Breakfast for American couple

[cara]

I share the thoughts with GB...
even if they are willing to try, it may not be the right for them and then it's good to have an alternative...
and you said they already travelled around? So maybe the know the real breakfast by now and would like to have something "normal" again?

so stay with your eastern & western variety and they can decide by theirselves..

 

[Chopstix]

Well, breakfast has come and gone. Our guests were a very nice couple from San Diego (originally from Ohio and Chicago). They liked the Khao Kluk Kapi very much, the husband had second helpings of it and even scooped up most of the chopped chillis on the platter. Turns out he has a high threshold for heat and spiciness. They also had some of the western fare but jst a bit. They were very appreciative of the food. I noticed that they had only a little of the fruits though. I served them sliced ripe mangoes which they couldn't identify at first. It could have been their first time to taste it. I also had a bowl of tropical fruits like mangosteen, longan, rose apple and santol for them to pick off and just slice open. They seemed hesitant so I guess the fruits may have been too novel for them...

Anyway, the coffee problem turned out to be a non-issue. My husband mentioned to them in advance that we might not have coffee in the house and they immediately brushed it off and said they'll pass by Starbucks before coming over, and they did. I'm still bent on buying a coffeemaker though, but I'll take my time now looking for something simple but of very good quality.

Thanks for all your advice and comments!

 

[urmaniac13]

Hey Chops, I am so happy for you to hear that the big breaky was a smashing success, and that your guests enjoyed your specialty dishes so much!! (well, I can tell you are quite a cook, so no surprise there, though!) Pity they didn't get to try the tropical fruits... maybe they became too full from other things before they reached the fruit stage?? If they will stick around in your area and you get to see each other again, maybe you should prepare them into something like macedonia (fruit salad) for them to try!

Good luck on purchase of coffeemaker, too... even if you don't drink coffee, sometimes coffees are useful for some cooking, like Tiramisu, ice cream or some other sweet treats... my partner Cris was never fond of coffee almost all his life. The thing was that he did like the aroma of coffee but the typical Italian style coffee (known as espresso abroad) was way too bitter for him. Then last year we got a type of coffee maker that is used in many American household, which makes the "diluted" version of coffee. With a shovelful of sugar and a little cocoa powder and lots of milk, he found it very tasty. Now he likes to drink about a half litre of it every morning with his breakfast!! So try some different style when you get it... you never know, you may discover a way to enjoy coffee!

 

[Chopstix]

Thanks for the comments and advice, urmaniac. Say, do you have a very good Tiramisu recipe? I've consistently never much liked it because of the weird combined texture of wet ladyfingers against mousse. However, I tasted a version at a restaurant and I really liked it... Then I tried Tiramisu at other places and same thing, weird texture... so I'd appreciate if you have something that fixes this problem for me? Thanks! I still owe you the 3k recipe...

 

[kyles]

Well done on your brekky success, and I'm glad your guests tried the K3 recipe. When I travel I always have a local breakfast, although it is hard to adjust sometimes to noodles and spices and things, so often we eat such bland morning foods in the west, it's good to have an excursion out of your comfort zone.

 

[urmaniac13]

Thanks for the comments and advice, urmaniac. Say, do you have a very good Tiramisu recipe? I've consistently never much liked it because of the weird combined texture of wet ladyfingers against mousse. However, I tasted a version at a restaurant and I really liked it... Then I tried Tiramisu at other places and same thing, weird texture... so I'd appreciate if you have something that fixes this problem for me? Thanks! I still owe you the 3k recipe...

Yeppers we do!! I posted the Tiramisu recipe some time ago and here it is!! I am not sure what kind of problem you had with the ladyfinger texture, but if you can find them, try to use "Savoiardi" from Italy. That is the ideal type of biscuit for this recipe. Maybe if you really don't care for the fact of something dry and crunchy turning soggy, you may want to try pan di Spagna, sponge cake base. You can often find the ready made in supermarkets, but if you can't find them, or if you want to go all the way, here is a recipe for it...

One girl from Singapore tried this recipe a little while ago, she was concerned that Marsala wine was too expensive in her area. Therefore she tried it with brandy instead, and reported that it came out delicious all the same. A tip just in case you encounter a similar problem in your hometown!!

I really recommend this recipe it is one of the all time best cakes in my book!!

And yes... I will be looking forward to that recipe of 3k!!

 

[Chopstix]

Molto grazie Licia! Your recipe looks great! I'll try to look for Savoiardi and pan di spagna at the western grocery here. I also have a hardly-consumed bottle of Marsala in the fridge looking to justify its existence... I've long been wanting to like Tiramisu!

Interesting to finally know what tiramisu means! A side story: The Indonesian term for 'thank you' is 'Terimakasi'. I was once on a domestic flight from Java to Jakarta. I was startled awake for disembarking. Drowsily walking past the flight attendant seeing us off, I tried to say thank you in her language but somehow what I blurted out was 'Tiramisu!'. Ooops! Immediately my friend who heard me and I exploded in successive guffaws! THAT woke me up! We were still laughing coming out of the airport!

 

[urmaniac13]

Interesting to finally know what tiramisu means! A side story: The Indonesian term for 'thank you' is 'Terimakasi'. I was once on a domestic flight from Java to Jakarta. I was startled awake for disembarking. Drowsily walking past the flight attendant seeing us off, I tried to say thank you in her language but somehow what I blurted out was 'Tiramisu!'. Ooops! Immediately my friend who heard me and I exploded in successive guffaws! THAT woke me up! We were still laughing coming out of the airport!

The flight attendant must have thought you were really starving!!

Let me know when you decide to try the Tiramisu! I will try to help making it a great success, you will not like it, you will LOVE it in the end!!

 

[BreezyCooking]

Chopstix - I think your proposed breakfast is just PERFECT exactly the way you've outlined it.

 

[Banana Brain]

If you're serving them, I think they'll be interested in trying the dining of your culture.

 

[Swann]

Well, breakfast has come and gone. Our guests were a very nice couple from San Diego (originally from Ohio and Chicago). They liked the Khao Kluk Kapi very much, the husband had second helpings of it and even scooped up most of the chopped chillis on the platter. Turns out he has a high threshold for heat and spiciness. They also had some of the western fare but jst a bit. They were very appreciative of the food. I noticed that they had only a little of the fruits though. I served them sliced ripe mangoes which they couldn't identify at first. It could have been their first time to taste it. I also had a bowl of tropical fruits like mangosteen, longan, rose apple and santol for them to pick off and just slice open. They seemed hesitant so I guess the fruits may have been too novel for them...

I would like to comment on the fruits you served. Mangoes are available all year in San Diego but the other fruits we grow because we are growers of "rare fruits". Tropical fruits are not sold at our super markets. Many people here will not eat "strange fruits" if it is not a citrus, apple, pear, peach, etc. of the northern European variety. We go to peoples markets in countries to try native fruits. You can frequently buy Asian fruits and vegetables at the Asian Markets. I love durian but have to hold my nose to eat it. I have tried to serve tropical fruits from our garden to friends without success.

 

[vagriller]

I have tried to serve tropical fruits from our garden to friends without success.

I would try any fruit you served. Tropical fruits are great! I had the impression that most Californians were more adventurous than others. Guess I was wrong.

 

[ChefJune]

LOL Face it americans and Canadians eat the same things!!

...except for poutine!

I'd like the full Thai breakfast if I were visiting Thailand. Bagels and cream cheese I don't even eat at home! but I do love Nasi Goreng!

 

[Chef_Jen]

HAHAh june yes we love our poutine..

Congrats on a successful breakfast