History behind beloved and well known foods

[naughty]

Okey-dokey.
As I said, I basically despise Spam myself, so you're talkin' to the converted.
When we were given Spam in childhood (apart from those fried Spam sandwiches, in which Spam was only the first ingredient), it felt like child abuse.

LOL! IT was, baby. It was. I usually dont get so worked up about food, but that one along with its even more nefarioius cousin that they had the nerve to call TREET (The spelling should have tipped you off! ) are for the history books as one of those ideas that should never have been executed. Then again perhaps it should have been... executed! LOL!

 

[dong20]

When we were given Spam in childhood (apart from those fried Spam sandwiches, in which Spam was only the first ingredient), it felt like child abuse.

So, does my toasted spam count as self abuse.

As for food grossness, boiled Okra is high on my list, a cross between snot and frogspawn, IMO.

 

[prepstudinsc]

So, does my toasted spam count as self abuse.

As for food grossness, boiled Okra is high on my list, a cross between snot and frogspawn, IMO.

Okra is delicious in any manner prepared--boiled, stewed with tomatoes, and especially fried. I had some Okra a couple of days ago.

 

[naughty]

So, does my toasted spam count as self abuse.

As for food grossness, boiled Okra is high on my list, a cross between snot and frogspawn, IMO.

It can get like that if you cook it too long. However when it is cooked just right it is fabulous. Have you ever had fried okra?

 

[prepstudinsc]

It can get like that if you cook it too long. However when it is cooked just right it is fabulous. Have you ever had fried okra?

It's da bomb!

 

[naughty]

OK! THat was just too scary!

 

[dong20]

Okra is delicious in any manner prepared--boiled, stewed with tomatoes, and especially fried. I had some Okra a couple of days ago.

Well, I'd say that like most foods, 'delicious' actually a matter of personal taste.

It can get like that if you cook it too long. However when it is cooked just right it is fabulous. Have you ever had fried okra?

I know, but it's really not a matter of cooking time for me, I simply don't like the texture when it's boiled - blanched for few seconds is OK, barely. And heaven knows I've tried hard enough (where I've been offered it most it's rude to refuse). But yes, I do like it fried or baked.

There's very little I actively dislike, so perhaps for me it's the vegetable equivalent of SPAM.

 

[naughty]

Well, I'd say that like most foods, 'delicious' actually a matter of personal taste.



I know, but it's really not a matter of cooking time for me, I simply don't like the texture when it's boiled - blanched for few seconds is OK, barely. And heaven knows I've tried hard enough (where I've been offered it most it's rude to refuse). But yes, I do like it fried or baked.

There's very little I actively dislike, so perhaps for me it's the vegetable equivalent of SPAM.

LOL! I hear that! Fair enough! One man's Okra is another man's spam! LOL!

 

[dong20]

LOL! I hear that! Fair enough! One man's boiled Okra is another man's spam! LOL!

Minor tweak, but essentially yes!

 

[B_becominghorse]

As for food grossness, boiled Okra is high on my list, a cross between snot and frogspawn, IMO.

Boiled Okra is wonderful if the okra is perfectly fresh and young and it's not overcooked. Especially good stewed with tomatoes, bacon, shallots and braised in some white wine, Low Country Style. I've noticed it in a few Greek beef recipes in restaurants too, and once had it. But really properly done Fried Okra is out of sight too, done with corn meal.

 

[dong20]

Boiled Okra is wonderful if the okra is perfectly fresh and young and it's not overcooked. Especially good stewed with tomatoes, bacon, shallots and braised in some white wine, Low Country Style. I've noticed it in a few Greek beef recipes in restaurants too, and once had it. But really properly done Fried Okra is out of sight too, done with corn meal.

See above ^^^

 

[naughty]

Boiled Okra is wonderful if the okra is perfectly fresh and young and it's not overcooked. Especially good stewed with tomatoes, bacon, shallots and braised in some white wine, Low Country Style. I've noticed it in a few Greek beef recipes in restaurants too, and once had it. But really properly done Fried Okra is out of sight too, done with corn meal.

Thank you. BLack eyed peas can be seen as vile as well when they arent cooked correctly.

 

[B_becominghorse]

Thank you. BLack eyed peas can be seen as vile as well when they arent cooked correctly.

Oh, black eyed peas! They are the most divine things on earth when properly made, and also white acre peas (I think they are called), but that was only when I lived in the South. And the other thing I can NEVER get here is gorgeous TURNIP GREENS. They are the most wonderful, and I much prefer to collards, which are at all Soul Food Restaurants.

Sorry, dong, I did look back and saw all my territory on the okra had been covered (almost.)

 

[DC_DEEP]

I will make one thing clear gay and gals, the frenchmen will hate me for this, but it's important!
French fries are NOT french, it's invented in Belgium, NOT france! Is that clear guys and gals:biggrin1:.
I'm not telling you a lie, it's the truth. So now you could say that you ate some belgian fries :tongue:

pieter, that is very well-known, it is no surprise.

Okra is delicious in any manner prepared--boiled, stewed with tomatoes, and especially fried. I had some Okra a couple of days ago.

You left out pickled. Pickled okra is delicious, but fried okra is one of those transcendent things. Battered & deep fried, such as you would find in a restaurant, is ok. My Mom used to dredge it in cornmeal, and pan-fry it with onions. When boiled, it was always with onions and tomatoes.

When I moved to this area, I was shocked to discover that okra just is not sold much here - even considering that Maryland and Virginia are southern states. NO restaurants serve it, it's hard to find in the produce section at the grocery store. Sometimes you can find it in the (ewww!) frozen vegetable section.

 

[kalipygian]

Hot crossed buns:

"At the feast to Eastre*, an ox was sacrificed and the image of his horns carved into ritual bread - which evolved into the twice-scored Easter biscuits we call 'hot cross buns.' In fact, the word 'bun' derives from the Saxon for 'sacred ox,' 'boun.'" Sacred Origins of Profound Things. A cross bun kept from one Good Friday to the next was thought to bring luck, the buns were supposed to serve as a charm against shipwreck, and hanging a bun over the chimney piece ensured that all bread baked there would be perfect. Another belief was that eating hot cross buns on Good Friday served to protect the home from fire." ~ Hallmark Press Room.

* I also read that the cross was meant to represent, also in the context of Saxon Goddess Eostre (her name supposedly the derivation of the word Easter), the four phases of the moon. According to the OED, the term itself dates from the mid 18th Century.

Whatever, they're yummy, even a year old (maybe).

I have fruitcakes from My Great Aunt's recipe that family members have sent me over the years accumulating in the refrigerator, I suppose they are bringing me all kinds of luck.:wink:

East is, of course, the direction the sun comes from, and easter is sun return.

 

[B_becominghorse]

Sometimes you can find it in the (ewww!) frozen vegetable section.

Of course, not as good as fresh, but I've found that the whole frozen okra is not terrible at all, if used in the old-fashioned vegetable soups. I can actually get the fresh here most of the time, but sometimes the only kind is the huge big woody things which are worthless, in that case the frozen will work in soups. For a special dish or real fried okra, not good enough. This is also true of frozen peas (English, not my and naughty's Southern black-eyeds), which are not usually available except in summer, and sometimes the fresh ones are these big bullets which are awful. I've found frozen peas to be remarkably good and that one prepares them best by boiling the water, throwing the peas in and just letting then get slightly softer. Then they are very good with some chopped mint and butter, or lemon and butter.

 

[invisibleman]

I have fruitcakes from My Great Aunt's recipe that family members have sent me over the years accumulating in the refrigerator, I suppose they are bringing me all kinds of luck.:wink:

I shellac fruitcakes and hang them from my door as Christmas wreaths. The loaf style fruitcakes make wonderful paperweights.

 

[Mem]

I had amazing home made collard greens one time and I bought "Sylvia's" brand in the supermarket and it was terrible.

 

[transformer_99]

Authentic cajun gumbo and cuisine wouldn't be right without okra. Okra = good, IMHO.

 

[Mem]

Authentic cajun gumbo and cuisine wouldn't be right without okra. Okra = good, IMHO.

I liked when Tom Cruise jumped on her couch. :biggrin1: