Lynn: All the way down here, late in the day… Sorry about the long word. I’ll have to claim ignorance, I had no idea of that result to the moderator. Now I know. If it happens again, feel free to whup me senseless with an eggplant. Thanks.
What do you consider a mainstream restaurant? Steak n’ Shake? McDonald’s?
I can’t think of a single restaurant I frequent that doesn’t have several eggplant dishes. Italian, Japanese, Thai, Indian, and even “Bar and Grill” type places serve eggplant dishes. Perhaps you’ve eaten it unawares?
Shoot, even next-step-up-from-fast-food places like The Olive Garden offer Eggplant Parmesan (Cliff’s Note: a popular dish made from eggplant.) Although it would be harder to find entire entrees centered around asparagus, it certainly is prominently featured in soups, salads, and as the vegetable that comes with the entree.
Just because you’ve never heard a quizzical “huh?” come out of a clown’s mouth after placing an order for eggplant truffle doesn’t mean that it’s not served in “mainstream” restaurants.
Seriously, I’d actually tend to agree with you here. While I don’t think that eggplant or asparagus dishes are “wacko,” you would probably find the dishes you described only at higher-end restaurants, where the chefs are skilled enough to cook dishes more complicated than a burger with fries on the side or a reuben sandwich. This is a point in favor of the hostess, however, not, as you seem to imply, in favor of guests who act inappropriately because they’d rather have a grand slam at Denny’s.
Rich
-Go to the restaurant section of your local yellow pages.
-randomly/blindly select a restaurant and call them.
-ask them which dishes they serve that have eggplant and/or asparagus.
I’d be willing to bet that most of them, with the exception of vegetarian restaurants, will not have more than 1. This is not what I would call “common”.
Metroshane - I have to say here, I don’t want to rag on you too hard here - you seem like a fair-minded person who is perhaps a little unexposed to us veggies. And obviously unexposed to eggplants and asparagus!
Regarding a host(ess) running the risk of serving something someone doesn’t like - you can’t be a mindreader on these things. My friend who won’t can’t eat anything with tomato products would be shit out of luck at most dinner parties, as would my friend who wouldn’t eat anything green. Just because my friends would be put out by what the host(ess) served does not make it the host(ess’) fault. Granted, my friends’ eating taboos are a little extreme, but you never know what someone may not like to eat. We all run the risk of finding something we don’t want or can’t eat when we dine at someone’s house. It is our job, as gracious adults, to deal with it with the minimum of fuss. Also, as far as I know, most people to not submit their menu to every single guest for prior approval before they serve it.
VegForLife: I just about busted when I read your last post!
I have to reiterate what others have said here - Eggplant and asparagus are NOT exotic foods. Not even close. Unless you live in the back woods of Hillbillyville, they are NOT rare, or unheard of. Metroshane, I am assuming that you do not live in Hillbillyville, or some village simular to it. Please correct me if I’m wrong. The fact that you are not at least familiar with dishes like Eggplant Parmesean say more about you than anything else. Sorry. I know you honestly thought that they were these super wacko exotic foods, but they really aren’t. (Unless you live in Hillybillyville, or Hooterville, or some simular settlement, in which case, you have my sympathies! 
)
Well put, but I have to say in all fairness, metroshane, I don’t think that having a part in an “uncomfortable silence” was really all that grievous a faux pas. I’ve mostly just been having fun in this thread (though I have meant everything I’ve said). I certainly believe your post above where you mentioned that it wasn’t anybody’s intention to hurt anyone’s feelings.
In any case, I’m sure that your head will be spinning next time someone asks you over for dinner, and this thread comes screaming back into your mind.
Rich
{{Lynn: All the way down here, late in the day… Sorry about the long word. I’ll have to claim ignorance, I had no idea of that result to the moderator. Now I know. If it happens again, feel free to whup me senseless with an eggplant. Thanks. }} from Elelle
Finally I’ve found a use for eggplant!
I have been exposed to various types of eggplant dishes and I can say that I don’t care for it at all. I think that the eggplant fruit is attractive, and makes a nice centerpiece…just don’t put it on my plate.
I also think that there are lots of people who have strong feelings about eggplant, one way or another. My mother and father love it. I can’t stand it.
Lynn
Wielder of knives AND eggplants!
I put the part that would let people know what post I was replying to in my quote. Jesus get a grip on yourself.
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O p a l C a t
www.opalcat.com
You have never seen asparagus or eggplant served in a mainstream restaruant? What, do you live at McDonalds?!?!
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O p a l C a t
www.opalcat.com
Hey - it’s late, I’m not quite ready to go to bed. So, on a whim, I searched for about 5 minutes (that is all it took - 5 minutes) and found two web sites for restaurants that serve eggplant and/or asparagus. One is at a HOLIDAY INN in FARGO, NORTH DAKOTA. (Not exactly Spago, is it?) The other is in Kansas City. (Once again - not exactly Spago, is it?) And the search took me 5 minutes.
http://www.fargoweb.com/holidayinn/restaurant.html
http://www.cafe-allegro.com/menu/dinner.htm
Both these resaurants look like nice places, not your average Dennys. But they look like they serve “mainstream” food, too.
Sorry, just killing some time.
Back again. I officially have insomnia - I just am not ready to go to bed, and am stalling! Pathetic.
I checked your profile, metro. Give it up, hun, you live in DALLAS. Not exactly Hooterville. Another 5 minute internet search led me to this list of Dallas restaurants, with brief summaries of what they serve. I just skimmed through the considerable listings. Dallas has MANY lovely, diverse restaurants, featuring different ethnicities, and certainly with a variety of dishes. Even saw the word “asparagus” mentioned in one of the brief summaries. Certainly more is available in Dallas than just meat and taters.
The URL is: http://www.sallys-place.com/food/dining_directory/north_america/dallas.htm
Sorry Metro - I just need to get a life, and I have insomnia.
opalcat, don’t believe you, sorry.
yosemitebabe, you’re right several places do serve eggplant dishes, and i am familiar with the olive gardens choices. But eggplant parmesian is different than eggplant trouffles. I know lots of places that set ketchup on the table, but it ain’t no la madeline tomatoe basil soup!
But I appreciate all the input.
Mmm hehe um yah jack am coke, yah yah, vodka- Keith Richards
Okay, now that you’ve spelled it this way twice, could you please elaborate? Do you mean eggplant with truffles (which are a type of fungus)? Eggplant trifle (which is a type of dessert)? Eggplant souffle? Eggplant truffle souffle, contracted? What was it exactly that you were served?
(This is not intended as a flame, I’d just like to know, I might want the recipe. Though I’ll have to make sure that Lynn and my wife aren’t around if I decide to prepare it.)
Rich
Good Question. I’m not sure. i’m really unfamiliar with this cuisine and remember the two words being used together somehow. I wouldn’t recognize either prepared in a dish.
The only way to rid yourself of temptation is to yield to it–Oscar Wilde
Well, describe it then (if you had enough to be able to). Was it half an eggplant hollowed out with the insides mashed up and seasoned? Or sliced and broiled? Or in a ramekin (a cylindrical ceramic dish) with cheese on top? Were there other (distinguishable) ingredients mixed in? Just curious. . .
Rich
I don’t know, I’ve heard of some pretty wild night clubs in Dallas. . .
Rich
ok. It was some pastey creme type of varying colors (mostly white with green and brown chunks/spots) served on some sort of cracker.
I say loaf of bread, they say baguette.
The only way to rid yourself of temptation is to yield to it–Oscar Wilde
Hmmm. . . Sounds more like another hors d’oeuvre to me, and probably similar to Baba Ganoush (no doubt a favorite in Lynn’s house).
And as a loaf of Wonder is substantially different than a baguette, you might want to consider not using the terms interchangably; you might appear as though you’re trying to be “oh so sophisticated” to your uncouth friends, but everyone else will assume you know what you’re talking about. Unless, of course, your hostess provided you with a loaf of wonder and called it a baguette, in which case you can rightly accuse her of putting on airs.
Rich
Actually, metro, my point in doing the brief internet search is to clarify that eggplant and asparagus are not “wacko” foods.
We all know that tomato is not a “wacko” ingredient. However, the jury seemed to be out amongst some of you about asparagus and eggplant. I believe it was Mojo that made the challenge to see if the random restaurant would serve anything with eggplant and/or asparagus in it. I think that I proved that these two ingredients are not at all rare, or “wacko”. I mean, if a Holiday Inn in Fargo is serving it…
Point taken.
The only way to rid yourself of temptation is to yield to it–Oscar Wilde