The Thread

[niceguy2005]

ORIGINAL: Mynok


1. Mexican
2. Thai/Vietnamese
3. Indian
4. Italian
5. American South

South American and American South are both distinct and both can be good. Spending most of my childhood years in southern Texas I got a good deal of southern cooking. I don't care for it for the most part (too much fried food) but peach cobbler is the best.

Also in Denver we have a soul food restatraunt that serves the worlds best peach cobbler a la mode.

Ok, I'm going to eat lunch now because the drool is about to short out my keyboard.

[rtrapasso]

ORIGINAL: niceguy2005

ORIGINAL: Mynok


Few people in the US have ever had real Mexican food. Nachos and quesadillas are *not* Mexican. I've made some real, authentic Mexican dishes and they were very good. But they don't show up on menus much.

This is true. As a teen I lived in Northern VA for 4 years. They had like 4 mexican restaraunts in the whole area and the food they served was more like a frozen dinner.

If they change the immigration laws though we may all get the chance to sample Mexican food a lot more often. [:'(]

i dunno - i suspect it depends on who is doing the cooking...

We used to frequent a "real Mexican" restaurant (Dallas area) (no one in the restaurant spoke more than about 10 words of English, i think) - before it went out of business. i can't say it was better than fair.

EDIT: i should add i've eaten at a couple of other "real" Mexican restaurants (people from Mexico who opened restaurants cooking what they knew) and they were quite good.

[Mynok]

ORIGINAL:  Mike Solli

ORIGINAL:  Mynok
 5. American South

South American beef.  Mmmm.  Some of the best steak I've ever had.  Don't know why and don't really want to know why.

No no no no no. Yes, Argentine beef is very good because it is grass fed, free-range beef.

But I was speaking of southern US food. Ya know, smoked pork and brisket, cornbread, blackeyed peas, grits....soul food. Comfort food.

Authentic Italian is very different than what we get in the states (except at very nice restaurants). Simple, fresh and very healthy.

[niceguy2005]

ORIGINAL: rtrapasso

i dunno - i suspect it depends on who is doing the cooking...

We used to frequent a "real Mexican" restaurant (Dallas area) (no one in the restaurant spoke more than about 10 words of English, i think) - before it went out of business. i can't say it was better than fair.

A real Mexican restaraunt will have about 1/3 the menu devoted to enchalidas, tacos and burritos, the rest will be "authentic" dishes. Another good way to tell if its "authentic" is by their carnitas. If they offer carnitas more then once a week, chances are its not "authentic" - to cook carnitas right you have to slow roast the pork for 12 hours basting every half an hour = way too much work to do everyday.

[RUPD3658]

ORIGINAL: Mike Solli

Mainly cheese. Kids don't realize what they're missing.

I know where E. Brunswick is too. My mother-in-law lives in Toms River. Been there 1-2 times a year for the past 26 years. Lived there for a bit too. I'm also going to Ft. Dix for a 2 week TDY in Aug.

Edit: Why on earth would you want to go to London?[&:]

Ohio Peace Officer's Training Academy is located in Beautiful London. Spent 3 weeks there as a student in 91 and 92 and 2 weeks as guest instructor in 94. The nightlife was limited to the K-Mart and the one Chineese Restaruant in town. The nightlife at Dix is not much better. Used to have to go there twice a year to qualify for firearms. It is 10 degrees hotter in the summer and 10 colder in the winter. The mosquitoes (New Jersey's State bird) at Dix are the size of small birds. Bring repellant. [;)]

[Mynok]

If you want to understand Mexican food, this book is the bible:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0553057065/002-5232701-6147210?v=glance&n=283155

Get it.

[RUPD3658]

ORIGINAL: niceguy2005

ORIGINAL: rtrapasso

i dunno - i suspect it depends on who is doing the cooking...

We used to frequent a "real Mexican" restaurant (Dallas area) (no one in the restaurant spoke more than about 10 words of English, i think) - before it went out of business. i can't say it was better than fair.

A real Mexican restaraunt will have about 1/3 the menu devoted to enchalidas, tacos and burritos, the rest will be "authentic" dishes. Another good way to tell if its "authentic" is by their carnitas. If they offer carnitas more then once a week, chances are its not "authentic" - to cook carnitas right you have to slow roast the pork for 12 hours basting every half an hour = way too much work to do everyday.

If it is not on Taco Bell's menu it is too authentic for me. Same thing with Chineese. The stuff they eat themselves in not meant for consumption by the round eyes. The Americanized stuff is what I like.

[Mynok]

Not ready for goat's head soup, huh? [:D]

[RUPD3658]

ORIGINAL: Mynok


If you want to understand Mexican food, this book is the bible:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0553057065/002-5232701-6147210?v=glance&n=283155

Get it.

A book written by a Kennedy is the bible for Mexican food? Shouldn't it be Lopez-Sanchez?

[Mynok]

She can't help who her daddy was. She's lived in Mexico most of her life.
[:D]

[rtrapasso]

ORIGINAL: niceguy2005

ORIGINAL: rtrapasso

i dunno - i suspect it depends on who is doing the cooking...

We used to frequent a "real Mexican" restaurant (Dallas area) (no one in the restaurant spoke more than about 10 words of English, i think) - before it went out of business. i can't say it was better than fair.

A real Mexican restaraunt will have about 1/3 the menu devoted to enchalidas, tacos and burritos, the rest will be "authentic" dishes. Another good way to tell if its "authentic" is by their carnitas. If they offer carnitas more then once a week, chances are its not "authentic" - to cook carnitas right you have to slow roast the pork for 12 hours basting every half an hour = way too much work to do everyday.

Well, i don't usually eat red meat, so didn't try the carnitas. The Dallas area restaurant had mostly "authentic" dishes, and some of them were quite unfamiliar to me. This particular restaurant tended to cook stuff until it was dry, and i suspect this is why they are no longer with us.

[RUPD3658]

ORIGINAL: Mynok


Not ready for goat's head soup, huh? [:D]

A Japanese freind of mine took me to the local Asian food store in town. It was like wlking onto another planet. Live turtles, stange smells, and strange packages. I left after he showed me the frozen Ox penis which he said is a delacacy.

[Mynok]

Yes, I believe it is supposed to increase virility. I can think of things I would try first...... [:'(]

[rtrapasso]

ORIGINAL: RUPD3658

ORIGINAL: Mynok


Not ready for goat's head soup, huh? [:D]

A Japanese freind of mine took me to the local Asian food store in town. It was like wlking onto another planet. Live turtles, stange smells, and strange packages. I left after he showed me the frozen Ox penis which he said is a delacacy.

When i was much younger, i went to New Zealand and tried some of the local delicacies. Smoked eel was wonderful!! i tried to order something that is a Maori favorite, something called "White Worms" (in translation) - which i think was some sort of insect, but, for better or worse, it was out of season.

i also asked about what beers they had, and they offered me this import called "Budweiser" (which the waitress pronounced as "Bud-wheezer" [:D]).

[Mynok]

Have a Bud-wheezer with your Ox-whizzer? [:D]

[niceguy2005]

ORIGINAL: rtrapasso

Well, i don't usually eat red meat, so didn't try the carnitas. The Dallas area restaurant had mostly "authentic" dishes, and some of them were quite unfamiliar to me. This particular restaurant tended to cook stuff until it was dry, and i suspect this is why they are no longer with us.

YOu might like carnitas then as it is pork. When done right the pork is so tender it will literally melt in your mouth.

[niceguy2005]

ORIGINAL: RUPD3658
A Japanese freind of mine took me to the local Asian food store in town. It was like wlking onto another planet. Live turtles, stange smells, and strange packages. I left after he showed me the frozen Ox penis which he said is a delacacy.

Mayb it was another planet. Maybe it's Mynoks grocery store.

[RUPD3658]

Made me think that this is what Shop Rite or pathmark smells like to Asians.

[rtrapasso]

ORIGINAL: niceguy2005

ORIGINAL: rtrapasso

Well, i don't usually eat red meat, so didn't try the carnitas. The Dallas area restaurant had mostly "authentic" dishes, and some of them were quite unfamiliar to me. This particular restaurant tended to cook stuff until it was dry, and i suspect this is why they are no longer with us.

YOu might like carnitas then as it is pork. When done right the pork is so tender it will literally melt in your mouth.

[:D] Despite advertising, pork is NOT white meat. i will admit, if it is in the way i will sometimes consume it...

[DuckofTindalos]

Food, food, food...