Re: [CH] Oz & NZ +Peppers
Kudjing@aol.com
Mon, 30 Apr 2001 09:53:55 EDT
Those who are sensitive about OT postings should hit "next"
immediately...because I'm about to drift in a big way.
I've excised some bits below, and preserved attributions as best I can...
In a message dated 4/30/01 7:43:16 AM Eastern Daylight Time,
lukasz@midcoast.com.au writes:
>28/04/01 3:34:59 PM, "Suz" <socalsuz@earthlink.net> wrote:
>
> When I did find a
> >familiar selection on the menu, it was covered with "blood sauce" or
> >something ... what the heck is "blood sauce" anyway?
> ===============
> Probably Tomato Sauce/ our version of Ketchup without most of the sugar.
> Just guessing here if it was
> labeled as Blood Sauce its a new one on me..
>
OT remark #1: on p. 70 of the new (by which I mean 1997 and later) _Joy of
Cooking_, there is a red onion & garlic ketchup that will make you all but
forget about Mr.Heinz and his 57 Varieties. Quick, good, and lasts about 6
weeks covered in the fridge before it begins to break down.
Brief On-Topic addendum: if you're in the mood, you could tuck a few datils
into the mix at the start of the recipe. Should work nicely.
> >The hamburgers tasted like the meat had been ground with sawdust.
> =================
> Could have been, Our meat is getting more expensive as we are sending lots
> to the UK (as the Poms are a
> bit touchy about their own what with Mad Cow and foot and mouth diseases..
>
> >Maybe it's because I'm used to good ol' US cows.
> ==========
OT Remark #2: Same here, although I'm told our beef is going to Asia to
replace meat they'd usually be importing from England and Co. (I live in an
area where about a third of the population claim to be vegetarian, but
*someone* around here is competing with me for all those lovely steaks. I
think I discovered part of the answer Saturday, when a brunch guest asserted
her vegetarianism while balancing upon her lap a plate holding two sausages
and a slice of ham.)
If I recall my experiences with Australian and Argentinian beef, there's a
big difference between range-fed and
(US) grain-fed. Took a bit of getting used to on my part but worth the
effort. (I have a colleague whose fondest wish is to "retire to a steak
house in Buenos Aires." On any given day, he can quote you the best airline
fares from Boston to Buenos Aires.)
>
> One hamburger came topped with a
> >beet and fried egg. No mustard or mayo.
> ================
> Only place you might get mustard or Mayo on your Burgers here in Oz would
> probably be a MacDonalds,
> The Aussie hamburger generally has Beetroot on it Lettuce, Fried Onion ,
> possibly cheese Tomato, Egg is
> generally extra as is Pineapple (It would be called a Hawaiian Burger
then..)
>
OT remark #3:
A generally under-appreciated vegetable, the noble beet.
Not too sure about the pineapple thing, but I'd be willing to be persuaded.
One of my standard all-purpose condiments fits in here: slice some storage
onions (the cheap yellow guys), maybe a cup or two worth. Saute 'em over
medium heat in just enough oil to keep them from sticking. Keep stirring so
that they all cook at about the same rate. When you've got everything soft
and translucent, and they're just beginning to brown, splash in enough cheap
balsamic to cover the bottom of the pan, and cook for maybe another two
minutes. Then pour the whole mess into a bowl, and add a bit more balsamic.
Let it sit at room temp for about an hour, after which you've got a bowl of
pretty nice pickled onions. You can leave it sitting around covered on the
counter for at least a week. Works nicely on hamburgers, makes a really,
really good omelette filling, and, once you come to be addicted to the stuff,
it'll find it's way into all sorts of things. Trust me.
> Salads were served after the
> >main course, I like my salad first. Just a personal preference
> .===============
> That the American preference, We generally get our Salad served with the
> Main, The Waiter probably
> made a mistake and thought that he was serving you in the American way..
>
Of course, since America is entirely homogenous, and we all eat, drink, and
read exactly the same things...
I don't know what the "American preference" is. In my house we generally eat
the salad *last*, exclusive of any dessert. Some of my friends do the same,
others don't. I haven't checked their passports.
>
> ============
> Luke in Oz
> At the risk of starting WW3 , I'll make mention of some dissapointments I
> had in the USA : (Coffee), LAX,
> FLA and Texas (Ok probably not good examples) But I think the average
Aussie
> Expresso bar kills
> American Coffee
World-wide, there seems to be a lot more bad coffee than good coffee.
Espresso bars *anywhere* do a better job, largely because the coffee is their
business, rather than something they supply along with the salt, pepper, and
flatware.
> And I'm much to Polite to tell you what I think of Starbucks
> Coffee..
Never heard of it.
> Domestic Beer (I actually saw people drinking Budweiser) !
That happens. Good thing you didn't go to any sporting events, else you'd
have seen far worse. I've always believed that the expression "Miller Lite"
was redundant.
I've long held that one of the great antipodean contributions to civilization
was the 25 oz beer can. Sadly, there seems to be some confusion concerning
exactly what belongs in these noble containers.
> I drank Negro Modelo,
An interesting beer. Last time I paid attention to such things, it was the
last commercially brewed Vienna lager anywhere in the world. It seems that,
during one of Europe's periodic upheavals, a large number of German and
Viennese brewers moved to Mexico...
> Belgian Strawberry Gueze beer(unpaturised which we
> can't get here in Oz) again
> Foot and Mouth, Shiner in Texas..
I thank you for not mentioning the Lone Star you undoubtedly had pressed upon
you.
Next time you're hanging about, try some of the "Belgian style" beers that
are being produced by small American brewers. No one would confuse them with
actual Belgian ales, but they're something interesting in their own right.
> Wines - Too sweet !
Sounds like you've had mass-market chardonnays forced upon you. Or maybe you
went to one of my parents' seders.
Look around a bit more, and ignore all waiters and most wine stewards.
> Chain restaurants, diners
> IHOP, Olive Garden,etc - Just upmarket Macdonalds. TGIF might just work
in
On behalf of all Americans, I apologize for the abomination that is the Olive
Garden. While I'm at it, let me toss in The Sizzler, Chiles, Papaginos,
Uno's, Benihana, and especially the Outback Steakhouse.
Diners, however....
There really *are* good diners. Trust me. The first one that leaps to mind
is Rosebud's in Somerville, MA.
> Rosarios in San Antonio had the best Mexican food, Ma Tierra was heading
> down the MacD trail..
>
The mainstreaming (is that a word?) of Mexican food has been a *very* mixed
blessing. Too many places that think all you need is a vat of pinto beans, a
tub of shredded iceberg, a few diced tomatoes, a skillet full of grey ground
beef, a pile of tortillas, and zap, you've got tacos, tostadas, burritos,
and *shudder* nachos.
On the other hand, even in this very Yankee neck of the woods, I'm within
walking distance of three restaurants that will serve me beef tongue tacos
without batting an eye.
I will now STFU and allow us to return to our normal discussions....
-- Dan//whose cupboard contains jars of both marmite and vegemite....