MyLot International Food Court!
By anniepa
@anniepa (27955)
United States
May 11, 2008 4:57pm CST
It's a boring Sunday afternoon and there's not much good on TV, so I have the Food Network on as I post here and OF COURSE it's making me hungry so OF COURSE I had to start a discussion on food to hopefully make everyone else hungry with me! Since there are members here from all over the world and from every possible background I'd thought this would be fun; when I go to different "ethnic" restaurants I often have no clue as to what to order. I mean, I'm somewhat familiar with Italian food, at least the more popular dishes and the same goes for Chinese and Mexican to a lesser extent. Japanese - I know there's suchy (did I even spell that right?) but raw fish kind of turns me off and that kind of fish that if it's not prepared absolutely perfectly it can kill you terrifies me but I'm sure there are other Japanese dishes I'd love. I know the French are famous for their cuisine but I don't know if I've ever eaten anything French or not, which is pretty bad considering I'm part French. There seems to be like one or maybe two things I know about from various other countries like stroganoff, goulash, perogies, haluski and some others my blank and all-American mind won't let me think of right now, but one thing seems clear and that's that there really aren't many "American" dishes, everything we eat on a regular basis originally came from somewhere else and it doesn't seem like we've come up with much that's original in our over two centuries as a country other than maybe the cheeseburger!
Everybody, no matter where you live, where you're from or what your nationality is, please share you favorite dishes with the rest of us here. Tell us what we'd really LOVE if we visited your country of origin and went into a restaurant with the realization that some of us have never been outside of the U.S. and seriously haven't got a clue. To put it another way, if we could open our own myLot Food Court what would you serve at your booth?
Annie
1 person likes this
10 responses
@theprogamer (10534)
• United States
8 Jun 08
"Japanese - I know there's suchy (did I even spell that right?)"
I...just lost...
all...faith.....
...in humanity....
Okay okay okay!! I'll answer the discussion.
Chinese
Fried rices can be served, and they can be served plain, with extra egg, shrimp, seafood, beef, chicken or extra vegetables.
There are also noodle dishes like Lo Mein, and Mei Fun (Mei Fun being a much thinner rice noodle, Lo Mein being thicker).
There are also dumplings which are simply ground pork or chicken with some vegetables, wrapped up into a (somewhat) bite size form. A larger version of this is Baozi (Chinese) or the Nikuman (Japanese)
Japanese
"Sushi" is not the only thing served, plus raw fish is great. If you don't like raw fish there is always salmon or..eel! C'mon its delicious Annie, I cooked it myself. I'll even feed it to you, "Ahhhh!"
Okay okay okay!! I'll answer the discussion.
Chinese
Fried rices can be served, and they can be served plain, with extra egg, shrimp, seafood, beef, chicken or extra vegetables.
There are also noodle dishes like Lo Mein, and Mei Fun (Mei Fun being a much thinner rice noodle, Lo Mein being thicker).
There are also dumplings which are simply ground pork or chicken with some vegetables, wrapped up into a (somewhat) bite size form. A larger version of this is Baozi (Chinese) or the Nikuman (Japanese)
Japanese
"Sushi" is not the only thing served, plus raw fish is great. If you don't like raw fish there is always salmon or..eel! C'mon its delicious Annie, I cooked it myself. I'll even feed it to you, "Ahhhh!" 1 person likes this
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
9 Jun 08
Filet Mignon, crab legs, horseradish, Italian spaghetti, sausage, roast pork...you've made me very, very, VERY hungry! However, I'll skip the octopus, eel, snails, Suchy and the fish that kills you instantly, thank you very much, but I sure won't go hungry. Great response. When are you opening?
Annie
@theprogamer (10534)
• United States
9 Jun 08
What am I opening?
Clearly a crafts store! =P
Okay okay.
I think I'll just have to go with semi international fine-dining. Don't have a name for it though. .
@skinnychick (6905)
• United States
13 May 08
Jello shots and my world famous Span sandwich. Ok so I ripped the recipe off but there is something so wrong yet so right about Spam sandwiched between 2 slices of French Toast and then dipped in syrup.
It doesn't get any more American (or any more gross) than Spam. LOL!!!
1 person likes this
@cher913 (25782)
• Canada
12 May 08
i am here in canada and i guess that our meals could be ones like poutine (its french fries with a gravy/cheese mix on the top - an aquired taste to be sure!) and beaver tails (fried dough with with a little bit of icing sugar on the top) (actually they have something quite similar in hungary as well!)
but all in all, we probably eat a lot of the same things that you eat in the US
smiles
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
11 May 08
Naughty, naughty..You're part French too yet never had anything French?? I love French food and that is what got me really interested in cooking years ago..so I do the crepes, French onion soup gratineé, pot au feu, beouf bourgninon, and some of the desserts, like chocolate mousse...I've done Mexican cooking such as homemade Gazpacho soup, tamales, tortillas, empanadas, flan. guacamole,burritos. Then Italian such as lasagna, manacotti. I've done Chinese cuisine, Polish, Jewish..uh lets put it this way, if its food I love to experiment and try different ethnic foods...uh..that's sushi and no the idea of raw fish turns me off--the Spanish/Mexican have their own version of raw fish called serviche...but would never eat that either. So if I were to open up a booth..yikes I guess I'd be serving a bit of everything
You're right about there not be any such thing as real American food..but each culture seems to have borrowed from others...the French have Crepes, then there are blintzes, burritos, Chinese dumplings, all with the idea of a flour-based "Wrap" for food
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
12 May 08
Well let me see true American foods would include anything with corn (maize) as that was only found here in America..things like cornbread and so forth were Native american dishes as well as tapioca, potatoes..yes potatoes and get this tomatoes too! These were all foods that originated here, so makes you wonder what Italian food was prior to using anything with tomatoes, right?
1 person likes this
@Xdrowninghavocx (3117)
• United States
11 May 08
I've been watching the Food Network for about two years now. It so awesome to see how food is prepared by so many different types of people. I used to think food was just something you eat to stay alive. Now, I see it a little differently. I see the beauty of making art and experiencing each sensation on your taste buds. As corny as they may sound, I'm addicted to the channel. I think it's fascinating that many types of food came from somewhere else that we consume every day with realizing it. 'American' food is in fact made up of several ethnicities. That's what makes it so good and interesting. It takes all sorts.
1 person likes this
@meiteoh (416)
• Switzerland
11 May 08
I'm from Malaysia and am Chinese ethnically. However, one thing you must understand about Malaysia is this - we are a multi-ethnic country which means that foods unique to one ethnic group is influenced by other ethnic groups.
If I were to trace back my genealogy, I would discover that sometime along the way, my Chinese ancestors married some Malays and therefore incorporated some Malay "taste" into their Chinese cooking - we are called Nyonyas and our cuisine is Chinese yet spicy like Malay styled cooking.
My mother is Hakka though - another Chinese dialect group with a different cooking style - and now, I'm married to a French and living in Switzerland, and my hubby likes food - all sorts of food especially spicy and seafood.
At my booth, I'd serve...
...asam laksa (sour tamarind-based fish soup with noodles)
...sengkuang (slices of turnip cooked with carrots, dried squid and a variety of sauces)
...bak chang (rice dumpling Hakka style - glutinious rice wrapped in bamboo leaves stuff with pork belly, Chinese mushroom, yellow small beans, dried shrimp, dried chestnuts and salted duck egg)
...kueh kapit (Chinese loveletters) - this is a family recipe and a traditional Chinese New Year goodie
...pineapple tarts - another family recipe
...tom yum fried noodles with heaps of seafood
I would put in more but hubby wants to sleep and well, all this talk of food is making me hungry! :)
1 person likes this
@anniepa (27955)
• United States
11 May 08
Wow, you do have quite a mix, don't you? Your booth would be very busy, I'm sure. A lot of what you list sounds delicious except I'm not so sure about the dried squid - OK, I am sure I'll have to pass on the squid...lol. The pineapple tart sounds especially appetizing right now.
Annie
@meiteoh (416)
• Switzerland
12 May 08
LOL!
Yeah, the dried squid sounds fishy/weird but it's soaked (to soften), then shredded and then added into the whole mix - you won't be able to tell it apart. It gives the whole mix more flavour and gusto!
I'd add some rhubarb tart, roast lamb and char siew spare ribs plus some salads into the menu as well. XD
1 person likes this
@lingli_78 (12822)
• Australia
12 May 08
well, i am from indonesia but i am a chinese ethnic... so in my booth i will serve the satay (traditional indonesian food like an indian kebab)... soto ayam (clear chicken soup with vermicelli, carrot, potato and cabbage)... cap cay (stir fry mixed vegetables)... fried kway teow... and sayur asam (sweet and sour soup)... these are my favourite dishes...
1 person likes this
@mandarinamel (99)
• Malaysia
12 May 08
Hi, I'm from peru and I can tell you that the peruvian food is one of the best I've tried. Has something for everyone and the desserts are the best !!
These are my favourites ..
For dishes
- Arroz con pato (duck with rice) the taste is a bit stronger than chicken but is very nice.
- Aji de Gallina (chili chicken or chili hen)when you look at the dish it doesn't look very nice, but when you try it... hmmm !!
- Lomo Saltado (Sauteed Beef) is a mixture of peruvian cuisine and chinese because it's cooked in a wok.
For Dessert
- Suspiro a la Limena (Lima's sigh) its a mixture of a special caramel and merenge, very very nice
- Arroz con Leche (milk and rice)
- Mazamorra this doesn't have a translation but it's made from a local purple corn
Anytime you go to Peru, yo have to try this options. For me they are the best and a must the next time I go on vacation there (now I'm living in Malaysia).
@Gollywog (1092)
•
11 May 08
Well I just dont know how people can eat, raw fish, frogs legs, snails, octopuss,animals toungs, private bits.it makes feel SICK. I like my food well and truly cooked, and I like to know what Im eating lol .I would serve British Fish and chips, Roast Beef,Pork or Lamb with trimmings. After apple pie and custard. I am feeling so hungry now, but its 11.40pm and I cant start eating now I will have nightmares lol.
@Adelida2233 (1005)
• United States
11 May 08
I don't think any of my favorite meals are 'American' per se, except for maybe Macaroni and Cheese.
A few of my favorites:
Stroganoff(Russian, I'm assuming, but could be really wrong here)
Curried Chicken(an Americanized version of Indian?Pakistani cuisine)
Chicken Satay(no idea, but amazing)
Fajitas(Mexican-sort of)
I'm sure there are tons of others, I eat almost anything although making the list is making me entirely to hungry to continue.
Oh, and pizza! With mushrooms and pepperoni!
1 person likes this
