Giusi wrote:

> What did not happen was a shift from the idea of good eating as a piece of
> meat surrounded with a few things. To this day American cooks are more
> interested in what they think of as the center or the main. When
> describing a meal, most start with what meat or fish is being consumed
> because they do not think you know the meal until you know that
> ingredient.

Do most people here think in terms like that?

For me, the meal-planning process usually starts with some ingredient or
flavor combination I'd like to use in the meal. It *could* be meat, fish, or
poultry. But it's just as likely to be fruit, vegetable, or a particular
herb or spice (or mixture thereof, like a curry).

Bob