Overrated cuisine

[San Bernardhinault]

I think that's universal, Kev: Industrial food (which, as you note, is not inherently bad, but is almost always not great), and also restaurants with ludicrously long menus, exist everywhere.

It's not really got anything to do with French cuisine, which gets bashed a lot because it has the reputation as the world's best. And, basically, French cuisine is the world's best. Sure, at the very highest end, they've been surpassed by a couple of restaurants in Britain, Sweden and Denmark, a handful in Spain and Italy - it's not as innovative as, say, the New Nordic Cuisine. But for widespread variety and quality, nothing really beats France. As has been noted, it's rubbish if you don't eat meat - assuming that you're a meat eater who's not lactose intolerant, you're probably going to get more, more interesting, and higher end food in France than anywhere else.

[Lang Spoon]

And most British experience of “Indian” food is a highly altered once “East Pakistani” now Bangladeshi food. Though Punjabi curry houses are maybe most common in the Glasgow outpost of Asian cooking in Britain.

[anton pulisov]

There is nothing better than Vanilla from a real Italian (even chippies made home made Proper gelato ice cream back in the day in darkest Fife. RIP Valentes).

Stracciatella

Germany seems to have amazingly good and ridiculously cheap Italian ice cream parlours in every small town.

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

Stracciatella

Germany seems to have amazingly good and ridiculously cheap Italian ice cream parlours in every small town.

Germany has an awful lot of italians.

[ChrisJ]

And most British experience of “Indian” food is a highly altered once “East Pakistani” now Bangladeshi food. Though Punjabi curry houses are maybe most common in the Glasgow outpost of Asian cooking in Britain.

Punjabi food is... not great. Unless you like the ratio of butter to everything else to be about 1:1.

[Lang Spoon]

When I was in Toulouse for a while around the millennium (staying with Scots working at Airbus), we ate a few times at a massive off the motorway feeding hall. A massive carvery shed, basically. It was quite nice and everything, but not what I was expecting. And not all filled with pale to puce overweight Scots, mostly French families black and (mostly) white. Is this kind of thing normal now in Deep France?

[Lang Spoon]

Punjabi food is... not great. Unless you like the ratio of butter to everything else to be about 1:1.

Well, butter and Scotland. But I’m assured by curry aficionados that Glasgow can hold its own against the likes of Brum Bradford or Wolverhampton. Maybes folk of Punjabi background are cooking generic Britishized Bangladeshi food.

[ChrisJ]

Well, butter and Scotland. But I’m assured by curry aficionados that Glasgow can hold its own against the likes of Brum Bradford or Wolverhampton. Maybes folk of Punjabi background are cooking generic Britishized Bangladeshi food.

Haha. Almost certainly. Though I've never eaten 'Indian' in any of those places.

TBF, Indian restaurants in the uk are usually pretty good; it's just that they mostly offer neither variety or authenticity. But that's probably unrealistic and it generally tastes fine. My main gripe is being asked £1.50 for a chapatti. Fuck off!

[Felicity, I guess so]

If I had a pig’s trotter I’d do what various parts of Spain would and stick it in a pot with loads of beans. The simple, hearty 1st courses on a Spanish menu del dia (Platos de cuchara- ranging from soups to lentil or bean stews) are the thing I miss most about eating there.

[anton pulisov]

Germany has an awful lot of italians.

A pity they never bothered bringing decent pizza or pasta to Germany. But they are probably northern Italians.

[San Bernardhinault]

Germany has its own great pasta-style foods, like spaetzle and maultaschen. I'm not sure they really needed to import Italian ones.

[Lang Spoon]

If I had a pig’s trotter I’d do what various parts of Spain would and stick it in a pot with loads of beans. The simple, hearty 1st courses on a Spanish menu del dia (Platos de cuchara- ranging from soups to lentil or bean stews) are the thing I miss most about eating there.

Aye. Just like oxtail or shin. Anything fatty tough bony or gelatinous will be quite lovely when stewed down. Even pig’s ear.

[Lang Spoon]

Haha. Almost certainly. Though I've never eaten 'Indian' in any of those places.

TBF, Indian restaurants in the uk are usually pretty good; it's just that they mostly offer neither variety or authenticity. But that's probably unrealistic and it generally tastes fine. My main gripe is being asked £1.50 for a chapatti. Fuck off!

Apparently there are a few spots on Glasgow that are claiming to do Keralan food. Maybe a Tamil one as well. Wouldn’t mind trying that next time I’m over, never had even ersatz South Indian food. And Indian food in Dublin is generally a case of being polite and saying you’re fine, thanks. All full on with the overfilling sub par rice and microwaved naan. And the very lightly spiced blando dishes, not the Mae West. And I’m in no way a heat junky.

[anton pulisov]

Italy is my champion. Pizza, Pasta, Salami, Prosciutto, Ciabatta, Focaccia, Gelato, Tiramisu. The best Vino.

In second place I have the great underdog of European cuisine. They don't have much variation, but variation is not necessary when your national cuisine consists of beer stew, double fried chips with homemade mayonnaise, chocolate, waffles and triple brewed beer. And moules frites if you are so inclined.

[anton pulisov]

I think that's universal, Kev: Industrial food (which, as you note, is not inherently bad, but is almost always not great), and also restaurants with ludicrously long menus, exist everywhere.

But a good pizza restaurant in Italy will have their oven out on display, with the dough being formed in full view of the customers.

The boulangeries in France have become very hit and miss. All the baking is done down the back and nobody knows if the bread is actually made there or a few hundred km away.

I think the reason Italian food is good is because it is simple. It's almost easier just to make it fresh than to do it industrially.

[ursus arctos]

Germany has its own great pasta-style foods, like spaetzle and maultaschen. I'm not sure they really needed to import Italian ones.

Narrator: Yes, they do.

[Pérou Flaquettes]

I think that's universal, Kev: Industrial food (which, as you note, is not inherently bad, but is almost always not great), and also restaurants with ludicrously long menus, exist everywhere.

Oh, I know that but I developed that point in my reply to Antoine because far too many people think that France has somehow been magically preserved from that problem because of the strength of its food tradition and culture.

It's not really got anything to do with French cuisine, which gets bashed a lot because it has the reputation as the world's best.

Yep, that's what I wrote in my intro: Antoine has a point in that he has identified a problem re food in France but it has nothing to do with a supposed lack of variety of French cuisine.

[anton pulisov]

Antoine has a point in that he has identified a problem re food in France but it has nothing to do with a supposed lack of variety of French cuisine.

It's true. If I want a baguette made from a proper levain with a long rise then I have to get on the RER 40 minutes and then walk 15 minutes.

[Pérou Flaquettes]

The boulangeries in France have become very hit and miss. All the baking is done down the back and nobody knows if the bread is actually made there or a few hundred km away.

Exactly the same situation as with the restaurants: the huge rise of industrial food roughly since the 2000s.

https://www.francetvinfo.fr/replay-r...s_1734875.html

L'arrivée de produits industriels dans nos boulangeries est un sujet tabou et c'est pourtant bien une réalité que le monde de la boulangerie n'aime pas évoquer.

https://www.francetvinfo.fr/replay-r...s_1731399.html

Pour beaucoup de consommateurs les viennoiseries et gâteaux exposés dans les vitrines des boulangeries artisanales sont forcément fabriqués maison. Mais une enquête publiée dans le mensuel Que Choisir daté de mai révèle que les choses ne sont pas aussi simples.

http://www.europe1.fr/economie/galet...striel-3541715

Selon certaines estimations, non officielles, 80% des galettes vendues en boulangerie seraient industrielles.

etc. etc.

[Hot Pepsi]

It's all overrated. Adjusted for cost, nothing is really better than a nice grilled cheese. So why overthink it?

[Pérou Flaquettes]

It's true. If I want a baguette made from a proper levain with a long rise then I have to get on the RER 40 minutes and then walk 15 minutes.

Anyway, how's life for you in France? how's your French getting along? etc.

[anton pulisov]

I can understand 80% of written French and 5% of spoken French. It has a hint of Danish about it in that respect.

[Lang Spoon]

Whereabouts France wise?

[Pérou Flaquettes]

I can understand 80% of written French and 5% of spoken French. It has a hint of Danish about it in that respect.

Understanding a language as it's spoken by natives is always a bugger, the secret to crack it (eventually) is simple: practice practice practice (and writing things down, + getting tested over new vocab regularly + using said new vocab, all that helps a lot). Try to watch good films/series in French, ask your French friends for advice, it's invaluable.

The Yabla website is excellent for that, https://french.yabla.com/player_cdn....29&tlang_id=en, with the words + the subtitles running underneath the screen to help you, + other interesting features.

[Lang Spoon]

One of the more depressing things I’ve heard is that ciabatta only dates to 1982. Invented as a response to “French” baguette popularity for paninis and the like. It’s not right, being older than ciabatta. But what a triumph of marketing. M&S were selling the stuff in Ukania by 1985.