History behind beloved and well known foods

B_becominghorse

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Egg cream - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

this says no egg (I knew that), but also no cream. Literally true, but the plain 'cream soda' is a simpler version of the Classic New York Egg Cream Soda. Good versions of these are not all that easy to find, I know of only one, at a little Greek diner at 10th and 18th. There's this huge pizza guy down the street at Jackson Square Park thinks his personal egg cream is great, but it's just this big sludgy chocolatey mess.
 

naughty

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

That is probably because they have too much sodium in them. YOu may like Glory greens but remember they are not ever going to taste like home made.
 

B_becominghorse

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That is probably because they have too much sodium in them. YOu may like Glory greens but remember they are not ever going to taste like home made.

Collard greens and butter beans I've never thought were good unless fresh. And how about spices? The one that has zero flavour dried is basil. I never will use anything but fresh. But rosemary and thyme and oregano dry pretty well, I always use fresh sage, though. Sage in chicken Pie is the best thing in the world.
 

naughty

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Collard greens and butter beans I've never thought were good unless fresh. And how about spices? The one that has zero flavour dried is basil. I never will use anything but fresh. But rosemary and thyme and oregano dry pretty well, I always use fresh sage, though. Sage in chicken Pie is the best thing in the world.


Absolutely. Sage is a poultry standard. Have you ever tried Tarragon in chicken salad? That is really a wonderful taste.
 

B_becominghorse

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Absolutely. Sage is a poultry standard. Have you ever tried Tarragon in chicken salad? That is really a wonderful taste.

Oh yes, I can't believe you said that, because my best Chicken Salad is with Tarragon whit wine Vinegar as well as the fresh tarragon, and walnuts, mayo, yogurt, and a little (not too much) celery.
 

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I took an upper division elective class "The Geography of Middle America". It covered Central America and the Caribbean Islands. I found that tomatoes, avocados, corn, and chocolate were all native to North and South America, and were never known in Europe until the 1500s when the Spanish brought these items back with the gold and silver from the new world.
 

Mem

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I took an upper division elective class "The Geography of Middle America". It covered Central America and the Caribbean Islands. I found that tomatoes, avocados, corn, and chocolate were all native to North and South America, and were never known in Europe until the 1500s when the Spanish brought these items back with the gold and silver from the new world.

Also native are peppers, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds.

And Coca-cola :biggrin1:
 
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naughty

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Also native are peppers, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds.

And Coca-cola :biggrin1:


How could you forget the white and sweet potato? THough there were yams that came from Africa the Americas had their own version. It is so amusing that so many associate potatoes with Ireland but in truth someone took them there from the Americas.
 

B_becominghorse

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Coffee - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I had no idea coffee originated in Ethiopia, and spread to Turkey and Yemen, etc. I always thought it was 'discovered' in Brazil.

I didn't know about the potato origins either, thanks, naughty.

Anyway, Oysters Rockefeller originated at Antoine's, but I had their Oysters Colbert (that may be one of theirs too, I can't remember), which was pure heaven. Antoine's is my favourite of all restaurants, you can feel all the history back to the antebellum period.
 

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Coffee - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I had no idea coffee originated in Ethiopia, and spread to Turkey and Yemen, etc. I always thought it was 'discovered' in Brazil.

I didn't know about the potato origins either, thanks, naughty.

Anyway, Oysters Rockefeller originated at Antoine's, but I had their Oysters Colbert (that may be one of theirs too, I can't remember), which was pure heaven. Antoine's is my favourite of all restaurants, you can feel all the history back to the antebellum period.


I think I walked past Antoine's beaucoup times and consciously didnt go in because I was intent upon not coming home 10 lbs heavier than I left. I spent most of my trip to New Orleans on walking tours . THe Voodoo walking tour, The Vampire Walking tour, the Grave yard walking tour, the Creole Walking tour. I really want to go back soon. Seriously though I do not see what the big deal is about beignets. I liked going to the Cafe Du Monde for the history and maybe a cafe au lait but I was so not feeling or tasting the beignets.
 

B_becominghorse

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Seriously though I do not see what the big deal is about beignets. I liked going to the Cafe Du Monde for the history and maybe a cafe au lait but I was so not feeling or tasting the beignets.

I know it, that is the only New Orleans specialty that I just don't get. They are heavy and you get the powdered sugar all over you. Just regular Krispy Kreme Donuts are a lot better, especially when HOT. I love a good Po' Boy though, and I think the best one I had in 2005 was at Praline Connection in the Marigny (I am not sure what happened to some of the places just outside the French Quarter with Katrina, though, but Praline is just on the border of Quarter and Marigny.)

But you must go to Antoine's even if you have to ruin your appetite before hand so as not to overeat (I did have their Cherries Jubilee too, with cognac lit on the tablecloth). Because at lunch you can order lightly and STILL get one of their amazingly schooled waiters to take you on a tour of all the old banquet rooms--he took me through at least 10, I think, and these include the Mardi Gras rooms, even though Antoine's is even older than Mardi Gras!. But what I noticed in New Orleans was the quality of service at all levels, including the simplest. Apathetic service is very common in New York, but you almost never see it in New Orleans, because it's part of their culture they take most pride in. Antoine's is the only place I ever was inspired to give a much larger-than-usual tip. I have never once done it here. I'm going to go and get their menu link, because it's very pretty.

New Orleans Restaurants - The Official Antoine's Restaurant Web Site
 

Mem

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If I am not mistaken beignets are similar to Italian Zeppoles (which are heaven)
 

kalipygian

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How could you forget the white and sweet potato? THough there were yams that came from Africa the Americas had their own version. It is so amusing that so many associate potatoes with Ireland but in truth someone took them there from the Americas.

Sweet potatoes are a new world species in the Morning Glory family, yams are from the tropics of the old world and are in the dioscouriacae family. The grocery stores confusingly call some varieties of sweet potato yams. They are not related.

Those air potato vines that kind of take over in the south are a type of yam, the tubers are formed on the vine, which is not the case with sweet potatoes. I tried cooking some once in Savannah, ultra bitter.
 

Mem

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I hope you never tried to make a pie with crab apples. :biggrin1:
 

D_Ivana Dickenside

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hamburgers came from hamburg, germany. that's about the only thing i can think of. oh yeah and everyone probably knows vodka was actually used as a healing/sanitizing remedy before it boozehounds started consuming it.
 

B_becominghorse

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I hope you never tried to make a pie with crab apples. :biggrin1:

You sure? I bet it would be good. The General Theological Seminary had, until this year, an ancient apple tree gone feral and nobody but me picked up the apples. They weren't good for just eating, but I chopped them and marinated them in red wine and sugar for 48 hours, then cooked them and made a pie out of them with peaches too. The ancient tree was razed a few weeks ago when they started renovation of the grounds in a huge way. Place has been there at 9th and 10th and 20th and 21st (entire block both ways) since 1817. Anyway, I bet I could work with crabapples.
 

B_becominghorse

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hamburgers came from hamburg, germany. that's about the only thing i can think of. oh yeah and everyone probably knows vodka was actually used as a healing/sanitizing remedy before it boozehounds started consuming it.

Are frankfurters from Frankfurt? I bet so, but don't know.