Regional gastronomical gemsFollow

My friend lived in New Orleans for a while. After she moved back here, we took a weekend trip there and she took me to several local spots, not the tourist-y stuff. I've never had such good gumbo in my life before.

When I first went there the cab driver was a real cool guy, he was showing us around the place. We asked him where the good places to eat were. He showed us a restaurant that had a long line outside. "See that place? Looks like it would be a great place, very popular. Look again. How many locals are there? None. It sucks. Yet everyday tons of tourists line up to eat there like it's the best restaurant around. No you don't want to go there. Better food and better prices elsewhere. You want to eat where the locals do." He showed us a couple of better restaurants to try out.

People from out of state always gave me sh*t for being from Maine and hating lobster. It's a giant sea bug. However, I'm not from Down East so our local cuisine is not synonymous with seafood. In Northern Maine, you learn to like a good potato and become an alcoholic. The two are combined in perfect harmony in this product.

Edited, Jan 19th 2010 1:08pm by Annabella

I like crab better too. It's much sweeter. The forearm of the lobster, also known as the knuckle (the arm that connects the two big front claws to the body), tastes much like crab meat. It's the only part I eat - then I give the rest to my hubby.

I also prefer steamed mussels to steamed clams but you have to be careful where you get your filter-feeding bi-valves from.







Edited, Jan 19th 2010 8:02pm by Elinda

Ick! Sorry. I'm firmly in the "no sea bugs" group. It's not that I dislike the flavor or anything. It's just far far too much effort for so little food. Also, I'm not a fan of eating something that still looks pretty much like what it looked like while alive. It's not like a phobia or anything, but it's just one more thing in the negative...

Southern California: there really is no cultural identity aside from do your own thing. Stick with what you came with, if you like, or adopt new, if you like. Due to the climate, lots of fresh fruits and vegetables are grown here. A few days back you could still get fresh strawberries out of the ground. But the real gem is what people bring from all over the world. Example: Huey Fong Sriracha hot chili sauce (the one with the rooster on it and the green lid in the clear jar...it is widely used here). From the LA Times article I read on it in the early 1990's, it originated in L.A. and at that time was only made there.

I've also adopted several Mexican food-related customs since the move, since Mexicans far outnumber Peruvians in my hood (only myself and one guy at work, no one by home). I like Cholula on my omelets and lemon juice in my soup.

My mother is scandalized, since in Peru we drop eggs in our soup and so now I'm conflicted every time I want ******* soup.

End the torment - put crackers in your soup.

Is caster sugar the same as powdered sugar?

I would only do this if I were serving said soup to someone I hated.

Your second statement can easily be explained by the first.

I used to make fun of a friend of mine that put lemon in everything. One day he was like, "try it", so I put lemon in some chicken soup. Delicious. So the next day, I tried it in my beef noodle soup. Next day organic mushroom and so on. Now I just freaking love it. It's tangy and delicious and it really brings out a certain something. I don't think I'd do it in a clam chowder or anything, but **** he really turned me around on that one.

Still, I dropped an egg into my italian vegetable soup last night.


I fucking love soup in the winter.


I used to enjoy the shrimp at my local all-you-can eatery, until I discovered they don't de-vein them and I goddamn balked at eating shrimp poo.

In Maryland, back when I was in high school, a lot of the local dining places appeared to be greek owned. Now its Korean with a small amount of Indian/Pakistani.

Folks talk about Maryland Crab Cakes, and Oyster Stew. Most restaurants in Baltimore however are not using Maryland Blue Crab, as the crab harvest is getting smaller all the time.
Terrapin soup was also a local delicacy.

I prefer my oysters from the Chincoteague /Assateague bay.

I have had great sour beef and pirogi's here in Baltimore, but then we have a solid base of German and Polish Immigrants.

We buy that **** by the case. I mix it with red pepper flakes before I top my food with it, though.

The south is stereotypically known for it's fried food. That being said I must give a nod to fried pickles. Tried them on a lark at a fair a couple of years ago thinking it would be a novelty and got hooked. Also, fried green tomatoes done well. I just tried those for real this weekend (not in someones kitchen trying it out but actually done well by a professional chef) and fell utterly in love. Especially topped with mozzarella cheese and balsamic vinaigrette.

Last while not insanely loving it, but enjoy it nonetheless, is Eastern NC BBQ.