Maybe thirty years ago. Tanning, real or artificial, is now once again regarded as a sign of inferiority.
Particularly, oddly enough, in Australasia. *
I always thought it revolting.
- They even banned tanning beds last year, as has Brazil.
I don’t know, I’ve never eaten a Steinway.
Filet mignon is from the tenderloin which is, as the name implies, tender. Tenderloin is a seldom used muscle and thus tends to be lean and tender, but not known by anyone as the most flavorful cut of beef. This is why it’s frequently wrapped in bacon or served with a sauce. I’ll take a ribeye over a filet 9/10 times.
On the seafood side of things, there is a very distinct divide in preference here. Many people dislike most seafood and I respect that as a personal preference. Personally, I love all things seafood and oysters are my favorite food, bar none. Almost always raw, maybe a dash of hot sauce. No cocktail sauce on oysters. Pacific oysters are fantastic. Some Atlantic oysters are bland, some are good. I’ve mentioned this before, but Wegmans co-ops with a Chesapeake Bay oyster farm that produces excellent oysters for a buck apiece. But I’ll pretty much eat anything that come out of the ocean.
On the libations end, lots of preference. I don’t care much for wine but I adore beer. American craft brews to Belgian, German, English and Irish imports to American macro brews, I will drink beer. I’m not a beer snob, I’m a beer enthusiast. If you’re having a PBR or a Miller High Life, pass one over! A Trappist dubbel? Don’t mind if I do, and I’m happy to buy the next round.
Spirits I mostly believe adhere to the “you get what you pay for” rule, except I do believe the ultra-premium vodka market is a farce that is mostly based on who can make the prettiest bottle. Vodka isn’t aged and is distilled from fresh ingredients. Rot-gut single distilled vodka certainly exists and sucks but over $20/liter you have definitely reached the point of diminishing returns.
Also, I like good sheets. Thread count and “Egyptian cotton” have definitely been misused by linen manufacturers over the years, but as much as you can say 1000TC sheets don’t mean shit, you can equally say that 400TC sheets are not all equally good. And flannel sheets are not all created equal. If you’re spending $40 on sheet sets, I can guarantee you that there are ways to spend twice as much or more that you will absolutely notice. Both in terms of lifespan and comfort.
In general, I don’t begrudge anyone their indulgences and expect the same in return. I don’t think too many regular people are spending their money for the sake of impressing others and if spending $40 on a bottle of Grey Goose or $50 on a bottle of Cabernet makes them happy, I say cheers!
Are your tastebuds made out of scrap metal?
Lobsters used to be eaten much bigger and the smaller ones have the best flavor and texture. Before the late 1800s lobsters were not cooked live and fresh as they are now, but killed and then shipped like any other fish. It is likely that the lobster they ate did not taste nearly as good as the stuff we eat. It could be like the difference between tuna sushi and chicken of the sea.
Amen, brother. Too often these threads become a race to see who can be the most frugal, or a way of bashing others for their tastes if people dare spend money on something frivolous.
Exactly. They’re “I’ma drink 10 Millers and get wasted.” beer. If I want to enjoy the taste of a beer and nurse it over the course of 30-60 minutes I’ll get something else.
I’ve had lobster and crab exactly once each just to see if I’d like it. Too expensive for the taste. If I want sea bug meat I’ll go with shrimp.
Cars are just tools to get me from A to B.
If I’m going out for beef it’s mostly for BBQ.
I’m not entirely sure what you expected it to be, but, yeah, it’s a really good soup, usually very cheap and very filling, but quality varies wildly from pho place to pho place. I’m not exactly an expert on it or eat it all that often, but it’s a fantastic fragrant soup. Then again, I love soups, from the humble matza ball or chicken noodle to the exotic Asian soups like pho and tom yum.
I never got into lobster, but I suspect it’s just that I haven’t had a really good lobster yet, living here in Chicago. Filet mignon is okay, but I prefer other cuts like Porterhouse or ribeye because filet isn’t terribly flavorful, although I do like the tender texture which some people don’t. That said, I do love steak au poivre with filet. On the other hand, I’ve been known to pay $50/lb for a dry aged steak at the butcher (meaning, I still have to prepare it myself for that price) the once every couple of years I get a hankering for amazing steak, so I’m not one to shy away from “glorified stuff.” Usually, though, I’m a bit more frugal.
Oysters I love, too. Never understand the deal with caviar, though. Goose liver I’ll happily pay dearly for. Same with otoro (fatty tuna) sashimi or sushi. Prosciutto, serrano, all sorts of expensive charcuterie, I’m game. Same with pricy cheeses. Champagne, though, not in my wheelhouse. Doesn’t do anything for me. Same with wine. Then again, I’ll spend $20-$30 on a 22oz bottle of beer, so who am I to talk?