# Your favourite (or least favorite) culinary blasphemies.



## Rocklobster (Mar 22, 2011)

Our baked bean thread got me thinking again about how different one dish can be prepared. Nothing can start an argument more than how something is cooked or what ingredients belong in a certain dish. Especially from someone who can claim a dish as being from their region or ethnicity. but, even withing those categories, many differences can be reported.

What gets your goat? When you see a recipe, or somebodies thread about food preparation, or something that you don't agree upon, weather it is an ingredient or procedure?

One example for me is the addition of too much cream in Carbonara. I don't know if it is a regional thing, but I learned to love it while living in Italy, and many times I see it here in North America, serves in a creamy sauce, with all kinds of other ingredients other than pancetta/bacon cheese, olive oil, eggs and parmesan. I realize that other variations can be equally tastey, but some things you just don't fool with.

Anybody care to share their pet peeves, or culinary annoyances?
Be nice...


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## Andy M. (Mar 22, 2011)

I realize I commented on baked beans with tomato in the other thread, but that was really tongue in cheek.  Baked beans can take countless forms including tomato.  I would not put this in the blasphemy category.

I don't care for recipes that include a condensed canned soup(s).


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## Rocklobster (Mar 22, 2011)

Andy M. said:


> I realize I commented on baked beans with tomato in the other thread, but that was really tongue in cheek. Baked beans can take countless forms including tomato. I would not put this in the blasphemy category.
> 
> I don't care for recipes that include a condensed canned soup(s).


 
I expected that it was made good naturedly. Just like my dislike for creamy carbonara. Plus, everybody's list would likely be different. I agree with your dislike for condensed canned soup in recipes. Although, they are a good way for cooks to get started or busy people to throw something together quickly.
Another one I have come across is cinnamon in spagetti sauce.


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## Mama (Mar 22, 2011)

Personally, I really don't have any pet peeves.  I love to "play" with food and believe that recipes are meant to be starting points for each person to adjust to their own personal tastes.  So, if you wanna put sugar in your cornbread, put sugar in your cornbread....it won't bother me .


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## justplainbill (Mar 22, 2011)

The Hutzelbrot recipe in George Greenstein's "Secrets of a Jewish Baker".


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## CraigC (Mar 22, 2011)

Rocklobster said:


> I expected that it was made good naturedly. Just like my dislike for creamy carbonara. Plus, everybody's list would likely be different. I agree with your dislike for condensed canned soup in recipes. Although, they are a good way for cooks to get started or busy people to throw something together quickly.
> Another one I have come across is cinnamon in spagetti sauce.


 
Wow, I always thought the creaminess was supposed to come from the egg.

My PP stems from a purists attitude to "Q". When someone says they are serving BBQ whatever that they did in a crock O pot, oven or gas grill and/or refers to grilling as BBQ, it sends me into a frenzy!

Craig


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## taxlady (Mar 22, 2011)

Andy M. said:


> I realize I commented on baked beans with tomato in the other thread, but that was really tongue in cheek.  Baked beans can take countless forms including tomato.  I would not put this in the blasphemy category.
> 
> I don't care for recipes that include a condensed canned soup(s).



I just don't use those recipes if the canned soup is really necessary. I got used to not buying canned soup or broth (or even powdered) when I became sensitive to MSG, back in the late '70s. Used to be, the only premade soups I could eat were Habitant Pea Soup and Howard Johnson's clam chowder. Both of them very yummy.

Nowadays I am trying to avoid anything that comes out of a can because of the BPA that leaches into the food. BPA is estrogenic and I'm not supposed to eat estrogenic foods.


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## Andy M. (Mar 22, 2011)

justplainbill said:


> The Hutzelbrot recipe in George Greenstein's "Secrets of a Jewish Baker".




Need a little more info here.


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## Rocklobster (Mar 22, 2011)

Andy M. said:


> Need a little more info here.


Yes. Do tell!


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## 4meandthem (Mar 22, 2011)

The only peev I can think of right now is when restaurants put Hollandaise on their menu for eggs benedict and when it arrives you get a lemon or chicken gravy substance that is anything but Hollandaise.I always ask now if it real and I will send it back if I was mislead.I won't even try it!


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## FrankZ (Mar 22, 2011)

Chili doesn't have beans.  

BBQ is done with wood.


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## justplainbill (Mar 22, 2011)

Andy M. said:


> Need a little more info here.


Hutzel is dried pears.  Greenstein's recipe is essentially a rye bread with citron and or dried apricots and prunes.  He make no mention of dried pears, figs, nor hazel nuts.  It should be a moist not overly sweet loaf that looks like the following


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## Andy M. (Mar 22, 2011)

Thanks for the explanation


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## medtran49 (Mar 22, 2011)

Calling something "alfredo" sauce that still tastes of flour is my absolute worst but any "alfredo" sauce made with flour.  I've gotten to where I always ask and, as a result, never have anything alfredo outside of the house. 

Karen


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## justplainbill (Mar 22, 2011)

Andy M. said:


> Thanks for the explanation


You are welcome.  To boot, the pears and dried plums are first stewed for 15 minutes and the stewing liquid is added to the flour and yeast to form the dough.


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## Alix (Mar 22, 2011)

Link to the bean thread please? I can't find that discussion.

My pet peeve is picky eaters. What I mean by that is someone who refuses to try something new, or picks out molecule sized pieces of onion (or what MIGHT be onion) throughout a meal. GADS that's annoying!


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## jennyema (Mar 22, 2011)

Culinary blasphemy = Kraft


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## Barbara L (Mar 22, 2011)

4meandthem said:


> The only peev I can think of right now is when restaurants put Hollandaise on their menu for eggs benedict and when it arrives you get a lemon or chicken gravy substance that is anything but Hollandaise.I always ask now if it real and I will send it back if I was mislead.I won't even try it!


This reminds me of the time James and I ordered pie at a local restaurant. It was on the menu as Key Lime Pie. We were too full for dessert, so we ordered a whole pie to take home. It wasn't until we got home and I took the box out of the bag that I found out it was regular lime meringue pie (which they had bought and not made).


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## Barbara L (Mar 22, 2011)

I'm with Alix on the picky eaters. I know a lot of people who won't even try something because they've never had it before.

Another one is people who automatically salt, or otherwise season, their food without tasting it first. My cousin was visiting us years ago, and he automatically grabbed the salt shaker and liberally shook it all over his corned beef (which he had never tried before).


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## Andy M. (Mar 22, 2011)

Alix said:


> Link to the bean thread please? I can't find that discussion.
> 
> My pet peeve is picky eaters. What I mean by that is someone who refuses to try something new, or picks out molecule sized pieces of onion (or what MIGHT be onion) throughout a meal. GADS that's annoying!



http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/f17/real-baked-beans-71030.html


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## Claire (Mar 22, 2011)

I'm with picky eaters.  Also those who insist that something is only right if it is prepared the way THEY fix it.  

The cinnamon in "spaghetti sauce", by the way, is not supposed to taste like Italian spaghetti sauce.  It is a Greek dish, known variously throughout the U.S. as "Greek Spaghetti", "Greek Chili", or "Cincinatti Chili".  It isn't supposed to taste of old Italy or even New York Italian-American.  It's just that English speakers mostly cannot imagine being able to read Greek, so depending on where they settled, Greek restauranteurs named it whatever the local market would bear.

I guess that would make my peeve people who won't approach food with somewhat an open mind.  If you don't like it, fine, but don't insist that your tastebuds are the only ones in the world that count.


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## Andy M. (Mar 22, 2011)

jennyema said:


> Culinary blasphemy = Kraft




I like their cream cheese...


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## pacanis (Mar 22, 2011)

Awesome cream cheese. Sometimes I eat it straight up.
I seem to remember a good family time movie, too...


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## jennyema (Mar 22, 2011)

Andy M. said:


> I like their cream cheese...



One of the few....


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## taxlady (Mar 22, 2011)

Alix said:


> Link to the bean thread please? I can't find that discussion.
> 
> My pet peeve is picky eaters. What I mean by that is someone who refuses to try something new, or picks out molecule sized pieces of onion (or what MIGHT be onion) throughout a meal. GADS that's annoying!



I'll try anything that doesn't smell gross and is made of food.

But, I'm one of those people who will pick canned/overcooked peas out of what I'm eating. They taste so yucky they will spoil the whole mouthful for me.


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## Rocklobster (Mar 22, 2011)

Claire said:


> I guess that would make my peeve people who won't approach food with somewhat an open mind. If you don't like it, fine, but don't insist that your tastebuds are the only ones in the world that count.


 
This is merely a subjective thread. Just a bit of good natured fun. As was stated in the first post, recipes vary. Its all good.


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## CWS4322 (Mar 22, 2011)

Artificial whipped cream (and artificial coffee creamers in restaurants). I hate that stuff. Fake bacon bits on a ceasar salad.


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## Silversage (Mar 22, 2011)

Condensed soups

Boxed cake mixes

Canned frosting

American cheese slices


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## taxlady (Mar 22, 2011)

CWS4322 said:


> Artificial whipped cream (and artificial coffee creamers in restaurants). I hate that stuff. Fake bacon bits on a ceasar salad.



I hate all of those too. That's why I learned to enjoy black coffee 

This weekend we went out for supper. My dessert had some white whipped stuff on the plate. I tasted a small amount and it was sweet, but had no other flavour.

I asked the waiter what it was, "Whipped cream." Are you sure? It's sweet, but there's no cream flavour. "Oh, it's artificial."


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## babetoo (Mar 22, 2011)

Alix said:


> Link to the bean thread please? I can't find that discussion.
> 
> My pet peeve is picky eaters. What I mean by that is someone who refuses to try something new, or picks out molecule sized pieces of onion (or what MIGHT be onion) throughout a meal. GADS that's annoying!


 

i am with you on this one. at least take a bite, if you don't like it, just put aside on the plate. on the other hand , i don't like , when a guest, for people to pile anything on my plate, then if i don't like it is obvious.


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## FrankZ (Mar 22, 2011)

jennyema said:


> Culinary blasphemy = Kraft




Just curious, but have you looked at their product listings?

Or do you mean the mac-n-cheese?


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## Andy M. (Mar 22, 2011)

I have to agree with those who have mentioned artificial substitutes for real foods.

Baco-bits
margarine
Cool Whip
Sweeteners
Pasteurized Processed Cheese Food (Kraft Singles)

...and all the sleazy advertising tricks designed to make you think they are better for you.


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## blissful (Mar 23, 2011)

Silversage said:


> American cheese slices


 
I call it plastic cheese, wrapped in plastic, made of plastic.

I bought some on sale, 2/24 packs for $3.
Two years later, no one had eaten them, I threw them out. They are not food, so they don't expire.


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## FrankZ (Mar 23, 2011)

blissful said:


> I call it plastic cheese, wrapped in plastic, made of plastic.
> 
> I bought some on sale, 2/24 packs for $3.
> Two years later, no one had eaten them, I threw them out. They are not food, so they don't expire.



I love using Kraft singles (I use the ones label sharp cheddar) for grilled cheese sandwiches.

I refer to them as wallet cheese... they come in their own wallet.


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## jennyema (Mar 23, 2011)

FrankZ said:


> Just curious, but have you looked at their product listings?
> 
> Or do you mean the mac-n-cheese?


 
As a matter of fact, I have.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (Mar 23, 2011)

My pet peeves are when Celebrity Chef's give misinformation to boost ratings, or when people are closed minded to new ideas in cooking.  For instance, I know that the only factor in producing succulent and tender poultry, or virtually any kind, is cooking to the proper internal temperature.  As for cinnamon in spaghetti sauce, I'm guilty.  But it wasn't my fault.  I was making sauce at my MIL's house.  What I didn't know was that she often bought spices in bulk, and used left-over, small spice bottles to portion it out and make it readily available next to the stove.  I grabbed a bottle labeled garlic powder, and got cinnamon instead.  It truly ruined the sauce.  But you have to understand that aside from that peculiar habit, my MIL is as close to perfect as any MIL could ever be.

Seeeeeya; Goodweed of the North


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## 4meandthem (Mar 23, 2011)

blissful said:


> I call it plastic cheese, wrapped in plastic, made of plastic.
> 
> I bought some on sale, 2/24 packs for $3.
> Two years later, no one had eaten them, I threw them out. They are not food, so they don't expire.


 
Kraft Deli Deluxe real American cheese slices are good, especially for a cheese sauce for mac n cheese.

Huge difference in real american cheese and others labeled cheese food or cheese product.Those are gross.


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## Sprout (Mar 23, 2011)

FrankZ said:


> I refer to them as wallet cheese... they come in their own wallet.



That's great! 

Not sure why it bugs me, but I get annoyed when a restaurant lists something as "Home Made."  Really, you made it at home and brought it in? Or do you live here? (though some may feel like they could answer yes to the second question). I know it's just a condensed way of saying "Made in-house," but it still annoys me for some reason. 

My major pet peeve though is when people say things meant to convey an image of health or knowledge when they order, when they actually have no idea what they're talking about.Example:

"Oh, I'm going healthy tonight. I'll just have the Chicken Caesar Salad." 
Sure go right ahead, order one of the most high-calorie items on the menu and then stuff yourself with bread and butter to boot because you're unsatisfied because you didn't order what you actually wanted.

or, my favorite conversation:
"Sorry, we can't serve our salmon rare."
"Oh, you don't have high-grade fish here?"
Yes, we do, but our salmon hasn't been properly frozen to pass the health department's standards of safety for undercooked fish. Order the Ahi.


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## ChefJune (Mar 23, 2011)

Andy M. said:


> I realize I commented on baked beans with tomato in the other thread, but that was really tongue in cheek. Baked beans can take countless forms including tomato. I would not put this in the blasphemy category.
> 
> I don't care for recipes that include a condensed canned soup(s).


 
I agree with that Andy (you knew that already). I know canned soups are "quick," but they have so much sodium, and often other additives that folks don't pay attention to -- and many should.

Not blasphemy, because I realiz it's a regional thing, but I dislike when shortcakes are made with that spongy cake stuff.  I'm from the midwest, where shortcakes are build on biscuits (the baking-powder kind), and that's how I like my strawberry shortcake. Biscuit, please!


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## ChefJune (Mar 23, 2011)

justplainbill said:


> The Hutzelbrot recipe in George Greenstein's "Secrets of a Jewish Baker".


 
Don't go dissing on my friend George Greenstein!  He knows his stuff when it comes to (especially Jewish) baking.


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## ChefJune (Mar 23, 2011)

justplainbill said:


> You are welcome. To boot, the pears and dried plums are first stewed for 15 minutes and the stewing liquid is added to the flour and yeast to form the dough.


 
Please post your recipe. sounds delicious!


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## ChefJune (Mar 23, 2011)

FrankZ said:


> I love using Kraft singles (I use the ones label sharp cheddar) for grilled cheese sandwiches.
> 
> I refer to them as wallet cheese... they come in their own wallet.


 
Thanks for the huge guffaw, Frank.

Jenny, Mr. Kraft (whom I had the good fortune to know) would be very disappointed to see what garbage his name is on.


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## Zhizara (Mar 23, 2011)

A pet peeve of mine came when the server (at Red Lobster), set down my lobster tail and proceeded to squeeze lemon juice all over it!  I don't like lemon on my seafood, especially lobster.

Don't assume everyone uses lemon.  Lots of people don't like it.


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## justplainbill (Mar 23, 2011)

ChefJune said:


> Please post your recipe. sounds delicious!


Hutzelbrot (a sweet fruit bread) can be eaten plain or topped with cream cheese

250 g (8 oz.)        coarsely chopped dried pears
125 g (4 oz.)        coarsely chopped dried plums (pitted prunes)
250 g                    all purpose flour
2 tbs.                    yeast
100 g (3.5 oz.)     granulated sugar
 1/8 tsp.                salt
125 g                    chopped dried figs
  65 g (2.3 oz.)     chopped candied lemon peel
  65 g                    chopped candied orange peel
125 g                    sultanas
125 g                    black currants
125 g                    finely chopped almonds
  75 g (2.5 oz.)      chopped hazelnuts
  1 teaspoon          cinnamon
 ½ teaspoon          ground aniseed
1/16 teaspoon ea. ground cloves &  ground allspice
1 grated lemon peel
2 tablespoons      kirshwasser or dry plum brandy

Stew pears and prunes for 15 minutes in 1 cup of lightly boiling water.
Pour off  and reserve liquid.
Combine yeast, ¼ cup of cooled reserved liquid and 4 tablespoons of the 8 ounces of four and let rest for 20 minutes.
Incorporate the balance of the flour and then allow to rise for 30 minutes.
Mix an additional ¼ cup of the reserved liquid, the sugar, salt, and spices into the dough. 
Work in the stewed fruits, and all of the other fruits, the nuts and kirshwasser.
If too stiff to work in all of the ingredients additional quantities of the reserved liquid can be added.
The result should be a fairly stiff  but sticky dough.
Form a ball and allow to rise overnight in a warm location.
Preheat oven to 195 C (380 F)
Knead briefly and form dough into two or three loaves, each about 2” high.
Allow to rise on a greased or parchment lined baking sheet for about 45 minutes.
Bake for 30 to 40 minutes.

In addition to eating plain or with a schmeer of Philly Creamcheese, it's a nice accompaniment to Manchego.


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## Barbara L (Mar 23, 2011)

Zhizara said:


> A pet peeve of mine came when the server (at Red Lobster), set down my lobster tail and proceeded to squeeze lemon juice all over it!  I don't like lemon on my seafood, especially lobster.
> 
> Don't assume everyone uses lemon.  Lots of people don't like it.


That is why when I order iced tea in a restaurant, I always say, "No lemon." I love lemon, just not in my tea.

No one should ever presume you want something on your food, unless it states in the menu that it will be served that way. That way you know if you need to ask for it to be served without that item.


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## VegLover (Mar 23, 2011)

Barbara L said:


> I'm with Alix on the picky eaters. I know a lot of people who won't even try something because they've never had it before.
> 
> Another one is people who automatically salt, or otherwise season, their food without tasting it first. My cousin was visiting us years ago, and he automatically grabbed the salt shaker and liberally shook it all over his corned beef (which he had never tried before).




I am so totally with you on this one!  My husband douses everything in salt and it drives me bloody mental, especially when I've spent an hour our two putting a lovely dinner together. 

I 'joke' that he'd put salt in Salt Soup if I served it to him!


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## sxolso1 (Mar 24, 2011)

I wouldn't say it makes me angry, but I find it strange that mexican dishes get loaded up with cilantro, an herb that originated in Asia.  I really dislike cilantro, but I love mexican food, so it bothers me that "authentic" mexican food has to be drowned in cilantro


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## Bolas De Fraile (Mar 25, 2011)

I love cheesus, 
Who Almighty cheesus
No Kraft cheesus

Tripe ala mode de Caen smells like a satanic botty cough and tastes like eating 1 yrs old chabichou.


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## Selkie (Mar 25, 2011)

I hate it when someone takes a classic dish, substitutes everything or most everything so that the new one has few or none of the ingredients of the original, yet calls it by the name of the classic dish. To me, that's blasphemy!   Banana's Foster comes to mind as a recent example.

This happens a lot with the French "Mother Sauces" such as Bechamel or Hollandaise, or popular sauces such as Alfredo sauce.


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## joesfolk (Mar 25, 2011)

Dumplings. Here in the states they are different in various regions. For me a dumpling is a biscuit like creation , light and fluffy and sitting atop a lovely meat and veggie stew. I was working as a truck driver and stopped at a truck stop that had an "Amish" restaurant. Chicken and dumplings were on the menu and my mouth just watered at the thought of dumplings so I ordered it. (It's awfully hard to find anything but fast food in truck stops these days.) Imagine my disappointment when what I got was nothing more than chicken noodle soup. Apparently dumplings can also be sort of fat noodles. I know that people from the south especially swear by their dumplings but for me, well, just give me the fat fluffy ones.


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## PrincessFiona60 (Mar 25, 2011)

Any suggestions prefaced with, "It tastes just like (the real food)"...no it doesn't.

Artificial foods made with chemicals...not food.

People changing ingredients in a recipe they asked for and then being upset because it didn't taste the same.


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## Rocklobster (Mar 25, 2011)

joesfolk said:


> Dumplings. Here in the states they are different in various regions. For me a dumpling is a biscuit like creation , light and fluffy and sitting atop a lovely meat and veggie stew. I was working as a truck driver and stopped at a truck stop that had an "Amish" restaurant. Chicken and dumplings were on the menu and my mouth just watered at the thought of dumplings so I ordered it. (It's awfully hard to find anything but fast food in truck stops these days.) Imagine my disappointment when what I got was nothing more than chicken noodle soup. Apparently dumplings can also be sort of fat noodles. I know that people from the south especially swear by their dumplings but for me, well, just give me the fat fluffy ones.



Yes. I have noticed the difference from one region to another. Up hear it is the light fluffy kind. I have seen some where the dough is rolled out thin like cookie dough and cut up in squares and boiled in broth. I wonder if that is a combination derived from the German Spaetzle influence. This is a Southern thing?  How north does one have to go before the dumplings change from that kind to the fluffy ones we speak of? Interesting.


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## Andy M. (Mar 25, 2011)

Selkie said:


> I hate it when someone takes a classic dish, substitutes everything or most everything so that the new one has few or none of the ingredients of the original, yet calls it by the name of the classic dish. To me, that's blasphemy!   Banana's Foster comes to mind as a recent example.
> 
> This happens a lot with the French "Mother Sauces" such as Bechamel or Hollandaise, or popular sauces such as Alfredo sauce.





+1


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## Barbara L (Mar 25, 2011)

joesfolk said:


> Dumplings. Here in the states they are different in various regions. For me a dumpling is a biscuit like creation , light and fluffy and sitting atop a lovely meat and veggie stew. I was working as a truck driver and stopped at a truck stop that had an "Amish" restaurant. Chicken and dumplings were on the menu and my mouth just watered at the thought of dumplings so I ordered it. (It's awfully hard to find anything but fast food in truck stops these days.) Imagine my disappointment when what I got was nothing more than chicken noodle soup. Apparently dumplings can also be sort of fat noodles. I know that people from the south especially swear by their dumplings but for me, well, just give me the fat fluffy ones.


I was raised with the light fluffy dumplings as well, but I never had chicken and dumplings until a few years ago. In our house, when dumplings were served, it was always cherries and dumplings! When I told my cousin we were having cherries and dumplings one night, he made a face because he thought there was chicken in it.


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## DaveSoMD (Mar 25, 2011)

Pierogie filled with American Cheese.


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## sarahmom22 (Mar 25, 2011)

Hmm lets see:

pancakes from a mix or at a restaurant...they're more like grainy syrup sponges..blech
coffee "whitener"
Instant coffee
canned mushrooms

I've heard some people say pineapple on pizza is "wrong", but it's one of my favourite toppings


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## Sprout (Mar 27, 2011)

Bolas De Fraile said:


> Tripe ala mode de Caen smells like a satanic botty cough and tastes like eating 1 yrs old chabichou.



I had to google every phrase in that sentence. I'm still not sure I've got it. I think you're saying that you don't like it, but I could be wrong...


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## taxlady (Mar 27, 2011)

Sprout said:


> I had to google every phrase in that sentence. I'm still not sure I've got it. I think you're saying that you don't like it, but I could be wrong...



There were too many things to google. I just gave up


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## Bolas De Fraile (Mar 27, 2011)

Sprout said:


> I had to google every phrase in that sentence. I'm still not sure I've got it. I think you're saying that you don't like it, but I could be wrong...


A Satanic botty(bottom) cough is a vicious fart(trouser trumpet) mainly caused by a hot Ruby Murray and 3 pints of Guinness, aged chabichou is a 1 to 2yrs old pastel of goats cheese.


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## spork (Mar 27, 2011)

To each their own, and I will eat anything, so there's nothing I can say is "blasphemous," but one thing that scratches my chalkboard is grossly overcooked pasta.  I'd rather drink a bottle of Elmer's Glue.


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