How Important Is Appearance?

I notice a marked difference in attention to how a dish looks, ranging from peasant food (Who cares as long as it tastes good) to haut cuisine (That looks too good to eat and mess up the carefull assembly).

In general, I have found that there is a spectrum from overly fussy to 'who cares' (where it can look like the dog's dinner, but can taste good). I'd put French at the top of the scale, Italian in the middle, and Spain pretty much at the bottom.

Obviously there are many variants within each national cusine, ranging over the whole spectrum, but in general, that's the order as I see it, going from fussy to almost totally non-fussy. What is your experience and where would you stick various other cuisines?

French:

Italian:

Spanish:

Adria says you're wrong.

Adria says you're wrong.

Nope, it just says you can't read "In general" Stuart

Like I said, lots of exceptions all over the place, and you've cited arguably the best restaurant in Spain, but what do you think about the proposition on average.

I've travelled in all three countries and sampled both fancy and rural unpretentious food and that is still my readibng on it.

Nope, I don't see it. Most food in France is served very plain and unpretentious, though admittedly I spend less time in the rich guy places than I wish.

The generalization that does work for me is that at a randomly chosen non-fancy restaurant, I am far more likely to have a terrific meal in Italy than in France. And at ultra-fancy place, the reverse has been my experience.

I'm leaving Spain out because I've only been there four or five times.

The generalization that does work for me is that at a randomly chosen non-fancy restaurant, I am far more likely to have a terrific meal in Italy than in France. And at ultra-fancy place, the reverse has been my experience.

Interesting.

I actually prefer the unpretentious presentation at restaurants with no stars in many ways. The food can be just great and is usually well presented - the French seem to take that extra little effort to dress something up a little with a garnish, while the Spanish tend to just plop the food on a plate and leave even if it looks like a cow pat. I agree about Italy - the enjoyment of food is just as much a religion as it is in France and with even less pretension. Some of our best memories have been from out of the way little restaurants in the Italian hinterlands.

As for other nations, I'd put Germany at largely uninspired, Swiss at predictably dour and English a range from McDonald equivalent to very good - harder to get some sort of average country fare idea there.

We always remember driving down through Switzerland toward Italy. All of a sudden (while still in Switzerland) the surroundings became much more Mediterranean, the people started smiling a lot more and the food actually became more than just refueling. Very marked change in a relatively short distance.

I have yet to visit Portugal, but look forward to doing so in future!

My favorite Germany story:

In my "other" life, I design and build high-end audio gear. I was in Langenargen a few years ago, on the German side of the Bodensee, for a weekend conference of vacuum tube designers. I had arrived at the conference site at about noon; the opening dinner was scheduled for that evening. I ran into a friend of mine who does tube amps here in California and we decided to take a stroll through town to find a bite to eat. We spotted a Thai restaurant and couldn't resist. I chatted with the proprietor for a few minutes, then ordered for us (my friend spoke no German). He was delighted to meet Californians, had some relatives there.

After a little while, the food came out- pad thai tofu for me, a green curry for him. We each bit into our dishes and, in synchrony, just stopped and stared. And in synchrony, we both burst out laughing.

The food didn't taste bad, it just had no flavor whatsoever. None. Zero. And the rice noodles had the texture of school paste.

It really takes hundreds of years of German excellence in chemistry to devise a way to make Thai food bland. I don't even think the British could do as well.

My favorite Germany story:

After a little while, the food came out- pad thai tofu for me, a green curry for him. We each bit into our dishes and, in synchrony, just stopped and stared. And in synchrony, we both burst out laughing.

The food didn't taste bad, it just had no flavor whatsoever. None. Zero. And the rice noodles had the texture of school paste.

What a hoot! I can sure see that happening given my experience with blandness in Germany. Just look at the cars. The Italians make cars that remind you of a luscious young woman - attractive in appearance (sadly, under the surface - of the cars, not the women - is another story - they are not 'detail' people). The Germans make very reliable cars that seem to have no spirit to them at all, no character. The old ones even had control knobs that looked like they were made of congealed skim milk.

I won't push the comparison to include French cars, which are just downright weird. Never owned one, probably never will, althoug a Manic GT crossed my path once and I almost twitched - but that was French Canadian anyway.

An aside on your audio aspect (I forget, are you mostly a vacuum head, if you'll forgive the term?). My Godson has recently acquired a USB turntable. I have zero experience with these but might be interested in digitizing some oddball LPs to send to friends, mostly with the intention of conveying content, not necessarily fidelity. Aside from mild concerns about letting some undistinguished stylus caress the grooves of any favourite LPs, do these things generally do a decent job?

I confess to owning three Mercedes.

I've never used a USB turntable, but I'd be skeptical of the quality. Erstwhile WQLDGer Scott Wurcer used the output of his preamp to drive a sound card; the recordings he made were excellent. When he put one in my CD player the last time he visited, the quality was good enough for me to instantly recognize that he was using a Grado cartridge.

And yes, tubes mostly, despite my usual socializing with John Curl and Nelson Pass.

And yes, tubes mostly, despite my usual socializing with John Curl and Nelson Pass.

John is my favourite audio curmudgeon. I have a Vendetta SCP2-D in my main system they'd have to pry out of my dead hands - I'm not saying there aren't better sounding phono stages out there, just that I have never heard one.

John was grumping about my Koetsu putting out TOO MUCH for the Vendetta.....

Robin
Another software error?

I'm trying to scroll down the page to find English food, but the page doesn't seem to go that far?

regards

Ian

Robin
Another software error?

I'm trying to scroll down the page to find English food, but the page doesn't seem to go that far?

Wimpy Burger:



Mushy Peas:

Robin
Another software error?

I'm trying to scroll down the page to find English food, but the page doesn't seem to go that far?

regards

Ian

Sorry Ian, no room for boiled peas here.

[quote="Bill Spohn"]

Wimpy Burger:

Mushy Peas:

Well that's sort of fixed it, but now it's appearing too far up the page? Can we put it on page 11 of 8? That would be about right

Actually mushy peas are disgusting... until you discover mushy peas with mint sauce (or to a lesser degree, just vinegar). Thick and savoury meets sweet and acidic, with a minty accent - the dish awakes! A bit like black pudding and a good mango chutney.

Wimpy burgers (like McD's and BK over here) are truly disgusting. Wendy's were here for a while in London, but long since gone AFAIK. There used to be a decent tradition of independant burger bars in some towns and certainly in Brighton there were some excellent ones. 'Grubs' was the undoubted leader, but 'The Wonky Donkey' also had strong admirers. Fantastic array of toppings (if that was what you wanted) and quality burgers, all cooked fresh to order - actually arriving hot
I wonder if they're still there?

regards

Ian

I think mexican food can make a fine presentation.

Mexican food.jpg

rwj

It really takes hundreds of years of German excellence in chemistry to devise a way to make Thai food bland. I don't even think the British could do as well.

BLAND Thai food? Gott in Himmel!

I think it was Terry Pratchett who observed that the British have a knack for taking American things and then removing their one redeeming social value. It was the Brits who invented slow fast-food restaurants, for example.

-Paul W.