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e
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On fire! |
Location: currently So Cal
Registered: May 2002
Messages: 1179
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My final cooking lab in school is International Cuisine. So far we've done Classic French and French Provencial (we are a Le Cordon Bleu School after all), Spain, Portugal, Morrocco, Italy, Germany, Belgium, and Switzerland. It's a country a day, sometimes two. But today it was jolly Olde England. The menu was mussel broce, cockaleekie, cornish pasties, venison shepherd's pie, and beef Wellington. Unfortunately, each student only got to cook three dishes. I fixed mussel broce, shepherd's pie, and beef Wellington. I did well on each, but really nailed the beef Wellington. Chef said it was perfect.
I'm back on the main campus this term and am getting to see many of my old classmates from my original class. It's been nice to see them, but I keep thinking that I should be done with my classes like they are and it is hard to really motivate myself to go to class. The good thing is that when I get to class, I still enjoy it. My new classmates are driving me nuts. My old class worked togather quite well, but this class is everyone for himself. Some are just way too immature others are just rude. One guy today complained about my not leaving him any spinach, but I only took one bunch and shared it with someone else (the recipe called for 1/2 a bunch). Later he dumped what he thought was trash but was really my prepared vegetables (covered by carrot peelings that he tossed on top of them). When I said something he just told me to shut up. Usually he's pretty nice so I just tolerated it, but every now and then...
Anyhow, my academic class this term is food history. Basically it looks at history from the perspective of food. Both the influences of food on history and the influence of history (technology) on food. It's rather interesting the way the Roman Empire was built around the spice trade and the economics of food. While I've had several classes on Roman history, I've never had one that related it to food and the food supply. But looking at it from that vantage point, it seems to make more sense.
Anyhow, Brendan is still sexy as hell. I've gotten a couple of chances to see him in various stages of undress. Last week he was changing pants in the street!  He was wearing these cute blue-green plaid boxers.
Think good thoughts,
e
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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13783
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We have so much better food than that! Still Beef wellinton is good to eat! Did the cornish pasties have desert at one end? And could they be dropped down a mine shaft without breaking?
What is Broce?
Venison shepherd's pie? Interesting and fun, though it really needs to be mutton!
To be fair British food is taken from the very best of world cuisine. There is nothing that is "typically British" because everything is adopted, like all food in all nations. We do have boring people who like roast meat cooked to death with potato and two veg, drowned in artificial gravy, but imbeciles exist everywhere! And much of that comes from wartime rations and institution food from the forces then.
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13783
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I was thinking. maybe we need a recipe section! or would that be "too gay"?
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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e, please don't be sad you got sick and had to retake a term, I know it sucks but it wasn't your fault. {{{hugs you}}}
It's too bad the people in your current class aren't as good as your previous, and that spinach-whiner dude sounds like a total loser. {{{more hugs}}} You should have made him prepare new veggies for you after he trashed yours. That, or get whacked upside the noggin with a breadpin.  You cooks do have good implements with which to wage war with, LOL!
I got to try Shepherd's Pie when Nick took me on that tourboat trip down to Greenwhich and we went to a pub near the Cutty Sark (which was rather a lot smaller than I expected it to be by the way; maybe it shrunk in the laundry or something?  ). Shepherd's Pie is nice IMO, it was almost like a little meal all in of itself.
I didn't know the Roman Empire was so much about spices really, heh, though it does make sense now that you mention it. Saffron's (maybe a lot) more expensive than gold, and a couple years ago some people stole about five kilos worth from a spice packaging company a little north of the city where I live. It was right before christmas, the period when Swedes use the most saffron (or actually, uses it at all really, hehe), but there was no national crisis. Eventually, I believe the spice-thieves got caught as well and most/all of their loot was recovered. 
Take care & good luck with the cooking!
Keep an eye on Brendan too for us, hehee!
{{{Huuuuggss}}}
-L
"But he that hath the steerage of my course,
direct my sail."
-William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, Act One, Scene IV
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smith
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On fire! |
Registered: January 1970
Messages: 1095
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That is a totally mag idea I love to cook and would love to see other people's recipes for stuff. Haha! Too gay?? Ya gotta eat; ya might as well eat good stuff.
smith
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saben
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On fire! |
Registered: May 2003
Messages: 1537
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I thought it'd be not gay enough and not really with the "feel" of the site. I'd love it personally, though, I am really in need of some good salad recipes in this hot humid Japanese summer and in general I'd appreciate if my cooking could diversify from fried rice and Japanese style noodles. Every good lighthouse needs a cafe, after all.
Look at this tree. I cannot make it blossom when it suits me nor make it bear fruit before its time [...] No matter what you do, that seed will grow to be a peach tree. You may wish for an apple or an orange, but you will get a peach.
Master Oogway
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e
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On fire! |
Location: currently So Cal
Registered: May 2002
Messages: 1179
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I don't know the definition of "broce" but it was a sort of cream of mussel soup, kind of bland, but not bad. The mussels are steamed in hard cider and the broth is then thickened with bechamel (milk sauce) and cream. It apparently dates back a few hundred years. I was thinking the shepherd's pie should have been mutton (not popular in the US) or lamb (readily available here), venison just didn't make sense. The pasties recipe did not call for dessert, but our chef insisted that those who made them prepare a dessert-type filling and fill half of each one with it. I didn't get to make that one so I'm not certain what the crust was like. I was glad they included beef Wellington. I've tried to make it before, but it always got soggy and I never had the foie gras at home. It was a lttle dissappointing that we didn't do fish and chips, but we've done that same kind of thing in other classes so I guess they figure we should already know how. What other dishes would you suggest?
Think good thoughts,
e
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e
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On fire! |
Location: currently So Cal
Registered: May 2002
Messages: 1179
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OH no! Say it ain't so. Thieves stole the saffron for the St. Lucia Day buns! Good thing it was recovered. St. Lucia Day just wouldn't have been the same.
Yes, Roman expansion was largely due to finding new food sources. Rome was too populous to feed itself and food shortages were common. In fact rome began perhaps the first public welfare system by giving away free grain to its poorer citizens. Bread was later substiuted for grain because Romans believed that only bread that was baked in a large oven was good for you and the average citizen could not afford a large oven. Other foods were added to the free bread and the whole "welfare" system (known as annona) became a huge drain on the economy and helped lead to the collapse of the empire. The spice trade may have grown to its level of importance because of lead poisoning. Romans used lead pipes to bring the water from the aquaducts to the households. One of the symptoms of lead poisoning is that it leaves a metallic taste in the mouth. It is said the spice trade became important because Romans wanted to be able to taste their food. The search for spices turned into even more expansion of the empire, especially as it related to Africa and Asia. The 'barbarians' began taking Roman lands because they needed more land to graze their herds and as they encroached on the empire, they cut off supply routes and Rome was unable to feed its population which hastened the decline and helped cause the empire to return to a barter economy and away from its monetary system. While I had read a bit about the Roman Empire in several history classes, it was never much more than a series of events until this class showed how those events were related and fit together. Pretty interesting, eh?
Oh yeah, Shepherd's pie is supposed to be a complete meal, sans dessert. It is comprised of meat, vegetables, and potatoes so it is well balanced. The size varies from individual portions to pies big enough to feed a family.
I'm always Brendan-watching. It's impossible not to. He likes to be the center of attention. It is both a turn-on and sometimes a turn-off that everything he says or does has sexual connotations. Sex and alcohol (he drinks a LOT) seem to be his only reason for being. He and about a half dozen other students have form a rather close-knit group that occasionlly takes weekend trops to Tijuana and Vegas. They share a hotel room (both males and females) and apparently he has no qualms about changing clothes or walking around naked in full view of everyone. I'd LOVE to see that.
The 'spinach-guy' is usually a nice guy, but there have been a few days when he just seems to be in a nasty mood and treats people poorly. Normally, I get along with him just fine. Yesterday was just one of those days.
Thanks for the hugs and here's some for you.
{{{HUGS}}}
Think good thoughts,
e
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e
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On fire! |
Location: currently So Cal
Registered: May 2002
Messages: 1179
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The school is in Pasadena. He changed pants in the street that night standing next to his car being shielded by the car door. I was parked behind him so I got a good view. It was on a dark side-street at 11pm with no one else around. Last night he was parked in a more public area and only changed his shirt.
Yes, southern food is at least somewhat like food from another country. The US is so big that it has several different regional cuisines, each with some similarity and some difference. I recently took a vacation to South Carolina and bought three new "Lowcountry" cookbooks. Food there is heavily influenced by the British and French, but also by the Africans who were brought there as slaves. Yet it isn't really French, British, or African.
And yes, there are plaenty of really good weapons in the kitchen. Hot oil is prolly even better than knives.
{{{HUGS}}}
Think good thoughts,
e
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e
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On fire! |
Location: currently So Cal
Registered: May 2002
Messages: 1179
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Does it matter. Like smith says, "ya gotta eat." I'd be a very willing contributor.
Think good thoughts,
e
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So you know about the St. Lucia day buns huh? That's cool. I don't know if they're a Swedish thing or if they've been imported from someplace else, but they're huge over here at christmas (though some weird people make them without the saffron which is sacrilige!) He he, you can't have christmas in Sweden without "lusse-cats". ;-D
It takes a great recipie to make good ones though because wheat dough bread easily gets stale. My parents has the BEST recipie ever for them, and if frozen when fresh and then thawed in the oven in a cast-iron pan so they get nice and hot they're soooooo yummy with milk. OMG. Nothing beats that...
Roman empire... Hm. I read about it in school I guess, well I MUST have I guess, but I think that short paragraph of yours teached me more about it than all my years in school did! Wow, I didn't know cooking could be so educational! {{{hug}}} Thank you, that was excellent. Maybe if the Romans had known about Shepherd's Pie, it'd lasted a few decades more, hahaha.
Brendan seems like a kind of hot guy in a way, and rather slutty on the other. In 20 years when he's all fat and red and puffed-up in his face and his brain has been dulled and full of holes from all the booze he's chugged, he won't be nearly as attractive. Bleh.
People drink like...well, I don't know WHAT really these days, "pigs" would be demeaning to pigs! The youth of today's weekends seem to become one long drinking bout, it's totally disgusting. We've had very high alcohol tax in this country, but now with the EU membership and increased limits of how much is possible to bring in from abroad one can buy and import pretty much unlimited quantities 'for personal consumption', of course except nobody can drink that much so they sell it on to others, illegally of course.
Much of it gets into the hands of minors, whom get wasted. Blech.
I think alcohol's the prime indicator we're nowhere as highly evolved as we want to think we are. Really, we behave no different than animals. 
Oh well. Enough about that...
Thanks for continuing your reports, I look forward to reading your next one.
{{{hugs}}}
-L
"But he that hath the steerage of my course,
direct my sail."
-William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, Act One, Scene IV
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e
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On fire! |
Location: currently So Cal
Registered: May 2002
Messages: 1179
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I must admit that I've never seen a St. Lucia Day bun and don't really know what they are, except that saffron is an essential ingredient. I was doing some research on saffron when I came across a web page that questioned the use of saffron in these buns because saffron does not grow in Sweden. The author traced the use of saffron in Sweden to the Middle Ages and hypothesized that the saffron came from that being grown in France and Italy at the time. Thus, even though saffron is not produced in Sweden, it became a part of the holiday tradition.
Alcohol seems to be more widely abused in countries where its use is closely regulated and those that have the highest age of consent. In such countries it becomes a taboo for the young to break and is something quite new and exciting. Countries where alcohol is more a part of the culture and youth are permitted beer or wine at the table do still have this problem, but it does not seem to be quite as great.
{{HUGS}}
Think good thoughts,
e
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The need to cook is something I've really never had to worry about until quite recently. This means I am still somewhat inept when it comes to cooking anything more complex than boiling water (as smith, despite his highly expert and most gratefully appreciated assistance to me in that regard, can attest!) Sadly, for one reason or another, many of us here are "bachelors", and are therefore forced either to cook for ourselves or starve. If that makes a "recipe section" too gay, then so be it! I'm sure a lot of us could benefit from it.
We do not remember days...we remember moments.
Cesare Pavese
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marc
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Needs to get a life! |
Registered: March 2003
Messages: 4729
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A recipe section is a good idea. Entertaining is a task and if other towns are like the some few I've lived in gay social groups are notorious for the ubiquitous "POT LUCK" dinner.
Easy to serve, easy to transport meals and the recipes to make them would definately be a plus.
Life is great for me... Most of the time... But then I meet people online... Very few are real friends... Many say they are but know nothing of what it means... Some say they are, but are so shallow...
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marc
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Needs to get a life! |
Registered: March 2003
Messages: 4729
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It's ao good to be able to do something you really love and I can tell that you really really love to cook. The classes are but a means to an end and that end is mountains of yummy things to eat.
Your classmate that dumped your preped vegies "accidently" was just plain wrong.
Food history? How cool can that be? Can you forward the book list, I would like to read them.
As you know, I deal in cook books and was reciently told of a cook book dealer in Michigan that specializes in very very old cook books. I am planning a pilgramige there to spend an afternoon looking through some.
..... OH!!! and I managed to find a real pudding steamer at the flea market for a mere $10.00.... I've wanted one for years.... The coffee can thingy just doesnt do a christmas pudding justice.
Life is great for me... Most of the time... But then I meet people online... Very few are real friends... Many say they are but know nothing of what it means... Some say they are, but are so shallow...
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Guest
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On fire! |
Registered: March 2012
Messages: 2344
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I thought the way that the greek civilization was so dominated my the olive oil trade was interesting too...
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e
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On fire! |
Location: currently So Cal
Registered: May 2002
Messages: 1179
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I know you love cookbooks, Marc. We've had that discussion before. As for the food history books, the main text is Food in History, Reay Tannehill. It isn't the best book, but it is easy to read and makes sense. It leaves out a good deal of stuff that our instructor is always pointing out. Our instructor says he is lobbying to change textbooks. Unfortunately, while our syllabus says it has an optional reading list, I can't find one. I'll ask our instructor if there is such a beast.
Think good thoughts,
e
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e
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On fire! |
Location: currently So Cal
Registered: May 2002
Messages: 1179
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The Greek culture was cdrtainly an odd one. During the Golden Age of Greece, they cut down all the trees to build their cities, the soil eroded and the were unable to produce much of anything until they discovered olives would grow there. Then they planted so many olive trees that they destroyed what little was left of their farms. Olive trees have tap roots that go straight down and therefore they don't hold the soil back from eroding. It got to the point where they were importing all of their food and most other goods. The ONLY thing they produced in Greece were olvies and culture and they outlawed the selling of culture. That meant that philosophers basically gave away all their knowlege free of charge and the entire country fell apart because its economy collapsed. Greece has never recovered because once the soil was gone, they've never been capable of sustaining themsleves, let alone exporting anything. You'd think that with all the knowlege and culture they produced, they would have had an economist or two. Did you know that more than 1500 years before Columbus proved the Earth is round a Greek mathematician calculated the Earth's circumference to within about 20 miles?
Think good thoughts,
e
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I saw on some show on TV (may have been Discovery) that Rome was the first place where restaurants and take-out appeared.
That's pretty cool, hehe. Though maybe they had stuff like that back in ancient Egypt or Babylonia or such without us knowing about it.
"But he that hath the steerage of my course,
direct my sail."
-William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, Act One, Scene IV
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He wasn't a matematician, and AFAIK, he never acknowledged until the day he died he didn't end up in India! Besides, he never went further than south america anyway, so...
HOWEVER, speaking of round stuff:
"For most purposes, knowing the value of Pi to two decimal places is enough. In a few practical applications, someone may need to know the ratio to 10 or 15 decimal places, but rarely more. Thirty-nine decimal places suffice for computing the circumference of a circle enclosing the known universe with an error no greater than the radius of a hydrogen atom."
Hehe, glad it's only the RADIUS of a hydrogen atom, we could never tolerate the lack of precision in the whole diameter!
"But he that hath the steerage of my course,
direct my sail."
-William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet, Act One, Scene IV
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e
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On fire! |
Location: currently So Cal
Registered: May 2002
Messages: 1179
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It's true. Most Roman citizens lived in huge apartment buildings without kitchens. There weren't any interior walls so each person or family marked off their living space by hanging cloths from the ceiling and bedding was also made from combustable material. Since cooking required fire, it was way too dangerous to cook for yourself. Therefore most Romans took food to cookshops where someone cooked it for them or they bought food that was pre-cooked.
Think good thoughts,
e
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e
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On fire! |
Location: currently So Cal
Registered: May 2002
Messages: 1179
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True, Columbus never made it all the way around the world and he was wrong about having reached India. It's also true that the theory that the Earth was flat was being promoted mostly by the clergy and Columbus wasn't the only one saying the world was round. But Columbus was the first one to actually do anything with the theory and even the Church had to admit the Earth was round after his voyage because they THOUGHT he had reached India and thus had sailed around the world.
Columbus wasn't the first to discover America either (and he never quite made it onto the main continent). That had been done at least three times previously. But his journey made America known to the Europeans who decided to open trade and then to conquor it. Thus his 'discovery' of America was the one that was the most important.
Columbus is frequently given a lot more credit than he deserves, but he does deserve more than some are willing to give.
I found it interesting that Marco Polo did not introduce pasta to Italy upon his return from China as he is credited with doing. The Italians already had pasta. Polo's accounts of his journey were mis-read for centuries. He statement that he discovered pasta in China actually says he discovered that the Chinese have pasta 'which is like ours.' Polo also did not write his texts. Those were written while he was a prisoner of war after his return by a cellmate who was an author of fiction. Polo related his accounts of his journey and the author embellished them even to the point of creating fictional peoples and places.
Think good thoughts,
e
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Oh Timmy, what a grand idea!!!! A recipe club of sorts !!!! (And who cares if it is too gay... who's the judge????);-D ;-D ;-D ;-D
Celebrate your life... embrace your love... Become intimate with your place in forever !!!
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marc
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Needs to get a life! |
Registered: March 2003
Messages: 4729
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Spotted dick..... what else:-D
I have a rather early recipe book that has many game type recipes in it and apparently dishes like venison shepards pie was popular here as well.
I even found a recipe to prepare snipe.
In the back of the book there is also a section on the preparation of many home remedies. Some are rather bizzare.... It's a wonder anyone survived being ill at all....
Life is great for me... Most of the time... But then I meet people online... Very few are real friends... Many say they are but know nothing of what it means... Some say they are, but are so shallow...
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I recently read somewhere that the longest running restaurant in the world at this time is a soup joint in China....the same family management has been serving chicken foot soup in the same location, for approx. 500 years. one wonders if the first restaraunts really happened in Rome or in China (not this restaraunt obviously, but some distant predecessor)...and for that matter, one has to wonder about the possibility of takeout in ancient Egypt....hmmm.
"I promise not to try not to fuck with your mind/ I promise not to mind if you go your way and i go mine/promise not to lie if i'm looking you right in your eye/promise not to try not to let you down."
--Eve6
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e
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On fire! |
Location: currently So Cal
Registered: May 2002
Messages: 1179
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It is altogether possible that other societies developed restaurants before Rome. When I said 'It's true' I meant that it was true that the Romans had restaurants and the average Roman ate out quite a bit, not that they were the first. It is likely that such establishments popped up before Rome.
Think good thoughts,
e
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Wow, cooking report! 
) 
Where zactly IS this cooking school?
a recipe section?? 
Thanksies for the hugsies! 
