cramberry relish adding a rosy glow to everything.

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A Delaware-based sandwich shop called Capriotti's sells a sandwich called the Bobbie, which is turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and mayonnaise on a hoagie roll. The mere fact that it exists freaks me out.

ACK ACK ACK ACK ACK ACK ACK ACK

I'm a salad separatist too. And I love my Mr. Bento.

[lamb]

The kind of flavors I really hate mixing are things like sauces and salads. Growing up we always had salads at the end of the meal and everyone would just place their salad on their dinner plate even it it still had traces of tomato sauce (or other sauce) on it. I was the only one of 8 children who would get up to wash my dish before salad. My dad also made the comment that mixing your oil and vinegar dressed salad with tomato sauce you essentially had French dressing (well, the American French).

Well if I wanted French I would have asked to dress it with French!

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Kris,

Interesting that you should say that your salads were at the end of your meal. My hubby and I were just out this weekend at a wine tasting in Southern New Jersey (a whole 'nother topic about their crappy wine!) and they served dinner "European" style with salad at the end. My hubby is second generation from Naples and he had never heard of it before, nor has my MIL. Fortunately, they plated the salad separately, because I could have never eaten it if it were on the same plate that just held my dinner. I agree with you completely about that!

BTW, my MIL said that she always had salad WITH the meal growing up - served as a side dish, not on the same plate as dinner.

[sanrensho]

The kind of flavors I really hate mixing are things like sauces and salads.

I'd call this "intuitive." After all, isn't that what salad plates are for?

Although I'd like to credit my Japanese heritage for wanting to keep sauces/dressings separate, my wife (who is Japanese) has no qualms about plopping runny salads onto the same plate as mains. I can only tolerate this if the salad is dressed in such a way that it won't leach into the rest of the food.

I don't have a problem with having complementary foods touch, or Thai meals where you have a lot of intermingling of sauces with rice on your plate. I consider that to be in the spirit of eating Thai. I guess I'm saying that there's a lot of leeway depending on the customs of the cuisine itself.

I agree with you 100% on water with meals.

[Gilb3rt]

Ok, let me try this again.

What if you had a plate of beans, sausage, and duck confit. Would everything have to be on its own? And -- this is the clincher for me -- what would happen if those ingredients were all found in cassoulet?

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If they were all in a cassoulet it would be no problem but if the beans were seasoned with a flavor that I considered not to be complimentary to the duck and sausage and would not want them to touch.

For example a Brazilian style black bean stew and Bratwurst would never be on the same plate.

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Nope that is why it is served with Flesh..

[Gilb3rt]

But i totally agree that food shall not touch each other on a plate.

Edited October 30, 2006 by Gilb3rt (log)

[wawairis]

Susan, I am so glad I am not alone!!

This was starting to turn into Kristin is a freak thread.  I never really thought of this as very odd. I have this other food thing that is 100 times worse but Steven has suggested I never speak of it in public aymore....

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Torakris,

Do you eat in sequence too? I have to eat in food sequence. For instance a standard turkey dinner - a bite of turkey, a smidge of mashed potatoes, a bit of cranberry, topped off by a nugget of stuffing. Repeat until all the food is gone.

[torakris]

Susan, I am so glad I am not alone!!

This was starting to turn into Kristin is a freak thread.  I never really thought of this as very odd. I have this other food thing that is 100 times worse but Steven has suggested I never speak of it in public aymore....

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Torakris,

Do you eat in sequence too? I have to eat in food sequence. For instance a standard turkey dinner - a bite of turkey, a smidge of mashed potatoes, a bit of cranberry, topped off by a nugget of stuffing. Repeat until all the food is gone.

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Oh my God! Isn't that how everyone eats???

Is there a different way?

[Hector]

Susan, I am so glad I am not alone!!

This was starting to turn into Kristin is a freak thread.  I never really thought of this as very odd. I have this other food thing that is 100 times worse but Steven has suggested I never speak of it in public aymore....

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Torakris,

Do you eat in sequence too? I have to eat in food sequence. For instance a standard turkey dinner - a bite of turkey, a smidge of mashed potatoes, a bit of cranberry, topped off by a nugget of stuffing. Repeat until all the food is gone.

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Oh my God! Isn't that how everyone eats???

Is there a different way?

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you should see the Swedish christmas Smörgåsbord.

Some people like to have many types of pickled herrings, baked ham, thickned sweet and sour bean stew, ginger spearribs, potatoes, sliced bread with cheeses, anchovy and potato stew, kale with cream and stock, meatballs, sweet red cabbage, browned cabbage, home made patês and pork sausages, coarse mustard and much more - all on the same plate.

Touching each other regardless of their matchability!

(well my family separate the fish and meat, where the fish bouffet is a 'starter' - we are not some kind of barbarians you know)

Once some of my relatives got a packet of Patê de Foie Gras for Christmas, they opened the can and put it on the bouffet - just to have it allong with the meat balls and cabbage and herrings- All to be mixed down with schnaps!

[Pam R]

Torakris,

Do you eat in sequence too?  I have to eat in food sequence.  For instance a standard turkey dinner - a bite of turkey, a smidge of mashed potatoes, a bit of cranberry, topped off by a nugget of stuffing.  Repeat until all the food is gone.

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Oh my God! Isn't that how everyone eats???

Is there a different way?

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Yes there is a different way. I do not suffer from this, but a family member does. What she will do is eat ALL of the turkey, then all of the potatoes, and so on. It gets annoying if you want seconds on something because you have to make sure she's had firsts!