Favorite foods

On Mon, 12 Jan 2004 01:35:08 +0000,
(David Horne) wrote:

Keith Anderson wrote:

Some station restaurants in Germany are - perhaps surprisingly
(especially with the crap we're served in UK stations) - excellent and
sometimes as good as the places in town.

I don't usually have time to eat at stations, even while changing
trains- but the _takeaway_ fare at UK stations has improved
exponentially. For example, there's a good Sushi take-away (sashimi too)
at Temple Meads, and many mainline stations now have local supermarket
branches (Sainsbury's etc.) within the station, or right next to it. I
don't mind a decent sausage, but otherwise German stations IME don't
offer the same variety.

It's true for Temple Meads and for London termini - but still dire at
places like Exeter, Taunton, Salisbury and many other smaller but
still important stations with the "Lemon Tree" outlet and its watery
coffee and plastic sandwiches.

For variety, try Hamburg Hbf - a delicatessen with trains running
underneath!

I was referring in the earlier posts to station restaurants per se -
sit-down places - and there are some very good ones in Germany.

For take-away food, Koblenz Hbf has an excellent sandwich shop.

Keith Anderson wrote:

It's true for Temple Meads and for London termini - but still dire at
places like Exeter, Taunton, Salisbury and many other smaller but
still important stations with the "Lemon Tree" outlet and its watery
coffee and plastic sandwiches.

This is still changing a lot. Comparatively sized German stations
haven't seemed to stand out, to me. The "watery coffee and plastic
sandwiches" could be an indictment of a particular kind of UK takeaway
food in general- not just limited to the stations. And, as that changes,
and food gets better here, I think you see that reflected at the
stations too.

For take-away food, Koblenz Hbf has an excellent sandwich shop.

I did buy a good sandwich there once- so maybe that was it.

David

--
David Horne- (website under reconstruction)
davidhorne (at) davidhorne (dot) co (dot) uk

David Horne wrote:

The "watery coffee and plastic
sandwiches" could be an indictment of a particular kind of UK takeaway
food in general- not just limited to the stations.

I meant cafeteria/takeaway.

David

--
David Horne- (website under reconstruction)
davidhorne (at) davidhorne (dot) co (dot) uk

Donna Evleth wrote:

Why didn't I think to mention the yoghurt in my original post, when I have
it for breakfast every morning when I am there. Even though we stay in a
hotel, we have a fridge with our room, and I buy the yoghurt to have in the
morning with honey. The yoghurt I get is not the kind in plastic
containers, but the kind that comes in clay dishes. It's whole milk, with a
little skin on the top. I have kept a number of the clay dishes, over the
years, to use beneath flower pots. The honey I buy from the local farmer's
market in front of the church along the waterfront in Aegina town. It's
wonderful. I only wish I could get that stuff here.

You might be able to, you know. I'm sure there will be some shops in
Paris that import Greek produce- there are a few here in the UK, and you
can get some good stuff.

David

--
David Horne- (website under reconstruction)
davidhorne (at) davidhorne (dot) co (dot) uk

Dans l'article , Dave Smith
a écrit :


I a similar platter when I was in Paris 10 years ago. We walked by the
restaurant every day on our way back and forth from our hotel and had selected
it for dinner on our final night. They English translation was "Seafood
Platter", so I assumed, incorrectly, that it would be similar to what we get
on
a seafood platter here, which would be some shrimps, some scallops, some fish,
maybe calarmari. I was surprised when we were delivered a huge platter of raw
molluscs. It was tasty, but I have had many meals in France that were much
better. I was disappointed every time we had lamb there. When I think of
great
food in France I always think first of the great bread.

Our daughter, whom I mentioned in my original post, was in France at age
five, returned to the US at age six, before returning to France again as a
teenager. When she was in the US, at age six, she saw "seafood platter" on
a menu in a fish restaurant at the wharf in Santa Cruz, California. She
knew that was what she wanted. We tried to explain to her that it would not
be what she was used to. She would have none of our explanation. She could
read, she could translate. She was incredibly disappointed when she got
some shrimps and several kinds of deep fried fish, as we had told her she
would. This story has become one of our family classics.

As to lamb, in France it is cooked more on the rare side than Americans or
English are used to. Was that why it disappointed you? We have a couple of
friends who have been disappointed in lamb for this reason. I always cook
lamb for them myself, doing it just the way they like it, which is medium
well.

France does indeed have great bread. Unfortunately I am gluten intolerant
and cannot eat it at all. This is why I didn't mention it. Bread, "the
staff of life," makes me truly ill.

Donna Evleth

Dans l'article 1g7fcxu.m83rytmaqb3N%this_address_is_for_spam@yah oo.co.uk,
(David Horne) a écrit :


As for Greece, well fish isn't really a Greek thing, even on the
islands, it's mostly for tourists- and frozen even if the waiter tells
you it's fresh. Not that I don't like the fish when I'm on a Greek
island- I just don't think it's amazing. When you get fresh dolmades
(not out of the tin, which is what many places actually serve) I think
that's delicious. To tell the truth, just a plain salad of local feta,
tomatoes and olive oil can be heaven. And the yoghurt can be incredible.

Why didn't I think to mention the yoghurt in my original post, when I have
it for breakfast every morning when I am there. Even though we stay in a
hotel, we have a fridge with our room, and I buy the yoghurt to have in the
morning with honey. The yoghurt I get is not the kind in plastic
containers, but the kind that comes in clay dishes. It's whole milk, with a
little skin on the top. I have kept a number of the clay dishes, over the
years, to use beneath flower pots. The honey I buy from the local farmer's
market in front of the church along the waterfront in Aegina town. It's
wonderful. I only wish I could get that stuff here.

Donna Evleth

On 12/1/04 7:46 pm, in article , "Donna
Evleth" wrote:



Dans l'article 1g7fcxu.m83rytmaqb3N%this_address_is_for_spam@yah oo.co.uk,
(David Horne) a écrit :


As for Greece, well fish isn't really a Greek thing, even on the
islands, it's mostly for tourists- and frozen even if the waiter tells
you it's fresh. Not that I don't like the fish when I'm on a Greek
island- I just don't think it's amazing. When you get fresh dolmades
(not out of the tin, which is what many places actually serve) I think
that's delicious. To tell the truth, just a plain salad of local feta,
tomatoes and olive oil can be heaven. And the yoghurt can be incredible.

Most restaurants in Greek resorts serve "tourist food". When you venture
further away, or just stay in Athens, you get better fish and better fresh
produce generally. One thing I like in Greece is chicken that has actually
spent some time running around outside and not sitting in a Bernard Matthews
factory being pumped full of water and antibiotics. Goat is also good when
locally raised.

Why didn't I think to mention the yoghurt in my original post, when I have
it for breakfast every morning when I am there. Even though we stay in a
hotel, we have a fridge with our room, and I buy the yoghurt to have in the
morning with honey. The yoghurt I get is not the kind in plastic
containers, but the kind that comes in clay dishes. It's whole milk, with a
little skin on the top. I have kept a number of the clay dishes, over the
years, to use beneath flower pots. The honey I buy from the local farmer's
market in front of the church along the waterfront in Aegina town. It's
wonderful. I only wish I could get that stuff here.

I'm surprised you say that given the quantity, quality and variety of milk
products in France. We used to buy Total Greek yogurt in the UK, but to be
honest we haven't even bothered looking for it here. I prefer "Fjord", as
previoulsy mentioned, or fromage blanc, or .....

J;

Following up to Donna Evleth

Those are my favorites. Do other people have things they feel they MUST eat
when they go to certain countries?

According to what part of Spain i'm in its fried fish adobo,
suckling pig, tapas (St Sebastian) or Mero with clams. Canarian
potatoes

In UK I don't gravitate to traditional cooking much although I
have to have a good shepherds pie now and again and I can never
resist a pastie when walking in Cornwall, although I wouldn't
want one for a sit down meal. Smoked scottish fish, haddock or
salmon are high on my list especially as Kedgeree. I couldnt live
without proper cask conditioned unfrozen beer and then there's
curry......
--
Mike Reid
Wasdale picture gallery
"http://www.fellwalk.co.uk/waspics.htm"
(see website for email)

"Derek McBryde" wrote
| Oh and did I mention the poached salmon I ate in a caravan
| in Donegal in Ireland. )

Poached always tastes better than shop-bought.

Owain

I Love this subject!

Greece - Greek Salads - better than anywhere else, although so simple
& moussaka - even nasty Greek wine tastes good here.

Italy - Torta Basilica cheese from Milan - we can find it here
sometimes - so decadent!

Spain - Deep fried artichoke hearts from Cal Pep in Barcelona

France - Foie Gras served anyway - always wonderful. French
baguettes, butter & preserves for breakfast. That wonderful Yoplait
yougert sold in ceramic pots that is so thick & creamy - we can get it
here, but it's $3.99 a pot - yikes! Cheese, any cheese whatsoever...

Germany - Münchener Weißwurst mit senf und Brötchen - breakfast of
champions! Mit Bier, of course, Nutella (ok, we can get here) on
warm freshly baked German brown bread (we can't get here). Krebssalat
- shrimpy & mayonaissy (sp?) - yumm! Ocshenschwansuppe (sp?).
Jägerwurst. I love most everything - except for Blütwurst & other
innards type meats - could live in the Kaufhof / Dallmayers
stores/Viktualienmarkt & never be bored. Hot roasted chesnuts!!!!

England - Harrod's Priory Crumble Biscuits - still trying to find them
in the US - I haven't given up yet! Devonshire cream piled on currant
scones with jam & tea.

Holland - a great Rijstaffel!