Friday, July 15, 2011

A Bit Eclectic

Just a bit of an eclectic post. Julia and Larry, next-door neighbors, brought me a gallon of blackberries the other day. Tonight I got 5.5 jelly jars of blackberry jelly put up. Will have to wait until tomorrow to see if they jell.

Tonight my Dad whistled at me while in the kitchen. I turned around and asked him what my name was. He replied, "Debbie?" I asked him what his daughter's name was. He said, "I can maybe tell you tomorrow." He said, "You're tearing me up." I wonder if that's because he realized he was missing something important but couldn't figure it out. Then in a few minutes, he said, "Daughter, I'm going to bed," and kissed me good night.

I've just finished listening to Anthony Bourdain's "Kitchen Confidential," which was quite enjoyable and published in 2000 or so. Then I listened to his 2010 book, "Medium Raw," which wasn't nearly as enjoyable.  The first had a flow that the second lacked.

I've also been watching the Gordon Ramsay shows on Netflix that come from the BBC America. His U.S. shows are trash to me. The drama and cursing that seems to be encouraged for American audiences make them unwatchable to me. His BBC shows are thoroughly enjoyable and present an all together different picture of the man than the U.S. shows do.

His series on the best U.K. restaurant were wonderful. They were a battle of different restaurants cooking different cultural foods until a final winner was chosen.  It was delightful seeing the kitchens, chefs, and cooking from all those cultures - Indian, Chinese, Spanish, Italian, French, English.

After that, I watched his 3-hour special on Great Escapes, his to India, where he filmed going to different parts of India to learn the real way Indian food is cooked. It's the same as Indian and Mexican food is cooked in the U.S. The real food eaten in those countries is in no way like the crap the restaurants serve in country.

I'll never forget the shock and initial reaction a manager of a local Mexican restaurant had when I asked him why he didn't have something as easy and delicious on his menu as posole. He jerked back and, with eyes widening, said, "That's real food." Doh! For those that don't know, posole is a soup that has a lot of pork, a delicious broth, and hominy and various other things according to region - as in the difference between dressing in the north versus the south in the U.S.

3 comments:

Deb said...

There is a restaurantin OR... Medford or Grants Pass. They serve the *best* posole.

A local Mexican restaurant was sold recently, and sadly. She made real Mexican food, using lard for those who wanted it "real", salsas on request that were not sweetened, etc. She made the American/tourist versions for those who thought Taco Bell was real Mexican food. Those who appreciated the good stuff could order it. We have not tried the new guy's version. Maybe a lunch...

Jola Gayle said...

I have a cousin that's in Medford, or was the last thing I knew. Sure wish I could find one like that around here. We've tried 5 so far; all tex-mex blech.

Did find one tienda that does carnitas. The one nearest in Ky only does them on Friday. Getting there then is problematic. Sob.

Anonymous said...

Can't understand why California, with so many actual Mexicans, has crap Mexican food. My hub took me to a little hole in the wall place in San Diego once; enchilada plate like I've never had, amazing. Nothing really like that near my town; guess you have to go more south.