Actually eating the local specialities even though you're not a tourist: C/D?

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For dinner tonight, I actually had eggs in green sauce (http://www.geocities.com/NapaValley/6579/recipes/85.txt) and a couple of glasses of apple wine, which is the sort of thing that tourists in restaurants in Frankfurt order, but I'm not a tourist and my meal was really quite yummy. Do we have Bostonians here who enjoy getting scrod? ("I've never heard that in the pluperfect subjenctive before, lady!") Folks from Yorkshire who eat the pudding? Do you honor and enjoy your local cuisine, or do you wait until out-of-towners visit?

― Colin Meeder (Mert), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 16:33 (twenty-two years ago)

I think local cuisine in Indiana is "pork tenderloin sandwich"; there was a discussion yesterday at orientation about who makes the best (answer by consensus: a gas station). I've had it once, but it was from McDonald's. It was good, though!

In New Orleans, yeah, I had local type food all the time. There's a difference between the specifics of tourist food and real local food, I guess, but pretty much when people would visit and say "show me the local restaurants!" we'd just be getting the restaurant version of what I usually had for dinner.

― Tep (ktepi), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 16:37 (twenty-two years ago)

It's very hard for a British person to answer this :(

I eat strawberries and cream I guess (I'm sorta from Wimbledon)

― Mark C (Mark C), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 16:42 (twenty-two years ago)

when i lived in philadelphia, i worshiped at the altar of the cheesesteak (usually the vegetarian one, sometimes not). although i tend to avoid the really popular places (ie those in will smith videos), because, well, their cheesesteaks aren't *all* that.

i was not crazy about water ice, and the smell of pretzels with mustard at 10am (!!) made me sick to my stomach.

and now that i am in nyc, i eat bagels for breakfast many times a week, and partake in hot dog consumption at the blind tiger's 'celebrate nyc' happy hour, which doles out free sabrett footlongs. although i guess the 'local cuisine' of nyc could also be the totally out there price-wise restaurants, in which case, yeah, i do save those for special occasions ...

― maura (maura), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 16:47 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh yeah, for New England I have no idea how to answer. "Local cuisine" is lobster, lobster rolls (the horror), and baked beans, I guess. Maybe corned beef and cabbage ... it's certainly not unique to the area, just popular there. Eh. Baked beans are all right with hot dogs or something, once in awhile. Lobster doesn't thrill me. Lobster rolls are one of the worst uses of seafood I can imagine.

― Tep (ktepi), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 16:50 (twenty-two years ago)

I can't stand lobster - do you know what a pariah this makes me in my dad's family?

― luna (luna.c), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 16:55 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm like 20th generation Connecticut, so I can imagine :) It might not be Maine, but even so.

Crawfish, that's where it's at. Lobster is like crawfish for wussheads.

― Tep (ktepi), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 16:57 (twenty-two years ago)

I have been eating seafood forever, and lobster just *isn't* that special. However, tell me where razor clams are a speciality and I'm there, yo.

― Mark C (Mark C), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 16:59 (twenty-two years ago)

I think lobster is one of those "it's hard to get so it must be proportionately great" things, and if that actually held water I'd be spreading bear come on my crackers tonight. But I ain't.

― Tep (ktepi), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 17:04 (twenty-two years ago)

Awww, I think the bear would be pretty easy, you just have to be gentle and buy it dinner first. Maybe lobster?

― luna (luna.c), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 17:05 (twenty-two years ago)

I drive through In-N-Out from time to time.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 17:07 (twenty-two years ago)

It might be easy for you, I don't know, but I'd be lost. How do you seduce a bear? Do you compliment its fur, or would that be weird, like telling a person, "Great forehead. Wanna come on a cracker for me?" What do bears eroticize?

― Tep (ktepi), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 17:08 (twenty-two years ago)

Next time I come across one, I'll ask

― luna (luna.c), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 17:09 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh fuck.

― luna (luna.c), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 17:09 (twenty-two years ago)

Next time I ENCOUNTER a bear, I'll ask.

― luna (luna.c), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 17:09 (twenty-two years ago)

Do you think Indian people feel guilty when they eat dal makhni? Like, "Oh god, here I go, perpetuating the stereotype."

― NA (Nick A.), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 17:12 (twenty-two years ago)

scrod?

― kephm, Tuesday, 26 August 2003 17:13 (twenty-two years ago)

http://www.theonion.com/onion2920w/bearrape.html

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 17:15 (twenty-two years ago)

sorry, that might be in bad taste, but I have no idea what you people are on about!

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 17:16 (twenty-two years ago)

So where exactly is the bear-splooj-cracker hors deurve a "local specialty"?

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 17:16 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, see, guard hairs, that's exactly what I'm saying!

― Tep (ktepi), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 17:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Jellystone, Nick.

― Tep (ktepi), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 17:17 (twenty-two years ago)

mark c: jellied eels!!

(except wait ONLY locals eat those, and no one else on earth... )

― mark s (mark s), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 17:18 (twenty-two years ago)

I take it back.

― luna (luna.c), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 17:18 (twenty-two years ago)

I love how the Onion bear rape link didn't immediately kill this thread.

― Spencer Chow (spencermfi), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 17:33 (twenty-two years ago)

I eat smoked mullet, but not often enough.

― fletrejet, Tuesday, 26 August 2003 17:37 (twenty-two years ago)

"Gilks was pronounced dead upon arrival at the hospital. A full quart of bear semen was extracted from his ruptured chest cavity."

See there ya go, now just get the crackers dude!

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 17:42 (twenty-two years ago)

what is water ice?

― teeny (teeny), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 17:49 (twenty-two years ago)

oh look, I've got an internet in front of me:

http://www.philawaterice.com/

― teeny (teeny), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 17:50 (twenty-two years ago)

How is water ice different from Italian ice?

― rosemary (rosemary), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 17:56 (twenty-two years ago)

Me to thread, repeatedly.

― animal wrangler (Jody Beth Rosen), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 17:57 (twenty-two years ago)

mmmmmmmmmmmmm crawfish.

isn't water ice an oxymoron?

what are chicago's alleged specialties? pizza? polish sausage? hot dogs? i eat a fair bit of all of those things.

― amateurist (amateurist), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 18:00 (twenty-two years ago)

I don't think water ice is significantly different from Italian ice, unless the amount of syrup is different ... it's "water" ice to differentiate from "milk and cream" ices, if that's not clear.

― Tep (ktepi), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 18:00 (twenty-two years ago)

where does ice milk fit into this?

― amateurist (amateurist), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 18:02 (twenty-two years ago)

I think the only "specialties" in Milwaukee are frozen custard and bratwurst. I don't really eat either of those. Frozen custard is good, though.

― kirsten (kirsten), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 18:03 (twenty-two years ago)

omg frozen custard and brats.

(drolls)

― amateurist (amateurist), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 18:04 (twenty-two years ago)

(oops i did it again)

(drools)

― amateurist (amateurist), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 18:05 (twenty-two years ago)

I've eaten deep-fried sweets. And, I guess haggis (eaten frequently) fits, maybe.

― David. (Cozen), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 18:05 (twenty-two years ago)

MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMmmmmm Donairs, GARLIC FINGERS!!!!!
But I leave (or did leave) dulce for the tourists.

― Mr Noodles (Mr Noodles), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 18:08 (twenty-two years ago)

St. Louis specialties make me wonder why the whole city hasn't keeled over: Deep-fried ravioli, frozen custard (yes yes I know you have frozen custard but St. Louis has a super-high-fat yummy one), and GOOEY BUTTER CAKE!

― teeny (teeny), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 18:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Deep-fried ravioli

!!!!!!

― animal wrangler (Jody Beth Rosen), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 18:12 (twenty-two years ago)

Aha! Gooey Butter Cake explains why Panera (aka St Louis Bread Company or something like that) has Gooey Butter danishes. Tasty, but HolyCrapOhMyGOD.

Deep-fried ravioli is St Louis? St Louis is officially Tep-approved, then.

― Tep (ktepi), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 18:13 (twenty-two years ago)

Speaking as a northern bint I can say that I would never turn down a meat and potato pie with chips and gravy. But put mushy peas in front of me... eeugh. Ugggmph. As for butter pie...

Hold up.

DEEP FRIED RAVIOLI???? Grossgrossgross!

― Sarah (starry), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 18:14 (twenty-two years ago)

As for butter pie...

I like that they've decided Friday is Pie Day. But they're wrong. EVERY DAY is pie day.

― animal wrangler (Jody Beth Rosen), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 18:16 (twenty-two years ago)

is the pie FILLED with butter?

― amateurist (amateurist), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 18:17 (twenty-two years ago)

"yes yes I know you have frozen custard but St. Louis has a super-high-fat yummy one"
Is there such a thing as low-fat frozen custard?

― kirsten (kirsten), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 18:17 (twenty-two years ago)

Speaking as a northern bint I can say that I would never turn down a meat and potato pie with chips and gravy. But put mushy peas in front of me... eeugh. Ugggmph. As for butter pie... actually I can't find the butter pies on there but I KNOW THEY DO THEM.

Hold up.

DEEP FRIED RAVIOLI???? Grossgrossgross!

― Sarah (starry), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 18:20 (twenty-two years ago)

haha I actually did a radio remote for a frozen custard place once. Here's my memory of my conversation with the owner (off the air, thank goodness; I wouldn't have been able to keep it together on air):

Me: "So tell me a little bit about your range of products. Do you offer any low-fat options or anything like that"
Owner: "Well actually all our frozen custard is 85% fat free!"

― teeny (teeny), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 18:21 (twenty-two years ago)

How did that one work? I blame multiple tabs.

*My* butter pie is just a potato pie baked with butter and it is the BEST THING EVER. Jamie of T*m*a*l*n not-quite fame described to me the hangover solving properties of the butter pie and I nearly hightailed it back to Preston right there and then. In my defence I was rather drunk...

― Sarah (starry), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 18:23 (twenty-two years ago)

Scarily enough, 15% fat isn't nearly as bad as it could be -- 30 years ago, it'd be more like 35%.

― Tep (ktepi), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 18:25 (twenty-two years ago)

I drive through In-N-Out from time to time.

Hahaha! I just ate there last night.

― Chris Barrus (Chris Barrus), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 18:26 (twenty-two years ago)

But why did they stop calling it Italian ice and start calling it water ice???

My school would serve fried ravioli sometimes.

― rosemary (rosemary), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 18:27 (twenty-two years ago)

But why did they stop calling it Italian ice and start calling it water ice???

No no, it isn't stopping anything -- think of it as like soda vs. pop. Ice + sugar = one of the oldest foods on the planet that's still around. It's been around for thousands of years longer than Italian anything. There are just lots of different names for it.

― Tep (ktepi), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 18:28 (twenty-two years ago)

I totally go to Pink's & Tommy's.

― luna (luna.c), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 18:29 (twenty-two years ago)

Some random Googling on deep fried ravioli turns up: this recipie and this menu item

― Chris Barrus (Chris Barrus), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 18:30 (twenty-two years ago)

In my case, that would be smoked salmon.. and, well, i'm not a seafood person... so, ah well.

(Coffee specialties on the other hand... )

― donut bitch (donut), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 18:31 (twenty-two years ago)

I've been eating carne asada tacos since the day I was born and am not quitting anytime soon.

I also eat at Tommy's and the Apple Pan on a regular basis.

― Chris Barrus (Chris Barrus), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 18:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Kentucky fried chicken = unfuckwithable.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 18:41 (twenty-two years ago)

But Tep, they did too change! The ice cream stands and the county fairs we went to as a kid used to call it "Italian ice" and now they call it "Italian water ice".

― rosemary (rosemary), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 18:45 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh, I thought you meant like just the specific ... existence of the two terms. I have no idea -- did they used to make any of them with milk or cream? (New Orleans places sometimes use weird terms to differentiate between snowballs with just syrup and snowballs with milk or condensed milk).

― Tep (ktepi), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 18:54 (twenty-two years ago)

You really can't lose with Mexican food.

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 18:55 (twenty-two years ago)

No, it's still the same stuff, flavored frozen water. The name change made us all think it was something new.

Whatever it's called, I could sure go for some.

― rosemary (rosemary), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 18:59 (twenty-two years ago)

Ie an ice lolly??

― Sarah (starry), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 18:59 (twenty-two years ago)

I eat poboys like 5 days a week, snowballs in the summer, gumbo and jambalaya when it's around and I have no objection to alligator.

Most of the tourists in New Orleans eat at the Krystal burger on Bourbon St I think. There's not enough beer in the world for me to eat there.

― adam (adam), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 19:59 (twenty-two years ago)

It's tiny and the food probably isn't that good, but I dig the Magnolia Cafe behind the Marriott.

― luna (luna.c), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 20:01 (twenty-two years ago)

Cops go to Krystal, too, weirdly. A sort of friend of mine who's an ex-little-bit-crooked-cop, ex-detective, took me there when he was giving me a ride one time. It's like White Castle without the charm.

― Tep (ktepi), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 20:03 (twenty-two years ago)

When I think of Minnesota cuisine, I think of walleye trout (BLEAH) and lutefisk (ARGH KILL ME NOW ok thx).

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 21:20 (twenty-two years ago)

LA area = Mexican and Asian cuisines plus various American takes = heaven.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 21:21 (twenty-two years ago)

Conversely, Minnesota is also a good dairy state (cheese + butter + ice cream = YUMMMMMMMMMM) (although not all together ew)

― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 21:22 (twenty-two years ago)

I'm actually kinda sick of eating the "local specialties". Please, dear God, no more carne guisada or flautas or gorditas or puffy tacos or Mexican rice or refried beans or fajitas or anything like that. Please please please please PLEASE no. I suppose if I were more into alcohol I'd also be complaining about margaritas as well. I want regular Americana, please, roasted chicken or turkey or something similar.

I haven't had anything from one of the major local chain restaurants recently, though, so I'm not sick of that yet. Mmmm, barbecue.

― Just Deanna (Dee the Lurker), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 22:05 (twenty-two years ago)

Crab cakes are a local attraction in San Francisco. I'll have them every now and then. I think there's supposed to be a really good place at fisherman's wharf to get them, but of course that means actually going up to fisherman's wharf *shudder*...

― Sean (Sean), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 23:33 (twenty-two years ago)

Mmmm, barbecue.

I was about to say, Dee :) Geez -- Rudy's! Out on ... man, I don't know, it's maybe half an hour away, but hopefully you know where I mean. That's as much San Antonio to me as carne guisada and refritos.

― Tep (ktepi), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 23:41 (twenty-two years ago)

yes Sean, but the only place to find In-N-Out (mentioned above) in SF is in the wharf. May I also note that In-N-Out in NoCal <<<<< SoCal. Must be the traffic on 580.

SF is also famous for:

oysters (although i prefer the washington and japanese variety to the local types)
sourdough bread - eh...
fortune cookies (invented in SF's chinatown by Hagiwara, a japanese-american man... I love the chocolate ones)
rice-a-roni - traditional middle eastern pilaf mass-marketed to unknowing 'murikins
chop-suey - originated at a hotel in chinatown
its-it ice cream sandwiches
and of course the martini (then named the martinez) at the occidental hotel

― gygax! (gygax!), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 23:50 (twenty-two years ago)

I have never had a Chicago hot dog, but I partake in deep dish pizza every chance I get.

― JuliaA (j_bdules), Tuesday, 26 August 2003 23:51 (twenty-two years ago)

Other Milwaukee specialties include fried cheese, various fried vegetables, and cream puffs. I don't really have any interest in any of these. Oh yeah, and beer. I do love beer.

― kirsten (kirsten), Wednesday, 27 August 2003 00:02 (twenty-two years ago)

yeah, i have had quite a few marinated kangaroo fillets in my time. also lots of emu sausages. no witchety grubs tho

― minna (minna), Wednesday, 27 August 2003 00:11 (twenty-two years ago)

Kentucky=
bourbon (yes!),
cigarettes (yes!),
derby pie (yes!),
hot browns (the best food in the world. eat one, you won't be hungry again for the rest of your life!)

― Emilymv (Emilymv), Wednesday, 27 August 2003 00:19 (twenty-two years ago)

Anyone in the Chesapeake Bay watershed who doesn't like a good crab cake is a bloody fool. (Exceptions: vegetarians and vegans; Jews and any other groups that regard shellfish as unclean.)

― j.lu (j.lu), Wednesday, 27 August 2003 01:30 (twenty-two years ago)

My two homes:
Cornwall
Pasties, hmm, not that often but by God when you're in the mood for one nothing else will do.
Saffron Cake, never as nice as it sounds.
Stargazey Pie, DAMN FUCKING RIGHT
(also Cornwall sparked my love for all seafood, all of it)

Lancashire/Merseyside
I feel the same way about scouse that a New Orleansean would about gumbo (what with it being essentially the same thing)
Proper Hotpot is a meal of the Gods.

I think the one thing this thread proves above all else is that what we all love above all else is hearty meals made with local ingredients. STEWS! CASSEROLES! THE FOOD MUM MAKES!

― Matt (Matt), Wednesday, 27 August 2003 02:21 (twenty-two years ago)

I didn't even know scouse was a food! Google ahoy.

― Tep (ktepi), Wednesday, 27 August 2003 02:31 (twenty-two years ago)

Get in!

― Matt (Matt), Wednesday, 27 August 2003 02:38 (twenty-two years ago)

... gotta love a recipe that asks for a pound of "Swede."

― Tep (ktepi), Wednesday, 27 August 2003 02:49 (twenty-two years ago)

mmmn, lancashire hot pot, mmmmn, pies. they're not allowed to call them butter pies any more, trade description and all that. Lancashire falls down on cakes though, chorley cakes and eccles cakes just aren't good enough.

― Vicky (Vicky), Wednesday, 27 August 2003 06:40 (twenty-two years ago)

Dude the best hot browns around are at this place called Buffalo & Dad's on N. Broadway right past Louden; they're so monstrous, I ate one and passed out at the table! Totally tasty! Hotbrowns are the bomb.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 27 August 2003 06:55 (twenty-two years ago)

Does pavlova count as an obvious Aussie touristy food? That and lamingtons... had those, but not 'roo or emu like Minna :)

WTF is with this "water ice" and "italian ice" business - shurely thats gelati, isnt it?!? Or slurpees? Or is it somehow something else involving ice and syrup that I'm not getting?

(And it certainly has been around a very long time, is there not some story about a Roman asking someone to go grab a scoop of snow and put honey on it, which is where it originated from?)

― Trayce (trayce), Wednesday, 27 August 2003 07:33 (twenty-two years ago)

Minnesota = fried cheese curds, meaning Minnesota = BEST STATE EVER

― M Matos (M Matos), Wednesday, 27 August 2003 07:49 (twenty-two years ago)

i love alberta food:

beef
saskatoons
lamb
local cheeses
mushrooms
pyrogies/sausges/cabbage rolls.

― anthony easton (anthony), Wednesday, 27 August 2003 08:58 (twenty-two years ago)

mark s, if I claimed that jellied eels was my local dish I'd be lynched by all the dragged-meself-up-by-me-broken-bootlaces east end slum-dwelling types*. I come from the (poss. geographically displaced) land of the sun-blushed tomato and I'm not ashamed to admit it.

*huge pinch of salt, okay :)

― Mark C (Mark C), Wednesday, 27 August 2003 09:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Proper answer - if I consider myself from Venice, and the amount of time I've spent there/amount of Venetian blood I have I can pretty much justify it, then I'm entirely happy eating the stereotypical local dishes provided I like them. Sarde in saor, for example - sardines cooked in a sweet, caramelised concoction of onions, sultanas and pine nuts, is delicious. I can do without the liver, and as for creamy salt cod, yuk.

I've never had a Bellini, though the local fizzy white wine, Prosecco, is totally perfect and delicious on a balmy summer's evening overlooking the lagoon. Shame it doesn't travel well, or indeed properly accompany a squally November evening in SW15.

― Mark C (Mark C), Wednesday, 27 August 2003 09:25 (twenty-two years ago)

pie and mash - yes
fish and chips - yes
jellied eels - *adopts Danny Kaye Cocckernee accent* you're 'avin a larf intcha

― Paul Evans, Wednesday, 27 August 2003 10:52 (twenty-two years ago)

Tep, I live so close to Rudy's it's unbelievable. I haven't been there in about a year, sad to say. We do have a jar of their "sause" in our pantry, though! Still, it's not the same as, for example, eating their barbecued turkey (mmmmm -- yum!).

I'm fairly certain you know already that we ate at Bill Miller's last night. Had a chicken sandwich and their tangy, new and improved cole slaw, plus their famous iced tea. Mmmm.

― Just Deanna (Dee the Lurker), Wednesday, 27 August 2003 12:02 (twenty-two years ago)

Oh my God, Rudy's sauce/sause is ... aaaaaah. Bill Miller's is good and all, but Rudy's! I've had bbq from all the major bbq areas except the Carolinas, and Rudy's is above and beyond. Especially the turkey, and the smoked sausage (my ex won't eat smoked sausage, which she usually hates, from anywhere but Rudy's).

― Tep (ktepi), Wednesday, 27 August 2003 13:15 (twenty-two years ago)

six years pass...

Pattie butties. mmm. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patties

― tomofthenest, Thursday, 17 September 2009 08:11 (sixteen years ago)

STOTTIES!

SAVELOY DIPS!

― Mark G, Thursday, 17 September 2009 08:26 (sixteen years ago)

It's very hard for a British person to answer this :(

It really isn't (even 6 years ago). Get this book.
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/518Q5Y0QQJL._SL500_AA240_.jpg

Pork pie and Stilton.

― Ned Trifle II, Thursday, 17 September 2009 08:30 (sixteen years ago)

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