Blow That Dough! -2021

[MRG]

Well, in one long trip to Europe, after a few weeks of having their wonderful charcuterie meats, I longed for a simple American ham-and-cheese sandwich.

It's the same with hamburgers. At the end of most trips, I started to look for McDonald's. Sadly, the hamburgers there often were not good. I am not a picky eater, but still remember a hamburger bought in Sète which tasted literally like a cardboard. The only redeeming thing was that for the meal deal, they allowed the choice of a mini Heineken instead of the usual Coke for the drink.

I got stuck in Europe for a while and totally agree. After a week or so I craved a Big Mac and kept going back every week. In Amsterdam they had American ketchup but it cost an extra 25 cents, I'd always blow the dough for two packs of ketchup.

 

[RobbieB]

I enjoyed the wonderful charcuterie meats of Switzerland and the fondue.

Never once did I crave a big mac. Mac me not por favor!

 

[audreyh1]

Yeah me neither! Besides, I haven’t eaten MacDonald’s food since my 20s!

We’ve been in Europe for up to two month long stays, and not missed US food at all. Our long stay in Amsterdam we had a variety of top notch ethnic eateries as well as European style restaurants. And I’m fine with eating my fries with mayo, or an excellent aioli as the Belgian restaurant down the street would serve. I even wish we had a herring stand or vishandel here. OMG the smoked mackerel was to die for! It’s still surprising to me to see US fast food chains overseas.

 

[Time2]

I like the sauna progress. If you start calling the local lumber yards, they can likely order the T&G for you. It will probably come from the Pacific Northwest anyway. I went the kit route, but did get a quote for T&G only from a lumber yard.

I'd like to hire an engineer to draw up plans for a screened porch. The drop-in simple types don't integrate well into my situation, so want a set of drawings, ready to go to the county permit office. But my calls have gone unanswered, so must not be calling the right people. Any ideas to help me blow the dough would be appreciated.

I have more progress. I'm picking up my wood today, I ordered Poplar. They had to cut, mill, sand and T&G it, from a local lumber yard. It comes apart in 7 pieces in case I move or if I decide I don't make use of it and want to sell it.

 

[NW-Bound]

I got stuck in Europe for a while and totally agree. After a week or so I craved a Big Mac and kept going back every week. In Amsterdam they had American ketchup but it cost an extra 25 cents, I'd always blow the dough for two packs of ketchup.

Yes, I have to say that I also prefer ketchup to mayo for French fries (or Belgian fries).

I have had Big Mac only twice in the dozen of European trips through the years. In recent trips when we stayed at Airbnb and were able to do a lot of meal preparation and not having to eat at restaurants all the time, I did not have a craving for American food.

But, but, but you will want something different after a while and want a change from the local food. On a highway going from Southern France to Northern Spain, I was taken aback to see this "New York style" hot dog stand at a highway gas station. It was in April, outside of tourist season, so it was not operated else I would buy to see how good it was.

And then, in Annemasse (a French town not too far from Geneva), we went to a Chinese buffet in a commercial/industrial quarter. There was a long line of local French diners waiting to get in. No tourists there but ourselves. The food selection was similar to Chinese buffet in the US, as I recall. And it did hit the spot.

 

[Souschef]

Speaking of Chinese restaurants, I was in St. Petersburg Russia, and noticed a restaurant across the street from our hotel. I can read Cyrillic, but like Greek, I can read it but do not know the meanings.
The restaurant's name was Nihau, which I remembered from a China trip that means "hello". We checked it out, and their menu complete with pictures, was in Cyrillic, Chinese and fortunately, English. The food was excellent.

 

[Out-to-Lunch]

I have more progress. I'm picking up my wood today, I ordered Poplar. They had to cut, mill, sand and T&G it, from a local lumber yard. It comes apart in 7 pieces in case I move or if I decide I don't make use of it and want to sell it.

That is great. I am glad you found a solution. I was tempted to suggest cypress, since you are in FLA, but that would probably be outrageously expensive. Poplar should serve your needs.

 

[23isme]

Decided to drop the dough on a partial (10 game) season ticket package for our local NBA team next season. They added 3 extra games and free parking as an incentive, but when I think about the cost per seat per game ($225) it makes me a little faint. All depending on Covid allowing a normal season of course...

 

[HawkeyeNFO]

Europeans in general have a higher standard in food that we Americans do. They won't accept poor food as readily as we do. I have come to believe that while the best American foods are as good as the best European foods, the European bottom level is higher than our bottom level. Anybody care for another slice of pasteurized processed cheese food slices? Ugh.

I agree unless we are talking steak. Lived in Europe and food is far better quality, and usually less expensive. Unless we are talking steak.

When I worked at NATO, the French/Spanish/Italian guy could bring the wine, the Belgian/Czech/German guy brought the beer, but there was no question that an American would bring the filet from the US commissary.

 

[audreyh1]

I do like the French steak. But that’s because it’s so dang rare. And the Basque beef was outstanding - also extremely rare.

 

[Out-to-Lunch]

I agree unless we are talking steak. Lived in Europe and food is far better quality, and usually less expensive. Unless we are talking steak.

When I worked at NATO, the French/Spanish/Italian guy could bring the wine, the Belgian/Czech/German guy brought the beer, but there was no question that an American would bring the filet from the US commissary.

My French teacher in HS told that this is why the French developed all those wonderful sauces and slow braising!

 

[MBAustin]

I signed up for a virtual knitting retreat in March - several classes and talks on ZOOM and a box of expensive yarn and goodies. Normally I knit basic stuff for prayer shawls or other simple items, but I've started on my first pair of socks and it's quite fun to do something more challenging, so I thought this would be a good splurge to learn some more techniques and support some small businesses.

 

[Koolau]

Europeans in general have a higher standard in food that we Americans do. They won't accept poor food as readily as we do. I have come to believe that while the best American foods are as good as the best European foods, the European bottom level is higher than our bottom level. Anybody care for another slice of pasteurized processed cheese food slices? Ugh.

You mean Velveeta? I must have been 10 before I realized there was another kind of "cheese." I was at my "rich" uncle's house (the ones who actually served Coke with lunch!). They had longhorn cheese slices and I felt reborn. My parents thought they had arrived when they could afford to buy CheezeWhiz occasionally instead of Velveeta (it was easier to make sammiches with 'cause you could spread it with a knife instead of cutting slices of "cheese" that balled up if the Velveeta block was too warm.)

But, hey, I still prefer Velveeta on my steamed broccoli (a veggie I had never heard of until it was served at JrHigh cafe.) YMMV

 

[tmm99]

But, hey, I still prefer Velveeta on my steamed broccoli (a veggie I had never heard of until it was served at JrHigh cafe.) YMMV

I prefer Velveeta in my warm bean dip as well. (Refried beans, diced onion, diced bell pepper, hot salsa and Velveeta in a bowl, nuked for a few minutes.)

Things like Velveeta (or process cheese) and instant ramen have survived for a long time for a reason IMO. (Not sure why Spam is still around though...)

 

[braumeister]

In the craft beer world, the saying is "Bud Light is to beer as Velveeta is to cheese."

 

[Koolau]

I prefer Velveeta in my warm bean dip as well. (Refried beans, diced onion, diced bell pepper, hot salsa and Velveeta in a bowl, nuked for a few minutes.)

Things like Velveeta (or process cheese) and instant ramen have survived for a long time for a reason IMO. (Not sure why Spam is still around though...)

Oh yeah! Bean dip w/Velveeta! Doesn't get much better than that. Where are my Taco Chips?

I agree about Spam. Here in the Islands, Spam is considered a delicacy - and I guess that's appropriate because it costs so darn much! Talk about Blow That Dough! We even have Spam sushi here.

We had spam a lot when I was a little kid. I can eat it now, but would never pay the inflated price when I can buy actual ham for less money. YMMV

 

[Greddy]

Speaking of Chinese restaurants, I was in St. Petersburg Russia, and noticed a restaurant across the street from our hotel. I can read Cyrillic, but like Greek, I can read it but do not know the meanings.
The restaurant's name was Nihau, which I remembered from a China trip that means "hello". We checked it out, and their menu complete with pictures, was in Cyrillic, Chinese and fortunately, English. The food was excellent.

Good it worked in your case. I was in Sweden once and longed for food I know. I ran across a Mexican restaurant, and thought this may solve my problem. While waiting for the food, they served what they thought is chips and salsa - it was potato chips and tomato ketchup. Yuck.

 

[Koolau]

Good it worked in your case. I was in Sweden once and longed for food I know. I ran across a Mexican restaurant, and thought this may solve my problem. While waiting for the food, they served what they thought is chips and salsa - it was potato chips and tomato ketchup. Yuck.

Reminds me of ordering pizza in Italy. Maybe it was "authentic" but what I got was something like baked pizza dough (so far so good) "painted" with tomato sauce and sprinkled with what appeared to be parmesan but may have been mozzarella. What do I know? I like Velveeta "cheese."

 

[NW-Bound]

I agree unless we are talking steak. Lived in Europe and food is far better quality, and usually less expensive. Unless we are talking steak.

When I worked at NATO, the French/Spanish/Italian guy could bring the wine, the Belgian/Czech/German guy brought the beer, but there was no question that an American would bring the filet from the US commissary.

Only Americans have the tradition of fattening cow with corn in feed lots before turning them into steaks. The Japanese don't do corn with their Kobe cows, but that's a special breed I think.

I do like the French steak. But that’s because it’s so dang rare. And the Basque beef was outstanding - also extremely rare.

Italians have the famous Florentine steaks, which are also barely singed on super hot fire before serving.

When we were in Florence a few years ago, thought about going to a famous steak house, but gave up because of we did not have a reservation. So, we went to a supermarket, bought the most expensive cut they had, and took it back to the Airbnb to make our own steak. Cooked to medium rare as I usually do, it made a great dinner. Couldn't tell the difference from a good American steak, and the price I paid was not too bad at about US$10-15/lb, if memory serves. That's a lot cheaper than at restaurants.

My French teacher in HS told that this is why the French developed all those wonderful sauces and slow braising!

True.

Anthony Bourdain said that steak houses are simply heat-and-serve places. On the other hand, it takes real culinary skills to turn lesser cuts and even offals into tasty morsels. I agree.

 

[braumeister]

Only Americans have the tradition of fattening cow with corn in feed lots before turning them into steaks.

Apart from the rare occasions when I was able to get genuine Wagyu, the best steaks I've ever eaten were in South America. Having lived in both Brazil and Argentina, the beef is IMHO just incredible. Of course that's why folks there eat many times as much beef per capita as Americans.

 

[ls99]

In the craft beer world, the saying is "Bud Light is to beer as Velveeta is to cheese."

In the mid seventies, in Alaska, the popular beer was Olympia. On the can a slogan was "its the water". I caled it water.

For a time spent in Germany, I liked dark beer, in whatever town I passed through, most had their local brew, often in flip top bottles. Which were re-used.
One, in a small town Bamberg, was called Rauchbier, the mug of brew I had in a basement beer joint, was served with a small tube containing hot water, which we used to stir the beer with to warm it up.
Try that with the usual 'merkin beer.

 

[oiseux]

)

Good it worked in your case. I was in Sweden once and longed for food I know. I ran across a Mexican restaurant, and thought this may solve my problem. While waiting for the food, they served what they thought is chips and salsa - it was potato chips and tomato ketchup. Yuck.

Whenever I am in Europe for an extended time, I usually crave Mexican first. We've lived as expats, so this is not just a few week vacation. So I have no qualms about searching it out when we are there, as a change up. But never a McDonalds (but a hamburger in a bistro, OK, but not a first choice). It is often done badly in Europe, but it is improving. In the French city where we "blew the dough" (back on topic) and bought a place, there are actual taquerias owned by Mexican immigrants, with no adaptions for local tastes.

Because of the colonial ties, you can get very good Vietnamese in France. When in the UK, we greatly appreciate the ethnic cuisines on offer, even more so than much of the local traditional favorites.

I remember going on work trips with guys (for some reason, always the guys) that would only want to eat hamburgers or other basics. So instead of sushi or kaiseki dinners in Tokyo, they would search out a Big Mac. Dim sum in Hong Kong? Nope, spaghetti.

 

[braumeister]

One, in a small town Bamberg, was called Rauchbier, the mug of brew I had in a basement beer joint, was served with a small tube containing hot water, which we used to stir the beer with to warm it up.
Try that with the usual 'merkin beer.

That's not done any more, but there are still two well known breweries in Bamberg making Rauchbier. (Rauch means smoked, because the the malt is dried over open wood fires).

Wonderful stuff, but probably an acquired taste since it has never spread much beyond the city of Bamberg.

 

[braumeister]

I remember going on work trips with guys (for some reason, always the guys) that would only want to eat hamburgers or other basics. So instead of sushi or kaiseki dinners in Tokyo, they would search out a Big Mac.

I will never forget my first time in Munich, 1976 when I was walking down a street and saw a line of Germans out on the sidewalk waiting to get into some store. As I got closer I saw that it was a McDonalds, and they were having a big promotion of the brand new ViertelPfunder (Quarter Pounder) that week. The locals were entranced by it and couldn't wait to try this new exotic treat.

Me? I couldn't wait to get to the next block and find a decent place to eat.

 

[Greddy]

Apart from the rare occasions when I was able to get genuine Wagyu, the best steaks I've ever eaten were in South America. Having lived in both Brazil and Argentina, the beef is IMHO just incredible. Of course that's why folks there eat many times as much beef per capita as Americans.

That is precisely my experience too. Brazilian steak houses in Brazil are just phenomenal. And in Argentina, beef is so delicious and so cheap, the standard practice of folks I visited there is to buy 2 pounds in the morning, eat what you like during the day, and then give the rest to the dog in the evening. Repeat the next day.