Arguing with dad here, he says they are both pretty much the same.
I disagree.

Opinions?

What do y'all feel are the major differences?
--
Peace! Om

"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down."
--Steve Rothstein

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>

Subscribe:

On Sun, 14 Mar 2010 10:09:33 -0600, Omelet wrote:

> Arguing with dad here, he says they are both pretty much the same.
> I disagree.
>
> Opinions?
>
> What do y'all feel are the major differences?

i'd say the most salient difference is that japanese food is more
'delicate,' if you will, and maybe less reliant on cooked sauces and
gravies. and china encompasses many 'schools' of cooking.

your pal,
blake

On Sun, 14 Mar 2010 10:09:33 -0600, Omelet wrote:

> Arguing with dad here, he says they are both pretty much the same.
> I disagree.
>
> Opinions?
>
> What do y'all feel are the major differences?

Pretty much everything. No sense arguing with dad.

-sw

On Sun, 14 Mar 2010 10:09:33 -0600, Omelet >
wrote:

>Arguing with dad here, he says they are both pretty much the same.
>I disagree.
>
>Opinions?
>
>What do y'all feel are the major differences?

Depends what you mean by Chinese and Japanese cooking... do you mean
what they cook in China and Japan or what's served in typical
Chinese/Japanese US eateries.

In article >,
Omelet > wrote:

> Arguing with dad here, he says they are both pretty much the same.
> I disagree.
>
> Opinions?
>
> What do y'all feel are the major differences?

I'm not getting in the middle of this one!

What I *will* throw out is that it seems like Chinese food is different
than Chinese food, and I understand that the Chinese food in China isn't
the same as what is served in the US.

It's like the US. I've lived my whole 60 years in the US, but I've
never eaten grits. I understand from many people, that in some areas of
the US, grits are eaten every day.

ObGrits: I didn't even know where to *buy* grits. Bob T. said just go
to the local grocery store. Sure enough, they were right there, and I
bought some. Now I just have to cook them and try them. I'm sure I
will like them, since I like All Things Corn.

--
Dan Abel
Petaluma, California USA

Omelet wrote on Sun, 14 Mar 2010 10:09:33 -0600:

> Opinions?

> What do y'all feel are the major differences?

Sorry, Om, I accidentally replied to you personally :-)

>The various Chinese cuisines form a vast spread of remarkable dishes.
>Tho' I like it, Japanese is much less inventive and necessarily
>parochial
>and was based on a society that did not emphasize cooking. It's a bit
>like comparing Scottish and French cuisine.
..

>I'll admit that I am a sushi enthusiast but is that "cooking"?




--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

On Sun, 14 Mar 2010 11:08:30 -0700, Dan Abel > wrote:

> ObGrits: I didn't even know where to *buy* grits. Bob T. said just go
> to the local grocery store. Sure enough, they were right there, and I
> bought some. Now I just have to cook them and try them. I'm sure I
> will like them, since I like All Things Corn.

It's amazing what things literally jump off the shelf at you when you
know to look for them. I never saw Better Than Bullion until after Om
sent me a couple of jars. All of a sudden, there they were... large
as life, sitting on the shelf right where they belonged!

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

On Mar 14, 8:09 am, Omelet > wrote:
> Arguing with dad here, he says they are both pretty much the same.
> I disagree.

Tell your dad that they are so different in so many ways that the
folks at rfc couldn't even begin to enumerate them. Point out that
China is very large with many distinct regions as to climate,
geography and foods that are locally available, while Japan is a small
island country. It would be amazing if such different resources
produced similar cuisines.

Of course there are some overlaps and some similarities because they
are old cultures that have interacted for many centuries, but the
differences far outweigh the sharings. -aem

"Omelet" > wrote in message
news
> Arguing with dad here, he says they are both pretty much the same.
> I disagree.
>
> Opinions?
>
> What do y'all feel are the major differences?
> --
> Peace! Om
>
> "Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their
> foot down."
> --Steve Rothstein
>
> Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>
>
> Subscribe:



Aside from culture and politics? LOL

Recipes:

Egg Drop Soup [Dahn Far Tong - China]

4 c. chicken stock
2 Tbs. chinese wine or dry sherry
1 tsp. sesame oil
salt to taste
3 eggs, lightly beaten
3 Tbs. chopped spring (green) onions

Bring the stock to a boil; add wine and sesame oil. Taste and add salt if
needed. Season beaten eggs with 1/2 tsp. salt. Pour beaten eggs slowly
into the boiling stock, stirring once or twice. Serve immediately,
sprinkled with spring onions.

Egg Flower Soup [Kakitama-Jiru - Japan]

5 c. dashi or chicken stock
8 snow pea pods
2 tbs. Japanese soy sauce
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt

Bring stock to a boil and add the snow peas. Cook for 1 minute after the
liquid returns to the boil then add the soy sauce. Beat eggs lightly with
salt and pour slowly into boiling stock, stirring gently. Ladel soup into
bowls and serve immediately.

From Charmain Soloman's 'The Complete Asian Cookbook'.

Jill

On Mar 14, 1:08 pm, Dan Abel > wrote:
> In article >,
>
> Omelet > wrote:
> > Arguing with dad here, he says they are both pretty much the same.
> > I disagree.
>
> > Opinions?
>
> > What do y'all feel are the major differences?
>
> I'm not getting in the middle of this one!
>
> What I *will* throw out is that it seems like Chinese food is different
> than Chinese food, and I understand that the Chinese food in China isn't
> the same as what is served in the US.
>
> It's like the US. I've lived my whole 60 years in the US, but I've
> never eaten grits. I understand from many people, that in some areas of
> the US, grits are eaten every day.
>
> ObGrits: I didn't even know where to *buy* grits. Bob T. said just go
> to the local grocery store. Sure enough, they were right there, and I
> bought some. Now I just have to cook them and try them. I'm sure I
> will like them, since I like All Things Corn.
>
> --
> Dan Abel
> Petaluma, California USA
>

At the risk of serioius drift - eat them grits Dan. Simple, but work
for every meal. Think polenta,

In article >,
blake murphy > wrote:

> On Sun, 14 Mar 2010 10:09:33 -0600, Omelet wrote:
>
> > Arguing with dad here, he says they are both pretty much the same.
> > I disagree.
> >
> > Opinions?
> >
> > What do y'all feel are the major differences?
>
> i'd say the most salient difference is that japanese food is more
> 'delicate,' if you will, and maybe less reliant on cooked sauces and
> gravies. and china encompasses many 'schools' of cooking.
>
> your pal,
> blake

Yeah. James e-mailed me and commented to the effect that Chinese cuisine
has a lot more cultural variations.
--
Peace! Om

"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down."
--Steve Rothstein

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>

Subscribe:

In article >,
Sqwertz > wrote:

> On Sun, 14 Mar 2010 10:09:33 -0600, Omelet wrote:
>
> > Arguing with dad here, he says they are both pretty much the same.
> > I disagree.
> >
> > Opinions?
> >
> > What do y'all feel are the major differences?
>
> Pretty much everything. No sense arguing with dad.
>
> -sw

<snort> True dat. I just need to get a good cookbook on Japanese
cooking. Many Westerners think that it's all about Sushi, but there is
so much more to it than that.
--
Peace! Om

"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down."
--Steve Rothstein

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>

Subscribe:

In article >,
brooklyn1 > wrote:

> On Sun, 14 Mar 2010 10:09:33 -0600, Omelet >
> wrote:
>
> >Arguing with dad here, he says they are both pretty much the same.
> >I disagree.
> >
> >Opinions?
> >
> >What do y'all feel are the major differences?
>
> Depends what you mean by Chinese and Japanese cooking... do you mean
> what they cook in China and Japan or what's served in typical
> Chinese/Japanese US eateries.

I meant the real stuff. It's like I'm well aware that Mexican food in
the US is nothing like the "real" Mexican food served in central Mexico.
There is even a big difference in "Tex-mex" and what is common close to
the border in California.
--
Peace! Om

"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down."
--Steve Rothstein

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>

Subscribe:

In article
>,
Dan Abel > wrote:

> In article >,
> Omelet > wrote:
>
> > Arguing with dad here, he says they are both pretty much the same.
> > I disagree.
> >
> > Opinions?
> >
> > What do y'all feel are the major differences?
>
> I'm not getting in the middle of this one!

Why not? :-) Could be fun and it's on topic!
>
> What I *will* throw out is that it seems like Chinese food is different
> than Chinese food, and I understand that the Chinese food in China isn't
> the same as what is served in the US.

No surprise.
>
> It's like the US. I've lived my whole 60 years in the US, but I've
> never eaten grits. I understand from many people, that in some areas of
> the US, grits are eaten every day.

It's a Southern thing and I've only ever used them for fire and poison.
I'm originally from California, altho' I've adapted for the most part.
<g>
Been in Texas now for 28 years. That's well over 1/2 my lifetime.
>
> ObGrits: I didn't even know where to *buy* grits. Bob T. said just go
> to the local grocery store. Sure enough, they were right there, and I
> bought some. Now I just have to cook them and try them. I'm sure I
> will like them, since I like All Things Corn.

Think "Polenta". <g>
--
Peace! Om

"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down."
--Steve Rothstein

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>

Subscribe:

"Omelet" > wrote in message
news
> Arguing with dad here, he says they are both pretty much the same.
> I disagree.
>
> Opinions?
>
> What do y'all feel are the major differences?
> --
> Peace! Om

Very big difference..

One very simple fact - look at the size of Japan and the size of China -
Japan has a central type of cusine whereas China has 8 distinct types:


--
Dimitri

Searing

http://kitchenguide.wordpress.com.

http://www.chinese-culture.net/html/chinese_food.html

The Northern (Shandong, Beijing)
type is known for its preparation of dried products such as shrimp, scallops
and sea cucumber. Noodles, dumplings and buns tend to be a staple diet. It
is best known for Peking duck.

Sichuan Cuisine
Sichuan food features hearty cooking flavoured with an exotic palette of
spices: red and black pepper, sesame paste, flower pepper and fermented bean
paste. Sichuan dishes are known to be "ma la hot" or "tongue burning
spicy-hot."

Canton Cuisine
The Cantonese cuisine is perhaps the most famous of the various Chinese
cuisine. The world outside is in fact most familiar with Cantonese cuisine,
having spread far and wide across the world by intrepid Chinese chefs from
Hong Kong who have migrated to various parts of the world. Canonese cuisine
is famous for its remarkable range of refined ingredients cooked with a
light touch, featuring roast meats, oyster sauce, black beans and shrimp
paste. Cantonese dishes are well known for their freshness, tenderness and
smoothness.

Jiangsu Cuisine
The Jiangsu type food can be classified into that of Suzhou-Wuxi style and
Zhenjiang-Yangzhou style. The feature of Suzhou-style dishes is their
natural flavour in original stock and a mixture of salty and sweet taste.
The characteristics of Zhenjiang-Yangzhou style food are best described by
the saying that the soup is so clear that you can see the bottom of the bowl
and the sauce is so thick that it turns creamy white.

Zhejiang Cuisine
Zhejiang food is represented by Hangzhou, Ningbo and Shaoxing styles. Dishes
of Hangzhou style are meticulously prepared, hence tasty and crisp. A blend
of freshness and saltiness characterize dishes of Ningbo style. Steamed and
roasted seafood is Ningbo's specialty. Shaoxing hood, with poultry as its
main specialty, is palatable, crisp and glutinous.

Hunan Cuisine
Hunan food takes curing, simmering, steaming and stewing as the main cooking
methods. Dishes of this style are usually tinged with sour and spicy flavor
and are thoroughly cooked.

Anhui Cuisine
Anhui style food features dishes stewed in brown sauce with stress on heavy
oil and sauce. Delicacies are abundant in Anhui dishes.

Fujian Cuisine
Fujian dishes, mostly marinated in wine, are sourly sweet. They stress
beautiful colors and fresh tastes. Seafood dishes are Fujian specialties.
Taiwan is also famous for it's Fujian cuisine.
In addition to the main categories of Chinese Cuisine, there are in fact a
wide variety of sub-Cuisine developed in the many towns and villages of
China and including the various Chinee communities spread throughout the
world.

In article >,
"James Silverton" > wrote:

> Omelet wrote on Sun, 14 Mar 2010 10:09:33 -0600:
>
> > Opinions?
>
> > What do y'all feel are the major differences?
>
> Sorry, Om, I accidentally replied to you personally :-)

I didn't mind, and replied. Feel free to re-post my reply here. :-)

> >The various Chinese cuisines form a vast spread of remarkable dishes.
> >Tho' I like it, Japanese is much less inventive and necessarily
> >parochial
> >and was based on a society that did not emphasize cooking. It's a bit
> >like comparing Scottish and French cuisine.
> .
>
> >I'll admit that I am a sushi enthusiast but is that "cooking"?
--
Peace! Om

"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down."
--Steve Rothstein

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>

Subscribe:

In article >,
sf > wrote:

> On Sun, 14 Mar 2010 11:08:30 -0700, Dan Abel > wrote:
>
> > ObGrits: I didn't even know where to *buy* grits. Bob T. said just go
> > to the local grocery store. Sure enough, they were right there, and I
> > bought some. Now I just have to cook them and try them. I'm sure I
> > will like them, since I like All Things Corn.
>
> It's amazing what things literally jump off the shelf at you when you
> know to look for them. I never saw Better Than Bullion until after Om
> sent me a couple of jars. All of a sudden, there they were... large
> as life, sitting on the shelf right where they belonged!

<laughs> The packaging is different for sure!
It freezes well by the way, and stays soft in the freezer if you need to
store it longer.
--
Peace! Om

"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down."
--Steve Rothstein

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>

Subscribe:

In article
>,
aem > wrote:

> On Mar 14, 8:09 am, Omelet > wrote:
> > Arguing with dad here, he says they are both pretty much the same.
> > I disagree.
>
> Tell your dad that they are so different in so many ways that the
> folks at rfc couldn't even begin to enumerate them. Point out that
> China is very large with many distinct regions as to climate,
> geography and foods that are locally available, while Japan is a small
> island country. It would be amazing if such different resources
> produced similar cuisines.
>
> Of course there are some overlaps and some similarities because they
> are old cultures that have interacted for many centuries, but the
> differences far outweigh the sharings. -aem

Like the uses of rice and noodles?

Thai cooking is a whole 'nuther world imho.
--
Peace! Om

"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down."
--Steve Rothstein

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>

Subscribe:

In article >,
"jmcquown" > wrote:

> "Omelet" > wrote in message
> news
> > Arguing with dad here, he says they are both pretty much the same.
> > I disagree.
> >
> > Opinions?
> >
> > What do y'all feel are the major differences?
>
> Aside from culture and politics? LOL

True dat'! :-)
I'm trying to understand the culture better at the moment in order to do
business with them. They are quite polite.

And I see that there is not a lot of difference in the two recipes
(thanks for posting them!)

>
> Recipes:
>
> Egg Drop Soup [Dahn Far Tong - China]
>
> 4 c. chicken stock
> 2 Tbs. chinese wine or dry sherry
> 1 tsp. sesame oil
> salt to taste
> 3 eggs, lightly beaten
> 3 Tbs. chopped spring (green) onions
>
> Bring the stock to a boil; add wine and sesame oil. Taste and add salt if
> needed. Season beaten eggs with 1/2 tsp. salt. Pour beaten eggs slowly
> into the boiling stock, stirring once or twice. Serve immediately,
> sprinkled with spring onions.
>
> Egg Flower Soup [Kakitama-Jiru - Japan]
>
> 5 c. dashi or chicken stock
> 8 snow pea pods
> 2 tbs. Japanese soy sauce
> 2 eggs
> 1/2 tsp. salt
>
> Bring stock to a boil and add the snow peas. Cook for 1 minute after the
> liquid returns to the boil then add the soy sauce. Beat eggs lightly with
> salt and pour slowly into boiling stock, stirring gently. Ladel soup into
> bowls and serve immediately.
>
> From Charmain Soloman's 'The Complete Asian Cookbook'.
>
> Jill
--
Peace! Om

"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down."
--Steve Rothstein

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>

Subscribe:

In article
>,
bulka > wrote:

> > ObGrits: I didn't even know where to *buy* grits. Bob T. said just go
> > to the local grocery store. Sure enough, they were right there, and I
> > bought some. Now I just have to cook them and try them. I'm sure I
> > will like them, since I like All Things Corn.
> >
> > --
> > Dan Abel
> > Petaluma, California USA
> >
>
> At the risk of serioius drift - eat them grits Dan. Simple, but work
> for every meal. Think polenta,

<rofl> I told him the same thing, and I don't mind thread drift, but
I'm going to change the subject line. :-)
--
Peace! Om

"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down."
--Steve Rothstein

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>

Subscribe:

In article >,
Omelet > wrote:

> > It's like the US. I've lived my whole 60 years in the US, but I've
> > never eaten grits. I understand from many people, that in some areas of
> > the US, grits are eaten every day.
>
> It's a Southern thing and I've only ever used them for fire and poison.

Sorry, that should have read "fire ANT poison".<sigh>
--
Peace! Om

"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down."
--Steve Rothstein

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>

Subscribe:

In article >,
"Dimitri" > wrote:

> "Omelet" > wrote in message
> news
> > Arguing with dad here, he says they are both pretty much the same.
> > I disagree.
> >
> > Opinions?
> >
> > What do y'all feel are the major differences?
> > --
> > Peace! Om
>
> Very big difference..
>
> One very simple fact - look at the size of Japan and the size of China -
> Japan has a central type of cusine whereas China has 8 distinct types:
>
>
> --
> Dimitri
>
> Searing
>
> http://kitchenguide.wordpress.com.
>
> http://www.chinese-culture.net/html/chinese_food.html
>
This (to me) sounds closest to Japanese.
Thanks for posting this! :-)

> Fujian Cuisine
> Fujian dishes, mostly marinated in wine, are sourly sweet. They stress
> beautiful colors and fresh tastes. Seafood dishes are Fujian specialties.
> Taiwan is also famous for it's Fujian cuisine.
> In addition to the main categories of Chinese Cuisine, there are in fact a
> wide variety of sub-Cuisine developed in the many towns and villages of
> China and including the various Chinee communities spread throughout the
> world.
--
Peace! Om

"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down."
--Steve Rothstein

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>

Subscribe:

Omelet wrote:
> Arguing with dad here, he says they are both pretty much the same.
> I disagree.
>

Even Chinese food varies a lot from one region of the country to
another. To the best of my knowledge, the use of chopped ingredients and
stir frying is widespread, but the ingredients vary. For years, the only
Chinese food sold in restaurants around here was the North American
version of Cantonese. Over the past few decades they have started
offering curries and Szechuan dishes, or NA variations of the real McCoy.

On 2010-03-14, Omelet > wrote:

> What do y'all feel are the major differences?

In my opinion, Chinese food is typically oil/cornstarch sauce based,
while Japanese is not. Naturally, there are exceptions, but that's
the major difference as I see it. Chinese veggie dishes are almost
all this same sauce approach, the ingredients the only difference.
Japanese use oils mostly for quick deep frying only, their veggie dishes
swimming in a seafood broth rather than a thickened oil sauce.

I don't know if Martin Yan cooks true Chinese or 'Merican Chinese, but
after watching him on PBS for years, I can honestly say 80% of all the
stir-fry dishes I watched him prepare were essentially the same. Heat oil,
stir-fry corn starch coated meat bits, add veggies, add chicken stock
and soy, finish. That's simplified, but basically accurate. When he
did programs from mainland China, most appeared to follow this same
approach.

nb

"Omelet" wrote

> Arguing with dad here, he says they are both pretty much the same.
> I disagree.

> Opinions?

Mind facts instead?

Among the mis-information you've been given is that Japan is small so must
be all one cuisine. Japan is smaller, but it's broken to islands so there
was less transferance of cuisine. Kyushu which you can reach with a small
rowboat from Korea, to the northern islands which are still in dispute as
part of Russia.

The main distinctive difference is the Japanese pay much more attention to
'looks' and also more to 'fresh taste' with uncomplicated additions. A
Japanese 'bean soup' will have beans and 2-3 other things. A Chinese dish
may have 15 or more.

Conversly you do get the reverse at times. Japanese 'rice porridge' is a
complex item with possibly 30 different things added from small amounts of
leftover bits and not that close to congee or juk.

The simularity is that both seem 'asian' and often use the same or close
foods to make it. From an asian's standpoint, they are as different as a
boiled new england dinner and a french lite paris affair.

Dan Abel wrote:
>
> It's like the US. I've lived my whole 60 years in the US, but I've
> never eaten grits. I understand from many people, that in some areas of
> the US, grits are eaten every day.

I remember my mom made them a few times. I never
much liked them, but I suppose it was a useful
learning experience. 35 years later I can state
an informed opinion about grits. You're not missing
much if you never have them. It's not like not ever
eating bacon. That would be a tragedy.

"Mr. Joseph Littleshoes Esq." wrote

>> Opinions?
> Konichiwa

Thats the biggest load of crap I have heard to date on Japan and most of it
literally opposite to the culture.

On Sun, 14 Mar 2010 14:15:20 -0600, Omelet >
wrote:

> It freezes well by the way, and stays soft in the freezer if you need to
> store it longer.

Thanks, I'll do that. This one has been open for a while and I'm not
sure how long they are supposed to go before you chuck it.

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

Omelet wrote:
> Arguing with dad here, he says they are both pretty much the same.
> I disagree.
>
> Opinions?
>
> What do y'all feel are the major differences?

Japanese food is much prettier than Chinese food.

--
Janet Wilder
Way-the-heck-south Texas
Spelling doesn't count. Cooking does.

"Dan Abel" > wrote

> ObGrits: I didn't even know where to *buy* grits. Bob T. said just go
> to the local grocery store. Sure enough, they were right there, and I
> bought some. Now I just have to cook them and try them. I'm sure I
> will like them, since I like All Things Corn.
>
> --
> Dan Abel

In the South, where they LOVE grits, they will eat them with various
additives, the most common being butter. Try them plain to get a good idea
of what they taste like. Slight taste, not offensive. But I like mine with
some butter. If you go into a restaurant, you have to special order hash
browns, and don't know what you will get. Grits come standard, and most
restaurants don't even have hash browns.

Steve

On 3/14/2010 8:08 AM, Dan Abel wrote:

> It's like the US. I've lived my whole 60 years in the US, but I've
> never eaten grits. I understand from many people, that in some areas of
> the US, grits are eaten every day.

Me neither. I was in Denny's yesterday, which is the only place in
Hawaii that I know has grits. The waitress asked me if I wanted fries
with my burger and I said "could I get grits with that?" Ha ha, Just
kidding, I'm such a joker - got the onion rings instead. My record
remains unbroken. :-)

>
> ObGrits: I didn't even know where to *buy* grits. Bob T. said just go
> to the local grocery store. Sure enough, they were right there, and I
> bought some. Now I just have to cook them and try them. I'm sure I
> will like them, since I like All Things Corn.
>

Mark Thorson wrote:

>>> What do y'all feel are the major differences?
>> Japanese food is much prettier than Chinese food.
>
> And more expensive, and the portions are smaller.


I have had Japanese food in several local Japanese restaurants. I have
to say that I was not impressed. I imagine that it would probably be
better if it were more authentic and properly prepared. While this is a
somewhat multicultural area with various cultural communities, there is
no Japanese community. However, despite their being no Thai community,
there are several local Thai restaurants that have excellent food.

Dan Abel wrote:

> It's like the US. I've lived my whole 60 years in the US, but I've
> never eaten grits. I understand from many people, that in some areas of
> the US, grits are eaten every day.
>
> ObGrits: I didn't even know where to *buy* grits. Bob T. said just go
> to the local grocery store. Sure enough, they were right there, and I
> bought some. Now I just have to cook them and try them. I'm sure I
> will like them, since I like All Things Corn.

I have lived my whole almost 60 years within 30 miles of the US and the
only time I ever had grits was one time while travelling through
Virginia. I was able to get quick cooking grits in a grocery store in
Niagara Falls NY, but not regular grits, and they were not as good. I
have never seem them for sale in Canada, though someone in the group
told me about a place in Toronto where they are sold.
FWIW... the real grits were (was?) good.

Janet Wilder wrote:
>
> Omelet wrote:
> > Arguing with dad here, he says they are both pretty much the same.
> > I disagree.
> >
> > Opinions?
> >
> > What do y'all feel are the major differences?
>
> Japanese food is much prettier than Chinese food.

And more expensive, and the portions are smaller.

On Sun, 14 Mar 2010 17:08:30 -0500, Janet Wilder
> wrote:

>Omelet wrote:
>> Arguing with dad here, he says they are both pretty much the same.
>> I disagree.
>>
>> Opinions?
>>
>> What do y'all feel are the major differences?
>
>Japanese food is much prettier than Chinese food.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Chinese food is presented just as ornately/ceremoniously and probably
more so... it's not fair to use your local Chinese take-out as a
comparison. And personally as to the actual food I don't much care
for Japanese cookery, in fact I don't consider it a cusine. There's
very good reason that world wide Chinese restaurants out number
Japanese restaurants 1,000 to 1.... probably more like 10,000 to 1.

In article >,
"Mr. Joseph Littleshoes Esq." > wrote:

> One is a lot older, more complex, refined, documented, studied etc.
> while the other is still a basic survival diet not given much thought
> to, a subsistence diet approach, culturally to food in general.
>
> Of course in the modern world this is all moot, but traditionally, IMO
> the Chines cuisine's were more varied and accessible to the mass's than
> the Japanese. Where even the wealthy cultivated an artistic scarcity
> and a stoic subsistence, where 'food' was fuel, not art or pleasure.
>
> Though don't get me wrong, the Japanese then and now know how to have
> fun and eat well. Im just talking about the social conventions that at
> one time governed such activities.
>
> Even after the growth of the Shogunal middle class that produced Samurai
> that could calculate a set of account books but not wield a sword any
> sort of opulent display was frowned upon as vulgar.
>
> Japan is one of the few surviving cultures to be so inspired by its
> traditional warrior class ethics.
>
> To hold them in such high esteem they do so unconsciously
>
> Oh well, now im just rambling, but i am as much a Japanophile as i am an
> Anglophile, this has been a good week for me in RFC, pot, stock pot,
> veloute and now Japanese threads!
>
> Konichiwa

Excellent essay, thanks muchly! :-)
--
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"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down."
--Steve Rothstein

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In article > ,
Dave Smith > wrote:

> Omelet wrote:
> > Arguing with dad here, he says they are both pretty much the same.
> > I disagree.
> >
>
> Even Chinese food varies a lot from one region of the country to
> another. To the best of my knowledge, the use of chopped ingredients and
> stir frying is widespread, but the ingredients vary. For years, the only
> Chinese food sold in restaurants around here was the North American
> version of Cantonese. Over the past few decades they have started
> offering curries and Szechuan dishes, or NA variations of the real McCoy.

Curries are used in Chinese cuisine???
--
Peace! Om

"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down."
--Steve Rothstein

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>

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In article >,
"cshenk" > wrote:

> "Omelet" wrote
>
> > Arguing with dad here, he says they are both pretty much the same.
> > I disagree.
>
> > Opinions?
>
> Mind facts instead?

Preferable obviously. <G>
>
> Among the mis-information you've been given is that Japan is small so must
> be all one cuisine. Japan is smaller, but it's broken to islands so there
> was less transferance of cuisine. Kyushu which you can reach with a small
> rowboat from Korea, to the northern islands which are still in dispute as
> part of Russia.
>
> The main distinctive difference is the Japanese pay much more attention to
> 'looks' and also more to 'fresh taste' with uncomplicated additions. A
> Japanese 'bean soup' will have beans and 2-3 other things. A Chinese dish
> may have 15 or more.
>
> Conversly you do get the reverse at times. Japanese 'rice porridge' is a
> complex item with possibly 30 different things added from small amounts of
> leftover bits and not that close to congee or juk.
>
> The similarity is that both seem 'asian' and often use the same or close
> foods to make it. From an asian's standpoint, they are as different as a
> boiled new england dinner and a french lite paris affair.

I suspected as much. I just wanted some input to win my argument. :-)
Thank you!

I think that many tend to lump "asian cooking" into a single cuisine
while in reality, they are as different as black and white. I think
that Thai, especially, is very distinctive.
--
Peace! Om

"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down."
--Steve Rothstein

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>

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In article >,
"cshenk" > wrote:

> "Mr. Joseph Littleshoes Esq." wrote
>
> >> Opinions?
> > Konichiwa
>
> Thats the biggest load of crap I have heard to date on Japan and most of it
> literally opposite to the culture.

Really? I thought it was pretty good. :-) Japanese culture is rather
"complex".
--
Peace! Om

"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down."
--Steve Rothstein

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In article >,
sf > wrote:

> On Sun, 14 Mar 2010 14:15:20 -0600, Omelet >
> wrote:
>
> > It freezes well by the way, and stays soft in the freezer if you need to
> > store it longer.
>
> Thanks, I'll do that. This one has been open for a while and I'm not
> sure how long they are supposed to go before you chuck it.

That is how I store mine. It's handy! I store it in the small freezer
door. It is so dense and concentrated, it stays soft enough to scoop.
I am glad you are enjoying it.
--
Peace! Om

"Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down."
--Steve Rothstein

Web Albums: <http://picasaweb.google.com/OMPOmelet>

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