# Controversial Culinary Comments **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 2, 2018, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-culinary-comments/822328 "2018-10-02T18:49:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2018, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-culinary-comments/822328/241 "2018-10-07T02:45:42Z")
> [@snowthx](#): > > Count me as one who agrees with you! And things that normally do have some cheese in/on them, there is the persistent attitude that if it has cheese, MORE cheese must make it better. Well, it _does._ Even cheese can be improved …with more cheese. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2018, 5:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-culinary-comments/822328/242 "2018-10-07T05:54:31Z")
> [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#): > > I will never ever ever understand the North American insistence on including melted cheese in (what seems like) practically every dish. I find it extremely weird. > > Nobody else seems to agree with me, though. Sad! I agree with you. I like cheese, but it’s on everything, melted mundane yellow cheddarish cheese. EVERYTHING. To make it worse, there is 9 times out of 10 bacon, too. Cheese and bacon. I like bacon, but there it is, everywhere. That’s why we’re paying $6 a pound for it. The land is flooded with food drowning in cheese and bacon. And it makes everything so SALTY. ☹ . Sometimes I will have an Applebees food item, and regret it - I will have to drink water like a camel after I get home. ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2018, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-culinary-comments/822328/243 "2018-10-07T06:29:16Z")
> [@EmilyG](#): > > I don’t know how people can stand the stench of hard-boiled eggs. > > Also, what’s with this “bowl food” fad? > > I’m kind of bummed that 3/4 of all recipes out there have onions in them, because I don’t like onions. If you’re cooking, leave out the onions. As long as you aren’t making onion rings, onion soup, onion pie, etc, then leaving out onions won’t harm much of anything. If you’re seeing a trend of other cooks making everything with onions, I’m sorry to hear that, it’s harder to fix. Fads come and go. Bowl food will do the same. ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2018, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-culinary-comments/822328/244 "2018-10-07T06:35:12Z")
> [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#): > > I will never ever ever understand the North American insistence on including melted cheese in (what seems like) practically every dish. I find it extremely weird. > > Nobody else seems to agree with me, though. Sad! I like cheese. When I eat something with cheese in it, I like that there is a generous amount. BUT I certainly agree that too many dishes contain cheese. Every place doesn’t have to be “cheese world”. I went to one restaurant a few times (admittedly I liked their food) where truly, nearly every item on the menu had a lot of cheese in it. Too few non-cheese choices. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2018, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-culinary-comments/822328/245 "2018-10-07T06:46:49Z")
Do we want to discuss the dressing vs. stuffing conundrum? I make dressing in a casserole pan for holidays. The bird is cooked separately and isn’t stuffed. I know I am gonna be sorry. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2018, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-culinary-comments/822328/246 "2018-10-07T06:55:32Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Do we want to discuss the dressing vs. stuffing conundrum? I make dressing in a casserole pan for holidays. The bird is cooked separately and isn’t stuffed. I know I am gonna be sorry. No, you are correct. Separate is the safe, healthy way to go or see below. Thanksgiving bird topic. “White meat is dry, over-cooked. Waaaah.” The last several years, I’ve bought the bird butchered; breasts, thighs/meat, drumsticks. I wrap the individual pieces with stuffing/veggies added in foil. The idea is to make equal weight and thickness. Bake to temperature then open top under broiler to crisp up the skin (butter involved). Goes on the plater after slicing. Everything is moist. Everyone is happy. Except those who want a “Norman Rockwell” big bird picture. Pineapple is fine on pizza with ham or Canadian Bacon (neither Canadian nor bacon, I know) pieces. Nice complement. Don’t overdo the cheese. ---
**Author:** ![DavidwithanR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3bc359/32.png) [@DavidwithanR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DavidwithanR)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2018, 7:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-culinary-comments/822328/247 "2018-10-07T07:58:56Z")
> [@bump](#): > > That’s not how it works; the garnish doesn’t define the drink. It’s also still a martini if you use a lemon twist or olive as well, with the lemon twist actually being the most authentically genuine garnish. > > The martini is a combination of gin, dry vermouth and orange bitters- all 3 things, not 2 out of the 3. > > Vodka drinks in general are for amateurs IMO; if you’re going to drink something with spirits, why get the one that is intended to be tasteless? Almost every vodka drink could be done with either white rum or gin just as well. > > It’s in the same league as those clowns who buy expensive bourbon or rum and then drink it with Coke! You may as well buy Jim Beam and be done with it for a lot less money. I’d love to see proof that gin vs. vodka **objectively** changes the drink more than onion vs. lemon twist does. I believe gin vs. vodka is actually a much smaller and less significant change. Gin is just not that special. Gin is (in practical terms) nothing but flavoured vodka anyway, and it’s silly to pretend otherwise. (Note: I said “in practical terms”. I don’t care about whatever technicalities might be thrown at me - gin is de facto vodka with a flavour pack added.) ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2018, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-culinary-comments/822328/248 "2018-10-07T18:31:18Z")
> [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](#): > > I will never ever ever understand the North American insistence on including melted cheese in (what seems like) practically every dish. I find it extremely weird. > > Nobody else seems to agree with me, though. Sad! The only times I ever eat cheese is when it’s thinly applied to pizza, or is in Mexican or Italian food with enough sauce to cover up the disgusting taste. ---
**Author:** ![BrickBat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@BrickBat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrickBat)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2018, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-culinary-comments/822328/249 "2018-10-07T18:58:44Z")
> [@Annie-Xmas](#): > > However, coffee is one of the most foul tasting substances on this planet. I drink it every day…waking up isn’t waking up without 2 mugs of it ( with demerara sugar and CoffeeMate powder ) and: I agree with you. ---
**Author:** ![BrickBat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac91a4/32.png) [@BrickBat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrickBat)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2018, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-culinary-comments/822328/250 "2018-10-07T19:15:05Z")
As to Mexican salsa, I have yet to experience a store bought jar of it that didn’t suck: It all seems like a thin ketchup-ey mess with a bunch of shit floating in it that used to be vegetables. Even so-so fresh made salsa is good enough to eat as a side dish/veggie on it’s own. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2018, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-culinary-comments/822328/251 "2018-10-07T19:50:52Z")
> [@DavidwithanR](#): > > I’d love to see proof that gin vs. vodka **objectively** changes the drink more than onion vs. lemon twist does. I believe gin vs. vodka is actually a much smaller and less significant change. Gin is just not that special. Gin is (in practical terms) nothing but flavoured vodka anyway, and it’s silly to pretend otherwise. (Note: I said “in practical terms”. I don’t care about whatever technicalities might be thrown at me - gin is de facto vodka with a flavour pack added.) You are never going to see it because you are wrong, wrong, wrong! 😛 Juniper is a rather distinctive taste. It is going to change the nature of a cocktail much more than a garnish will. Subjectively, a vodka martini is junk (to me. The wife loves them.) But a properly-made gin martini (which will be disgustingly “damp” by today’s standards) can be sublime. With a twist, if you please. The lemon accents the botanicals so well. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2018, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-culinary-comments/822328/252 "2018-10-07T20:00:57Z")
> [@BrickBat](#): > > As to Mexican salsa, I have yet to experience a store bought jar of it that didn’t suck: It all seems like a thin ketchup-ey mess with a bunch of shit floating in it that used to be vegetables. Even so-so fresh made salsa is good enough to eat as a side dish/veggie on it’s own. Out here in CA, you can get quite decent salsa in the refrigerated deli section. _Decent_- not great. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2018, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-culinary-comments/822328/253 "2018-10-07T21:39:33Z")
I make and can salsa every summer. Mine is THE best. According to my lab rat kids and husband. Many years of perfecting the recipe has gone into it. My girls don’t care to learn how to do it. Son-of-a-wrek has helped me make it a few times, I think he will be able to carry on the family secret after I die. Here’s hoping. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2018, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-culinary-comments/822328/254 "2018-10-07T22:18:09Z")
With store bought salsa I like to dice up an avocado and add it. I like odd salsas. Pineapple/habanero salsa, fennel and smoked salmon salsa, tomatillo salsa, things like that. ---
**Author:** ![Rick\_Kitchen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rick_kitchen/32/522_2.png) [@Rick\_Kitchen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick_Kitchen)\ **Post date:** [October 7, 2018, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-culinary-comments/822328/255 "2018-10-07T22:33:07Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I make and can salsa every summer. Mine is THE best. According to my lab rat kids and husband. Many years of perfecting the recipe has gone into it. My girls don’t care to learn how to do it. Son-of-a-wrek has helped me make it a few times, I think he will be able to carry on the family secret after I die. Here’s hoping. Is the recipe a family secret? ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2018, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-culinary-comments/822328/256 "2018-10-08T01:26:32Z")
+1 on wanting the salsa recipe. You can’t stuff a spatchcocked bird, so it has to be dressing. The spatchcocked turkeys come out great: crisp brown/mahogany skin, moist breast and leg. It’s how I’ll do whatever turkey I’ll do in the future. Most coffee tastes like ass… I am definitely not a truck driver in that regard. But a french press or pour over method, with properly ground, quality beans, and the right temperature of water, makes a delicious, albeit bitter beverage. I’ll drink those straight. Ditto a gooood shop of espresso. they’re a bitch to find. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2018, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-culinary-comments/822328/257 "2018-10-08T02:13:47Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > Well, yes, that’s the goal and definition of vodka. “Essentially” is the key word there. But it doesn’t just taste like pure watered down ethanol. There are trace flavors there, IME, and the fermentation source contributes to it. > > That said, I don’t really like vodka as it essentially is supposed to be flavorless, but there are subtle differences, and I’ve got to believe most of those differences are due to the fermentation source. This doesn’t mean the high price of boutique vodka brands isn’t marketing bullshit in its finest form, but I also don’t believe the fermentation source doesn’t contribute to the final product. And it clearly is just plain factually incorrect that “all vodka starts the same.” It does not. Sure, but what’s the point? Why drink vodka where you can strain at tasting whether it was made from rye or grapes if you’re drinking it straight under ideal conditions, if you could get something with some actual flavor? Nobody will ever be able to tell much of anything if it’s cold enough or mixed with absolutely _anything_ else. To me, it seems like a shit or get off the pot situation- either strive for the most absolutely flavorless vodka you can, or get something with flavor. Trace flavors sound an awful lot like rationalizing why people drink expensive vodkas to me. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2018, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-culinary-comments/822328/258 "2018-10-08T02:41:16Z")
> [@bump](#): > > Sure, but what’s the point? Why drink vodka where you can strain at tasting whether it was made from rye or grapes if you’re drinking it straight under ideal conditions, if you could get something with some actual flavor? Nobody will ever be able to tell much of anything if it’s cold enough or mixed with absolutely _anything_ else. > > To me, it seems like a shit or get off the pot situation- either strive for the most absolutely flavorless vodka you can, or get something with flavor. Trace flavors sound an awful lot like rationalizing why people drink expensive vodkas to me. Hey. I’m not gonna argue with there! Like I said, I don’t see the point of vodka except as something to get you drunk. On the other hand, I don’t know if “absolutely flavorless” is a goal to strive for. Like, when it comes to water, for instance, completely distilled water just tastes like absolute shit, so some amount of contaminants is desirable, and I would assume the same applies to vodka. That said, it’s quite interesting to me, as my folks and their family and friends are all Polish-born, mostly working class, and their preferences seem very well-established. They don’t like Grey Goose. They don’t seem to like Absolut. Chopin is good. Luksusowa is well-respected, but the dark horse that almost never gets talked about: Tanqueray Sterling vodka. Most people don’t even know they make a vodka, as Tanqueray is synonymous with gin. But that’s the one that seems to be the family and friend favorite. And, having drank it many times, I could see that. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2018, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-culinary-comments/822328/259 "2018-10-08T02:43:17Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > …, but the dark horse that almost never gets talked about: Tanqueray Sterling vodka. Most people don’t even know they make a vodka, as Tanqueray is synonymous with gin. But that’s the one that seems to be the family and friend favorite. I have a bottle, it is better than Grey Goose, for sure. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [October 8, 2018, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-culinary-comments/822328/260 "2018-10-08T03:36:01Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > …as my folks and their family and friends are all Polish-born, mostly working class, and their preferences seem very well-established. They don’t like Grey Goose. They don’t seem to like Absolut. Chopin is good. Luksusowa is well-respected, but the dark horse that almost never gets talked about: Tanqueray Sterling vodka. Most people don’t even know they make a vodka, as Tanqueray is synonymous with gin. But that’s the one that seems to be the family and friend favorite. And, having drank it many times, I could see that. I’ll try Tanq vodka, but what do you think of Monopolowa? I actually like it better than Luksusowa, though that’s mainly a price thing. I am a fan of Shevkoff, which I’ve only seen at Spec’s in Texas. Very smooth vodka, distilled from wheat. Not for Ketel One fans, but if you’re prizing absolute smoothness and next to no fusel funk, I’d recommend you try it. The blue lettered bottle isn’t too badly priced. The all black bottle is a bit more, and a bit smoother still, but still cheaper than things like Stoli Elit, and I think things like Ciroc and the oft-mentioned Goose. EDIT: vodkaphiles review of it here: [Customer Review - Vodkaphiles](http://www.vodkaphiles.com/default/reviews/custrevsing/?Vodka=256) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-culinary-comments/822328.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/controversial-culinary-comments/822328.md?page=14)