Pepperhead, sorry to nitpick, isn't "makrut lime", not "Mogul lime"?
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Leaving the ethnic cooking to the ethnics
- Thread starter georgevan
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
pepperhead212
Executive Chef
Sorry - I saw that too late to change! I have no idea where I came up with that name
kb0000
Washing Up
“We all come from some ethnic background.” No we don’t. Our ‘ethnicity’ is the product of where we grew up. If you grew up in USA, that’s your only “ethnic background”. If you are an immigrant and speak with a foreign accent, you have mixed ethnicity, but you are an American.
Fortune Cookies are never served in China (they were invented in LA at a Japanese restaurant).
Eating ‘ethnic’ food never teaches anything about another culture except that they eat something we usually don’t. So what?
Chief Longwind Of The North
Certified/Certifiable
Tracing our ethnicity, or where our ancestors comes from does indeed help us. I know that due to my paternal grandmother's Scottish ancestry, I'm more prone to sunburn. My Native American background makes me more susceptible to diabetes. My Germanic heritage allows me to consume dairy products better. And the list goes on. Also, knowing something about the way my ancestors lived allows me to learn from what they did right, and to avoid their mistakes. It also helps me in the culinary world, as it peaks my curiosity about different food styles using ingredients that were used by them.
However, those ancestral traits don't define me. I choose my own lifestyle, morality, integrity, activities, and how I react to events that influence my life. I have a mantra I live by: The measure of a person is not defined by material wealth, the color of their skin, or social success, but rather by integrity, honesty, work, and play ethics, and most importantly, how well they treat others.
As the staff where I receive dialysis go out of their way to make my life easier, I needed to do something for them. I made them a New York style cheesecake (ten incher) with strawberries on the bottom, and blueberries on top. A few days later, I made them protein energy bars, with all healthy ingredients to help keep them going in their busy workday. Both were very well received, and I got a thank you from all. But I didn't do it for praise, or even the thank you's. I did it because I appreciate how hard they work to keep people alive. and functioning, me included.
My legacy to the world is my children. I strive to set a good example for them, and they are doing the same with their own children.
So yes, ethnicity is important, but can't define us.
If you get right down to it, My ethnicity is Divine. I am a mortal, and a child of my Creator. The other titles, Native American, German, Scottish, etc., are all man made titles that divide us.
Seeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North
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kb000, sorry, but I personally think you are so very wrong, Chief has said it well, I suggest you read his post twice.
Eating ethnic foods DOES teach us something about another culture. You said it, they eat different ingredients prepared in different ways, they eat the same ingredients prepared in different ways. If that's not learning something, what is? For some of us, who are curious and who DO care, we might even go further and find out why and how they do what they do.
Plus I think that most of us already know that fortune cookies do not come from China. To quote you, "So what" if we expect, and get them, when we order Chinese Food. Another 'just to mention', I've never had them served in a Japanese restaurant.
Eating ethnic foods DOES teach us something about another culture. You said it, they eat different ingredients prepared in different ways, they eat the same ingredients prepared in different ways. If that's not learning something, what is? For some of us, who are curious and who DO care, we might even go further and find out why and how they do what they do.
Plus I think that most of us already know that fortune cookies do not come from China. To quote you, "So what" if we expect, and get them, when we order Chinese Food. Another 'just to mention', I've never had them served in a Japanese restaurant.
Eating in an Ethiopian resto will probably teach you to pick up the food with a piece of injera. I was taught to use chopsticks by a waiter in a very westernized Chinese resto in Copehagen over 50 years ago. And as dragnlaw mentioned, sometimes we get curious about the reasons for preparing some ingredients in certain ways or even why certain ingredients. I have been down many internet rabbit holes learning that kind of thing about ethnic foods. It piques our interest. We watch videos of ethnic foods being prepared by the people whose culture those foods are from. We watch videos of people who travel to those countries to sample the foods. Yes, ethnic foods open many doors to learning and finding out.
larry_stewart
Master Chef
I dont travel abroad, so learning about different cuisines, techniques, cooking tools/ devices , ingredients ... from foreign lands has always been a learning experience for me. I welcome and appreciate the differences.
larry_stewart
Master Chef
Everything looks great.
Thanks for the H&S Soup recipe.
Saved and will make in the near future.
larry_stewart
Master Chef
When my son first moved to China, a few years back, I remember we were asking what he eats, where he shops ... Many way, he says that he occasionally goest to the " American Store". I kinda laughed, cause I've never really heard of an ' American store', since I've always lived here. I asked what kind of stuff do the sell there, and he replied, Mac & Cheese, typical American snacks ( like Doritos, Pringles), American cereals .... It all made sense, but Im used to saying 'Im going to the Asian store, or he Mexican, Indian ...store'.
msmofet
Chef Extraordinaire
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2009
- Messages
- 13,930
I was expecting you to say "ketchup" for some reason Americans are often identified by/with ketchup.
larry_stewart
Master Chef
I was expecting you to say "ketchup" for some reason Americans are often identified by/with ketchup.
My guess is they had that there too
, Im trying to find the pics he sent me at that store, but tI cant seem to locate them.karadekoolaid
Head Chef
thinking about it:
I´ve eaten in France, Germany, Austria, Spain, Greece, Italy, the Czech Republic, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico... and probably a few other places.
The first thing I look for is local food. I remember in Venice, that world-renowned tourist trap - we shunned the Piazza and wandered off into the winding streets until we found a little Trattoria filled with locals. THAT is where we ate and had a remarkable meal.
In Mexico, we had some chocolate clams in the market - wow and double wow - and then chomped down authentic cochinito pibil and Yucatecan delicacies at La Montejo.
In Quito, I specifically asked for llapingochos for breakfast, much to the delight of the restaurant owners.
I´ve never understood why my mindless compatriots flock to the Costa Brava, and then want tea, roast dinners and fish & chips! What is WRONG with you blokes? Stay at home and go to Scarborough!!
I´ve eaten in France, Germany, Austria, Spain, Greece, Italy, the Czech Republic, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico... and probably a few other places.
The first thing I look for is local food. I remember in Venice, that world-renowned tourist trap - we shunned the Piazza and wandered off into the winding streets until we found a little Trattoria filled with locals. THAT is where we ate and had a remarkable meal.
In Mexico, we had some chocolate clams in the market - wow and double wow - and then chomped down authentic cochinito pibil and Yucatecan delicacies at La Montejo.
In Quito, I specifically asked for llapingochos for breakfast, much to the delight of the restaurant owners.
I´ve never understood why my mindless compatriots flock to the Costa Brava, and then want tea, roast dinners and fish & chips! What is WRONG with you blokes? Stay at home and go to Scarborough!!
I'm still trying to perfect my Grandma's chicken soup. After all these years, not even close. Still good, just not hers. Maybe it's Po's secret ingredient.
Exploring and experimenting are good. It may not be exact, but I think, as someone here may have said, it's more about the process.
Exploring and experimenting are good. It may not be exact, but I think, as someone here may have said, it's more about the process.
larry_stewart
Master Chef
thinking about it:
I´ve eaten in France, Germany, Austria, Spain, Greece, Italy, the Czech Republic, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico... and probably a few other places.
The first thing I look for is local food. I remember in Venice, that world-renowned tourist trap - we shunned the Piazza and wandered off into the winding streets until we found a little Trattoria filled with locals. THAT is where we ate and had a remarkable meal.
In Mexico, we had some chocolate clams in the market - wow and double wow - and then chomped down authentic cochinito pibil and Yucatecan delicacies at La Montejo.
In Quito, I specifically asked for llapingochos for breakfast, much to the delight of the restaurant owners.
I´ve never understood why my mindless compatriots flock to the Costa Brava, and then want tea, roast dinners and fish & chips! What is WRONG with you blokes? Stay at home and go to Scarborough!!
I do the same thing when Im traveling in the USA. I always want to eat what the locals eat, something regional. I like having some ' safe' options that I am familiar with , just incase. When my kids were little, it was a necessary to have some of the common food chains available no matter where we were, but now that its just me and the Mrs, we dont have to worry about that.
JonasStax
Senior Cook
The original ingredients used in your Grandma's chicken soup were heritage ingredients. Battery feed chickens and eggs taste different to free range chickens and eggs. The taste of vegetables is dependent on the soil conditions and fertilizers used. If you can identify and find a source for the original ingredients, your result should be identical.
For the past 45 years, my sister has been making a traditional, heritage Italian eggplant lasagne using the same recipe handed down through my mother's family. A few years ago, the lasagne tasted differently. After a discussion, the eggplant was identified as a different taste, probably due to a different variety. Unfortunately, we live in an era, where we don't know the source of the ingredients, therefore, we can experience taste fluctuations.
Jonas, maybe you don't know the source of your ingredients, but I know the source of most of my ingredients. Yeah, it's a bit more expensive, but I buy milk that is traceable to which batch from which farm and I know the names of the farms where most of my vegis come from. Most of the meat comes from co-ops, so I know the name of the co-op and that all the farmers are in Quebec.
JonasStax
Senior Cook
Did you read my post?
I am pointing out that the ingredients available in 2022 are different to Grandma's heritage era recipes. You may know your source of ingredients, unless your suppliers are heritage farmers, using heritage ingredients and farming practices, the ingredients are not the same as Grandma's heritage era and given a heritage era recipe, subject to failure.
Also, assuming knowing the source of ingredients, natural genetic mutations occur in nature, farmers change fertilizers, the growing season rainfall was inadequate, and so on. The end produce will not be the same as the previous year. Heritage era recipes are simple recipes dependent on the natural taste of the ingredients. The end result will only be known when the meal is cooked and served.
Even professional chefs experience recipe failure.
So instead of posting negative criticism, constructive contribute.
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Vinylhanger
Sous Chef
You might want to relax. Asking tax lady to positively contribute is like asking Clint Eastwood to make a good movie.
Maybe take it as just the laid back conversations we usually have here. Nobody is getting personal or being negative.
My constructive contribution is that you could probably find sources of ingredients where you know where they come from if you wanted to. Of course that won't guarantee recipe success. You claim that, "If you can identify and find a source for the original ingredients, your result should be identical." What about the differences in soil and natural genetic mutations? Sounds like one would need a time machine to be sure to have the exact same ingredients. Memory is unreliable and it can be hard to match the flavours remembered with nostalgia.
Interesting thought, Jonas. I'd have to be transported back to Yonkers, NY to get answers to many of those questions.
I will say that when I first moved to Vegas I experienced "Bagel Culture Shock". Lordy, it was horrible. Non of the bagels anywhere here in the Las Vegas valley tasted anything remotely resembling a bagel. They were cakey, over-processed, no nice crisp on the outside and perfect density in the middle. I had to have a side of bagel with my cream cheese and lox, if you know what I mean?
Then I found a couple of authentic NY delis here. Usually a trek across town, but worth it. Now there are only two places I will go and make sure to get there early once a month to stock up the freezer.
Turns out, it has to do with the water.
I'll still keep trying to make Grandma's. Like Bruce Lee said, "Shoot for the moon, and if you miss, you will still land among the stars."
I will say that when I first moved to Vegas I experienced "Bagel Culture Shock". Lordy, it was horrible. Non of the bagels anywhere here in the Las Vegas valley tasted anything remotely resembling a bagel. They were cakey, over-processed, no nice crisp on the outside and perfect density in the middle. I had to have a side of bagel with my cream cheese and lox, if you know what I mean?
Then I found a couple of authentic NY delis here. Usually a trek across town, but worth it. Now there are only two places I will go and make sure to get there early once a month to stock up the freezer.
Turns out, it has to do with the water.
I'll still keep trying to make Grandma's. Like Bruce Lee said, "Shoot for the moon, and if you miss, you will still land among the stars."
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