Which carb is the best?

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Or: potatoes vs pasta vs bread vs rice: FITE!

Inspired by Matt DC's quite frankly insane claim that rice is superior to chips.

― RickyT (RickyT), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 12:25 (twenty-one years ago)

ooooooh gotta get up gotta get out...

― Frankenstein On Ice (blueski), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 12:27 (twenty-one years ago)

You'll be saying you can put gravy on rice next!!!

― Starry (hello chickens), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 12:27 (twenty-one years ago)

bread is the only one you can eat on it's own and appreciate the taste and texture of without heating in some way (being as it is already baked)

― Frankenstein On Ice (blueski), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 12:29 (twenty-one years ago)

is anyone selling that Hobbit bread from LOTR yet? not that i want to buy any...

― Frankenstein On Ice (blueski), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 12:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Rice is the most versatile!

― Trayce (trayce), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 12:31 (twenty-one years ago)

On reflection potato is the best due to the superiority of the gravy/carb interface. Gravy does not go on rice at all therefore rice = RUB. Gravy is mopped up well by bread, but only after the potatoes have had a good welly at it. And perhaps no food stuff is nobler than mash and gravy?

― Starry (hello chickens), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 12:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Curry is basically gravy.

― mark grout (mark grout), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 12:31 (twenty-one years ago)

bread is the only one you can eat on it's own and appreciate the taste and texture of without heating in some way (being as it is already baked)

what about crisps?

rice is totally superior to chips. next you'll be saying you can eat ma-po tofu with chips.

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 12:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Potatoes, then rice, then everything else.

I hate bread and pasta. Well, I suppose I don't hate them, I just don't eat them or seek them out by choice, really.

― One One To Rule Them All (kate), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 12:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Actually yesterday I found a BREAD/POTATO SYMBIOTE in Busaba called Thai Rosti which was basically a naan but MADE OF POTATO AND NOT BREAD.

Dude!

Mark's point is lunacy.

Ken, CRISPS ARE POTATOES!

― Starry (hello chickens), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 12:33 (twenty-one years ago)

and gravy can totally go on rice.. chicken and gravy with rice is awesome. i even had it in a flight meal once and even then it was good!

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 12:34 (twenty-one years ago)

depends on what kind of gravy. i used to get rice and gravy (two massive scoops of the former doused with a ladle of hoisin-y brown stuff) for lunch a lot because it was so cheap (like $1/portion) and filling.

― lauren (laurenp), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 12:34 (twenty-one years ago)

What about poppadums and bready type things that are actually made of LENTILS?!?!? Those are the acest. Clearly.

― One One To Rule Them All (kate), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 12:34 (twenty-one years ago)

starry you're right!!! Which makes steve's nomination even more ridiculous - bread is not even superior to POTATOES, which aren't as good as RICE which is the best!!! i.e. bread is k-rub!!!

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 12:35 (twenty-one years ago)

I could never eat bread again and be perfectly happy.

OK, it would make sandwiches a bit difficult, but still. Sandwiches are the only excuse for bread ever.

― One One To Rule Them All (kate), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 12:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Rice with white sauce. Try it. It is delish, and disgusting.

― Trayce (trayce), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 12:40 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm on that like white on rice!

― One One To Rule Them All (kate), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 12:40 (twenty-one years ago)

haven't we already had a thread like this? such a hard choice, but i could probably live without rice or potato, but couldn't live without bread. mmmmmm. i love bread.

― colette (a2lette), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 12:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh my god!! TWO WHITE FOODS COMBINED = my ultimate bodyshock horror! Trayce, I can never trust you again.

THINK THUSLY people - clearly the best way of cooking anything EVER is ROASTING. Have you ever heard of roast rice?? No!! Therefore rice is CLEARLY not the best food stuff. You disagree, you like FRYING, perhaps? Well fried rice = GREASY MING, fried potato product = crisps, chips or those funny little things, ROSTI, that's what I mean - hash browns! Rice works well when it is STEAMED ONLY as as any fule kno steaming = hippy.

― Starry (hello chickens), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 12:42 (twenty-one years ago)

You can use rice as a stuffing in a roast choocken...

― Trayce (trayce), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 12:44 (twenty-one years ago)

I agree on the fried rice tho blergh.

― Trayce (trayce), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 12:45 (twenty-one years ago)

in terms of bestness/healthiness i reckon: brown rice>white rice>sweet potato>white potato>pasta=bread (unless the bread is actually brioche (sp? i'm pissed on another great carbo))>parsnip>carrot>daikon and all its radish roots.

but fuck, it's hard to beat poppadums - they feel fat free, being thin themselves and slenderly airy (cf naan), and yet they give that carbo kick; you feel like you've eaten - maybe cause they're usually eaten with other things...

beer must be # 1 carbo choice, however.

― kossori (not entirely unhappy), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 12:45 (twenty-one years ago)

bread has the best smell.

wtf is so great about rice? versatile shmersatile.

― Frankenstein On Ice (blueski), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 12:45 (twenty-one years ago)

It comes in all kinds of flavours! You can fry it, steam it, boil it, mix it with curries or lentils, put it in minestrone... nom!

― Trayce (trayce), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 12:47 (twenty-one years ago)

These are just all the bad white carbs tho, what about carbs like pumpkin and carrot?

― Trayce (trayce), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 12:47 (twenty-one years ago)

God I sound like such a hippy.

― Trayce (trayce), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 12:48 (twenty-one years ago)

fried rice is delicious, but the kind mostly served in the u.k. is horrible. why is this?

― lauren (laurenp), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 12:49 (twenty-one years ago)

our water sucks

― Frankenstein On Ice (blueski), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 12:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Perhaps this thread should be "Which non-hippy carb is the best"? :)

I do not think I would choose rice to stuff a roast chicken with, but then again you are talking to the person who when asked what is stuffing made of replied in all honesty, "paxo"*.

*Well it's true! Just like gravy is made from Bisto

― Starry (hello chickens), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 12:53 (twenty-one years ago)

I blame TV chefs. Keith Floyd has a bloody lot to answer for, cookbooks are like pr0n to me.

― Trayce (trayce), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 12:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Well fried rice = GREASY MING, fried potato product = crisps, chips or those funny little things

dude, chips are 10 times greasier than fried rice.

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 13:00 (twenty-one years ago)

actually, both shouldn't be greasy if cooked properly.

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 13:00 (twenty-one years ago)

fried rice is delicious, but the kind mostly served in the u.k. is horrible. why is this?

it's because i haven't opened a takeaway yet lauren. (also shops seem to get away with selling horrid fried rice here and people still go back for it)

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 13:02 (twenty-one years ago)

OK, it would make sandwiches a bit difficult, but still. Sandwiches are the only excuse for bread ever.

who needs sandwiches when you can have sushi? have you tried rolling CHIPS with a piece of seaweed with seafood inside and then dip it in wasabi? GROSS!

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 13:04 (twenty-one years ago)

whereas with rice = CLASSY and CLASSIC

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 13:05 (twenty-one years ago)

does SOY SAUCE go with chips?? i DON'T THINK SO SIR.

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 13:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Which only goes to show that potatoes are better because they can cope with grease without turning absolutely RANK! Potatoes can soak up the grease and turn even lovelier whereas with rice... yuck!

I haven't eaten fried rice for years, bleugh.

― Starry (hello chickens), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 13:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Starry otm. The potato is the king of carbs!

(YES it does ken!)

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 13:06 (twenty-one years ago)

gross!

okay i think we should have a poll..

Taking sides (if you must)
1) gravy goes with rice
2) soy sauce with chips

1) please!

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 13:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Sushi is the most overrated foodstuff known to man. A good butty = far superior.

― RickyT (RickyT), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 13:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Especially when that butty contains chips. TWO CARBS FOR THE PRICE OF ONE! BEAT THAT, RICE!

― RickyT (RickyT), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 13:11 (twenty-one years ago)

i fuckin' hate to write this, as paranoid as i am about seeming as all-knowing as mmus, but once you've lived in japan for a while (i have a few years, though i'm keen for london now) you really are able to identify rice from different places in japan and, more obviously, rice that's cooked differently. rice is excellent. why else are asian people thin? (i know , i know - it's all about protein to carb ratio and not sleeping.) fried rice might as well be chips... god i'd kill for some good chips after the rushed, shochu-soaked enkai that i just attended, but i'm making do with japanese bread, which is a whole different carb.

― kossori (not entirely unhappy), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 13:13 (twenty-one years ago)

two carbs for the price of one? sweet potato/yam tempura sushi rolls.

― lauren (laurenp), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 13:13 (twenty-one years ago)

yes please

― Frankenstein On Ice (blueski), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 13:15 (twenty-one years ago)

One of my favourite double-carbtastic meals is roasted/baked sweet potato and rice so rice has its place. NEXT TO POTATOES.

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 13:15 (twenty-one years ago)

this thread had more energy than a scoop of chips - and that's saying a lot.

never seen those sweet potato sushi maki, and i live south where satsumaimo is ichi ban/#1...

― kossori (not entirely unhappy), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 13:15 (twenty-one years ago)

The fantastic potato surely is the winner, with bread a very close second!

― PinXorchiXoR (Pinkpanther), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 13:16 (twenty-one years ago)

haha why have i been defending rice all this time? i mean noodles are obviously the best. i'm having noodles tonight in fact - RICE NOODLES actually omg!! in a soup. with pickled cabbage and fish balls and other yumminess.

you guys can stuff yourself with your sandwiches whatever. (actually i like sandwiches and mash potatoes and chips too, but they just aren't rice or noodles)

― ken c (ken c), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 13:17 (twenty-one years ago)

sweet potato maki are probably a westernized invention. a lot of u.s. sushi places have them as a vegetarian option.

― lauren (laurenp), Wednesday, 5 January 2005 13:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Skipping 41 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

No because that is only a temporary inhabitant of the body. I would only eat something integral to the body which, it appears, means I wd not eat appendix.

― Starry (hello chickens), Thursday, 6 January 2005 10:42 (twenty-one years ago)

What about tonsils?

― RickyT (RickyT), Thursday, 6 January 2005 10:48 (twenty-one years ago)

It sounds like you need this book starry: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/0747572577/qid=1105008409/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i1_xgl/202-4998956-2392637

― Jerry the Nipper (Jerrynipper), Thursday, 6 January 2005 10:48 (twenty-one years ago)

HAHAHAHAHA RickyT, would you like to field Mr The Nipper's post?

― Starry (hello chickens), Thursday, 6 January 2005 10:54 (twenty-one years ago)

I personally want "The 5th quarter - THE OFFAL COOKBOOK num num.

― Starry (hello chickens), Thursday, 6 January 2005 10:56 (twenty-one years ago)

I personally want "The 5th quarter - THE OFFAL COOKBOOK" num num.

― Starry (hello chickens), Thursday, 6 January 2005 10:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Hot DAMN. Mmm, braaaaains.

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Thursday, 6 January 2005 10:56 (twenty-one years ago)

It just so happens that I got said book for christmas. Recipes include Gratin of Tripe, Pig's Cheek and Tongue, and Blood Cake.

― RickyT (RickyT), Thursday, 6 January 2005 10:58 (twenty-one years ago)

Is that like black pudding but...cakier?

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Thursday, 6 January 2005 10:58 (twenty-one years ago)

Blood Cake!

My cravings for black pudding have just gorn sky-high!

― Starry (hello chickens), Thursday, 6 January 2005 10:58 (twenty-one years ago)

I think tonsils would make pointless eating, by the way. Very small and not much to 'em. I suppose in a stew they'd be alright.

OH!

By any part of the body I EXCLUDE GENTAT4LIA. I am not Paul Burrell but like him I share a distaste for eating kangaroo's jacobs.

― Starry (hello chickens), Thursday, 6 January 2005 11:05 (twenty-one years ago)

this thread is a perfect example of why friends in america keep asking me if i'm eating, if i need food parcels sent, how much weight i've lost, and so on.

― lauren (laurenp), Thursday, 6 January 2005 11:15 (twenty-one years ago)

get one fed ex cake (and give me a slice)

― Stevem On X (blueski), Thursday, 6 January 2005 11:17 (twenty-one years ago)

Blood cake is nice and fattening, I'll have you know!

― RickyT (RickyT), Thursday, 6 January 2005 11:23 (twenty-one years ago)

This thread has definitely left the realms of carb and strayed into PROTEIN. Stop it.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 6 January 2005 11:31 (twenty-one years ago)

Ah, the good old days of a slow thread migration!

I made tabouli for lunch today. But what I want is black pudding. HOISTED, PETARD etc etc

― Starry (hello chickens), Thursday, 6 January 2005 11:37 (twenty-one years ago)

Frances reminded me last night that as kids in Scotland people used to make macaroon bars from cold mashed potato and sugar.

BEAT THAT, POXY RICE FULES!

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Thursday, 6 January 2005 11:46 (twenty-one years ago)

beat that, as in try to come up with something more disgusting than cold mash and sugar?

― lauren (laurenp), Thursday, 6 January 2005 11:48 (twenty-one years ago)

Cold mash and sugar with blood cake?

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 6 January 2005 11:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh my life!!! Coconut cake made with cold potatoes!!! I TOTALLY am going to make that tonight oh dear I going to see Tompaulin instead, well, argh and also, augh!!! Man I want coconut cake.

― Starry (hello chickens), Thursday, 6 January 2005 11:52 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm going to make some at the weekend, definitely. I should have finished my macaroon bar stash by then.

Last night's tea was accompanied by proper fried potatoes, ones that were over a day old and had been in the fridge and everything. I only wish I'd thought to do them in goose fat.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Thursday, 6 January 2005 11:55 (twenty-one years ago)

honestly, i'm baffled by this. cold mashed potato and sugar? that's it? putting aside the foulness issue for a moment, how on earth does that equal a macaroon?

― lauren (laurenp), Thursday, 6 January 2005 11:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Macaroon bar.

http://www.vermontcountrystore.com/images/us/local/products/detail/f00656_dt.jpg

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Thursday, 6 January 2005 12:04 (twenty-one years ago)

Whatthehellisthatthing? Scottish cuisine, cor. I want a potato scone and some square sausage now.

― Liz :x (Liz :x), Thursday, 6 January 2005 12:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Here's the first recipe I came across but this looks a little soft for me, it should be firmer. I'll dig a little more (although I must have some old, handwritten recipes at home alongside tablet ones).

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Thursday, 6 January 2005 12:06 (twenty-one years ago)

Didn't you all use to make cakes with old mashed potato when you were teenies?!

I am so going to post up a load of recipes from the "cakes and puddings" section of BEST BOOK EVER: "Potato Cookery" when I get home!

― Starry (hello chickens), Thursday, 6 January 2005 12:09 (twenty-one years ago)

No. I think this is strictly Scottish menkoism.

― RickyT (RickyT), Thursday, 6 January 2005 12:14 (twenty-one years ago)

This also happened in Brownies and primary school in Lancashire!

― Starry (hello chickens), Thursday, 6 January 2005 12:17 (twenty-one years ago)

Lancashire = part of Scotland for these purposes.

― RickyT (RickyT), Thursday, 6 January 2005 12:25 (twenty-one years ago)

There is no such thing as Scottish food menkoism.

After mince & mealy pudding on Tuesday, and haggis pudding last night, fine grain oatmeal is a strong contender for best carb.

(btw, I am considering ordering from the butchers I linked to in the 'Macaroni Pie' thread on I Love Cooking, just to get some Fowlie's Mealy Pudding in my fridge/freezer)

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Thursday, 6 January 2005 12:28 (twenty-one years ago)

GOSH I must go and look at ILC...

― Starry (hello chickens), Thursday, 6 January 2005 12:35 (twenty-one years ago)

I have looked. I have also looked at "The Sausage Shop" in Bath.

They sell a nice haggis.

― Starry (hello chickens), Thursday, 6 January 2005 12:48 (twenty-one years ago)

Hmm... I can be at the Bath Sausage Shop in 30 minutes...

No, I shouldn't.

Maybe at the weekend (in between all the cooking I need to do, obviously).

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Thursday, 6 January 2005 12:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Aldo: there can be no other reason for such close proximity to Bath, surely?

DO IT.

DO IT!

― Starry (hello chickens), Thursday, 6 January 2005 12:59 (twenty-one years ago)

there can be no other reason for such close proximity to Bath, surely?

The Bath Fine Cheese Shop.

Where I spent £35 on Christmas Eve.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Thursday, 6 January 2005 13:07 (twenty-one years ago)

Right, sod it, I'm moving to Bath.

― RickyT (RickyT), Thursday, 6 January 2005 13:08 (twenty-one years ago)

Mmm, ash pyramid.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 6 January 2005 13:23 (twenty-one years ago)

I can see a FEAST (Fancy Eating A Slice Tonight) round at mine with cider, perry and some robust reds falling out of this. If you didn't all live so far away.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Thursday, 6 January 2005 13:29 (twenty-one years ago)

Where DO you live? It has become apparently you are One Of Us. Move to civilisation immediately!

― Starry (hello chickens), Thursday, 6 January 2005 13:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Bristol.

Which manages to be a decent enough place to live, and is conveniently handy for Bath (for the aforementioned cheese and sausage) and driving out to cider farms (I normally do a half-day run which takes in about 4 farms, paying about £5 a gallon).

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Thursday, 6 January 2005 13:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Since moving house myself and the missus have taken to making The Great British Sunday Lunch a fixture - the highlight being the potato, sweet potato, carrot and parsnip mash (DJ THOSE CARBS). The even greater highlight comes the next day when you get to REFRY that Clashmash with finely chopped broccoli and chorizo. Possibly with a tuna steak.

CARB DJ'ing WINS!

― Bernard the Butler (Lynskey), Thursday, 6 January 2005 13:51 (twenty-one years ago)

Oi'mm surrrr it is, moi looverrr :)

Being not a fan of cider your last sentence fills me with horror. I am sure Hoppo would approve tho!

― Starry (hello chickens), Thursday, 6 January 2005 13:53 (twenty-one years ago)

Mmmm I had amazing bubble and squeak after our Christmas dinner. Although there was none of my smoked cheese mash left to go in it because it was TOO GOOD.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 6 January 2005 13:54 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh, I's not from to these parts, I just lives in this areal, doesn't I.

Maybe for a bit too long, given that sentence makes perfect sense when spoken.

Anyway, back to CARBS. And Scottish food.

Plain Bread is possibly good enough to win this for bread.

http://www.britishbakeries.co.uk/i/p_ourbreadbutter_brand_mtar.jpg

Unbeatable (and you can often get it in England as "Irish" bread). Strong enough to hold a mince sandwich.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Thursday, 6 January 2005 14:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Cripes to sort out 4 gallons of cider you'm'll be needing a gert big bottle of sherry.

― Tim (Tim), Thursday, 6 January 2005 14:30 (twenty-one years ago)

Couscous is 'cracked wheat' which I originally heard as 'crap to eat'.

I vote for bread, because of its variety.

Potatoes have good names: Charlotte, King Edward, Red Leicester.

I approve of multi-tubular mash.

― Puddin'Head Miller (PJ Miller), Thursday, 6 January 2005 14:36 (twenty-one years ago)

A MINCE SANDWICH!!!!

Now THAT'S hardcore!

Desirée has a potato named after her, isn't that odd?

I like MARIS PIPERS!

― Starry (hello chickens), Thursday, 6 January 2005 14:41 (twenty-one years ago)

Potatoes are optional in mince sandwiches, your Carb Gland is spending all its time on the bread.

― aldo_cowpat (aldo_cowpat), Thursday, 6 January 2005 14:46 (twenty-one years ago)

WAFFLE FRIES! Therefore, potatoes.

― jocelyn (Jocelyn), Thursday, 6 January 2005 14:47 (twenty-one years ago)

You have overlooked barley (other than in the form of beer) and corn. Where do these rank in your hierarchy?

― j.lu (j.lu), Thursday, 6 January 2005 15:08 (twenty-one years ago)

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