Slog
News & ArtsMonday, May 24, 2010
Chow Overheard on the Bainbridge Ferry
Posted by Bethany Jean Clement on Mon, May 24, 2010 at 9:35 AM
A woman and a bunch of little girls:
"What kind of food sounds good to you girls for lunch?"
"PIE!"
"Do any of you have any food allergies?
"I'm allergic to cats."
- www.wsdot.wa.gov
Moved up because: CUTE.
8
East Asian? People in east Asian countries (even the rich ones) eat less than 1/10 of the meat of Americans. The awful "New American" restaurants are the ones that serve rabbit, lamb, bison, cow, horse, pheasant, tortured goose liver, duck, wild hog, etc. You're more likely to find cat meat at Quinn's than rural east Asia.
9
Bear in mind, any food prepared or stored in a house containing cats will contain measurable quantities of cat hair.
Of course, who doesn't prefer a hair of the dog?
Of course, who doesn't prefer a hair of the dog?
11
The kid had probably eaten at "I sPie a... cat!", a short-lived business that existed at pike place market in early 2009. Their Cranberry Calico was pretty good.
12
Wouldn't do in my shop!
Just the thought of it's enough to make you sick!
And I'm telling you, them pussycats is quick!
...and 5 FTW!
Just the thought of it's enough to make you sick!
And I'm telling you, them pussycats is quick!
...and 5 FTW!
13
@ 8 - Dude, chill. I wasn't going for accuracy; I was just referencing the inevitable stereotype. Relax.
Also, bison and duck are delightful. As is rabbit. I routinely name my stews "Thumper," "Bugs," "Peter," "Duracell"...
Also, bison and duck are delightful. As is rabbit. I routinely name my stews "Thumper," "Bugs," "Peter," "Duracell"...
15
Seriously, Anne, I've eaten everything on that list except horse, and I've killed and cleaned much of it myself. Good stuff.
Sorry, Comte, the cat pie is off. If you ask really nicely, though, we might be able to come up with some whale sushi.
Sorry, Comte, the cat pie is off. If you ask really nicely, though, we might be able to come up with some whale sushi.
17
@ 15 - Me too, actually (I think I actually ate more lamb growing up than beef). Well, the eating part. Not the killing/cleaning part. Mostly because I'm lazy, and not very good with rifles. I imagine horse would taste rather gamey.
Also, I can't believe we've gone this long without an "eating pussy" joke.
Also, I can't believe we've gone this long without an "eating pussy" joke.
18
"A lot of people think kids say the darnedest things, but so would you if you had no education." - Eugene Mirman
20
@14: Thanks for that. I love Kliban -- he died too young.
http://www.blackjelly.com/Mag3/gallery/b…
http://www.blackjelly.com/Mag3/gallery/b…
22
I call bullshit.
There are no ferries even close to a two block radius of the Stranger's offices. How could you have overheard anything?
There are no ferries even close to a two block radius of the Stranger's offices. How could you have overheard anything?
23
@ 19 - Seriously? Nice. Where did you have occasion to try horse?
I've had camel before; I was pretty unimpressed. But no, no horse...
I've had camel before; I was pretty unimpressed. But no, no horse...
24
@ 23,
I don't think it's legal to eat horse in the U.S. However, I do have relatives who've eaten it in Mexico, Japan, and France and it is (by their account) quite delicious, sweet meat.
I don't think it's legal to eat horse in the U.S. However, I do have relatives who've eaten it in Mexico, Japan, and France and it is (by their account) quite delicious, sweet meat.
25
@ 24 - Well, I'd also imagine that selling horses for meat is not the most cost-efficient strategy in the US. Still, I'm very curious...
26
My grandmother fixed horsemeat for her family during WWII. Becuase she literally could not tell a lie, when asked what was for dinner, she said, "whinny steaks."
28
"I'm a huge fucking dick like all the other people riding the BI ferry"
A classic, the second letter:
http://www.seattleweekly.com/2008-01-09/…
"They just look different"
A classic, the second letter:
http://www.seattleweekly.com/2008-01-09/…
"They just look different"
30
@26: "Belmont Steaks"
This post makes me think about how we can be efficient in entertaining kids. Kids love puppies, kids love cake, so why not a cake made with puppy meat? Or perhaps goldfish on crackers?
This post makes me think about how we can be efficient in entertaining kids. Kids love puppies, kids love cake, so why not a cake made with puppy meat? Or perhaps goldfish on crackers?
31
Or a Bouillabaisse for kids.
"Look closely kids, you might see a surprise!"
*kids scream in terror*
"You found Nemo!"
"Look closely kids, you might see a surprise!"
*kids scream in terror*
"You found Nemo!"
34
Actually, horse meat is still rendered for food — just not, in the U.S. at least, sold for human consumption. But your dog Bruno probably has eaten his body weight in it if he eats canned dog food.
I would be highly sceptical to hear a law against eating horse meat is on the books — especially given the way Americans of many persuasions have that whole "I don't like telling the government telling me what I can and can't do. Now get off my lawn."
The resistance, I gather, is mostly cultural. This would explain the Jack-in-the-Box fiasco of slipping in horse meat way back in the day.
I would be highly sceptical to hear a law against eating horse meat is on the books — especially given the way Americans of many persuasions have that whole "I don't like telling the government telling me what I can and can't do. Now get off my lawn."
The resistance, I gather, is mostly cultural. This would explain the Jack-in-the-Box fiasco of slipping in horse meat way back in the day.
35
@ 34 - Looks like there are some state-level laws outlawing the consumption of horse meat.
Again, given that horses have so many other uses, how is that cost-efficient? Then again, a lot of the cost of raising horses goes into training and such, and I suppose you would save on those costs if you're just raising them for meat...hmm...
Again, given that horses have so many other uses, how is that cost-efficient? Then again, a lot of the cost of raising horses goes into training and such, and I suppose you would save on those costs if you're just raising them for meat...hmm...
36
@35: It probably would depend on various points, such as a population surplus being culled. It would only be cost-efficient if people are willing to pay for high-grade horse meat.
As a former, eleven-year vegetarian, I find now that I can eat pretty much all meats save chicken (it takes horrible to me for some reason; it's not how I remember it when I was little). So prepared in proper context with a suitable recipe, I would be game (pun not intended, but anyway) for trying horse meat.
Except, I guess, in Jersey (whut? whut?) where it's not legal.
As a former, eleven-year vegetarian, I find now that I can eat pretty much all meats save chicken (it takes horrible to me for some reason; it's not how I remember it when I was little). So prepared in proper context with a suitable recipe, I would be game (pun not intended, but anyway) for trying horse meat.
Except, I guess, in Jersey (whut? whut?) where it's not legal.
37
@36, I had an Iranian-by-birth female colleague who was very sensitive to food quality and showed me that chicken fat, especially, goes rancid very quickly--made worse by the fact that supply chains are very long and most commercial chicken carcasses are heavily injected with salt solutions to plump up the weight (the excess free salt speeds up oxidation of the fats). She got chickens from a special source that were not highly processed, cooked them within a few days of slaughter, and used a lot of lemon in the cuisine. I've never had chicken like that since, and I miss it tremendously. Try cultivating some accomplished Persian cooks among your circle of friends.
Same thing with walnuts--most walnuts sit in warehouses far too long. They get bitter and burn my tongue and throat. Freshly shelled walnuts from a good Persian market are out of this world.
Same thing with walnuts--most walnuts sit in warehouses far too long. They get bitter and burn my tongue and throat. Freshly shelled walnuts from a good Persian market are out of this world.
38
@ 37 - I'm not religious, and neither are my proudly heathen parents, but they frequently went to this local Halal meat place precisely because of the higher quality. I've tried to make more time to cook lately, and whenever I've got time, I try to go the halal route. It's usually way better than supermarket meat, and less expensive than the organic stuff. Of course, my experience is more with accomplished Arabic cooks than accomplished Persian cooks, but there's quite a bit of overlap. Delicious, delicious overlap.
(I concede that I might be comparing apples to oranges by comparing a supermarket to a local butcher. Meat from butcher shops is probably better all-around, even if said butcher isn't Halal/Kosher.)
I maintain that the biggest deficiency in Middle Eastern cuisine is the lack of bacon.
(I concede that I might be comparing apples to oranges by comparing a supermarket to a local butcher. Meat from butcher shops is probably better all-around, even if said butcher isn't Halal/Kosher.)
I maintain that the biggest deficiency in Middle Eastern cuisine is the lack of bacon.
40
@23 Costa Rica. It was interesting because I didn't find out what it was until after I ate it. I couldn't figure out if I was eating a cow or a pig but I didn't care much because it was extra tasty and I was hungry. I had seconds.
41
@37: It's a very good suggestion. I can't rule it out until I've given it a try. Even after returning to meat products (which really isn't that much per annum -- just enough to keep my B12 and folate from crashing through the floor), I found turkey to be wonderful, as well as duck (mostly as a confit for other dishes). It was a combination of texture and taste with chicken which doesn't sit well, so maybe eliminating one as a culinary obstacle might be enough.
I only marginally know Persian cooking via an Iranian friend of mine who brought over some home cooking from his mum. It seemed to overlap a bit with Afghani cuisine, which is certainly a good thing. Admittedly, I know South Indian, North Indian, and Sri Lankan cooking a lot better.
I only marginally know Persian cooking via an Iranian friend of mine who brought over some home cooking from his mum. It seemed to overlap a bit with Afghani cuisine, which is certainly a good thing. Admittedly, I know South Indian, North Indian, and Sri Lankan cooking a lot better.
42
Wow - amazing how these posts digress when I look back much later. Since no one will read this anyway, I'll report that my brother has an interesting story about eating puppy when he was serving in Viet Nam - can't recall if it was during R&R in Tiawan or actually in DaNang where he was stationed. He was playing with a black and white puppy in a pen on the street when his Chief Petty Officer (he was Navy) was talking privately with the owner. Later, on the way back, they ate at a restaurant selected by the Chief - very tasty - turned out to be the puppy he "picked out".
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