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- #21
Far out...man!!
Northern and Southern Foods
- Thread starter DoctorShavegood
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Far out...man!!
When in Cleveland did you ever have a Polish Boy? I miss.C town for the reasons you mention.
And dont forget pizza. The south is a pizza desert with an occasional oasis.
Yep, definitely had a Polish Boy or two while in Cleveland. I agree with Pizza too. I've never lived in NY or Chicago (the 2 great pizza capitols of the world), but even when I was in places like Cleveland and DC, there were tons of random mom and pop pizza joints. That doesn't exist in the south. Corned beef too. I cannot find a decent corned beef sandwich in SC. I guess I'll have to make the trade off since SC BBQ is my favorite form of BBQ.
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- #25
Fortunately I grew up in an area where the Germans settled. They had some really good deli sandwiches, my favorite being the Reuben. If I made it north I definitely would order it for comparison to the Texas German version.
I think that has to do with the sauce. Souther folks seem to think it's acceptable to boil it on the stove top in a pot while the further north you get the more you see it cooked in a deep pan or a dutch oven inside an oven. Something about this slow "roasting" really helps bring out the flavor of the tomatoes, garlic and all the wonderful spices. You can't make good Italian food in 15 minutes.
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Southwest here. I grew up on the Navajo Reservation and I dare anyone on this board to stomach Achii.
In the right hands Mutton is super yum, Navajo tacos rock, and fry bread is truely a sinful treat.
I would love to get to the North east for lobster.
In the right hands Mutton is super yum, Navajo tacos rock, and fry bread is truely a sinful treat.
I would love to get to the North east for lobster.
Mmmmm...Tacos.
I have been most places around the US and I really go out of my way to try local specialties, so there is not much that has not been checked off my list of things have to try.
The one that leaps to mind is I would like to try to real Texas brisket in its native environs. I have had supposed Texas brisket at any number of places not in Texas, including at Hill Country in Washington, DC, which is said to be pretty authentic, and I have sure made my own brisket trying to use the most authentic of techniques, but I would love to have the real thing in the place of its origin.
There is no question in my mind that local specialties are generally better in places where they originated or are highly popular. Fried chicken, greens, Carolina BBQ, all that South Carolina lowland cooking in the South, a particular style of corn bread. Cajun and Creole cooking in New Orleans or maybe Baton Rouge. Lobster and chowder in New England. Pizza in New York. (Not so much Chicago to my tastes. And not St. Louis.) Jewish deli in New York and Baltimore, and maybe Cleveland. (Actually, New York may have the better pastrami. Not sure the Baltimore pastrami is quite there. The corned beef and chopped liver is.) Hot dogs anywhere there is good Jewish deli and for its own category, Chicago. I would say steak sandwiches in Philly. (Depends on how you feel about Cheese Whiz, I guess.) Frozen custard only particular places--St. Louis, Wisconsin, and a few places scattered here and there, including in the South.
I guess I would consider myself from the South, but I would pass on even trying possum. I was in Scotland and meant to try haggis, but did not manage it. I suppose sushi in Japan would be a treat. Foie gras in France was revelatory, even though I feel guilty about eating it. Snails were mighty good there, too.
The one that leaps to mind is I would like to try to real Texas brisket in its native environs. I have had supposed Texas brisket at any number of places not in Texas, including at Hill Country in Washington, DC, which is said to be pretty authentic, and I have sure made my own brisket trying to use the most authentic of techniques, but I would love to have the real thing in the place of its origin.
There is no question in my mind that local specialties are generally better in places where they originated or are highly popular. Fried chicken, greens, Carolina BBQ, all that South Carolina lowland cooking in the South, a particular style of corn bread. Cajun and Creole cooking in New Orleans or maybe Baton Rouge. Lobster and chowder in New England. Pizza in New York. (Not so much Chicago to my tastes. And not St. Louis.) Jewish deli in New York and Baltimore, and maybe Cleveland. (Actually, New York may have the better pastrami. Not sure the Baltimore pastrami is quite there. The corned beef and chopped liver is.) Hot dogs anywhere there is good Jewish deli and for its own category, Chicago. I would say steak sandwiches in Philly. (Depends on how you feel about Cheese Whiz, I guess.) Frozen custard only particular places--St. Louis, Wisconsin, and a few places scattered here and there, including in the South.
I guess I would consider myself from the South, but I would pass on even trying possum. I was in Scotland and meant to try haggis, but did not manage it. I suppose sushi in Japan would be a treat. Foie gras in France was revelatory, even though I feel guilty about eating it. Snails were mighty good there, too.
The mom and pop joints are always the best.
Yep, good sauce takes time
Well I can tell you first hand that Texas BBQ is highly subjective. Some of it is wonderful. Some is truly awful. You should really try tiger to the salt lick in south Austin. That's as good as it gets. The trick is the pit. It's really a brick box with a steel lid and a hardwood charcoal fire is built in one end and the meat is set on top to catch the 250 degree indirect heat and smoke for 10-12 hours. You can add a pan of water to make steam. Smoke color is important. It needs to be gray smoke from seasoned wood. Not blue or green smoke from fresh cut wood. The meat is seasoned with spices. Lowrys season salt is pretty good. I don't know anyone that cooks bbq that calls it a "dry rub". It's just seasoning. Some folks cook BBQ chicken and baste it in the sauce. Brisket is served sauce on the side. If they cover the meat they are hiding something. Good meat should be fork tender and not need sauce.
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- #32
Speaking of sauces is Hot sauce a southern thing or northern thing?
It depends. Sport peppers and Tabasco southern. Salsa southwest. Wing style sauces northern. Sriracha is Asian. Everybody can take hot peppers and make them good.
I would think more of a Southern thing. But in just about every greasy spoon in the Northeast it is available to drown a breakfast special.
I'll throw out another option. How about Hawaiian dishes? LauLau, poi, lomi salmon, squid luau, pipikaula, smoke meat, etc, etc. And of course there is the chili pepper water for the "hot sauce". There's also tripe stew for those who like achii.
I'm not sure who else may have had it, but I'm originally from Georgia and there's Brunswick Stew which is really quite good. Also you can't beat a good plate of collards (or greens as we called em), buttermilk cornbread, and black eye peas with a cold glass of sweet tea.
Oh and I almost forgot. Frog Legs.... Just sublime if done right.
I'm not sure who else may have had it, but I'm originally from Georgia and there's Brunswick Stew which is really quite good. Also you can't beat a good plate of collards (or greens as we called em), buttermilk cornbread, and black eye peas with a cold glass of sweet tea.
Oh and I almost forgot. Frog Legs.... Just sublime if done right.
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- #36
Does location help to make a certain food more authentic? If I placed a great mexican food restaurant from south Texas in a small town in Michigan, would it be the same?
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No it would not be the same. Different regions have different taste expectations.
simon1
Self Ignored by Vista
Heh heh...I see what you're doing. And I agree.
I'd really like to go back to Monderno's in Piedras Negras and have the cabrito again...but I think I heard they closed down.
My aunt in Uvalde used to get with a Mexican woman she knew very well and they used to make tamales. That's a bunch of work. My aunt told me that she didn't speak Spanish very well and the Mexican woman didn't speak English very well, but they could communicate, even over the phone, just fine.
I wonder if their tamales would taste as good here as they did at my aunt's house.
I'd like to try the Chicago pizza and the Chicago dog, although I've had a dog in Dallas from a place that is owned by some people from Chicago. And I've ordered the Mary Ann buns and green relish, and some REAL sport peppers and made my own...but I didn't have the real Vienna beef dogs like the place in Dallas did.
I'd really like to try some REAL New England clam chowdah....I love even what I can get here.
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- #39
Simon, I just picture myself eating New England clam Chowder in a little dive on some bay up there. It's decorated with seaweed, anchors, old oars and nets. The food wouldn't taste the same if it was in a restaurant here.
I'm originally from Rhode Island & I love my clam chowder. My major issue is that I prefer the "Manhattan" style (w/red sauce) over the original style "New England" style (with white sauce). Given the choice of clam chowder I wall always go with the Manhattan style clam chowder.
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