Lisa Ann wrote:

> > Italian food...... in Germany? You're pulling our collective leg
> > aren't you?
>
> Sadly, I believe her.

It's him, not here, and it's true :-(

> My brother went to France 10 years ago on business.
> I was insanely jealous (can someone tell me why I'm the one who majored in
> foreign languages, but will apparently be the last in my family to get to
> Europe?), and quizzed him when he got back. "The food there sucks," he
> informed me. He went on to explain that his boss, their French contact and
> he had "gone out for a large pizza and 3 Pepsis, and it cost over 50 bucks!
> And the pizza sucked!" He explained that he had assumed they'd have *great*
> pizza in France, because it's so close to Italy. "Hell, we're clear across
> the ocean and we got us some great pizza here!"

He is a victim of a false assumption. He assumed that Italian pizza is good. I
had pizza in Italy once and it was the worst pizza I have ever had. The Pepsis
would have set them back a bit too. That stuff is expensive over there. Before
my first trip to Europe people told me that you might as well drink beer or wine
because it is the same pries there. In my mind, that mean that a beer would be
the same price we pay for pop. As it turned out, they pay as much for a soft
drink as we pay for beer, sometimes more.


> Luckily, he ate German food in Germany - he didn't really care for it, he
> said, but any country who makes beer that good doesn't need good food.

I really enjoyed the food in Germany. I only had one bad meal in Germany, but
that one was in a tourist area. The Jaeger Schnitzel I ordered turned out to be
a burger patty with a crappy gravy with some mushrooms in it. Breakfast buffets
there were outstanding.

> He actually *liked* English food when he was in England; said he never wanted
> to see potatoes again after time in Scotland and Ireland (but again, the
> beer was good).

Potatoes are quite common in western Europe. It was rare not to have potatoes
served with a meal, though they tend to do interesting things for them, and they
are careful to use different types of potatoes for different potato dishes. At a
dinner party in Denmark there were two different potato dishes.


> Nearly starved to death in China, but at least was polite
> about it.

A friend of mine who has travelled the world several times and worked overseas
for much of his life adapted quite easily to local food everywhere except
Taiwan. He came back with a powerful dislike of Chinese food.

>
> After the trip to France, I started demanding DNA tests. I just *know* my
> parents brought the wrong baby home - there's no way we're related!
>

Nice place isn't it.

Dave Smith wrote:
> The Bubbo wrote:
>
> A few years ago went on a trip to
> Europe with two brothers and their wives and I got outvoted on just about
> everything. I had horrible Italian food in Germany, over priced food at prime
> tourist areas in Paris and was outvoted on more interesting places. The next time
> I was over there I located some of the places I missed out on during the previous
> group trip, which is the last group trip for me. Never again.
>


We had that experience once in Portugal and Spain and solved it by
eating lunch together and going our own ways for dinner.

We ate at smallish, native restaurants and they went to the dining room
at the Ritz or similar every night. We don't go to Europe expecting to
eat prime rib; they did.

gloria p

Lisa Ann wrote:
> [snip] My brother went to France 10 years ago on business.
> I was insanely jealous (can someone tell me why I'm the one who majored in
> foreign languages, but will apparently be the last in my family to get to
> Europe?), and quizzed him when he got back. "The food there sucks," he
> informed me. He went on to explain that his boss, their French contact and
> he had "gone out for a large pizza and 3 Pepsis, and it cost over 50 bucks!
> And the pizza sucked!" He explained that he had assumed they'd have *great*
> pizza in France, because it's so close to Italy. "Hell, we're clear across
> the ocean and we got us some great pizza here!"

That's hilarious!
>
> [snip] [He] Nearly starved to death in China, but at least was polite
> about it.

And this! In Shanghai we saw a long line of people waiting to get in
an extremely popular restaurant that had newly opened. KFC. That
would have taken care of him, huh?
>
> After the trip to France, I started demanding DNA tests. I just *know* my
> parents brought the wrong baby home - there's no way we're related!
>
Yeah, I would too. At least you both have senses of humor. -aem

In article >,
The Bubbo > wrote:

> > Oh for pity sake!
> > I've never seen a restaraunt one that did not have a separate salad
> > menu, and veggie side orders! (a-la carte options).
>
> yeah, i thought that would be an option too, but I was wrong. The vegan was a
> hardcore marathon runner and weightlifter (though he had to be careful to keep
> his muscle lean and not get bulky or he couldn't run). He needed huge amounts
> of protein daily and vegetables just didn't cut it. I was truly of the opinion
> that he should have brought more clif bars with him at that point.
>
> actually, the more I think about that trip thoe more irritated I get with him
> and it has less to do with food.
>
> --
> .:Heather:.

I agree, no group trips! <g>
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

In article >,
(S'mee) wrote:

> One time on Usenet, "Cindy Hamilton" > said:
> > Jo Anne Slaven wrote:
> > > >S'mee wrote:
> > >
> > > >> But I'm more interested in knowing what kind of fussiness
> > > >> the rest of you may have to deal with...
> > >
> > > My husband will eat freakin' anything. I'm the fussy one.
> > >
> > > One thing I can't figure out about my fussiness is that I don't like
> > > freshwater fish. I love "seafood" (lobster, crab, shrimp, etc), and I
> > > like sal****er fish (halibut, cod, grouper, snapper, et al), but
> > > pickerel, trout, and other freshwater fish just all tastes really
> > > "fishy" to me.
> > >
> > > Anyone else have the same fish preferences?
> >
> > Me. Freshwater fish just tastes muddy to me. I prefer the slightly
> > briny flavor of ocean-going critters.
>
> I agree -- they're naturally packaged with their own seasoning... :-)

Maybe...

But y'all have obviously _never_ had fresh caught Colorado stream trout,
straight from the water into the bacon fat after gutting.....

<closes eyes with incredible memories...>
--
Om.

"My mother never saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch." -Jack Nicholson

Puester wrote:

> Dave Smith wrote:
> > The Bubbo wrote:
> >
> > A few years ago went on a trip to
> > Europe with two brothers and their wives and I got outvoted on just about
> > everything. I had horrible Italian food in Germany, over priced food at prime
> > tourist areas in Paris and was outvoted on more interesting places. The next time
> > I was over there I located some of the places I missed out on during the previous
> > group trip, which is the last group trip for me. Never again.
> >
>
> We had that experience once in Portugal and Spain and solved it by
> eating lunch together and going our own ways for dinner.
>
> We ate at smallish, native restaurants and they went to the dining room
> at the Ritz or similar every night. We don't go to Europe expecting to
> eat prime rib; they did.
>

Good plan. I tried to get away from the group. The problem was that younger brother
didn't speak French or German and did not want to be left to fend for himself, and the
other brother's wife is a controller who wanted to call the shots. I almost got away
from them for lunch the day after the Italian dinner in Germany, but they found me. I
tried to get away on Paris too. My ploy was to tell them what I was going to do and
that if they were interested to meet me in the lobby at a certain time. Maybe I should
have skipped out earlier than arranged because what ended up happening was that one
couple would be down there waiting but then wanted to wait for the other couple.

I almost envy people who can travel as part of a group, except that for many of them it
seems more a matter of need than want. They cannot have a good time on their own and
always need someone else along with them. I can understand individuals preferring
company but it is unfortunate that couples need someone else to come along. My wife
followed the same general itinerary at a later date and had a great time. We went to
the places where we wanted to go and ate in the restaurants where we wanted to eat, and
we didn't waste an hour or two each day waiting for other people.

D.Currie wrote:
> "Julia Altshuler" > wrote in message
> . ..
>
>>I've thought more about the question of what makes a fussy adult and how
>>to deal with them. I've decided that the definition of fussy is someone
>>who can't find anything to eat in a restaurant or social gathering or
>>someone who can't be polite in those situations.
>>
>
>
> Thinking even more about this, If you have to change the way you cook to
> accommodate someone's list of banned foods (barring medical or religious
> reasons) then they might be considered fussy. Unless of course your own
> cooking is quirky to begin with.
>
> But consider this list of foods that one couple has, at one time or another,
> said they don't like/can't eat: onion, black pepper, celery seed/celery
> salt, oregano, marjoram, basil, mint, rosemary, Mexican food, Italian food,
> spicy food of any sort, olive oil, winter squash, chocolate, cucumber, corn,
> garlic, chicken gizzards, liver, anything in the cabbage family, dressing on
> salad, raw tomato, cumin, most ethnic foods, and most
> spices/herbs/seasonings, asparagus, radishes, spinach, sourdough bread, rye
> bread...and I've never seen them eat any sort of fish or seafood. Oh, I'm
> sure I'm missing a few things; I'm still compiling the list.
>
> And, they've commented on other dinners they've had pointing out fatal flaws
> in the cooking. For example, one time they were served baked potato with a
> ham dinner and that "ruined the meal." Okay, baked potato with ham wouldn't
> be my first choice, but it wouldn't ruin the meal for me. There have been
> similar comments, criticizing other meals they've been served and each time
> I've thought that the comment was overly critical.
>
> When we dine at their house, the vegetable is invariably green beans
> (frozen, never fresh) with fake bacon bits on top, and there are no spices
> or seasonings used on anything. Not even salt. No butter, either. Anywhere.
> If there is butter on the table, it is actually margarine mixed with some
> sort of oil and either sugar or corn syrup as she doesn't like hard butter,
> and it's too much trouble to take it out of the fridge ahead of time. I'll
> tell ya, it's a shock when you butter a roll and the "butter" is sweet. And
> this is the same person who makes "gravy" from flour and water, and I once
> saw her dress a salad with watered-down ketchup. And the many times we've
> eaten ham there (one of their favorites) it's not cooked, it's microwaved,
> and then she pours maple-flavored pancake syrup on top.
>
> When they've dined with us, they've eaten a number of things on their
> "banned" list, particularly the spices/herbs/seasonings/flavorings. And they
> rave about how good it is, and take second and third and fourth helpings.
> But if you ask them if they like oregano or rosemary or sage, for example,
> they'll say no. Which makes cooking for them somewhat of a challenge because
> I'm never sure if they really don't like something, or if it's just
> something they say they don't like because they don't have it at home.
>
> And the list is getting longer. It seems like each time we eat with them,
> they tell us about more foods they don't like. It not as bad as it seems,
> though, as there are some things I know I can cook for them. But I wouldn't
> want to eat with them on a daily basis.
>
>

OMG. I have no words for this. It must be difficult to share meals with
such people (may I suggest going to the movies instead?). How can I
begin to express my sympathy?

Dave Smith wrote:

> Terry Pulliam Burd wrote:
>
>
>>One step-daughter is so fussy that when the DH and I were first
>>married, I thought she was a vegetarian. She isn't.
>
>
> We once had a great niece show up at Christmas. We were expecting the rest
> of the family but did not know that she was in town and did not know that
> she had become a vegan. While I was cooking and serving up dinner for 15,
> my wife is running around the kitchen offering her things. She had to
> examine every label to check ingredients. It turned out that her father had
> some vegan food for her but forgot to bring it.
>
> The next time I saw the great niece as a year and a half later. She was
> sitting across the table from me at a brunch buffet. I saw her pack away
> bacon, ham, eggs, lobster, shrimp, roast beef. It struck me strange that it
> was a real PITA to have to run around in the midst of preparing a large
> dinner to try to find vegan food for her, but at a buffet where there were
> lots of meatless options and other people to cater to her, she could fill
> herself up with meat.
>
Lots of vegans don't keep it up. Too much work, not enough flavor seem
to be the reason.

Dave Smith > writes:

>He is a victim of a false assumption. He assumed that Italian pizza
>is good. I had pizza in Italy once and it was the worst pizza I have
>ever had.

American pizza is not the same as European, according to people I know
who have been to Europe. Pizza differs from region to region in the
U.S. so it's not hard to imagine that it differs dramatically country to
country. Tourist pizza places are probably really hideous.

Stacia

In article >,
jake > wrote:

> D.Currie wrote:
> > "Julia Altshuler" > wrote in message
> > . ..
> >
> >>I've thought more about the question of what makes a fussy adult and how
> >>to deal with them. I've decided that the definition of fussy is someone
> >>who can't find anything to eat in a restaurant or social gathering or
> >>someone who can't be polite in those situations.
> >>
> >
> >
> > Thinking even more about this, If you have to change the way you cook to
> > accommodate someone's list of banned foods (barring medical or religious
> > reasons) then they might be considered fussy. Unless of course your own
> > cooking is quirky to begin with.
> >
> > But consider this list of foods that one couple has, at one time or
> > another,
> > said they don't like/can't eat: onion, black pepper, celery seed/celery
> > salt, oregano, marjoram, basil, mint, rosemary, Mexican food, Italian food,
> > spicy food of any sort, olive oil, winter squash, chocolate, cucumber,
> > corn,
> > garlic, chicken gizzards, liver, anything in the cabbage family, dressing
> > on
> > salad, raw tomato, cumin, most ethnic foods, and most
> > spices/herbs/seasonings, asparagus, radishes, spinach, sourdough bread, rye
> > bread...and I've never seen them eat any sort of fish or seafood. Oh, I'm
> > sure I'm missing a few things; I'm still compiling the list.
> >
> > And, they've commented on other dinners they've had pointing out fatal
> > flaws
> > in the cooking. For example, one time they were served baked potato with a
> > ham dinner and that "ruined the meal." Okay, baked potato with ham wouldn't
> > be my first choice, but it wouldn't ruin the meal for me. There have been
> > similar comments, criticizing other meals they've been served and each time
> > I've thought that the comment was overly critical.
> >
> > When we dine at their house, the vegetable is invariably green beans
> > (frozen, never fresh) with fake bacon bits on top, and there are no spices
> > or seasonings used on anything. Not even salt. No butter, either. Anywhere.
> > If there is butter on the table, it is actually margarine mixed with some
> > sort of oil and either sugar or corn syrup as she doesn't like hard butter,
> > and it's too much trouble to take it out of the fridge ahead of time. I'll
> > tell ya, it's a shock when you butter a roll and the "butter" is sweet. And
> > this is the same person who makes "gravy" from flour and water, and I once
> > saw her dress a salad with watered-down ketchup. And the many times we've
> > eaten ham there (one of their favorites) it's not cooked, it's microwaved,
> > and then she pours maple-flavored pancake syrup on top.
> >
> > When they've dined with us, they've eaten a number of things on their
> > "banned" list, particularly the spices/herbs/seasonings/flavorings. And
> > they
> > rave about how good it is, and take second and third and fourth helpings.
> > But if you ask them if they like oregano or rosemary or sage, for example,
> > they'll say no. Which makes cooking for them somewhat of a challenge
> > because
> > I'm never sure if they really don't like something, or if it's just
> > something they say they don't like because they don't have it at home.
> >
> > And the list is getting longer. It seems like each time we eat with them,
> > they tell us about more foods they don't like. It not as bad as it seems,
> > though, as there are some things I know I can cook for them. But I wouldn't
> > want to eat with them on a daily basis.
> >
> >
>
> OMG. I have no words for this. It must be difficult to share meals with
> such people (may I suggest going to the movies instead?). How can I
> begin to express my sympathy?

Just one word comes to mind. Grateful.

Bill

--
Garden Shade Zone 5 S Jersey USA
This article is posted under fair use rules in accordance with
Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, and is strictly for the educational
and informative purposes. This material is distributed without profit.
Vision Problems? Look at http://www.ocutech.com/ ~us$1500

The Bubbo > writes:

>My ex's mother would routinely make 3 meals a night. She had 4 kids, two still
>living at home well into their 20's. They were perfectly capable of making
>their own food, but if left to their own devices would eat only chips and cold
>cereal.

A former co-worker of mine used to brag about how once her kids were 8
and 10, respectively, she stopped cooking. Said they stopped having
dinner and everyone was on their own. She once admitted to eating a bag
of Milk Duds for dinner. Her husband routinely ate microwave popcorn
for dinner and her daughters learned to mooch off neighbors or eat
microwave mac and cheese. They had no food in the house when I knew
her, by the time the girls were teens. She always had someone bring
fast food home for her. Sometimes she would even take the free food her
daughters earned at their jobs at fast food restaurants and laugh when
they would call her at work and ask where their food went to.
I always felt really sorry for that family.

Stacia

fish preferences. I am the same as you. I don't like freshwater
fish and will not eat freshwater fish except for catfish fillets. I do
love salt-water fish (and crab, shrimp, crab, etc.) but, it seems to me,
that 98% of fresh-water fish tastes & smells "fishy" and has a weird
texture to it also. Carol

Our life may not always be the party we would have chosen, but while we
are here, we may as well dance!

On Mon, 16 Jan 2006 03:16:25 -0600, OmManiPadmeOmelet
> wrote:


>> One thing I can't figure out about my fussiness is that I don't like
>> freshwater fish. I love "seafood" (lobster, crab, shrimp, etc), and I
>> like sal****er fish (halibut, cod, grouper, snapper, et al), but
>> pickerel, trout, and other freshwater fish just all tastes really
>> "fishy" to me.
>>
>> Anyone else have the same fish preferences?
>>
>> Jo Anne
>
>If the fresh water fish tastes "fishy", it's not fresh. :-)

It's fresh. I'm talking about the fish DH goes out and catches.

Jo Anne

"D.Currie" > writes:

>take the noodles, no meatballs. That was fine with me. If she was sitting
>anywhere within arms reach of me, she'd take meatballs from the serving dish
>and put them on my plate. If she wasn't close by, she'd tell someone else to
>give me some meatballs.

That is just rude. That's a control issue and I would have a lot of
trouble dealing with that in a polite way.
I don't mind if people don't take something I make. Keep in mind I
don't cook for anyone but myself and my husband anymore. But in the
past if someone didn't like something I served, as long as they didn't
get all complainey and rude about it, I didn't care. My parents and
former friends were easy because they would eat almost anything. The
in-laws, not so much. Even at restaurants they had all sorts of
unspoken rules guests had to follow. I was scolded once for ordering a
small salad and lemonade with a dash of peach Schnapps for a drink,
while someone else (not even a relative, just a moocher friend) ordered
two meals and two appetizers for himself alone and no one said a word.
Apparently the rules we Alcohol BAD. Gluttony GOOD.

Stacia

"D.Currie" > writes:

>When we dine at their house, the vegetable is invariably green beans
>(frozen, never fresh) with fake bacon bits on top, and there are no spices
>or seasonings used on anything. Not even salt. No butter, either. Anywhere.
>If there is butter on the table, it is actually margarine mixed with some
>sort of oil and either sugar or corn syrup as she doesn't like hard butter,

[snipped list of food atrocities]

The problem may be that they just don't understand food. I wonder if
they even know what rosemary tastes like when they say they don't like
it. They also appear to really enjoy sweet things to the extreme.
The watered-down ketchup thing was just gross though. I'm going to
have nightmares about that.

Stacia

Christine Dabney > writes:

>On Sun, 15 Jan 2006 16:40:53 -0500, Julia Altshuler
> wrote:

>>peculiar about what she ate, offered her water. The guest wouldn't
>>drink it because it wasn't bottled water! This was water from a safe
>>municipal supply, but it wasn't good enough. I noticed the
>>inconsistency. Surely the soup at the restaurant used the same
>>municipal water, but at the restaurant it didn't matter.

The soup water was likely boiled during cooking. That makes a
difference.

>I wish I could agree with your opinion, but I can't.

>I have a very good friend who is vegan, and believe me, it is not
>about the person, at least in his case. He is very concerned about
>what is in our food supply, and in our water for instance.
[snip]
>As far as bottled water, there is a lot of controversy as to whether
>some bottled water is just tap water, at least some brands. And some
>tap waters are absolutely horrible as far as what is in them.

That seems perfectly reasonable to me. I've lived in too many places
to think that municipal water is safe just because it tastes like it.
When I'm on a trip and want water, but I'm in a new town or a gas
station convenience store, I'll buy bottled. No way I'm drinking what
comes out of a strange tap in a place that might not be clean, when I
can spend 99 cents on a bottle that's likely to be somewhat safer.
(Although I've read two good articles about Ozarka brand which make me
steer clear of it.)
Still, I get teased about buying bottled water, because some people
just have this notion that water is "free" and "clean" just because they
don't see chunks in it.

Stacia

Glitter Ninja wrote:
> The Bubbo > writes:
>
>>My ex's mother would routinely make 3 meals a night. She had 4 kids, two
still
>>living at home well into their 20's. They were perfectly capable of making
>>their own food, but if left to their own devices would eat only chips and
cold
>>cereal.
>
> A former co-worker of mine used to brag about how once her kids were 8
> and 10, respectively, she stopped cooking. Said they stopped having
> dinner and everyone was on their own. She once admitted to eating a bag
> of Milk Duds for dinner. Her husband routinely ate microwave popcorn
> for dinner and her daughters learned to mooch off neighbors or eat
> microwave mac and cheese. They had no food in the house when I knew
> her, by the time the girls were teens. She always had someone bring
> fast food home for her. Sometimes she would even take the free food her
> daughters earned at their jobs at fast food restaurants and laugh when
> they would call her at work and ask where their food went to.
> I always felt really sorry for that family.
>
> Stacia
>

That's really messed up. I feel bad for them.

--
..:Heather:.
www.velvet-c.com
Step off, beyotches, I'm the roflpimp!

Glitter Ninja wrote:
>
> A former co-worker of mine used to brag about how once her kids were 8
> and 10, respectively, she stopped cooking. Said they stopped having
> dinner and everyone was on their own. She once admitted to eating a bag
> of Milk Duds for dinner. Her husband routinely ate microwave popcorn
> for dinner and her daughters learned to mooch off neighbors or eat
> microwave mac and cheese. [snip the rest of sad tale]

You say she bragged about this? What admirable quality did she think
she was displaying by this abdication of responsibility for her
children? I mean, what did she think she had to brag about? -aem

I don't know who said what, so I clipped everybody's name (E,t <g>)
>
> > Example: I don't eat raw fish. I know that lots of people adore sushi
> > bars, but I can't bring myself to try it.
>

I don't eat raw fish, either (I don't eat much fish of any kind).

A friend of mine adores sushi and I like tempura well enough to get
through an evening of her great company. I wasn't sure I was
going enjoy sitting across the table from her, though. However, when her
sushi plate came, there were two shrimp things (a cube of cold rice,
shrimp on top, wrapped in a dark green weed [seaweed?}).

Both the shrimp were pink. I didn't know enough about the other fish to
know whether or not it was cooked. A little investigating proved that it
was, too.

Tee hee hee. All the folks that I know that were bragging about eating raw
fish were either misinformed or just rattling everyone else's cage.

Sashimi is the raw stuff and it isn't offered anywhere around here. But
that hasn't stopped most of the people I know from talking about cool it
is to eat "raw" fish. <g>

The shrimp were very large and very good. It's the cold glob of rice and a
huge weed ribbon I can't abide.

Elaine, too

Elaine Parrish wrote:
>
> I don't know who said what, so I clipped everybody's name (E,t <g>)
>>
>> > Example: I don't eat raw fish. I know that lots of people adore sushi
>> > bars, but I can't bring myself to try it.
>>
>
> I don't eat raw fish, either (I don't eat much fish of any kind).
>
> A friend of mine adores sushi and I like tempura well enough to get
> through an evening of her great company. I wasn't sure I was
> going enjoy sitting across the table from her, though. However, when her
> sushi plate came, there were two shrimp things (a cube of cold rice,
> shrimp on top, wrapped in a dark green weed [seaweed?}).
>
> Both the shrimp were pink. I didn't know enough about the other fish to
> know whether or not it was cooked. A little investigating proved that it
> was, too.
>
> Tee hee hee. All the folks that I know that were bragging about eating raw
> fish were either misinformed or just rattling everyone else's cage.
>
> Sashimi is the raw stuff and it isn't offered anywhere around here. But
> that hasn't stopped most of the people I know from talking about cool it
> is to eat "raw" fish. <g>
>
> The shrimp were very large and very good. It's the cold glob of rice and a
> huge weed ribbon I can't abide.
>
> Elaine, too
>

There are a few cooked items commonly found on a sushi plate, shrimp is one,
freshwater eel is another. You can get the shrimp raw, aba-emi, but I don't
like it and I think it's always overcooked so i avoid the shrimp altogether.

Did your friend only get shrimp? Or did she get a sushi plate that included
only cooked items? I'm confused about this. What kind of sushi restaurant only
serves cooked fish? Generally, when I go to get sushi I only get one cooked
piece, generally the eel. Most of the precooked things (tempura rolls,
california rolls) tend to be over-flavored and you miss out on the fresh, raw
flavor of a lot of the fish. Since I have a finite amount of room in my belly,
I'm going to focus on what I'm paying for, namely raw fish based sushi.

the fish or shrimp over a block of rice is called nigiri, raw fish alone is
sashimi, rolls are maki.

--
..:Heather:.
www.velvet-c.com
Step off, beyotches, I'm the roflpimp!

Elaine Parrish wrote:
>
> I don't eat raw fish, either (I don't eat much fish of any kind).
>
> A friend of mine adores sushi and I like tempura well enough to get
> through an evening of her great company. I wasn't sure I was
> going enjoy sitting across the table from her, though. However, when her
> sushi plate came, there were two shrimp things (a cube of cold rice,
> shrimp on top, wrapped in a dark green weed [seaweed?}).
>
> Both the shrimp were pink. I didn't know enough about the other fish to
> know whether or not it was cooked. A little investigating proved that it
> was, too.
>
> Tee hee hee. All the folks that I know that were bragging about eating raw
> fish were either misinformed or just rattling everyone else's cage.
>
> Sashimi is the raw stuff and it isn't offered anywhere around here. But
> that hasn't stopped most of the people I know from talking about cool it
> is to eat "raw" fish. <g>
>
> The shrimp were very large and very good. It's the cold glob of rice and a
> huge weed ribbon I can't abide.
>
So you're saying that your friends can't tell the difference between
raw fish and cooked fish? And that tickles you?

I find the first really hard to believe. The second, I believe. -aem

> One time on Usenet, "Bob Terwilliger" >
> said:
> > Jani wrote:
>
> > > But I'm more interested in knowing what kind of fussiness
> > > the rest of you may have to deal with...
> >
> > My girlfriend insists that she isn't fussy. I think she is. Here's the list
> > of things she won't eat: okra, walnuts, pecans, pistachios, any kind of
> > squash, any Indian or Asian food (except Japanese; for some reason Japanese
> > food is "acceptable." But Chinese, Thai, Korean, and Vietnamese foods are
> > rejected out of hand.), oysters, brussels sprouts, chicken, spicy foods,
> > cucumbers, and bacon. Oh, and she doesn't like anything to be "too French,"
> > whatever that means.
>

Yeah, that's picky.

But... I can kinda relate to the Asian foods. These were dishes that I
just was not familiar with. I was anxious enough to go to the restaurants
the first few times, but I didn't have real good experiences. First of all
I didn't have a clue what to order. I was unfamiliar with the ingredients
listed and had no idea what they tasted like in the combos.

[Sorry, but I still don't get Thai Tea.]

There weren't any "sampler" plate offerings, so I picked one thing and,
generally, wasn't pleasantly surprised. I think of any kind of a
restaurant anywhere - including US based menus - and believe this to be
the case.

What helped me were buffet-style restaurants where I could see things and
taste a bite of this and of that until I got used to the spices and the
combos of flavors. There are lots of things I don't care for, but there
are many that I do. At one dish a visit, it would have taken me awhile to
discover all the things I enjoy.

For anyone introducing someone to a new "food group", consider buffets -
even if the quality isn't quite as good. (and get there at the time they
are gearing up for "rush" when everything is fresh).

Elaine, too

>
> "sarah bennett" > wrote in message
> ...
> : OmManiPadmeOmelet wrote:
> : > In article > ,
> : > sarah bennett > wrote:
> : >
> : >
> : >>The only thing I will not consume under nearly any circumstance are lima
> : >>beans.
> : >
> : >
> : > <high fives Sarah>
> : >
> : > I hate them too.
> : > Always have, always will.
> : >
> : > Other beans I hate are black eyed peas and garbanzo/chick peas!
> : >
> : > Ick!
> :
> : those I love
> :
> : --
> :
> : saerah
> :
> : http://anisaerah.blogspot.com/
>

I love lima beans. They are my favs. I only like fresh or frozen. I can
tolerate canned in veggie soup, but not to eat.

I like them gently boiled until they are soft - with butter or bacon
drippins - but I also like them simmered until the water thickens with the
bean starch, but not until they are dry.

Elaine, too

On 16 Jan 2006 08:19:10 -0800, "
> wrote:

> My sister brought up her kids the same way. This can be a very
>dangerous thing for the pocket book. I can remember their great uncle
>taking them to dinner and being a bit shocked when the oldest (10-12
>yr?) started with escargot and proceeded down the menu from there.

That would be my kids. The youngest loves sauteed foie gras and
expensive meat cuts, rare (and adult portion, at 7....), the oldest is
a fan of good fish.... And both guys "favorite food" is sushi...

Nathalie in Switzerland

On Mon, 16 Jan 2006, Nancy Young wrote:

>
> > wrote
>
> > wrote:
>
> >> Side note: Our friends have the opposite problem. They raised their
> >> kids to eat everything very early on, and now every time they go out
> >> the kids want lobster and steamed mussels. :-)
> >
> > My sister brought up her kids the same way. This can be a very
> > dangerous thing for the pocket book. I can remember their great uncle
> > taking them to dinner and being a bit shocked when the oldest (10-12
> > yr?) started with escargot and proceeded down the menu from there.
>
> I guess they hadn't gotten around to the lesson where you don't
> order everything on the menu when someone else is paying?
>
> nancy

Tee hee hee. Nancy, that was exactly what I was thinking.

I remember when I was a kid my dad teaching me what a host is supposed to
say and what a guest is supposed to listen for in a restaurant setting,
so, that all parties were comfortable with the experience. Those "old
rules" were there for a reason and were so valuable. It made the
difference in a comfortable, pleasant evening and a very strained one.

I don't know if people just don't know these things any more or if they
just don't teach their kids anything any more. When I was dating, back
when dirt was new, very few men of my generation knew the protocols. Then
through the years with business dinners and social functions, men who
should have known these kinds of things, didn't.

I strongly suspect that is what happened to slow dancing, too. "Leading"
actually meant something that no one understands anymore. pity.

Elaine, too

>
>>The Bubbo wrote:
>>
>>I can't blame the vegans totally for that. A few years ago went on a trip to
>>Europe with two brothers and their wives and I got outvoted on just about
>>everything. I had horrible Italian food in Germany, over priced food at prime
>>tourist areas in Paris and was outvoted on more interesting places. The next time
>>I was over there I located some of the places I missed out on during the previous
>>group trip, which is the last group trip for me. Never again.

We went on a "once in a lifetime" vacation
with another couple several years ago.

NEVER AGAIN !!

Everything we did was a compromise.

Compromise = A solution that no one wanted.

( I still have nightmares about that trip )

<rj>

>> My brother went to France 10 years ago on business.
>> I was insanely jealous (can someone tell me why I'm the one who majored in
>> foreign languages, but will apparently be the last in my family to get to
>> Europe?), and quizzed him when he got back. "The food there sucks," he
>> informed me. He went on to explain that his boss, their French contact and
>> he had "gone out for a large pizza and 3 Pepsis, and it cost over 50 bucks!
>> And the pizza sucked!" He explained that he had assumed they'd have *great*
>> pizza in France, because it's so close to Italy. "Hell, we're clear across
>> the ocean and we got us some great pizza here!"
>

I traveled to some interesting places "on business".
Friends and relatives were always envious of my destinations.
What they didn't understand was;
Spend 12 hours a day "on site", eating "machine sandwiches" and stale coffee.
Do this seven days a week until the problem is solved,
then get on a plane and go home.......
Whooopeee......



<rj>

>>
>> One thing I can't figure out about my fussiness is that I don't like
>> freshwater fish. I love "seafood" (lobster, crab, shrimp, etc), and I
>> like sal****er fish (halibut, cod, grouper, snapper, et al), but
>> pickerel, trout, and other freshwater fish just all tastes really
>> "fishy" to me.
>>
>> Anyone else have the same fish preferences?
>>
>> Jo Anne
>
>If the fresh water fish tastes "fishy", it's not fresh. :-)
>

This reminds me of a seafood commercial that was popular several years ago.
Their selling point?;

"It doesn't taste like fish" !!

????
<rj>

On Tue, 17 Jan 2006, The Bubbo wrote:

> Elaine Parrish wrote:
> >
> > I don't know who said what, so I clipped everybody's name (E,t <g>)
> >>
> >> > Example: I don't eat raw fish. I know that lots of people adore sushi
> >> > bars, but I can't bring myself to try it.
> >>
> >
> > I don't eat raw fish, either (I don't eat much fish of any kind).
> >
> > A friend of mine adores sushi and I like tempura well enough to get
> > through an evening of her great company. I wasn't sure I was
> > going enjoy sitting across the table from her, though. However, when her
> > sushi plate came, there were two shrimp things (a cube of cold rice,
> > shrimp on top, wrapped in a dark green weed [seaweed?}).
> >
> > Both the shrimp were pink. I didn't know enough about the other fish to
> > know whether or not it was cooked. A little investigating proved that it
> > was, too.
> >
> > Tee hee hee. All the folks that I know that were bragging about eating raw
> > fish were either misinformed or just rattling everyone else's cage.
> >
> > Sashimi is the raw stuff and it isn't offered anywhere around here. But
> > that hasn't stopped most of the people I know from talking about cool it
> > is to eat "raw" fish. <g>
> >
> > The shrimp were very large and very good. It's the cold glob of rice and a
> > huge weed ribbon I can't abide.
> >
> > Elaine, too
> >
>
> There are a few cooked items commonly found on a sushi plate, shrimp is one,
> freshwater eel is another. You can get the shrimp raw, aba-emi, but I don't
> like it and I think it's always overcooked so i avoid the shrimp altogether.
>
> Did your friend only get shrimp? Or did she get a sushi plate that included
> only cooked items? I'm confused about this. What kind of sushi restaurant only
> serves cooked fish? Generally, when I go to get sushi I only get one cooked
> piece, generally the eel. Most of the precooked things (tempura rolls,
> california rolls) tend to be over-flavored and you miss out on the fresh, raw
> flavor of a lot of the fish. Since I have a finite amount of room in my belly,
> I'm going to focus on what I'm paying for, namely raw fish based sushi.
>
> the fish or shrimp over a block of rice is called nigiri, raw fish alone is
> sashimi, rolls are maki.
>
> --
> .:Heather:.
> www.velvet-c.com
> Step off, beyotches, I'm the roflpimp!
>


Geez, I don't know. Sheesh, I live in Plum Nelly (Plum outta the city and
Nelly outta the county <g>). To the west is Podunk, to the east is
Alabama, and to the north is the "wide place in the road". This is not the
end of the earth, but you can see it from here.

A Japanese restaurant opened up here. They have a sushi bar. My friend
ordered the sushi plate. Everything was served on a block of rice and
everything was "steamed".

She's a military brat and has lived all over. She has eaten raw fish
(IMHO: boo, hiss). I didn't want the details (that was after she began a
story about something still wiggling).

She admitted (to my whining about raw fish) that what she had was steamed.
I guess she could tell by the taste.

This little Asian man was walking around the place like the manager.
Oddly, he looked Chinese. He and my friend struck up a conversation. Come
to find out, he was a Chinese man that owned this Japanese restaurant who
had been in the restaurant business for 40 some odd years - most
recently, he had owned a Mexican restaurant. Nice man. Interesting life.

Anyway, our little town is overrun by Chinese and Mexican restaurants (all
having been "Americanized". sheesh), so he decided to go Japanese. So, I'm
not holding my breath that there is any resemblence to "real" Japanese
food here. He did say the fish was steamed because [backwoods] Americans
like it better that way. The tempura is good - more or less.

About this time, I am sorely tempted to ask for a burrito, but alas...

So, that is the story of the sushi.

Elaine, too

Dave Smith wrote:

>
>
> He is a victim of a false assumption. He assumed that Italian pizza is good. I
> had pizza in Italy once and it was the worst pizza I have ever had.

Thats a pretty small statistical sample...

George wrote:

> Dave Smith wrote:
>
> >
> >
> > He is a victim of a false assumption. He assumed that Italian pizza is good. I
> > had pizza in Italy once and it was the worst pizza I have ever had.
>
> Thats a pretty small statistical sample...

I never said that it was a statistical sample, just that I had pizza once in Italy
and it was the worst I ever had.

On 16 Jan 2006, aem wrote:

>
> Elaine Parrish wrote:
> >
> > I don't eat raw fish, either (I don't eat much fish of any kind).
> >
> > A friend of mine adores sushi and I like tempura well enough to get
> > through an evening of her great company. I wasn't sure I was
> > going enjoy sitting across the table from her, though. However, when her
> > sushi plate came, there were two shrimp things (a cube of cold rice,
> > shrimp on top, wrapped in a dark green weed [seaweed?}).
> >
> > Both the shrimp were pink. I didn't know enough about the other fish to
> > know whether or not it was cooked. A little investigating proved that it
> > was, too.
> >
> > Tee hee hee. All the folks that I know that were bragging about eating raw
> > fish were either misinformed or just rattling everyone else's cage.
> >
> > Sashimi is the raw stuff and it isn't offered anywhere around here. But
> > that hasn't stopped most of the people I know from talking about cool it
> > is to eat "raw" fish. <g>
> >
> > The shrimp were very large and very good. It's the cold glob of rice and a
> > huge weed ribbon I can't abide.

Elaine, too.

> >
> So you're saying that your friends can't tell the difference between
> raw fish and cooked fish? And that tickles you?
>
> I find the first really hard to believe. The second, I believe. -aem
>
>

Reading comprehension a little off this morning?

I didn't say my friends can't tell.

The folks bragging about the "raw fish" were college kids - most taking
one of my classes, so I was listening to them - who took to the
place in droves. When some would voice objections to "raw fish", those
"folks" would laugh at them or tease them about being squeamish or
"wimps" and bragging about having eaten there - when in reality they were
not eating raw fish to begin with.

I stated that I didn't know whether they were misinformed or just rattling
everyone's cage. Yes, it tickled me.

Elaine, too.

Nancy Young wrote:
> > wrote
>
> > wrote:
>
> >> Side note: Our friends have the opposite problem. They raised their
> >> kids to eat everything very early on, and now every time they go out
> >> the kids want lobster and steamed mussels. :-)
> >
> > My sister brought up her kids the same way. This can be a very
> > dangerous thing for the pocket book. I can remember their great uncle
> > taking them to dinner and being a bit shocked when the oldest (10-12
> > yr?) started with escargot and proceeded down the menu from there.
>
> I guess they hadn't gotten around to the lesson where you don't
> order everything on the menu when someone else is paying?
>
> nancy

He was making sure that they felt free to order whatever they wanted.
Serves him right

The cost really didn't bother him, rather he was shocked I think he was
expecting the Kids Menu hamburger.

wrote:
> Nancy Young wrote:
>
> wrote
>>
>>
wrote:
>>
>>>>Side note: Our friends have the opposite problem. They raised their
>>>>kids to eat everything very early on, and now every time they go out
>>>>the kids want lobster and steamed mussels. :-)
>>>
>>>My sister brought up her kids the same way. This can be a very
>>>dangerous thing for the pocket book. I can remember their great uncle
>>>taking them to dinner and being a bit shocked when the oldest (10-12
>>>yr?) started with escargot and proceeded down the menu from there.
>>
>>I guess they hadn't gotten around to the lesson where you don't
>>order everything on the menu when someone else is paying?
>>
>>nancy
>
>
> He was making sure that they felt free to order whatever they wanted.
> Serves him right
>
> The cost really didn't bother him, rather he was shocked I think he was
> expecting the Kids Menu hamburger.
>

I think it is weird to take people to dinner, offering to pay, at a
restaurant where a lot of the menu items are too expensive and you
expect your guests to somehow know they should order only the less
expensive items. No, guests should not order the most expensive menu
item, but they should be free to order items that are typical for the
place. If the host has a limited budget he should choose the restaurant
accordingly.

Peter

"aem" > wrote in message
ups.com...
>
> Lisa Ann wrote:
> > After the trip to France, I started demanding DNA tests. I just *know*
my
> > parents brought the wrong baby home - there's no way we're related!
> >
> Yeah, I would too. At least you both have senses of humor. -aem

No, that's the sad part, he has *no* sense of humor - yet another reason for
demanding DNA tests!

Lisa Ann
>

P.Aitken wrote:
> wrote:
> > Nancy Young wrote:
> >
> > wrote
> >>
> >>
> wrote:
> >>
> >>>>Side note: Our friends have the opposite problem. They raised their
> >>>>kids to eat everything very early on, and now every time they go out
> >>>>the kids want lobster and steamed mussels. :-)
> >>>
> >>>My sister brought up her kids the same way. This can be a very
> >>>dangerous thing for the pocket book. I can remember their great uncle
> >>>taking them to dinner and being a bit shocked when the oldest (10-12
> >>>yr?) started with escargot and proceeded down the menu from there.
> >>
> >>I guess they hadn't gotten around to the lesson where you don't
> >>order everything on the menu when someone else is paying?
> >>
> >>nancy
> >
> >
> > He was making sure that they felt free to order whatever they wanted.
> > Serves him right
> >
> > The cost really didn't bother him, rather he was shocked I think he was
> > expecting the Kids Menu hamburger.
> >
>
> I think it is weird to take people to dinner, offering to pay, at a
> restaurant where a lot of the menu items are too expensive and you
> expect your guests to somehow know they should order only the less
> expensive items. No, guests should not order the most expensive menu
> item, but they should be free to order items that are typical for the
> place. If the host has a limited budget he should choose the restaurant
> accordingly.

Exactly. But I also feel it's rude for a guest to order excessively,
where they not only order the most expensive items in each catagory but
they order doubles on appetizers, salads, desserts, etc., and drink
like they think you own the bar .... then when they obviously can't
possibly eat it all the greedy *******s want to take it home... hey,
that's my food you didn't eat, I didn't offer to buy your dinner for
the next day. Occasionally that has happened to me, I never offer to
treat them again, in fact I no longer associate with those types (you
only get to do that to me once), invaribly those kind never offer to
treat anyone, they never heard of the word reciprocity, they are
schnorrers, low lifes not worth knowing.

I also detest that when I treat for dinner any of my guests insist on
paying the tip... I consider that the ultimate insult by which to end
the meal... as if they are saying I can't afford it. Hey, you wanna
show appreciation, don't think you're getting off the reciprocity hook
with a measly tip, next time it's your turn to choose the place and
treat everyone to dinner. And anyway it's none of anyone elses
business how much I tip (in fact when it's my treat no one needs to see
the tab... anyone asks they better be prepared to pay), and I certainly
don't want any cheap ******* choosing how much my tip should be. I
mean don't you think it's awkward announcing in front of everyone "Hey,
l'll leave the tip... how much should I leave?" What if there were
six of us, the tab is like $500, and I respond a C-note and schmucko is
thinking like five bucks a head, like thirty dollars should make him
appear flush. Geeze, the friggin' piker drank more than that. duh

Sheldon

"aem" > wrote in message
oups.com...
>
> Glitter Ninja wrote:
> >
> > A former co-worker of mine used to brag about how once her kids were 8
> > and 10, respectively, she stopped cooking. Said they stopped having
> > dinner and everyone was on their own. She once admitted to eating a bag
> > of Milk Duds for dinner. Her husband routinely ate microwave popcorn
> > for dinner and her daughters learned to mooch off neighbors or eat
> > microwave mac and cheese. [snip the rest of sad tale]
>
> You say she bragged about this? What admirable quality did she think
> she was displaying by this abdication of responsibility for her
> children? I mean, what did she think she had to brag about? -aem

I agree...sheesh, she's lucky CPS didn't take the kids from her - I'm pretty
sure that parents are responsible for *feeding* their minor children. Isn't
that a rule or something?

Lisa Ann
Childless - but I feed my cat!
>

Nathalie Chiva wrote:
>"John_Kane wrote:
>
> > My sister brought up her kids the same way. This can be a very
> >dangerous thing for the pocket book. I can remember their great uncle
> >taking them to dinner and being a bit shocked when the oldest (10-12
> >yr?) started with escargot and proceeded down the menu from there.
>
> That would be my kids. The youngest loves sauteed foie gras and
> expensive meat cuts, rare (and adult portion, at 7....), the oldest is
> a fan of good fish.... And both guys "favorite food" is sushi...
>
> Nathalie in Switzerland

Thanks for the heads up, that you didn't raise your kids to have good
manners. And you're proud of this, that explains everything... the
acorn sure doesn't fall far from the tree... pardon me while I puke.

Sheldon

Elaine Parrish wrote:

>
> I remember when I was a kid my dad teaching me what a host is supposed to
> say and what a guest is supposed to listen for in a restaurant setting,
> so, that all parties were comfortable with the experience. Those "old
> rules" were there for a reason and were so valuable. It made the
> difference in a comfortable, pleasant evening and a very strained one.
>
> I don't know if people just don't know these things any more or if they
> just don't teach their kids anything any more. When I was dating, back
> when dirt was new, very few men of my generation knew the protocols.


Sorry, Elaine, but I have never heards of the protocols, either.
I do know enough to pick up clues from hy host's behavior, but please
let us in on your father's teaching--what is a host spupposed to say and
what does it really mean?

gloria p

"P.Aitken" > wrote

> wrote:
>> Nancy Young wrote:

>>>I guess they hadn't gotten around to the lesson where you don't
>>>order everything on the menu when someone else is paying?

>> He was making sure that they felt free to order whatever they wanted.
>> Serves him right
>>
>> The cost really didn't bother him, rather he was shocked I think he was
>> expecting the Kids Menu hamburger.

> I think it is weird to take people to dinner, offering to pay, at a
> restaurant where a lot of the menu items are too expensive and you expect
> your guests to somehow know they should order only the less expensive
> items.

Adults should know, and kids should too. You take your
cue from what other people are ordering, it's only polite.

If I'm eating out, I order whatever I want. I don't care if it's
the 5 most expensive items from column A B & C. It never
is, but that's not the point. If I'm eating out and someone else
is paying, yes, I'm careful to order along the lines of what they
order, pricewise. Or lower. And the number of courses
they order, as well.

Never too young to teach children to think of others. It
should be brought to their attention that you might order
differently when grandpa is paying vs mom and dad.

It's just manners, that's all.

> No, guests should not order the most expensive menu item,

And here, you admit there is some line somewhere.

People who don't pay attention to that wind up being the
ones bitched about who order expensive meals all the time
then just split the bill with the others at the table, apparently
unaware everyone is chipping in for their meal.

nancy