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  #1  
Old January 11th, 2004, 02:02 PM
Darkginger
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Default Favorite foods


Donna Evleth wrote in message
...
As a tourist in European countries, how many of you have favorite things

to
eat while there? I know I do. Here are some of my own very favorites,

and
I would like to hear about other people's. Especially since my repertoire
of countries is a bit limited.


My list of countries is limited, too, but it hasn't stopped me replying!

FRANCE: I live here now, but I didn't always. My all-time favorite, as a
tourist and now as a resident, is the plateau des fruits de mer. A good
plateau has raw oysters, sometimes of more than one variety, raw clams,

and
sometimes raw mussels, cooked shrimp, of two varieties, the "bouquet", a
medium sized pink shrimp and the "petit gris", a small shrimp which is

gray
when raw but salmon colored when cooked, crabs of several varieties, the
"étrille" which is small, the "tourteau" which is large, and two kinds of
sea snails, the "bulot" and the "bigorneau". These latter are eaten by
using a pin to pull the meat out of the shell.


I feel the same about visiting France - the fruits de mer platter that I ate
in Fécamp was superb. Would the 'bulot' and the 'bigorneau' be whelks and
winkles, by any chance? (Winkles being small, whelks being much bigger). I
have a friend who makes a living as a winkle picker locally (Ireland) and
all his winkles are exported to France, as are local sea urchins.
Additionally, I have to have some really ripe Camembert when visiting
France, and a dish of snails in garlic butter, too. Clichés, perhaps, but
very good! Not particularly impressed with frogs' legs! A cheap, rough
French red wine, drunk with fresh bread and a gloopy, smelly cheese whilst
sitting somewhere outdoors can't be beaten!

snip

GREECE: We vacation every September on the island of Aegina, and I have

two
favorites there. First is the grilled fish served with a simple sauce of
olive oil and lemon juice. The second is the pistachio nuts, which are

the
island's specialty, and which are the best I have ever eaten anywhere.

And
I am originally from California, where they also grow pistachios.


Fresh grilled sardines in Cyprus - yum! And I must admit that I have a
weakness for proper Greek moussaka - somehow it tastes so much better there
than anywhere else. Swordfish in Madeira (the place, not the drink) is
another enduring memory. Steak tartare in Switzerland - they make it so
prettily! Also a proper Fondue Neuchatel, and raclette. Not a chocolate
lover.

Before I lived in Ireland, I had to indulge in soda bread, native oysters,
locally smoked wild Irish salmon and a pint of Guinness (and I don't care
what anyone says, it tastes best in Ireland) whenever I visited.
Additionally, I became addicted to white pudding with breakfast (it's
similar to black pudding - another favourite - but minus the blood, with
more fat and oatmeal in it - probably very unhealthy!).

I'm sure there are more that I've forgotten, but those are the ones which
remain in the memory!

Jo



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  #2  
Old January 11th, 2004, 02:02 PM
Earl Evleth
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Posts: n/a
Default Favorite foods

On 11/01/04 14:15, in article , "Donna
Evleth" wrote:

As a tourist in European countries, how many of you have favorite things to
eat while there? I know I do. Here are some of my own very favorites, and
I would like to hear about other people's. Especially since my repertoire
of countries is a bit limited.

FRANCE: I live here now, but I didn't always. My all-time favorite, as a
tourist and now as a resident, is the plateau des fruits de mer. A good
plateau has raw oysters, sometimes of more than one variety, raw clams, and
sometimes raw mussels, cooked shrimp, of two varieties, the "bouquet", a
medium sized pink shrimp and the "petit gris", a small shrimp which is gray
when raw but salmon colored when cooked, crabs of several varieties, the
"étrille" which is small, the "tourteau" which is large, and two kinds of
sea snails, the "bulot" and the "bigorneau". These latter are eaten by
using a pin to pull the meat out of the shell.

Our daughter, who lived here as a child and now lives in the US, also loves
the plateau des fruits de mer. For her it's even like a comfort food, and
she insists on having it on each of her annual visits. She learned to eat
the plateau des fruits de mer when she was five years old.


My wife did not mentioned that she is going out for a plateau Tuesday night,
a reward for once again having to go through a disagreeable medical exam.

We will go to Garniers, which is across from the Saint Lazare train station
and in our opinion has the best plateau in Paris.

We were there in November when our daughter and a friend came from
Miami. We are about to head off to Miami in about two weeks and there
expect to encounter more "stone crab".

Florida has some good restaurants and the climate is great, in the winter.

Earl

  #3  
Old January 11th, 2004, 02:15 PM
Donna Evleth
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Favorite foods

As a tourist in European countries, how many of you have favorite things to
eat while there? I know I do. Here are some of my own very favorites, and
I would like to hear about other people's. Especially since my repertoire
of countries is a bit limited.

FRANCE: I live here now, but I didn't always. My all-time favorite, as a
tourist and now as a resident, is the plateau des fruits de mer. A good
plateau has raw oysters, sometimes of more than one variety, raw clams, and
sometimes raw mussels, cooked shrimp, of two varieties, the "bouquet", a
medium sized pink shrimp and the "petit gris", a small shrimp which is gray
when raw but salmon colored when cooked, crabs of several varieties, the
"étrille" which is small, the "tourteau" which is large, and two kinds of
sea snails, the "bulot" and the "bigorneau". These latter are eaten by
using a pin to pull the meat out of the shell.

Our daughter, who lived here as a child and now lives in the US, also loves
the plateau des fruits de mer. For her it's even like a comfort food, and
she insists on having it on each of her annual visits. She learned to eat
the plateau des fruits de mer when she was five years old.

GREECE: We vacation every September on the island of Aegina, and I have two
favorites there. First is the grilled fish served with a simple sauce of
olive oil and lemon juice. The second is the pistachio nuts, which are the
island's specialty, and which are the best I have ever eaten anywhere. And
I am originally from California, where they also grow pistachios.

HOLLAND: I have not been to Holland for a while, but we have a Dutch friend
who often brings me my favorite treat from Holland when he comes to visit
France. This is smoke eel. You get the whole smoked fish. You peel the
skin off, which is very easy since it comes off in a whole piece, then you
eat the inside with your fingers, nibbling it away from the bone.

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

Donna Evleth
  #4  
Old January 11th, 2004, 02:28 PM
Ken Wheatley
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Posts: n/a
Default Favorite foods

On Sun, 11 Jan 2004 13:02:06 -0000, "Darkginger"
wrote:



I feel the same about visiting France - the fruits de mer platter that I ate
in Fécamp was superb. Would the 'bulot' and the 'bigorneau' be whelks and
winkles, by any chance? (Winkles being small, whelks being much bigger). I
have a friend who makes a living as a winkle picker locally (Ireland) and
all his winkles are exported to France, as are local sea urchins.
Additionally, I have to have some really ripe Camembert when visiting
France, and a dish of snails in garlic butter, too. Clichés, perhaps, but
very good! Not particularly impressed with frogs' legs! A cheap, rough
French red wine, drunk with fresh bread and a gloopy, smelly cheese whilst
sitting somewhere outdoors can't be beaten!

Yes, bulots and bigorneaux are whelks (aka elephants bogeys) amd
winkles.

And I agree. My very favoutite meal of all, especially with a good
Chablis.
  #5  
Old January 11th, 2004, 04:14 PM
Jan
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Favorite foods

Donna Evleth wrote:
As a tourist in European countries, how many of you have favorite
things to eat while there? I know I do. Here are some of my own
very favorites, and I would like to hear about other people's.
Especially since my repertoire of countries is a bit limited.

snip
Spain: Fresh grilled Sardines with wedges of lemon, served with crusty bread
Freshly squeezed orange juice
Anything on the menu at The Beach House and El Xalet, both restaurants in
Sitges

Jan


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  #6  
Old January 11th, 2004, 06:40 PM
Aramis
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Favorite foods

I like to avoid the smoked eel - in the Netherlands and elsewhere.


"Donna Evleth" wrote in message
...
As a tourist in European countries, how many of you have favorite things

to
eat while there? I know I do. Here are some of my own very favorites,

and
I would like to hear about other people's. Especially since my repertoire
of countries is a bit limited.

FRANCE: I live here now, but I didn't always. My all-time favorite, as a
tourist and now as a resident, is the plateau des fruits de mer. A good
plateau has raw oysters, sometimes of more than one variety, raw clams,

and
sometimes raw mussels, cooked shrimp, of two varieties, the "bouquet", a
medium sized pink shrimp and the "petit gris", a small shrimp which is

gray
when raw but salmon colored when cooked, crabs of several varieties, the
"étrille" which is small, the "tourteau" which is large, and two kinds of
sea snails, the "bulot" and the "bigorneau". These latter are eaten by
using a pin to pull the meat out of the shell.

Our daughter, who lived here as a child and now lives in the US, also

loves
the plateau des fruits de mer. For her it's even like a comfort food, and
she insists on having it on each of her annual visits. She learned to eat
the plateau des fruits de mer when she was five years old.

GREECE: We vacation every September on the island of Aegina, and I have

two
favorites there. First is the grilled fish served with a simple sauce of
olive oil and lemon juice. The second is the pistachio nuts, which are

the
island's specialty, and which are the best I have ever eaten anywhere.

And
I am originally from California, where they also grow pistachios.

HOLLAND: I have not been to Holland for a while, but we have a Dutch

friend
who often brings me my favorite treat from Holland when he comes to visit
France. This is smoke eel. You get the whole smoked fish. You peel the
skin off, which is very easy since it comes off in a whole piece, then you
eat the inside with your fingers, nibbling it away from the bone.

Those are my favorites. Do other people have things they feel they MUST

eat
when they go to certain countries?

Donna Evleth



  #7  
Old January 11th, 2004, 06:50 PM
Keith Anderson
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Favorite foods

On Sun, 11 Jan 2004 13:15:18 +0000, "Donna Evleth"
wrote:

As a tourist in European countries, how many of you have favorite things to
eat while there? I know I do. Here are some of my own very favorites, and
I would like to hear about other people's. Especially since my repertoire
of countries is a bit limited.

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

Donna Evleth


GERMANY - Nothing quite like the range of delicious fresh bread
available with a German breakfast, not to mention the vast variety of
cooked meats and sausage.

BELGIUM - A country that can turn the relatively simple steak/frites
into a veritable work of art.

The Belgians are also masters of hearty, filling soups.

"Croquettes crevettes" are a mighty fine way of cooking shrimps.

UNITED KINGDOM - Not for the faint-hearted, but a good Full English
breakfast (or Welsh breakfast or "Ulster Fry" if you're in N, Ireland
and whatever it's called in Scotland) is a fine way to start the day,
especially if it's cold outside. If you're lucky you'll have some good
bitter orange marmalade to go with your toast.

If your sausages are locally made so much the better.

FRANCE - What can I say about a country which takes such care with
food? Even a simple sandwich made with a crispy, fresh baguette is
heading towards the orgasmic.

SWITZERLAND - There's a little place in Luzern which buys its raclette
cheese from a local farm. then melts it over a couple of "rösti"
(potato cakes) and serves it with a couple of fresh bread rolls with
which you can mop up the melted cheese. Delicious, gooey simplicity.


  #8  
Old January 11th, 2004, 07:26 PM
Keeger
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Posts: n/a
Default Favorite foods

"Donna Evleth" wrote:

As a tourist in European countries, how many of you have favorite things to
eat while there?


I like to visit Ireland in the spring. It can sometimes be quite cool
and damp, and nothing hits the spot like a hot bowl of Irish stew made
with fresh lamb and pint of Guiness.

K
  #9  
Old January 11th, 2004, 07:43 PM
Louisa Hennessy
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Posts: n/a
Default Favorite foods

As a tourist in European countries, how many of you have favorite things to
eat while there? I know I do.


In Belgium I like to have moules et frites. In Turkey I like pide, also
baklava.
--
Louisa
Essex, England, Europe
  #10  
Old January 11th, 2004, 08:02 PM
Charles Hawtrey
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Favorite foods

"Donna Evleth" with the help of 999 monkeys
eventually managed to type:

As a tourist in European countries, how many of you have favorite things to
eat while there? I know I do. Here are some of my own very favorites, and
I would like to hear about other people's. Especially since my repertoire
of countries is a bit limited.


My tastes run to the pedestrian, but here goes anyway.

England: plain-chocolate HobNobs, Fuller's ESB and/or London Pride,
fish and chips (yeah, I know...), sag aloo, tandoori chicken, the
desserts from Patisserie Valerie.

France: steak frites, pizza (don't laugh; I'm referring specifically
to Nice, which has pizza different from any other place I've been).

Denmark: my favorite country for breakfast, with pickled herring and
those soft cheeses on crisp crackers.


--
A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to
get its pants on, but what was the truth doing with no pants on in the
first place? --Winston Churchill
 




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