For discussion, comparisons between our countries (and areas), questions... I have a feeling this one might run and run. I love food and I get the impression that quite a lot of us do.
I have a question. When I see American recipes the measurements are in cups. I'm used to measuring by weight. Everyone in the UK who is the slightest bit interested in baking and cooking has kitchen scales. How do you know what size cup to use? Is there a standard size? I have trouble getting my head round measuring by volume. It's such a different approach to cookery.
Joolschweets mentioned different condiments for fries in the randoms thread. (See me tagging so I can't be accused of being a mean girl!) I'm surprised that no-one's mentioned vinegar yet. The standard condiments for chips (what we call fries) are salt and vinegar. When you buy fish and chips from the chippy they always ask if you want salt and vinegar.
I have a question. When I see American recipes the measurements are in cups. I'm used to measuring by weight. Everyone in the UK who is the slightest bit interested in baking and cooking has kitchen scales. How do you know what size cup to use? Is there a standard size? I have trouble getting my head round measuring by volume. It's such a different approach to cookery.
For liquid ingredients, a cup is roughly 240 ml. Dry ingredients I think would vary based on things weighing different amounts. Just doing some quick research is showing me that 1 cup of dry rice equals 200 g, while 1 cup of granulated sugar equals 225 g.
I have a question. When I see American recipes the measurements are in cups. I'm used to measuring by weight. Everyone in the UK who is the slightest bit interested in baking and cooking has kitchen scales. How do you know what size cup to use? Is there a standard size? I have trouble getting my head round measuring by volume. It's such a different approach to cookery.
For liquid ingredients, a cup is roughly 240 ml. Dry ingredients I think would vary based on things weighing different amounts. Just doing some quick research is showing me that 1 cup of dry rice equals 200 g, while 1 cup of granulated sugar equals 225 g.
Thank you, but I obviously wasn't clear. Measuring ingredients by volume seems utterly foreign to me and I can't see how it would work. Your answer suggests that there is such a thing as a standard cup size, but cups and mugs come in so many shapes and sizes I was wondering how you know what size to use. Or can you get special cups to measure ingredients? I've been assuming that when Americans bake they just take a coffee mug out of their cupboards to measure with. I hope that doesn't sound rude because it isn't meant to be - it seems like a more streamlined but much harder approach to cookery!
There are some basic recipes that are really easy to remember using weights. For instance, a basic sponge cake takes three eggs and three ounces each of butter, flour and sugar. (Or 75g each if you insist on modern measurements). That's really easy to remember, but measuring by volume, those would be three completely different measurements. Similarly, basic short crust pastry takes equal weights of butter and flour, but volume measurements must be different and therefore not as easy to remember.
What I want to know about is everyone's local dishes. What is your area known for?
In Pittsburgh I think perogies are probably our biggest thing- they're basically dumplings made of potatoes and whatever else, usually sautéed in butter and onions. Also, Heinz ketchup is made here so that's a big deal!
Post by carolyngrace on Feb 20, 2016 7:34:43 GMT -5
I used to live near Canada and got used to putting vinegar on my putine (which might me my favorite Canadian food!). But now I don't even keep vinegar around.
Post by carolyngrace on Feb 20, 2016 7:35:55 GMT -5
I think the biggest thing that blew my mind yesterday in the food talk was some people aren't used to donuts being a breakfast food?! I'm going to get some right now
In Louisiana, tha main dishes are gumbo, red beans and rice, jumbalaya, and crawfish. There's also étouffée and sauce piquant (a creole sauce to put on almost anything...frog legs is common).
Texas is known for Tex Mex food ( Mexican food tailored to American taste- tacos, enchiladas, fajitas, etc) , barbeque, chile with no beans, pecan pie and Kolaches. Texan cuisine gets influence from the various ethnic and cultural groups that have inhabitated/ migrated to the area over the past 200 or so years ( Spanish, Mexicans, French, Germans, Czechs, Southern influence too).
Where we live now in Massachusetts, seafood is a way of life- lobster, lobster rolls, clam chowder, scrod, oysters.
In Indiana we Hoosiers are known for our breaded and fried pork tenderloin sandwiches. The tenderloins are so big they are generally 2-4 x's the size of the bun.
What I want to know about is everyone's local dishes. What is your area known for?
In Pittsburgh I think perogies are probably our biggest thing- they're basically dumplings made of potatoes and whatever else, usually sautéed in butter and onions. Also, Heinz ketchup is made here so that's a big deal!
How about you?
I'd throw in a Primanti's sandwich, too - meat, cheese, coleslaw (vinegar based), and fries between two hunks of Italian bread. Also, i e seen salads and sandwiches described as "Pittsburgh style" because they had fries on them. Mm, fries.
Chicago is known for deep dish pizza, Italian beef sandwiches, and Chicago style hotdogs!
I want to go to Chicago soooooo bad to try the food. All the best "diner drive in and dive" type food shows feature food from there. But there's no way I can try some! It is on our list of places to go to eventually. When I go, I'm eating all the food
I went while pregnant and ate my way through Chicago. Mmm.
My chili: Lean ground beef, tomatoes, beef broth, can of ro- tel, onion, red bell pepper, green bell pepper, chili powder/ cumin/ paprika/ red chiles/ salt and pepper. Sometimes I serve with Fritos and cheeses ( frito pie)
I think the most uniquely "Detroit" food is not food, but our Coney Island restaurants. They're basically diners, and serve coney dogs (hot dogs with chili and cheese) and coney fries (chili cheese fries). I'm not a fan of those honestly, but they also normally have good gyros and lemon rice soup. They're also good places if you want a greasy breakfast.
Maryland is know for blue crabs and crab cakes. Berger cookies are also a MD thing. Also, we have a strange obsession with Old Bay. I like to put vinegar and old bay on my fries. I also love old bay in my eggs, my tuna, and old bay chips. DH found old bay cheese curls last week and they were amazing.
I would describe a crab cake to you but I hardly ever eat them. I love them but they always make me sick. dmoney, can you describe one? A berger cookie is kind of a fluffy shortbread cookie hand dipped in chocolate.
Wisconsin is the dairy state so plan to eat lots of cheese if you visit. Cheese curds are amazing either deep fried or as the squeaky version. We have a very large German influence in our food so sausage is big around here too, if you've ever been to a Milwaukee Brewers game you've seen our racing sausages. Lots of beer as well.
Little known fact, Wisco is also the largest producer of cranberries.
Post by sugarkissed on Feb 20, 2016 10:49:07 GMT -5
Also in Canada. I'm from Alberta and we are known for our beef. Other than that, it's just a huge fusion of all different cuisines here. I love the variety.
I'm having a moment here because isn't the only thing you use vinegar for to dye Easter eggs?? DWN vinegar as a condiment.
But I mean, you put it on salads, right?
Don't eat salads, so no, that wasn't my first thought. ETA- and I guess I was only thinking of classic white vinegar, not balsamic or anything like that!
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