Food, glorious food!

Which country's food is best?

[Syzygy]

Looks like there is all to 'play' for in the 2004 Culinary Olympics taking place in Germany over the next few days...

Unfortunately the official site is very poor: Culinary Olympics [vkd.com].

But you can find out more here [unichef.com], and also here [news.bbc.co.uk] courtesy of the BBC.

Which country's culinary athlete's will bring back the Gold..?

Ready, steady, cook...

Syzygy

[edited by: Syzygy at 11:11 am (utc) on Oct. 17, 2004]

[edit_g]

Norway has the best food, of course. Where else can you get joikakaker and lutefisk? ;)

For the uninitiated:

joikakaker - tinned reindeer in brown sauce, conveniently packed in a tin.

lutefisk - dried and salted cod, soaked in lye. It's funny how it's a famous dish outside of Norway, but nobody eats the stuff in Norway, it's awful.

[Syzygy]

Once had reindeer goulash, in Munich, and thoroughly enjoyed it. As my partner at the time was fond of reminding me - you ate Rudolph!

Thought I'd get this in before someone else does. Here are the results of the last Culinary Olympics (2000).

1st Place Overall GRAND CHAMPION - SWEDEN
2nd Place Overall Singapore
3rd Place Overall Norway

1st Place Category A (hors d'oeuvres) - Canada
1st Place Category B (cold food-plated) - U S A
1st Place Category C (Patisserie) - Singapore
1st Place Category R (hot food) - Singapore

Syzygy

[grelmar]

Not to bring up the dreaded "P" word again, but Canada really should get a special award for Poutine (french fries smothered in cheese curds and gravy).

Poutine - serving up clogged arteries for over 100 years.

[lawman]

How is "poutine" pronounced?

[Woz]

>How is "poutine" pronounced?

Cardiac Arrest. ;)

Onya
Woz

[bakedjake]

It's close enough to a slang term in the US that it'll get you strange looks, lawman. ;-)

[grelmar]

Depends on the region and accent, but the two most accepted prononciations would be along the lines of:

Pooh (as in Winnie The) and Teen (as in "Dad can I borrow the car")

OR:

Pooh (same as above) Tain (silent 'n' - sorta, its one of those just slightly off pronunciations that occur in French but not English).

If you're hopelessly english (or american) in your speach patterns, stick with the first pronunciation. People will know what your talking about, and if you get the second one wrong, people might think you're referring to a part of the female anatomy in an unflattering manner. (Ah! The joys of language.)

[Essex_boy]

Uk for everything.

[Rugles]

Two questions:

How can it be that Italy was snubbed?
How did Canada win?

I mean, I love Poutine, but it certainly cannot be considered an hors d'oeuvres.
Another Canadian delicacy that should catch on..... vineger on french fries. You see salt and vinegar potato chips all the time in the US, but ask for some vinegar for your french fries and they just about call Homeland Security on you.

[grelmar]

Oh, he didn't win for Poutine. Can't remember the dish that got him the prize.

[Leosghost]

Pooh (same as above) Tain (silent 'n' - sorta, its one of those just slightly off pronunciations that occur in French but not English).

Actually in "metro French" this would be "hooker"...

Best food ..India

[ska_demon]

I am from the UK and I think our "national dishes" are a bit boring. Give me Turkish/Lebenese anytime, I love it.
Ska

[Milamber]

I just cant see how Canada even entered the contest nevermind won anything. What food do we have of our own other than Poutine? As far as I've seen we just aquire food from other countries.

[grelmar]

I just cant see how Canada even entered the contest nevermind won anything. What food do we have of our own other than Poutine? As far as I've seen we just aquire food from other countries.

If I remember right, it was a bunch of seafood dishes using west coast recipes. If you've ever been to Vancouver, to some of the better seafood restaurants, you'd realize just how seriously they take their seafood out there. A lot of it is quite original, and unique to Canada. Heck, certain varieties of Salmon and Crustacean are pretty much only available on the West Coast.

Out here (in Alberta) we take a similar view about Beef. There's a lot of ways we prepare beef here that you just don't see anywhere else. Except maybe Hawaii, oddly enough, where Hy's set up a restaurant. You've never really had a slab o' beef until you've eaten at Hy's.

[Syzygy]

Here is the line up for Canada's Olympic team:

Culinary Team Canada [culinaryteamcanada.com]...

Syzygy

[gopi]

>> Best food ..India

Very True - maybe i am biased because i am an indian but IMHO no country can beat the varity of indian food (mughlai ,south indian, chettinad, punjabi, indo chinese ,bengali etc etc)

[mivox]

Indian would have to be in the top 5, from what I've seen...

Another Canadian delicacy that should catch on..... vineger on french fries.

Popular in the UK as well. Of course, that's "chips" not "fries," but close enough. ;)

What about Scotland? Haggis! Mmmmmm.

[Syzygy]

Another Canadian delicacy that should catch on..... vineger on french fries.

Popular in the UK as well. Of course, that's "chips" not "fries," but close enough. ;)

What about Scotland? Haggis! Mmmmmm.

Salt and vinegar with chips is standard in the UK - we don't do "fries" - they come from MacYuk and the rest...

As for haggis - particularly with the traditional "neeps and tatties", (with a wee dram of whisky for the haggis...) brilliant!

Also from Scotland, but only from the Kingdom of Fife - a red pudding supper! Whoohoo, now we're talking!

[sings]You take the high road, and I'll take the low road...[/sings]

Syzygy

[mivox]

Haggis for breakfast: 'empty' the haggis into a frying pan, add a couple 'glugs' of irish cream, and flatten it into a patty. When the haggis has gotten a little crispy around the edges, crack an egg on top of it and either cover the frying pan or stick it in the broiler/grill until the egg sets to your liking.

Serve with slices of black pudding fried lightly in butter on the side.

MMMmmmmm. Offal is good. Sadly, I can't get proper haggis or black pudding in the US.

Chips vs. Fries: Most US 'diner' type restaurants serve fried (previously frozen) potato wedge things that are quite identical to most pub fries I had in the UK... but everyone looks at you weird if you put vinegar on them, or dip them in mayonnaise.

[shaadi]

Best food ..India

I just love my country for this :)

[giggle]

Best food (in my opinion) is Thai. Moved here from Ireland 5 years ago and still lovin' it.

Tom Ka Gai or Tom Yum Gai.

[bcolflesh]

no country can beat the varity of indian food

But it comes out so quickly and painfully :)

I second the vote for Thai food - always excellent.

[trillianjedi]

Japan.

Fresh 'n simple.

TJ

[duckhunter]

Is Louisiana a country?

Gumbo [datasync.com]
Crawfish [breauxbridgelive.com]
and Pralines for Desert [globalgourmet.com]

India has something going on too!

[grelmar]

China has fantastic food as well. I'm talking about "Food you get in China" (Mainland China) as opposed to "Chinese Food," the stuff that comes delivered to your door or available at an all you can eat buffet.

[Syzygy]

Chinese food

- chicken's feet has a strange appeal and a taste that stays with you long after you've eaten them. Dislike tripe & lung, whether chinese cooked or not.

Syzygy

[mivox]

Ah yes... Japan is good too. Mmmmmm. Don't like to go without my sushi and miso.
And Thom Kha Gai has to be one of my all time favorite soups in the world, but I'm not too excited by the other Thai dishes I've had.

[pete_m]

Thai, without a doubt.

Mind you, mivox's haggis recipe sounds good. :)

[bull]

No spaghetti, pizza, lasagne, baccalà lover around here?