# The influence of immigrants on food



## Camper6 (Feb 7, 2020)

We have a lot of Asian students and Asian immigrants now and it does have an influence on our food choices.  I'm leaning more into spicy foods now.  I do think spicy foods cuts our appetites as far as weight is influenced.  It think you are more satisfy with less with spicy foods.

I just made a hash brown potato dish. I added the Asian influence.

Basically these are spicy extruded potatoes, and quit spicy.  I just add them to dishes to make it spicy, even chili.

You can't ignore the influence of Mexican, Indian, and even  Italian food.  It's terrific.


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## RadishRose (Feb 7, 2020)

Immigrant's food, is one of the best things about America, imo.

I grew up with a huge Italian cuisine, also Chinese, French Canadian, Central and Eastern European, Russian, Greek, Middle Eastern, Puerto Rican and later, Mexican and Indian.


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## Pinky (Feb 7, 2020)

My tastebuds have changed so much over the decades. As a child, I was a picky eater. Now, I will eat just about everything, but it was a slow process. My daughter was also a picky eater, and now she's a gourmand, not to mention, a gourmet cook.

As a teen, I was invited to join a girlfriend's family for their huge Chinese meals. Italian meals at another friend's. That opened up a new world of flavours. I particularly like Middle Eastern, Indian, Greek, Asian - but I don't indulge in heavily spiced food anymore. Unfortunately, authentic Mexican is not easy to find here, but there is a place way downtown, I think.

Musn't forget West Indian .. going to The Real Jerk next week. They've opened a restaurant in London, England. I hope they're doing well there. Went to a Jewish bakery cafe last week - always tasty.


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## retiredtraveler (Feb 7, 2020)

I grew up with 'typical' bland American diet, but so did most people (I would think). There have always been Italian and Greek restaurants, and some Mexican in the early days. But yes, things started changing in the 90's and we started seeing Thai and Indian (both of which are my favorites) and 'real' Asian (not buffets) out in the suburbs. And now, there is everything in the Chicago area, New York, and Seattle (the towns I'm most familiar with).


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## Lvstotrvl (Feb 7, 2020)

My favorite food is Italian n I make a lot,of different kinds. No I’m not Italian I’m Irish but my family will come to my house when they want Italian instead of a restaurant, I also love Chinese n Mexican but I can’t make either that well, lucky for me we have a great Chinese restaurant in Rhode Island, still looking for a Mexican one


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## JustBonee (Feb 7, 2020)

Tex-Mex food rules around here ..  https://www.seriouseats.com/2014/06/8-essential-tex-mex-dishes.html


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## Don M. (Feb 7, 2020)

I like all kinds of food.  I grew up with a lot of Italian food, sampled all sorts of cuisine while in Europe, and became fond of Thai food when I was over there.  I don't care for real spicy food, and I never cared for turnips....but I enjoy almost everything else...no matter what "nationality".  Italian Lasagna, German Rouladen, and Pad Thai, rank high on my list of favorites.


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## RadishRose (Feb 7, 2020)

retiredtraveler said:


> I grew up with 'typical' bland American diet, but so did most people


I cannot agree that typical is bland. The coastlines were and are, rife with many different cuisines other than what the English brought.


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## Pink Biz (Feb 7, 2020)

*I have yet to try an ethnic cuisine that I don't like, some more than others, of course. Greek, Mexican, Italian, American and Ashkenazi Jewish are my favorites.*


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## treeguy64 (Feb 7, 2020)

I grew up exposed to many, many different cuisines. As a child, I routinely partook of Asian and Italian cuisine, along with that of my people, the Eastern European Jews. In my 20's I got into Indian and Mexican food, and worked in a Greek restaurant, learning how to make dishes of that culture. In my 30's Ethiopian cuisine made it onto my table. Thai food got into my culinary repertoire when I was about 40. I pride myself on my abilities to cook the cuisines of many cultures. I love cooking, so it's all good!


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## hollydolly (Feb 7, 2020)

RadishRose said:


> I cannot agree that typical is bland. The coastlines were and are, rife with many different cuisines *other than what the English brought.*




I'm wounded , right in my heart... 

I'll have you know  our food is  among the best in the world....


https://evanevanstours.com/blog/whats-british-food-really-like/

We're a hugely cosmopolitan country.... we have the best of so many different culinary experiences right here.... especially Indian, Chinese , Italian  and West African * jamaican ,..not to mention Vietnamese, Japanese, Polish, French,  Mexican and a multitude of others as well as our own home grown  British Fare...

I invite all of you who believe that old adage about British food being terrible to come to one of our food Fares this year... 

https://www.countryandtownhouse.co.uk/food-and-drink/the-coolest-food-festivals/


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## Lee (Feb 7, 2020)

Not really into restaurant eating so I have a tendency to stick with what I know and don't experiment with the more exotic cuisines. So mostly Italian, French, English and stuff my grandmother taught me such as pierogis and cabbage rolls.


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## treeguy64 (Feb 7, 2020)

hollydolly said:


> I'm wounded , right in my heart...
> 
> I'll have you know  our food is  among the best in the world....
> 
> ...


I certainly am not above sampling a bit of Spotted Dick, every now and then, but Janet always gives me grief about that!

Get your minds out of the gutter, you US folks!


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## hollydolly (Feb 7, 2020)

treeguy64 said:


> I certainly am not above sampling a bit of Spotted Dick, every now and then, but Janet always gives me grief about that!
> 
> Get your minds out of the gutter, you US folks!
> 
> View attachment 90640


 That old canned stuff  tastes  nothing like the real thing... ( and yes keep your minds out of the gutter folks)   .... you can definitely make your own at home using a recipe...

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/spotted-dick


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## treeguy64 (Feb 7, 2020)

hollydolly said:


> That old canned stuff  tastes  nothing like the real thing... ( and yes keep your minds out of the gutter folks)   .... you can definitely make your own at home using a recipe...
> 
> https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/spotted-dick


Thanks! I'll "veganize" it, and give it a go!


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## treeguy64 (Feb 7, 2020)

treeguy64 said:


> Thanks! I'll "veganize" it, and give it a go!


Blimey!

https://ginfuelledbluestocking.co.uk/recipe-vegan-spotted-dick-zymurgorium-marmalade-gin/


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## RadishRose (Feb 7, 2020)

hollydolly said:


> I'm wounded , right in my heart...
> 
> I'll have you know  our food is  among the best in the world....
> 
> ...


What the English brought back then, became what the English here got used to and it was very limited. There wasn't much food around anyway. It all became usual fare and went west with the early pioneers and kinda stayed that way. And yes, it became bland. 

While British food was evolving into the fine cuisine it is and not just for royalty anymore, middle America remained stuck for awhile . Sure the coastlines enjoyed the immigrant spices and cuisines just as you borrowed from your neighbors.

Please don't imagine slights on the UK when none was meant.


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## Marie5656 (Feb 7, 2020)

*I grew up in a small town, so did not have a lot of opportunity to try foods of different cultures growing up.  I had my first Chinese food at about age 10, on a trip up to Canada with my parents.  Got my first Mexican food when visiting Southern California at age 12.  We did not even know what a taco was at the time.
But now, I am really open to try different foods.  I have not always liked what I have tried, but have had different experiences.

Slightly OT, but have any of you watched Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern?  He has tried some interesting cultural foods. Some of which I would not mind trying.  I liked the shows where he went to different regions of the US to try regional foods.  Do any of our US people live in the state (forget where, sorry) that eats Liver mush?  THAT seems interesting*


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## Old Salt (Feb 7, 2020)

hollydolly said:


> I'm wounded , right in my heart...
> 
> I'll have you know  our food is  among the best in the world....
> 
> ...


I think here we have a clear cut case of before and after. In age I mean. If you are in your eighties as I am then you would agree that English cuisine was bland at one time. I spent some time in London and Portsmouth in the late fifties and remember looking desperately for an ethnic restaurant because the average English restaurant was severely inadequate for anyone non-English. Generally speaking English speaking Canada was just as bad!

My God, they even hated garlic, the queen of spices and screwed up their faces in disgust if they came near an Italian/Greek-Canadian immigrant! And I still remember Atlantic Canada's favourite dish: the boiled dinner! Dump salt beef, potatoes, cabbage, turnips into a pot, cook until done. Take out of pot and salt! Add a bit of butter. I learned to like it by dumping almost a pound of butter on my meal!  Slight exaggeration!

English food that I loved: Fish and Chips, Bangers and Mash, Roast Beef dinners with Yorkshire Pudding. But, now, just like in the U.K. we have a multitude of ethnic restaurants. At least in our bigger cities. But I wouldn't call that Canadian cuisine. Canadian cuisine is what we cook at home NOT what we eat in restaurants. Not much has changed there except that now we LOVE garlic!


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## RadishRose (Feb 7, 2020)

Marie5656 said:


> *I grew up in a small town, so did not have a lot of opportunity to try foods of different cultures growing up.  I had my first Chinese food at about age 10, on a trip up to Canada with my parents.  Got my first Mexican food when visiting Southern California at age 12.  We did not even know what a taco was at the time.
> But now, I am really open to try different foods.  I have not always liked what I have tried, but have had different experiences.
> 
> Slightly OT, but have any of you watched Bizarre Foods with Andrew Zimmern?  He has tried some interesting cultural foods. Some of which I would not mind trying.  I liked the shows where he went to different regions of the US to try regional foods.  Do any of our US people live in the state (forget where, sorry) that eats Liver mush?  THAT seems interesting*


I don't know about liver "mush", but Jewish food often features chopped liver. It's kind of like a pate'. It's good. I don't eat liver anymore beacuse it is the organ that filters all the toxins. He could have been in the greater NYC area, NJ, etc If he was speaking of "chopped liver"

"Liver mush", I dunno.


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## Marie5656 (Feb 7, 2020)

OK, I checked. Livermush is a "thing" in North Carolina. They even have a Livermush Festival. Briefly, from Wikipedia :  _Livermush_ is a Southern United States pork food product prepared using pig liver, parts of pig heads, cornmeal and spices. ... Though sometimes considered the same as liver pudding, _livermush_ generally contains more cornmeal and is coarser in texture.

It is made into a loaf, sliced and heated a bit on the stove top. Eaten in a sandwich usually. I thought it looked a bit like SPAM


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## Camper6 (Feb 7, 2020)

hollydolly said:


> I'm wounded , right in my heart...
> 
> I'll have you know  our food is  among the best in the world....
> 
> ...


How can you beat fish and chips street food? You can't.


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## RadishRose (Feb 7, 2020)

Marie5656 said:


> OK, I checked. Livermush is a "thing" in North Carolina. They even have a Livermush Festival. Briefly, from Wikipedia :  _Livermush_ is a Southern United States pork food product prepared using pig liver, parts of pig heads, cornmeal and spices. ... Though sometimes considered the same as liver pudding, _livermush_ generally contains more cornmeal and is coarser in texture.
> 
> It is made into a loaf, sliced and heated a bit on the stove top. Eaten in a sandwich usually. I thought it looked a bit like SPAM


How interesting! Makes me think of haggis with cornmeal instead of oats. It makes me also think of liverwurst,


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## RadishRose (Feb 7, 2020)

Camper6 said:


> How can you beat fish and chips street food? You can't.


I love fish and chips!


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## JustBonee (Feb 7, 2020)

Whatever happened to Arthur Treacher's Fish and Chips restaurants?  ...  they were good back in the 70's.


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## Marie5656 (Feb 7, 2020)

Bonnie said:


> Whatever happened to Arthur Treacher's Fish and Chips restaurants?  ...  they were good back in the 70's.



Really. I have been to Long John Silvers.  Not the same.  I am including a link to a local pizza chain here. They have actually coupled with Treachers...and have a Separate Treachers menu as well as pizza.  Interesting    Local Arthur Treachers


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## Marie5656 (Feb 7, 2020)

*@hollydolly  can you give me an idea of what Spotted dick actually is?  I have seen it in stores here. Also Vegemite and Marmite.  Thiugh I am told they are an aquited taste.  Sorry..I do not remember. With Vegemite and Marmite, I know one is Aussie, and one is from UK. Do not remember which is which*


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## RadishRose (Feb 7, 2020)

Bonnie said:


> Whatever happened to Arthur Treacher's Fish and Chips restaurants?  ...  they were good back in the 70's.


Yes, they were. I don't know why they went out of business. Poor management maybe.


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## peppermint (Feb 7, 2020)

I was brought up mostly with Italian food, so did my husband....On Wednesday Pasta and Sunday Pasta...My Mom made all kinds of Italian food...
Not just spaghetti....At the time when I was young I did eat meat....Brogole….A round kind of meat stuffed with bread....that had many flavors
mixed in….My Mom also made vegetables in soup with potatoes, onions, celery, carrots and many other veggies....That was my favorite dinner....
Mom always had Jello or pudding when I came home from school...That was our snacks....They didn't have a lot of money, but us kids got
fed.....
Now I'm mostly a vegetarian....My husband still likes meat...I do like fish and hubby will eat fish....
When I was a little one, the guy with the vegetables in his truck would come around our street....I wish they did that now....

Anyone remember the Ice Cream man, ringing the bells???   I haven't seen that in a while.....


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## Butterfly (Feb 7, 2020)

Marie5656 said:


> OK, I checked. Livermush is a "thing" in North Carolina. They even have a Livermush Festival. Briefly, from Wikipedia :  _Livermush_ is a Southern United States pork food product prepared using pig liver, parts of pig heads, cornmeal and spices. ... Though sometimes considered the same as liver pudding, _livermush_ generally contains more cornmeal and is coarser in texture.
> 
> It is made into a loaf, sliced and heated a bit on the stove top. Eaten in a sandwich usually. I thought it looked a bit like SPAM




Sounds just like what we always called "scrapple.".


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## hollydolly (Feb 7, 2020)

RadishRose said:


> What the English brought back then, became what the English here got used to and it was very limited. There wasn't much food around anyway. It all became usual fare and went west with the early pioneers and kinda stayed that way. And yes, it became bland.
> 
> While British food was evolving into the fine cuisine it is and not just for royalty anymore, middle America remained stuck for awhile . Sure the coastlines enjoyed the immigrant spices and cuisines just as you borrowed from your neighbors.
> 
> Please don't imagine slights on the UK when none was meant.


 oh goodness me RR...it was a joke, you're the last person I suspected would think it was anything_ but_ a joke... ...


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## jujube (Feb 7, 2020)

Oh, livermush is delicious! I wouldn't want it on a  daily basis, but it's a real breakfast treat with eggs. Definitely a North Narrowlina thang.

Growing up in the Midwest, we didn't do "ethnic".  

The rare foray into Chinese food consisted in getting one of those stacked-up Chung King or Lachoy "canned dinners".  Remember those?  Can of limp vegetables with chunks of what _might _have been chicken, can of gluey sauce and a can of tasteless chow mein noodles.

The nearest thing we got to Italian or Mexican food was if my mother shook a can of oregano or chili powder over what she was making.  I didn't even taste pizza until I was in my teens.

But then I started traveling and learned what was out there.  And I love it all.


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## RadishRose (Feb 7, 2020)

hollydolly said:


> oh goodness me RR...it was a joke, you're the last person I suspected would think it was anything_ but_ a joke... ...


I must have missed it. I thought you'd taken offense. I'm glad to know you had not. Carry on.......


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## Marie5656 (Feb 7, 2020)

Butterfly said:


> Sounds just like what we always called "scrapple.".



Yes, in one of the things I read it mentioned scrapple


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## hollydolly (Feb 7, 2020)

Marie5656 said:


> *@hollydolly  can you give me an idea of what Spotted dick actually is?  I have seen it in stores here. Also Vegemite and Marmite.  Thiugh I am told they are an aquited taste.  Sorry..I do not remember. With Vegemite and Marmite, I know one is Aussie, and one is from UK. Do not remember which is which*


 Marie, spotted dick is simply a suet based  steamed sponge pudding with dried  fruit....  

...and both Marmite and Vegemite are spreadable very salty  yeast pastes... served  spread thinly, usually   on toast.. ( I don't like them ).. my husband does like Marmite but not Vegemite...


Vegemite and Marmite are both based on an extract of the yeast left over after the production of beer.  But they're made by different companies, so aside from the one common ingredient, they're separate products.
Marmite is made in the uk and vegemite is australian. That's mainly it. Marmite is gunkier whilst vegemite has a similar  consistency to peanut butter..  ( a thicker and very salty taste)


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## Old Salt (Feb 7, 2020)

My apologies. I was way off subject in my posts which is (I just noticed) "the influence of immigrants on food." I can say I influenced my family by introducing them to Swabian (German) food. South German Potato Salad, Spaetzle, Maultaschen, Schupfnudeln, Potato- and Bread Dumplings, Schnitzel. 

I used to watch my mother over her shoulder as she cooked those delicious dishes and passed it on to my daughters. Sadly, both are busy outside the house and no longer bother with most recipes, except for Spaetzle (ready made) and Schnitzel! :-(  I know that's not what you want to see either, so I would say in my area the Chinese, Italians and Thai have had the greatest influence.


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## RadishRose (Feb 7, 2020)

Old Salt said:


> My apologies. I was way off subject in my posts which is (I just noticed) "the influence of immigrants on food." I can say I influenced my family by introducing them to Swabian (German) food. South German Potato Salad, Spaetzle, Maultaschen, Schupfnudeln, Potato- and Bread Dumplings, Schnitzel.
> 
> I used to watch my mother over her shoulder as she cooked those delicious dishes and passed it on to my daughters. Sadly, both are busy outside the house and no longer bother with most recipes, except for Spaetzle (ready made) and Schnitzel! :-(  I know that's not what you want to see either, so I would say in my area the Chinese, Italians and Thai have had the greatest influence.


Yes I want to read about this. At some time not long ago, there were more German Americans here than any other nationality! You are exactly on topic.

I learned a few things from you.... I never heard of Swabia before.

There was a German restaraunt in our town... looked like it came straight from old Germany. They made very nice Schnitzel.


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## RadishRose (Feb 7, 2020)

Old Salt said:


> Atlantic Canada's favourite dish: the boiled dinner!


Oh yes, LOL...we called it "New England Boiled Dinner" and I remember all the butter, too!


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## Gardenlover (Feb 7, 2020)

How about some wild game - Venison, wild turkey, etc. ?


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## Old Salt (Feb 7, 2020)

Hi RadishRose, I emphasized Swabia because I am used to/ and referring to regional cooking. For instance my potato salad is made with a basis of oil, vinegar, onions and mustard, while in Middle to Northern Germany the basis is mayonnaise. It would be quite similar to the potato salad you make. Most of the dishes mentioned in my post are South German (Baden-Wuerttemberg and Bavaria, Swabia being the eastern part of Baden-Wuerttemberg),. 

A North German would probably never make any of my recipes. Their taste goes to rouladen etc. When people find out that I was born and brought up German they say: "Oh, I love Rouladen!" I have never had a roulade in my life.   Qualifier: all this was 63 years ago. Things have changed dramatically in the meantime.


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## IrisSenior (Feb 7, 2020)

My mom was born in Brighton, England and she made roast beef and yorkshire pudding. We enjoyed meat and potatoes suppers. I hated liver and onions. I now eat more spicy food now but my family doesn't like it as much.


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## Old Salt (Feb 7, 2020)

RadishRose said:


> Oh yes, LOL...we called it "New England Boiled Dinner" and I remember all the butter, too!


I forgot to mention that the dish was labor friendly. The turnip and cabbage were cut into huge chunks (quarters) and the potatoes left whole.


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## Marie5656 (Feb 7, 2020)

I know Canadians have a dish called Poutine.  French Fries, gravy and cheese curds.  I have had fries with gravy before, but may want to try adding the cheese curds. I do like them, but am unsure if I would like the combination with the fries. But I do want to try once


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## Old Salt (Feb 7, 2020)

IrisSenior said:


> My mom was born in Brighton, England and she made roast beef and yorkshire pudding. We enjoyed meat and potatoes suppers. I hated liver and onions. I now eat more spicy food now but my family doesn't like it as much.


I love Yorkshire pudding. You can keep the meat and all the trimmings and just hand me a plate of Yorkshire Pudding and Gravy! LOL I think all of us hated liver at one time. I like it now, with sauteed onions, but haven't had it in ages! Has anyone ever noticed how many items disappeared off our grocery's shelves over the years to be replaced by something else? I still miss my German cake and dumpling mixes. We even had Yorkshire Pudding in our freezer section. Marks & Spencer had my favorite: Bangers and Mash. All gone, M&M included! Sob!!! Or is it only Atlantic Canada?


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## Old Salt (Feb 7, 2020)

Marie5656 said:


> I know Canadians have a dish called Poutine.  French Fries, gravy and cheese curds.  I have had fries with gravy before, but may want to try adding the cheese curds. I do like them, but am unsure if I would like the combination with the fries. But I do want to try once


Hi Marie, it is supposed to be Canada's Dish, my grandson loves it but I have not yet been able to overcome my horror at the thought of cheese curds on fries! LOL


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## fmdog44 (Feb 7, 2020)

Take away all the ethnic foods from American tables and what so you have? *Corn & wheat.*


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## Old Salt (Feb 7, 2020)

Gardenlover said:


> How about some wild game - Venison, wild turkey, etc. ?


Both are not readily available in Canada ( unless you are a hunter) but I remember going to the local restaurant in Germany every Sunday where we had a venison roast and spaetzle, with a nice green salad on the side. Venison was available year round because hunting was forbidden to the average person, only approved *Jaeger* (hunters) could make a kill (cull) year round and they usually owned the Gasthaus where we ate.


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## Old Salt (Feb 7, 2020)

fmdog44 said:


> Take away all the ethnic foods from American tables and what so you have? *Corn & wheat.*


You forgot turkeys! LOL


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## peppermint (Feb 7, 2020)

Old Salt said:


> Hi RadishRose, I emphasized Swabia because I am used to/ and referring to regional cooking. For instance my potato salad is made with a basis of oil, vinegar, onions and mustard, while in Middle to Northern Germany the basis is mayonnaise. It would be quite similar to the potato salad you make. Most of the dishes mentioned in my post are South German (Baden-Wuerttemberg and Bavaria, Swabia being the eastern part of Baden-Wuerttemberg),.
> 
> A North German would probably never make any of my recipes. Their taste goes to rouladen etc. When people find out that I was born and brought up German they say: "Oh, I love Rouladen!" I have never had a roulade in my life.   Qualifier: all this was 63 years ago. Things have changed dramatically in the meantime.


I just read that you love Rouliaden…  That takes me back many many years when my neighbor across the street was German....
She taught me to make Rouliaden….
Being I am Italian I gave her some Italian dishes to make....I miss my friend!!   We moved away when the kids were young and
never went back....


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## Marie5656 (Feb 7, 2020)

Old Salt said:


> Hi Marie, it is supposed to be Canada's Dish, my grandson loves it but I have not yet been able to overcome my horror at the thought of cheese curds on fries! LOL


I know what you mean


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## Marie5656 (Feb 7, 2020)

fmdog44 said:


> Take away all the ethnic foods from American tables and what so you have? *Corn & wheat.*



Right. And the game.  Part of us being a melting pot, I guess.


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## Old Salt (Feb 7, 2020)

peppermint said:


> I just read that you love Rouliaden…  That takes me back many many years when my neighbor across the street was German....
> She taught me to make Rouliaden….
> Being I am Italian I gave her some Italian dishes to make....I miss my friend!!   We moved away when the kids were young and
> never went back....


Hi peppermint, You can make a roulade for me. LOL I have never had one but assume that they are delicious! I used it as an example of something that wasn't eaten in my neck of the woods at the time I left for Canada.


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## peppermint (Feb 7, 2020)

Old Salt said:


> Hi peppermint, You can make a roulade for me. LOL I have never had one but assume that they are delicious! I used it as an example of something that wasn't eaten in my neck of the woods at the time I left for Canada.


Awe!!!  I have to say, I haven't made Rouladen in many years....It's just me and husband....Kids are alll married.....Now I think I'll make Rouladen…..Even though I don't eat meat...My husband will eat anything!!!!  By the way, I was walking the other day in our resort, a lady came up to me and asked how long do I live here...I told her and she asked me where I came from....I told her...So we started talking, she told me she was from Canada....More people come to the South in the winter from Canada....Nice to meet you Old Salt...


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## Old Salt (Feb 7, 2020)

peppermint said:


> Awe!!!  I have to say, I haven't made Rouladen in many years....It's just me and husband....Kids are alll married.....Now I think I'll make
> Rouladen…..Even though I don't eat meat...My husband will eat anything!!!!  By the way, I was walking the other day in our resort, a lady
> came up to me and asked how long do I live here...I told her and she asked me where I came from....I told her...So we started talking,
> she told me she was from Canada....More people come to the South in the winter from Canada....Nice to meet you Old Salt...



Nice meeting you, too, peppermint! Since we are on the subject of food, I have never tasted Southern food but always drool when I read about it. So if you want to send me anything "chicken fried" I'll take that instead of the Rouladen! Since you don't eat meat I think your husband would enjoy it if you whipped up a bit extra of the good stuff for him! LOL


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## CarolfromTX (Feb 7, 2020)

Growing up, I think my mother had a repertoire of about 10 dishes, none of which had onion, garlic, or much in the way of any herbs or spices. If I ate ethnic food, it was Polish or Czech. Never had Chinese food except chow mein out of a can. I will never forget my first encounter with a real Chinese (American) restaurant. I think I heard angels singing. Ditto for my first taco! Now, we love all different kinds of ethnic food. We are particularly fond of Asian cuisines.


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## Ruth n Jersey (Feb 7, 2020)

I was brought up on German and Czech food but lived in an Italian neighborhood. I loved it all. After being sentenced to a gluten free diet in later years I became fond of Asian and Mexican foods. Cornstarch, beans,and cornmeal are my friends as long as the foods aren't to spicy.


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## Camper6 (Feb 7, 2020)

I'm not sure but I think pizza was invented in the U.S.A.

I remember my first experience with pizza. It was an Italian family and they had boarders who made it. It was mostly fish. Anchovies and sardines and such. 

Pizza now is a staple. And it's good. Best I ever tasted was in New England at a small resteraunt called Nashoba Pizza.


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## Ruthanne (Feb 7, 2020)

My family were immigrants from Eastern Europe.  My grandma made chow chow, pierogis, stuffed cabbage.  My other grandma loved to make dumplings and chicken or chicken paprikash.  They always had keilbasa, too.


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## Rosemarie (Feb 7, 2020)

It's funny to hear Americans talking about immigrants! When Europeans first settled in America (they were immigrants), they surely took their own cuisine with them. So the English, Dutch, Spanish etc. each had a different diet. The Italians are still known for their ice-cream and pasta, the French for their pastries and so on.
We were first introduced to Eastern food after the Crusaders brought spices back to Europe.  Our ventures in Eastern countries awakened our enjoyment of curried foods, which we then brought back to our own countries. 
In other words Europeans  have enjoyed spices and spicy foods for centuries before America was discovered.


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## Lee (Feb 8, 2020)

If Swedish Meatballs and French Fries qualify for Swedish and French cooking then I qualify


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## IrisSenior (Feb 8, 2020)

If I could figure out how to reply to posts, I would.
Marie5656: poutine is from Quebec, I believe. My son gets it at Costco - the best place in my opinion. Fries, add cheese curds (mozzarella), add hot gravy and it melts the cheese into the fries. It can be very good.
Old Salt: I found a recipe for Yorkshire Pudding and I make it once in awhile. Bangers and mash are sausage and mashed potatoes - they are good too. As for liver and onions, I guess you would need to find a butcher who could supply it. I have also made Rouladen.


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## Camper6 (Feb 8, 2020)

I'm Canadian.  I have never tasted poutine.  My son talked about it when he went away to university, but they never had it here.  We now see it on menus in Mc Donalds and Burger King.


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## Old Salt (Feb 8, 2020)

IrisSenior said:


> If I could figure out how to reply to posts, I would.
> Marie5656: poutine is from Quebec, I believe. My son gets it at Costco - the best place in my opinion. Fries, add cheese curds (mozzarella), add hot gravy and it melts the cheese into the fries. It can be very good.
> Old Salt: I found a recipe for Yorkshire Pudding and I make it once in awhile. Bangers and mash are sausage and mashed potatoes - they are good too. As for liver and onions, I guess you would need to find a butcher who could supply it. I have also made Rouladen.


Hi Marie, (should be IrisSenior) just click on the "post reply" in the other person's window and make sure the +quote is on. If you leave +quote on as default it will always contain the other person's message. I had a hard time with it too until I found out only yesterday how to do it!


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## Old Salt (Feb 8, 2020)

IrisSenior said:


> If I could figure out how to reply to posts, I would.
> Marie5656: poutine is from Quebec, I believe. My son gets it at Costco - the best place in my opinion. Fries, add cheese curds (mozzarella), add hot gravy and it melts the cheese into the fries. It can be very good.
> Old Salt: I found a recipe for Yorkshire Pudding and I make it once in awhile. Bangers and mash are sausage and mashed potatoes - they are good too. As for liver and onions, I guess you would need to find a butcher who could supply it. I have also made Rouladen.


Oops, I thought it was Marie who didn't know how to respond to posts. Please see my latest post to Marie for a solution!


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## Old Salt (Feb 8, 2020)

Ruthanne said:


> My family were immigrants from Eastern Europe.  My grandma made chow chow, pierogis, stuffed cabbage.  My other grandma loved to make dumplings and chicken or chicken paprikash.  They always had keilbasa, too.


I love Pierogies. Did anyone ever try browned butter over pierogies or pasta? Gives both a heavenly taste. Might be hard on the heart though!


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## Camper6 (Feb 8, 2020)

Old Salt said:


> I love Pierogies. Did anyone ever try browned butter over pierogies or pasta? Gives both a heavenly taste. Might be hard on the heart though!


You cannot have perogies unless you have onions fried in butter with them. That's Ukraine style anyway. Cabbage rolls. Served with sour cream. Polish style.


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## Old Salt (Feb 8, 2020)

Camper6 said:


> You cannot have perogies unless you have onions fried in butter with them. That's Ukraine style anyway.


Yep, that's how I usually eat them but once in  a while I indulge myself and let the butter get brown. A whole new taste sensation!


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## Aunt Bea (Feb 8, 2020)

Old Salt said:


> I love Pierogies. Did anyone ever try browned butter over pierogies or pasta? Gives both a heavenly taste. Might be hard on the heart though!


Add a side of ice cold chunky applesauce to help balance things out.


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## Old Salt (Feb 8, 2020)

Aunt Bea said:


> Add a side of ice cold chunky applesauce to help balance things out.


Oh yes, indeed!!! I also use apple sauce with potato pancakes!


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## Camper6 (Feb 9, 2020)

Old Salt said:


> Yep, that's how I usually eat them but once in  a while I indulge myself and let the butter get brown. A whole new taste sensation!


I know what you are talking about.  I like everything pretty well burned.  It tastes better.  Toast has to be, well toasted bread. If I burn it, I just scrape it off.


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## IrisSenior (Feb 9, 2020)

Camper6 said:


> I'm Canadian.  I have never tasted poutine.  My son talked about it when he went away to university, but they never had it here.  We now see it on menus in Mc Donalds and Burger King.


Camper - never get poutine from McDonalds or Burger King - very disappointing and too salty.


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## Camper6 (Feb 9, 2020)

Well I really don't like that kind of stuff anyway.  But my friend has it when we are at Mc Donalds.

He thrives on stuff soaked in gravy.

Curds in themselves are salty.  I make stuff at home because I can regulate the salt.


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## RadishRose (Feb 17, 2020)

Old Salt said:


> I love Pierogies. Did anyone ever try browned butter over pierogies or pasta? Gives both a heavenly taste. Might be hard on the heart though!


Browned butter with fresh sage leaves- awesome on pasta, especially ravioli.


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