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Snobbery to think flavors should not be masked?

post #1 of 34
3/4/11 at 9:44pm
Thread Starter 
I've been doing some thinking lately regarding drinks, food, etc. and have come to the general conclusion that people should eat food and drink drinks in a way that doesn't "mask" the flavors of their ingredients. What I mean by this is - no excessive use of sauces, no syrup-y mixers in cocktails, etc. On the one hand, sure, people should be able to eat and drink whatever the hell they want, without being scorned. On the other hand, if you're just going to take a shot of Jack Daniels and chase it with a coke - why bother? Is it snobbish to think that you should actually be able to TASTE what's in your food/drinks, and that if you don't like the flavor of a particular ingredient, you shouldn't be eating/drinking that thing?

Here's an example of what I'm referring to:

Lots of people who claim to be "sushi lovers" don't actually like the taste of raw fish. Rather, they seem to enjoy the crazy ridiculous rolls with 5 different types of fish, stuck under a broiler, and then slathered with teriyaki sauce. Or, when eating sashimi, they'll dunk the fish into a thick brownish-green mixture of wasabi/soy sauce. Seriously, can they actually taste the ingredients or are they just eating for the sake of eating?

Is this snobbery, or is the scorn justified?
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post #2 of 34
3/4/11 at 9:48pm
It's fine, but it always goes too far. I tire of these fart to table types who tell me that steak barely needs salt and pepper, sauces are just to cover up bad ingredients and that I should be eating my asparagus raw. Good cooking lies in accentuating flavors, and that often takes a lot more than just sticking a bald piece of meat or fish on the plate and telling you about the farm and the fisherman.
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post #3 of 34
3/4/11 at 9:53pm
Eat what you want. Don't let some pretentious prick tell you what tastes good. I can't eat steak with out raw horse raddish or most fish without tartar sauce. Doesn't matter how high quality the steak or fish is I just find it always tastes better with horse raddish or tartar sauce. Jacks not really a particularly expensive drink, my uncle used to drink XO cognac and coke and I thought that was a waste because you wouldn't taste the difference between cognac in coke, but jack and coke isn't much of a waste.
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post #4 of 34
3/4/11 at 9:54pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by fuji View Post
Eat what you want. Don't let some pretentious prick tell you what tastes good. I can't eat steak with out raw horse raddish or most fish without tartar sauce. Doesn't matter how high quality the steak or fish is I just find it always tastes better with horse raddish or tartar sauce. Jacks not really a particularly expensive drink, my uncle used to drink XO cognac and coke and I thought that was a waste because you wouldn't taste the difference between cognac in coke, but jack and coke isn't much of a waste.

lol
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post #5 of 34
3/4/11 at 9:55pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by fuji View Post
Eat what you want. Don't let some pretentious prick tell you what tastes good. I can't eat steak with out raw horse raddish or most fish without tartar sauce. Doesn't matter how high quality the steak or fish is I just find it always tastes better with horse raddish or tartar sauce. Jacks not really a particularly expensive drink, my uncle used to drink XO cognac and coke and I thought that was a waste because you wouldn't taste the difference between cognac in coke, but jack and coke isn't much of a waste.
What happens if you are at a restaurant without tartar sauce and horseradish? You might want to branch out a bit, bro. Lots of good things out there for meat and fish.
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post #6 of 34
3/4/11 at 10:35pm
I don't need it, I can eat steak or fish without horse raddish or tartar sauce, but I prefer it with. I didn't write I couldn't eat it without. I just wrote I don't care how expensive the steak is or how its cooked, if I have horse raddish I'm having it with the steak.
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post #7 of 34
3/4/11 at 10:41pm
I don't like Japanese food much but I do like to have sushi with wasabi, nothing wrong with that...
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post #8 of 34
3/4/11 at 10:48pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by fuji View Post
. I can't eat steak with out raw horse raddish or most fish without tartar sauce.

Quote:
Originally Posted by fuji View Post
I didn't write I couldn't eat it without.

wat
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post #9 of 34
3/4/11 at 10:51pm
Shit, got me there. Should have wrote I prefer steak with horse raddish, my mistake.
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post #10 of 34
3/4/11 at 10:53pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by iammatt View Post
I tire of these fart to table types who tell me that steak barely needs salt and pepper, sauces are just to cover up bad ingredients and that I should be eating my asparagus raw. Good cooking lies in accentuating flavors, and that often takes a lot more than just sticking a bald piece of meat or fish on the plate and telling you about the farm and the fisherman.

This.

Learning to eat is like learning to cook; it takes exposure to a range of ingredients in varying qualities and preparations to gain a real appreciation for both the independent elements and potential interactions. I find that, when culinary magic occurs, I may not be at all certain of everything I'm tasting, nor do I much care. I also don't care if the folks at the next table think what I'm eating is awful; and, if I don't, then why should they care what I think of their food choices?

Q: Is orange "masking" red and yellow?
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post #11 of 34
3/4/11 at 10:57pm
I have no problem with sauces so long as they are actually good and add something to the dish.

Anyone who uses bottled ketchup, yellow mustard, A1 sauce or ranch dressing on anything at any time should probably be executed.
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post #12 of 34
3/4/11 at 11:10pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by harvey_birdman View Post
Anyone who uses bottled ketchup, yellow mustard, A1 sauce or ranch dressing on anything at any time should probably be executed.

I don't care for any of those things, but I think each has its place. (Please spare us the obvious joke responses.) Should we ban Worcestershire and Tabasco next?
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post #13 of 34
3/4/11 at 11:23pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by harvey_birdman View Post
I have no problem with sauces so long as they are actually good and add something to the dish.

Anyone who uses bottled ketchup, yellow mustard, A1 sauce or ranch dressing on anything at any time should probably be executed.


I apologize for being alive, Harvey.
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post #14 of 34
3/4/11 at 11:28pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by redcaimen View Post
I apologize for being alive, Harvey.

Apology accepted, I pardon you.
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post #15 of 34
3/4/11 at 11:36pm
kyoung i agree with you but we're the minority. i dont know about you but i'm the guy who always gets things "plain" or with stuff "on the side." i feel like a lot of people overdo it with the extras/condiments. then again, i don't even like ketchup on my french fries.
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