The Country in Europe With The Best Food an Culture Is Surley

[InsaneApache]

Greek food!

It's ok but not what you would call earth shattering. Also they can't butcher for toffee.

What's the French for sausage, egg, chips and beans?

[Rhyfelwyr]

Man I am culturally ignorant, haven't been further than round Belfast to the west or Falkirk to the east for god knows how long now...

[Furunculus]

polish food is good hearty eating, provided you're not a veggie, or have pretensions of being a gastronome.

[al Roumi]

What's the French for sausage, egg, chips and beans?

Saucise, oeuf, frites et haricots.

A personal favourite, the Cup o'beans (Tasse d'haricots):

[InsaneApache]

Whey aye a cup 'o beans, replete with sausage.

Gotta love Partridge.

[gaelic cowboy]

polish food is good hearty eating, provided you're not a veggie, or have pretensions of being a gastronome.

Did you ever come across any smalec me brother had some in Krakow in one of those Chlopskie Jadlo places I was nearly sickened

Smalec (Lard spread)

[Furunculus]

yes, its the polish equivalent of pork scratchings.

the really good beer-cellars in the centre of Wroclaw serve it on rye-bread to be eaten as a bar-snack with beer.

lard with small chunks of bacon, tastes really good with dark ale surprisingly.

[InsaneApache]

Wry bread?

Is that a loaf with a dry sense of humour?

[gaelic cowboy]

Wry bread?

Is that a loaf with a dry sense of humour?

Thank you folks, you've been great! I'll be here all week, try the veal and don't forget to tip your waitress!

[Vuk]

Thank you folks, you've been great! I'll be here all week, try the veal and don't forget to tip your waitress!

I don't get it, what is so funny about the video?

[Ronin]

Portugal, Spain or Italy.

and don´t call it Shirley! :P

[gaelic cowboy]

I don't get it, what is so funny about the video?

God you must be a young buckeen it's a rimshot from a comedy club.

Copy pasted from Wikipedia

The term is often used to refer to the sting played by the drummer in cabaret shows to accentuate the punchline of a joke. As a result, a particularly obvious laugh line is called a rimshot.

[Fragony]

Portugal, Spain or Italy.

and don´t call it Shirley! :P

What's a traditional dish, Spain has paella, Itally pasta you get it. Just realised if have never been in a Portugese restaurant, what are the local wonders .

(love food threads)

[Furunculus]

Wry bread?

Is that a loaf with a dry sense of humour?

yes. :p

[Louis VI the Fat]

Portugal, Spain or Italy.

Why, indeed they all have got gastronomy and culture almost equal to French standards.

Speaking of other Latin countries, pray tell: how are your High Speed Trains, spaceships, atomic energy, nuclear powered subs?


THATS RIGHT YOU DONT HAVE ANY OF THOSE

[gaelic cowboy]

Why, indeed they all have got gastronomy and culture almost equal to French standards.

Speaking of other Latin countries, pray tell: how are your High Speed Trains, spaceships, atomic energy, nuclear powered subs?


THATS RIGHT YOU DONT HAVE ANY OF THOSE

Yo dawg keep dem {female dogs} in line awright Louis

[Tellos Athenaios]

Why, indeed they all have got gastronomy and culture almost equal to French standards.

Speaking of other Latin countries, pray tell: how are your High Speed Trains, spaceships, atomic energy, nuclear powered subs?


THATS RIGHT YOU DONT HAVE ANY OF THOSE

Pictures or it didn't happen.

[Ronin]

What's a traditional dish, Spain has paella, Itally pasta you get it. Just realised if have never been in a Portugese restaurant, what are the local wonders .

(love food threads)

Portugal has several emblematic dishes...let's see.

-Soup:
- you have 'Caldo Verde' - Literally 'green broth', a Kale and potato based soup that is normally served with a few slices of chourizo sausage cut into the soup just before serving...very tasty

-Fish:
Portuguese cuisine includes a lot of fresh fish dishes, but the most emblematic fish consumed in Portugal is Bacalhau, Bacalhau is what the Portuguese call Cod, in Portugal it is always (99.999% of the time) consumed as in the salted form, and never in the fresh fish version (in fact I am sure most portuguese would not be able to recognize the fish in it's natural state)
The salting of the fish was introduced first by necessity, due to the lack of refrigeration on boats and in land, and became tradition, some people claim there are 365 different recipies in Portuguese cooking for Bacalhau, others claim there are more than a thousand, any way, there are a lot of them. Bacalhau (in one of it's many preparations) is normaly the traditional dish for the Christmas Eve dinner in Portugal.

-Meat:
Some traditional dishes in Portugal include:
-'Leitão Assado' - Roasted Suckling pig
-'Feijoada' - a dish made with beans, various meats and sausages and legumes (there is a portuguese and a brazilian version)
-'Cozido a Portuguesa' - Stew Portuguese style.
- 'Dobrada or Tripas a moda do Porto' - Called 'Dobrada' ('Folded') in most of the country or 'Tripas a moda do Porto' (Tripes Porto Style) in the region around Porto city is a dish made with beef stomach with is stewed together with white beans and vegetables, the recipe differs a bit in the Porto version and is considered the city's signature dish.
- 'Carne de Porco a alentejana' - Pig Meat Alentejo Style - Pig meat is first marinated and then fried along with clams, it is served with cubed french fries or boiled potatoes.

-there are also many kinds of sausages of different types, that are themselfs very good but are normally incorporated in some of the dishes I detailed above.
and interesting one is called Alheira and oral history gives it's source as an influence of the jewish influence in Portugal, this one is many times served as a traditional "bar food", where it is served with french fries and a fried egg.

-Then there are many famous wines and cheesee, which I won´t go into since I don´t drink alcohol and am not a big cheese fan.

when it comes to deserts there is a vast history of recipes coming from religious monestaries during the medieval era...and for example the deserts table at someting like a christmas or new year's eve dinner is something to behold.
I would point out the 'Pastel de Nata' just to give an example....good everywhere but especially good in a particular bakery here in Lisbon that has a secret recipe that dates back to 1820 or something like that.

[Ronin]

Why, indeed they all have got gastronomy and culture almost equal to French standards.

Speaking of other Latin countries, pray tell: how are your High Speed Trains, spaceships, atomic energy, nuclear powered subs?


THATS RIGHT YOU DONT HAVE ANY OF THOSE

grandma...what do you have all those things for?

the quicker to surrender to the german's my child!

[Sarmatian]

A: What's the most common French phrase?
B: I don't know...
A: C'mon, try
B: I give up...
A: That's it!

[Vladimir]

A: What's the most common French phrase?
B: I don't know...
A: C'mon, try
B: I give up...
A: That's it!

Brilliant

[Louis VI the Fat]

Just another random city then. Maybe I'll start with 'A' and then work my way down alphabetically.

The town of Albi. Stunningly located along the river Tarn, Albi has been permanantly inhabited for five thousand years. The entire city is build of fabulous red brick, as is customary in the region: Toulouse in pink, Montauban in soft red.
The region is unruly, fiercely independent, especially concerning religion. Neither pope nor king could establish their rule, until both combined forces during the 'Albigensian' Crusade in the 13th century.

The most famous resident must be Toulouse-Lautrec, the Montmartre Midget who immortalised the lascivousness and gaiety of 19th century Paris.

[Proletariat]

grandma...what do you have all those things for?

the quicker to surrender to the german's my child!

Riiight, because Portulol would've put up a much more fierce defense against the Germans, hehe

Anyway, as a descendant of said country I was very disappointed by Portugal's food during my visit last year. Anytime I asked a local where to eat nice local fare they'd usually respond scratching their heads, either wondering why I'd bother to ask or not even knowing what to recommend. The supposedly spicey piri-piri grilled chicken was bland and dry everytime. Thankfully the bacalau was excellent and the grilled sardines were fabulous (had no idea those things could even be served fresh, let alone made into something awesome.) But neither Portugal or Spain held a candle to a trip to the Amalfi coast in Italy. I never ever in Italy had to ask where to find good food. There were no hamburgeuseria's in Italy I saw.

Also, would the entire Iberian peninsula go into shock if they were introduced to a jalepeno? Anytime there I asked for picante sauce or chili they'd look stunned and bring out some tabasco and maybe warn me to use it sparingly.

The closest thing to authentic French fare I've had would be creole and cajun food in New Orleans (which imho, the only seafood I've had better than in the Costa Del Sol) but I guess that would be about as French as a Peruvian made Lacoste polo.

[Kagemusha]

Riiight, because Portulol would've put up a much more fierce defense against the Germans, hehe

Anyway, as a descendant of said country I was very disappointed by Portugal's food during my visit last year. Anytime I asked a local where to eat nice local fare they'd usually respond scratching their heads, either wondering why I'd bother to ask or not even knowing what to recommend. The supposedly spicey piri-piri grilled chicken was bland and dry everytime. Thankfully the bacalau was excellent and the grilled sardines were fabulous (had no idea those things could even be served fresh, let alone made into something awesome.) But neither Portugal or Spain held a candle to a trip to the Amalfi coast in Italy. I never ever in Italy had to ask where to find good food. There were no hamburgeuseria's in Italy I saw.

Also, would the entire Iberian peninsula go into shock if they were introduced to a jalepeno? Anytime there I asked for picante sauce or chili they'd look stunned and bring out some tabasco and maybe warn me to use it sparingly.

The closest thing to authentic French fare I've had would be creole and cajun food in New Orleans (which imho, the only seafood I've had better than in the Costa Del Sol) but I guess that would be about as French as a Peruvian made Lacoste polo.

It could be that you have eaten lot from French cuisine without even knowing it. Many things that are served as default in better restaurants are of French cuisine. Sauces like Bordelaise sauce, which basically is a classic red wine brown sauce, Bechamel sauce and Tartar sauce, just to mention few all are part of French cuisine. Basic meat dishes like for example Steak au poivre, which is the pepper stake, are served as default these days in better restaurants. Or any random steak house, maybe without Dijon mustard and Cognac on the sauce, but still served.The Western cuisine is so heavily influenced by French cuisine that if you visit a non ethnic high class restaurant these days. Half or more what is served is from French cuisine or atleast parts of it are.

Ofcourse it should be noted that the whole French cuisine has been a giant melting pot taking dishes and influnces all around France and any neighbours to include in to their cuisine. Like for example things like Mayonnese and Hollandaise sauce, former originally Iberian and latter from Netherlands, but now already for centuries part of French cuisine. What makes the French cuisine superior is indeed the variety of influences from all directions. Variety unmatched by any other European cuisine.

[Ronin]

Riiight, because Portulol would've put up a much more fierce defense against the Germans, hehe

Portugal did put up a great defense against the germans...look it up....I call it "playing both sides against the middle". :P

Anyway, as a descendant of said country I was very disappointed by Portugal's food during my visit last year. Anytime I asked a local where to eat nice local fare they'd usually respond scratching their heads, either wondering why I'd bother to ask or not even knowing what to recommend. The supposedly spicey piri-piri grilled chicken was bland and dry everytime. Thankfully the bacalau was excellent and the grilled sardines were fabulous (had no idea those things could even be served fresh, let alone made into something awesome.) But neither Portugal or Spain held a candle to a trip to the Amalfi coast in Italy. I never ever in Italy had to ask where to find good food. There were no hamburgeuseria's in Italy I saw.

Also, would the entire Iberian peninsula go into shock if they were introduced to a jalepeno? Anytime there I asked for picante sauce or chili they'd look stunned and bring out some tabasco and maybe warn me to use it sparingly.

Chicken piri-piri is very good in the Algarve, specially in a very particular city, it can be found everywhere else on the country but it is more or less an imitation.
And anyway, I would in no way describe grilled chicken piri-piri as a staple of traditional portuguese cuisine........common place? sure, but not really one of the classics.
As to the question about the lack of restaurant recomendation, I would suggest that the reason for this is that portuguese food is most of all, home style, unnassuming, low cost confort food, maybe the people you asked just assumed you wanted to go somewhere fancy and had no idea what to point out. the best places to eat in Lisbon for example, and there are a lot of them, are not the kind of places that would show up on the michelan guide for example.

as for the hot sauce, piri-piri IS a chili pepper....and it's the one that is tradicionally used around here.

[The Stranger]

what about spain, amazing food amazing culture! or portugal. Berlin is definitly the best city, but i would agree if u would not chose german culture or food XD

[Furunculus]

always enjoyed the local food on my holiday to Porto.

[Meneldil]

Chaud Zem Louis ! All of France is behind you.



Please don't fart.

[Louis VI the Fat]

Anyway, as a descendant of said country I was very disappointed by Portugal's food during my visit last year. Anytime I asked a local where to eat nice local fare they'd usually respond scratching their heads

The closest thing to authentic French fare I've had would be creole and cajun food in New Orleans (which imho, the only seafood I've had better than in the Costa Del Sol) but I guess that would be about as French as a Peruvian made Lacoste polo.

I've always eaten and drunk well in Portugal. Then again, I've always stayed with friends and relatives who drive me around.


Cajun is sold as 'American' cuisine in France, exotic foreign food.

Cajun is not French, it is the product of the New World. America is more than just the sum of its peoples, more than what each group brought with it. All the immigrant groups were all shaped by America, were turned into something new and distinct, as well as each new group themselves redefined America.
Especially the older immigrant waves have had time (and cultural isolation) to develop a distinct American culture. Cajun is French no more than cheeseburgers are British.

[Strike For The South]

Well yea but Cajun food is awesome and they serve big portions.