Porque la comida de USA no tiene sabor??

Rubiazo says on Apr 1, 2006, 16:05:

The thing to do up here is eat lots of fish and seafood! Unfortunately for some reason it's crazy expensive but your taste buds and your body will thank you for it!

I'm certainly missing the Colombian taste right now, and not just food :)

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morphus says on Apr 1, 2006, 16:52:

What is gringo food? A real American dish is turkey with mashed potatos which happens to taste good. I have been to Crepes and Waffles in Colombia. Its not bad but definately far from great. The U.S. has better tasting fast food than Colombia. We have real Mexican food made by Mexicans. Real Italian food made by Italians. Real Chinese food made by the Chinese and so on. Nothing tastes better than Mcdonalds though. Theres a reason why Mcdonalds is the most successful restaurant in the history of the world. If it was healthy, I would eat ot for breakfast, lunch and dinner. My favorite food in Colombia is pargo rojo and the fresh fruits/vegetables. Sometimes I buy canned beans from Medellin here in New York. I also found a place to buy frozen fruits like papaya from Colombia.

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Christian88 says on Apr 1, 2006, 17:25:

I have to agree with SOME of what Morphus said (though not the part about McDonalds). Although I very much enjoy Colombian food, when I'm there I miss the variety of *authenic* foods available in the US: Chinese, Italian, ESPECIALLY Mexican. And when it comes to traditional "gringo" food, I disagree that it doesn't have taste. It just might not have the SAME taste to which you're accustomed.

I also agree that Crepes and Waffles is not a good example of "great" Colombian food. I've eaten there several times, and don't think that they serve anything mind-blowing, or that you cannot find in the US of at least as good quality.

At the same time, I symphathize with Colombians living in the US. I know Colombian food here just isn't the same.

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Rubiazo says on Apr 1, 2006, 18:11:

"Authentic"?? it's pretty hard to get authentic Chinese food anywhere else but China, because real authentic Chinese cuisine is based on things that just don't grow anywhere in the Americas and don't travel well either :(

Much of what we call Chinese food here has never been heard of in China, but rather was invented by Chinese cooks here in an effort to appeal to local diners. You aren't going to see too many people eating fried spare rib tips or chicken wings with pork fried rice over there I can guarantee you that, nor are you going to see them spiking everything they eat with several heaping tablespoons of MSG!

Morphus, you are literally the first person over 10 years old I have ever heard refer to McDonalds as 'good-tasting.' Pargo rojo is red snapper here in NYC. Go to Chang Li supermarket in the Bronx, you will get it fresher than you ever could in the cachaco where it has to be frozen solid by law!

Ask any Mexican if the Mexican food here is 'authentic.' They will probably make a puking gesture :P

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dtapia says on Apr 1, 2006, 18:16:

sounds ignorant... Yeah my Mom used to always say that about restaurant food. When I finally came to Colombia I realized why, great food is cheap here. In my barrio, a steak dinner w/soup and juice is about $4. And the steak is from a cow that wasn't pumped full of hormones and was actually allowed to roam the pastures. In America you won't find that. And if you do, it will cost you. Things are so cheap here and are so good and healthy. The liver I had uptown was so tender and tasty I could feel my thighs growing in muscle mass.

But sell-out restaurants here suck too, like crepes and waffles. I don't think you know what you talk about when you say gringo food has no taste. Try Cracker Barrel, their catfish and mash potatoes are great. Boston Market's chicken and spinach are great, Longhorn's cheese steakburger is great, but these are sell-out restaurants. Learn how to cook! My Dad didn't whine, he got off his muscular synthesized from colombian beef ass and learned about soul food, from the french toast from Louisianna, to the philly steak sandwich, to San Fran's shrimp stromboli. My Mom still misses colombian food, even the cheap crap I think you are talking about like dunkin donuts, kokoriko, etc. but she doesn't whine anymore.

MAYBE YOU DON'T HAVE TO RESPECT GRINGOS (EVEN THOUGH YOU ARE IN THE USA, MANY CHOOSE NOT TO) BUT PLEASE DO RESPECT THEIR (AND MY) FOOD!

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Rubiazo says on Apr 1, 2006, 18:18:

Dunkin Donuts is an American chain :PP

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Monpirri says on Apr 1, 2006, 18:30:

Colombian culinary, que cosa tan rica!! I love Colombian cooking! I think our cuisine is more personal and very tasty Vs. the food in the US tends to be more commercial except for Thanksgiving day.
I enjoy Red Lobster in the US and I would love to try the food that Chef Emeril Lagasse cooks. He is probably the best chef in America.
We need a Chef like him in Colombia who is willing to cook Platos criollos from all the different parts of Colombia and show them on a “Food Network” on Colombian TV.

The life spam of a taste bud is ten days

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caslug says on Apr 1, 2006, 18:51:

Crepes&Waffle & El Corral are authentic col food? Crepes is french so if you want good crepes go to a french cafe or crepe restaurant. If you are in SoCal, then there's is a french crepe restaurant down in Long Beach run by a French guy. In LA there is a Crepe restaurant Sawtell/Olympic in little tokyo(westside).

Isn't El Corral mainly hamburger and stuff? For that maybe try In&Out Burger people love that, it's a step up from McKiddies. If you live in LA, there's also a diverse selection of restaurant to choose from, much more than COL or any country for that matter. Within 20 mile radius in LA you have K-town(korean food), Chinatown, Little Toyko, French area, Somali area, etc., etc., Try Versaille(cuban restaurant, cheap and very good).

Plus in the CA you get lots of asian-fusion restaurant, like Korean-Peruvian, French-Vietnamese, etc.,

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kernow62 says on Apr 1, 2006, 19:09:

It's weird, the foods you mentioned are not typical Colombian food, and the gringos are naming every cuisine that isn't American.

Give me a nice Cornish pasty, a stargazy pie or a hogs pudding anyday. yummy!

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caslug says on Apr 1, 2006, 19:15:

authentic food.. Most asian food in US that is made for asian-american clientels are fairly authentic. I work for a large Japanese company and was invited to give a training in Toyko. I took the opportunity to eat japanese food with my japanese managers. I asked them if Sushi in US was as authentic/good as Sushi in Japan, they said, YES AND US is cheaper. However they confess that Sushi in Japan is more variety.

Same goes for Chinese, korean, vietnamese, thai food. For the most part restaurants that are in ethnic barrios(k-town, little saigon, etc.,) are pretty authentic. Most ingredients are available in the US(albiet at ethnic groceries that sometimes IMPORT the stuff from the old country). What is lacking is the number of dishes available, i remember going to Hong Kong for business a while back. The majority of chinese(catonese) dishes in HK taste the same as cantonese dishes in chinese restaurants in LA or SF, NYC has less chinese expat than LA or SF hence less selections. Again what was the differences between chinese food in HK and US was the available dishes. HK restaurants had a little more dishes available. I suspect the number dishes has more to do with the demand for those dishes versus lack of ingredients.

You can eat dogs in china/vietnam/korea, and you certainly have dogs in US to cook, BUT because americans dont like to eat Fido, it's not on the menu. Just like many "americanize" chinese restaurants do not have chicken feet on the menu, because non-chinese customer may not like it NOT because they can't find ingredients for it. I remember my cousin took me to this Vietnamese restaurant in Orange County, that specialize in Rabbit dishes.

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omargue says on Apr 1, 2006, 19:28:

typical american food is macaroni n cheese and hot dogs....which sucks!!! Colombian food is the best, especially if you compare to all other latin american/hispanic countries...examples....Cuban food is good (which i am half Cuban) but its very plain..arroz, frijoles negros (which i love!) y una carne...next...Nicaraguen food...i tend to eat somewhat alot cuz they have fritanga's all over miami and are cheap, but that food consists of gallo pinto (sp?), carne asada y maduros con una ensalada pequeno...the food doesn't have the flavor as Colombian food does, no where near.
so all in all, american food sucks, Colombian food is the best!!!!

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utopiacowboy says on Apr 1, 2006, 20:28:

When ever I am in Colombia, I lose weight because the food is so completely tasteless that I don't want to eat anything. I'm used to eating Tex-Mex enchiladas, quesadillas, fajitas etc. so the utter blandness of Colombian cooking is disappointing. The Colombian foods that I do enjoy are the fresh fruits, the fruit juices and my suegra's delicious soups. That's pretty much all I eat there and I have to say that it's probably a lot healthier for me.

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

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morphus says on Apr 1, 2006, 21:14:

This is definately a negative dig on gringo culture. You can walk into any supermarket in the U.S. or in Colombia and buy foods you like. When i'm in Colombia, I make my favorite dish for me and the chicas: pasta con camarones. They love it.

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morphus says on Apr 1, 2006, 21:18:

These are some of the worlds biggest Mcdonalds. I bet most Colombians would love to eat there.

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morphus says on Apr 1, 2006, 21:30:

Orlando Florida - el mas grande

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Christian88 says on Apr 1, 2006, 22:52:

Sad to see that Rolita hasn't yet responded to our comments. I wonder if she's criticizing "American food" or "food in America." It seems to me the distinction is important.

One think I DO like about foods in Latin America (my experiences being limited to Mexico and Colombia) is that - like UC said - I always seem to lose a few pounds in a short time on my visits. I believe this is due in part to fewer preservatives in the food, though I'll bet that "preservative gap" is closing with time.

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billyb says on Apr 1, 2006, 23:16:

You don't need to denigrate North american food to promote Colobina food. They are both good in their own way. I live in San Francisco Ca. and can say that we probably have the best ethnic restaurants in the world, but when you visit the countries involved a little back alley restaurant will blow anything away.

BillyB

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billyb says on Apr 1, 2006, 23:21:

Sorry About misspelling Colombia, chalk it up to fat fingers and Johnny Walker.

BillyB

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MacGringo says on Apr 2, 2006, 00:41:

I would agree with UC that some of the food in Colombia is tasteless, like when you get plain arepa con carne. Where is the sauce or something to dip that old cardboard arepa into???????
But at the same time I had some food which was really tasty there too. Arepa con pollo y queso from a street vendor in Bogota, arepa is good but its got to be stuffed with something else.
Or home made Ajiaco which was the best soup I have ever had.
Rubiazo, you are definately correct in what you said about authentic Chinese food, some of that stuff is definately based on a dare. Soup with a little dead bird floating in the middle or soup made from rotted eggs.....delicacies my arse1!!!!!!

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billyb says on Apr 2, 2006, 00:50:

GD, I have to agree ... with you, N.O. La. cousine is about as good as it gets. Been going to New Orleans for the JaZZ Fest for the last 12 years and nothing beats it for for food, partying and race relations. If you can, support NO by going there on your next trip.

BillyB

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billyb says on Apr 2, 2006, 00:50:

GD, I have to agree ... with you, N.O. La. cousine is about as good as it gets. Been going to New Orleans for the JaZZ Fest for the last 12 years and nothing beats it for for food, partying and race relations. If you can, support NO by going there on your next trip.

BillyB

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Rubiazo says on Apr 2, 2006, 01:15:

For ME El Corral has the best hamburger I have ever tasted anywhere in the world. Ever. In general though Brazil has better beef and chicken.

Usually when I want to buy meat or dairy I go to Stew Leonards around here. They have some good stuff that's still reasonably priced. It still doesnt compare to any of the beef or dairy anywhere in South America though. If it were 100% grass fed it would probably be close!

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billyb says on Apr 2, 2006, 01:30:

Rube, I can't comment on.... the Dairy question, but have to agree, that South America (Argentina especifecally) has the best beef by far.

BillyB

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JohnD123 says on Apr 2, 2006, 08:39:

Man this topic hits home. Though, its in reverse for me. I’ve been in Colombia 3 months with my wife and I miss all my restaurants in the U.S., as well as all the sweets. I’ve been on a hunt for restaurants down here that I can enjoy, and its been tough.

I luckily discovered El Corral the other day. I agree it has really good hamburgers. Back in the U.S., I’d say that Johnny Rockets is the best hamburger joint I know of. You should try that, if you can. With their chocolate malts, its out of this world.

My favorite traditional American food is southern-style barbecue. There are many types of barbecue, varying in the way the meat is cooked and in the type of sauce used (e.g. sweet v.s. vinegar), and there are many BBQ restaurants, some bad, and some very good. If you luck upon a great BBQ restaurant, the meat will melt in your mouth and the sauce will have a flavor to rival anything on this planet.

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Aji1 says on Apr 2, 2006, 08:50:

Southern U.S. Food The food of southern U.S has more taste than many other parts of the county. When you’re not afraid to use salt and add a slab of bacon to all your vegetables when you cook them, it has to have more flavors. Southern food is not health conscience food, just tasty. When I say south I am talking about the south of the Confederacy. Louisiana, which has already been mentioned, the coastal plain of South Carolina and Georgia is another area of tasty food. The Low Country of South Carolina has the best pork barbecue anywhere. They have three different styles and many from the Palmetto State will fight to the death over which one of the three is better. You go to Texas and it is beef barbeque (sacrilege). I have traveled to many places in the world and you can find both tasty, and bland in the same location. I love Colombian food, it has some great food, but it to has some bland dishes and items as well. Taste is also very subjective and everybody’s is different. You have to keep exploring.

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Miguel says on Apr 2, 2006, 09:49:

Oye Somebody has got to give rolitaLA a big ass order of biscuits and gravy, fried okra, and a Steak N Shake triple cheese burger with a side of chile 3 ways, or a dozen White Castle double cheeseburgers.

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kernow62 says on Apr 2, 2006, 09:59:

Well after those White Castle's she sure won't need a laxative! Those things hold the world record for passing through me.

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Rubiazo says on Apr 2, 2006, 11:07:

I can't eat White Castle you really have to be exposed to that shit as a kid to build immunity to it. Since we didn't have Slider Burgers in Canada when I was growing up I missed the opportunity :P I have tried it maybe three times in my life and puked it up all three times! I seriously would not recommend a Colombian born person eating that!

I think somebody needs to start a southern-style BBQ joint in Bogota. I bet it would take off like nobody's business!

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johna says on Apr 2, 2006, 15:24:

NW America.......... I grew up in Oregon and miss the food there desperately. We have so many delicous locally grown produce, it is not tropical fruit, but delicious apples, berries, lettuces, melons. We also have delicous seafood. Dungenous crabs, Salmon, gigantic clams....Ah. There are many 1st generation Asian immigrants who blend these items into a delicious mix of the tastes of Asia and the Northwest. The beer is the best I have ever had outside of Belgium. If you get a chance try Mirror Pond Pale Ale by Deschutes Brewing. They sell it in California, Billy B. Every single place in the world has something to offer to our collective palates. I have never been to a place that has bad food, just some things I like better than others. One of my favorites that gets overlooked alot is Korean. They have great BBQ, delicous little side dishes with every meal.

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Simon says on Apr 2, 2006, 15:37:

"Always surprised when spanish people from everywhere don't like 'picante' hot,"

"Spanish" people are only people from Spain! That would be like us referring to all english-speakers as 'english' people!

"When ever I am in Colombia, I lose weight because the food is so completely tasteless that I don't want to eat anything. I'm used to eating Tex-Mex enchiladas, quesadillas, fajitas etc. so the utter blandness of Colombian cooking is disappointing."

The next time try taking your taste buds with you to Colombia! If you want to get a heart attack from all that "healthy" mexican food, that's your problem!!

"DON'T FOK WITH COLOMBIA!!"-----Simon

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Christian88 says on Apr 2, 2006, 15:43:

Come on, now, Simon, there's no need to criticize Mexican food! Has there been a correlation between eating picante Mexican food and having heart attacks? I think not.

;-)

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johna says on Apr 2, 2006, 16:04:

I think Simon might have been talking about dishes like carnitas, not necessarily spicy ones. I have to agree that it is not always the most healthy, but it depends on what you have. I love eggs with Nopales (cactus, with fresh corn tortillas, especially when they go easy on the oil.

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caslug says on Apr 2, 2006, 16:13:

pot calling kettle black.. have you guys eaten arepas con queso? flour and cheese. How about oil fried empanadas? or steaks(lots of read meat in COL diet). I found eating healthy food at restaurants in COL a challenge, COL fast food places are JUST as unhealthy as US fast food. Even mom and pop restaurant fry lots of stuff.

What is healthy is the fruits and and jugos(which i drank gallons of). COL also hasn't taken to ice tea, so people drink sodas alot(postabon and coke/pepsi).

As for taste, most COLs i've talked with readily admit, they(and fellow cols) dont like spicy food. Nothing wrong with that. One great thing about living in the US is the variety of food that makes up "american" food, as mentioned above by different posters. In COL there's just not the diversity of food, again nothing wrong with that.

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caslug says on Apr 2, 2006, 16:16:

While i didnt like restaurant or fast food in col.. which i've found kinda bland(on average), home cooked COL food was superb! the times that i was invited to dine in a COL home, i've found the food VERY TASTY, i did not need to asked for aji to spice it up.

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el norteño says on Apr 2, 2006, 16:18:

Carbs Colombian cuisine has too many carbodhydrates.
Get a typical bandeja and you get french fries, white rice, patacon, fried egg, cardboard arepa. Oh and don't forget the chincharon.
It's like a competition to see how many carbs you can fit on one plate. Vegetables? Forget it. I saw plenty of them in the produce sections of supermarkets, but restaurants almost never serve them with a meal.

I lost 10 lbs during the course of a month in Medellin.

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Monpirri says on Apr 2, 2006, 16:20:

Why the ignorant people always need to say something? I do not know why this person who has shown us here at pbh that he does not know anything about Colombia always has to say something.
Colombian cooking is very tasty and of course it’s not bland. The only way to find out is to travel throughout the country and I do not mean going to the city where the family of the Colombian spouse reside and just sitting on a bench in a park to watch the birds.
I however do not blame some people who are not able to travel freely like a scout and explore Colombian cooking. And some tourists are always going to carry the fear factor with them and besides in Colombia one cannot travel as free as in the states.

But there is a recent change, in the last three years, taking place in Colombian cooking, you can now study in Medellín and Bogotá and learn how to cook platos criollos colombianos.

The life spam of a taste bud is ten days

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Monpirri says on Apr 2, 2006, 16:22:

Estudiar en Colombia Estudiar cocina no es hoy una extravagancia y ya no es necesario viajar a Francia a la escuela de Cordon Bleu para hacerse chef. Es un fenómeno bastante reciente en el país, donde apenas lleva tres años, pero que ya ha echado raíces en Argentina (10 años) y Perú (seis años).

Los interesados en el arte culinario tienen posibilidades en el Sena, la Colegiatura de Medellín, la recién creada Escuela Gastrónomica del Caribe y la Academia Verde Oliva en Bogotá. Ésta última ofrece un programa académico de cuatro semestres en los que se estudia historia de la gastronomía y se practican recetas de la cocina occidental, oriental y colombiana. El objetivo inicial es investigar las raíces de las recetas. Luego se hace énfasis en la ‘deconstrucción’ de los platos y su presentación. También hay clases de mercadeo y administración necesarias para manejar una cocina. En diciembre se gradúa la primera promoción de 120 chefs.

http://www.revistacambio.com/html/portada/articulos/3681/

The life spam of a taste bud is ten days

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Christian88 says on Apr 2, 2006, 17:34:

Monpirri, even though I don't believe it was directed at me, the word "ignorant" has always bothered me. Yes, there are some people that are undisputedly so, but the word itself has a habit of inciting heated argument or angry responses... not the best way to continue open discussion.

I think "bland" is in the eye (tastebuds) of the beholder, so there is not a right or wrong way of applying it; it's just an opinion, and as such, isn't ignorant. But that's just MY opinion!

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Monpirri says on Apr 2, 2006, 18:08:

It was not directed at you There is a lot of ignorance in this world and there is a lot of ignorant people in this forum!
I myself consider an ignorant in things that I do not know.

The life spam of a taste bud is ten days

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Monpirri says on Apr 2, 2006, 18:10:

GringoD, some like it hot About your comments concerning “Ají” - I like to add Ají picante (The hotter the better) in some of my food and I know there are a lot of Colombians who enjoy it as well. In fact, our indigenous people in Colombia have been using it in their cooking for many years! Ají is also used throughout South America, in particular in Peru.

Please check this thread, I do not think you have read it, “I Like Them Hot, Hot, Hot”

http://www.poorbuthappy.com/colombia/node/15501

The life spam of a taste bud is ten days

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kernow62 says on Apr 2, 2006, 19:57:

Why should I get upset. I don't consider myself English, I am Cornish!

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Rubiazo says on Apr 3, 2006, 00:24:

Mixing planes People keep misreading what other posters have posted.
The OP was talking about the lack of flavor in the natural ingredients, that is, the fact that things like beef and chicken here are tasteless compared to their Colombian counterparts. This probably has everything to do with what the cows and chickens are fed here compared to there. Here in the best case scenario cows are fed corn, grain, and day-old bread etc and maybe if they are lucky they get a little grass in their diet. in the worst case, they get parts of other cows. :( In Colombia most cattle are 100% grass-fed, whether they are dairy or beef cows. They also have a much freer range of motion on average. Dairy cows are milked every so often down there, and beyond that are allowed to do whatever the hell they want with their lives :) The one thing food-wise I miss the most about Colombia is the milk. Just a nice fresh glass of milk with nothing else is really such a treat down there.

At no point was anybody insinuating that Colombian restaurants were more diverse or that Colombian chefs were more skilled.

I think in general people the world over tend to eat too many carbs. That is simply a function of when we switched to farming as opposed to hunting and gathering as the chief source of our food. It got worse and worse as technology progressed. Canadians eat too much Kraft Dinner :P, Americans eat too much Wonder Bread, Nigerians eat too much fu-fu, Chinese eat too much congee, wherever you go, starch is king!

I would personally say that Colombian fast food is healthier because I felt better and lost weight rapidly on it while I was down there. I truly believe that the beef and chicken are of better quality. I also think OTOH that in general people don't cook as well, very few people understand the concept of 'medium rare' down there. Unfortunately, overcooking food also makes it less healthy nutritionally, so this could be considered a factor.

I don't think that red meat is inherently unhealthy, our anscestors certainly thrived on it. The problem these days has to do with the toxins in the meat due to how it was raised. Even fried food isn't necessarily too greasy or unhealthy. Properly frying food is actually one of the most difficult things to do in all of cooking. Improperly fried food and/or using inferior or recycled oils causes these problems. A lot of fried food from restaurants in the USA has MSG in it as well, which is another major anti-health factor for most people.

As far as authenticity, i don't think ANY food is authentic once you can't get the original ingredients in their same fresh state anymore. For example, Dominican food in the USA has very little to do with Dominican food in the DR! It doesn't come out the same way at all! Ditto for Mexican. No Mexican here would ever say that Mexican food anywhere in the USA holds a candle to Mexican food in Mexico. The raw ingredients just arent the same.

And for the record, most of the Colombians I know personally do tend to go for fresher foods as compared to the Americans. Most of them avoid soda and processed foods like the plague.

Aji in Colombia is usually the mix of spicy peppers and fresh herbs in a vinagrette that is found in most restaurants in Colombia. I got addicted to it and now don't nearly enjoy as much my hot sauces that are full of preservatives and crap!

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jaramillo says on Apr 3, 2006, 00:45:

THANK YOU Rubiazo! Man, some time people really miss the point! You are absolutely right though. Consider for example pork. If you want to barf, read “Dominion” to get an idea of how pig factories (you can no longer call them farms) operate in the U.S. Then go for some Hormel ;). How can a shackled animal that is fed shit taste? Or how good can it be for you? Compare that to Spain, where I am enjoying a stay. You see the magnificent black iberic pigs roaming all over the peninsula, running free range, and eating only acorns. They have so much monosaturated fat they are considered good for the heart. Even the ones not qualifying as iberic are fed pienso.

And how about that American produce bred for looks and uniformity? Gorgeous, abnormally gigantic, waxed produce that tastes like mush. The mushiest and most tasteless (to me) apples are branded “Red and Golden delicious”. Orwell would be proud. In Spain you can get greenish, smallish Valencia oranges that explode with flavor. Every fruit and vegetable I have tasted is superior to what we get in the U.S. But, unlike the U.S. they do not have “everything”, as phoenix has reminded us. Americans have an unshakable belief in “choice”. This extends to restaurants, of course. Menus in the U.S often have EVERYTHING, but there are countless places in Spain where you can blindly order the menu of the day and have an excellent meal.

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Rubiazo says on Apr 3, 2006, 02:05:

It is an uphill battle here It is possible to get good produce here. The Chinese always seem to have the best cheapest stuff for some reason. I dunno how they do it. But in any case you have to look long and hard to find produce that isn't disgusting.

A previous poster once said sarcastically that I should start protesting against the local supermarkets here, I actually think I may just do that. One common practise in NYC is that often supermarket chains will have two different brand names, one being for richer neighborhoods and one for poorer. Often they will take whatever doesnt sell in the richer neighborhoods at a huge markup and send it borderline-rotten over to the other stores in the outer boroughs. I think that if people were made fully aware of just how bad the situation was here there would be a public outcry and laws would change!

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. says on Apr 3, 2006, 05:43:

I agree and disagree I think Food in the United States is very good as food in Colombia, it is just different. BUT, speaking about Mcdonalds, the Mcdonalds hamburgers disgusting! is like eating plastic meat. yeak!. Macdonals is just for chavs. who ever may think that Mcdonalds hamburghers test lovely is because does not about good food, I cannot imagine a good french, Italian, English or Colombian Chef saying..."what a great test Mcdonald hamburghers have!". comparing Mcdonalds to Creppes & Wafles is just.......

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kernow62 says on Apr 3, 2006, 13:10:

Rubi I think you should read the OP, it clearly mentions Crepes and Waffles and El Corral. I also saw no mention of natural ingredients.

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Rubiazo says on Apr 3, 2006, 20:10:

El Corral is chock fulla natural ingredients. The only unnatural part is the bread :P

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poco says on Apr 3, 2006, 20:36:

Sorry,, not a fact,, FOR SURE in Colombia WELL.. I'VE BEEN LIVING IN THIS COUNTRY FOR 5 YEARS NOW, AND I REALIZE THAT GRINGOS FOOD JUST DOESN'T HAVE A TASTE....

I have been living in and around South America for 8 years, 4 in Colombia and I YET to find ANY food that is better than I can find within a 5 mile radius of my home in Houston. PLUS I can dine on the cuisine from almost any country on earth, prepared to perfection. NONE, period, end of story.

Maybe you should try eating food that hasn't been previously refined.

"When you men get home and face an anti-war protester, look him in the eyes and shake his hand. Then, wink at his girlfriend, because she knows she's dating a pussy." Quote - General Tommy Franks

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jaramillo says on Apr 4, 2006, 00:50:

I think this is starting to make sense. Some peple from Houston think Houston food is best. Some people from Medellin think Medellin food is best. I think I got it...

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poco says on Apr 4, 2006, 02:34:

Instant relief Some peple from Houston think Houston food is best. Some people from Medellin think Medellin food is best. I think I got it...

I think you do got it. A tube of blue ointment and a shower will make it all better.

"When you men get home and face an anti-war protester, look him in the eyes and shake his hand. Then, wink at his girlfriend, because she knows she's dating a pussy." Quote - General Tommy Franks

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kernow62 says on Apr 4, 2006, 04:53:

Si, Houston has the best Houstonian food in all de world. There is no finer cuisine.

What is Houstonian cuisine again?

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Monpirri says on Apr 4, 2006, 10:23:

It does not matter how many years you have lived in Colombia.
What really matters is how many different regional dishes you have tried from Colombia.
For instance, if you live in Texas the food there is different from the food in New York or from Maine.
On the same token, if you live for example in Palmira, Colombia, let’s say 22 years; you are only exposed to food from Palmira.
That means you are not familiar with food from Cartagena, Bogotá, Los llanos Orientales, Medellín, Tolima, Barranquilla, Popayán, el Amazonas, etc. etc.
You are only familiar with cooking from Palmira or Cali.

The life spam of a taste bud is ten days

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jaramillo says on Apr 4, 2006, 10:33:

Well GringoD If you completed the line with Louisiana I'd be tempted to agree. But taste is just that. It's kind of pointless to argue about it. I guess the best we can do is exchange opinions.

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costajunkie says on Apr 4, 2006, 10:47:

... What exactly is "American" food? How do people define this here?

I hate to disagree with the comment "American , but...

I love colombian food. I love a lot of world cusine. For me, if I couldn't eat what I know, and was forced to eat something else, I believe I would choose Afghan food.

But the cuisine of the US has taste! If you come from the border region (call it Tex-Mex, whatever), everyone knows what truly delicious dishes there are here (example: mole poblano - YUMMM!!! Talk about a slow, delayed but potent burn).

And everytime I return to Colombia, no matter how I try, I can't recreate these meals for my wife and family for lack of being able to find the proper ingredients. I challenge you: try to find one type of chili pepper in Barranquilla - any type... IMPOSSIBLE!

Anyway, is this "American" food? People from the border (Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, etc) would disagree, because this is the food we have always known...

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jaramillo says on Apr 4, 2006, 10:59:

Mole Poblano comes from Puebla where it was invented by some nuns. The mole in Puebla, and nearby Cholula is incredible. I guess that makes Mole Mexican. But I think Americans have sufficiently modified food with Mexican roots to call it American. After all, most American food has immigrant roots, don't you agree? Anyway, you are much less likely to get the runs in NM than in Puebla! I lived in TX for four years and loved the food (even Houston's, Poco).

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poco says on Apr 4, 2006, 11:26:

Ah,,, Café con Aroma De Mujer says it all What really matters is how many different regional dishes you have tried from Colombia.

Exactly, A Cuban restaurant opened in an upscale area about 15 years ago to much fanfare. The menu featured,,,,, Black Beans and Rice. Preparation was excellent. They aren’t around any more.

On the other hand I was sitting at an outdoor restaurant that has been around for over 30 years called Sams Boat,, eating a huge platter of hot, spicy crawdads served with corn on the cob and boiled potatoes,, yum, yum,, peal the tail, suck the head,, and think,, damn: these women on the average don’t compare with Colombia.

What is Houstonian cuisine again? This is also a good statement and deserves an answer ---- Diversified,, take your pick. Remember the Dim Sum,, hard to find wasn’t it? Maybe one or two places in Bogota? That’s a good example.

Houston Food some of the major restaurants are listed but certainly NOT the smaller 10 table specialty restaurants.

My favorite steak house. Yep,, the rack of lamb is excellent but Chateaubriand for two is my favorite.

"When you men get home and face an anti-war protester, look him in the eyes and shake his hand. Then, wink at his girlfriend, because she knows she's dating a pussy." Quote - General Tommy Franks

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jaramillo says on Apr 4, 2006, 11:45:

Money... I hate to say it, but I think there is a positive correlation between wealth and quality cooking. London is wealthy, and although the English cannot cook for their life you can dine fabulously in London. Never mind Paris, Rome, Vienna, etc. Same goes for NY, SF, DC, or Dallas. It takes money for good food. As Spain has become wealthier its cuisine has exploded. But not all is money. I am amazed at what poor Italians can do with a few simple ingredients: La cucina povera (the poors cooking). But although la cucina povera is wonderful, it doesn’t beat a first class reataurant in Pisa. Money talks. Colombia is somewhere in between, I think.

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poco says on Apr 4, 2006, 12:16:

Talk the walk Money talks. Colombia is somewhere in between, I think.

This is closer to what I see. Money guarantees you can experience choices in the world but it will not always relate to quality of food. I think a percentage PREFER to spend MORE for less. I can almost guarantee this is NOT the thinking in Colombia. Except for the incomprehensible popularity of McDonalds.

Colombians had a poverty rate of about 60%,, 5 years ago? I believe it is below 50% today. Sadly most may never experience specialty food preparation due to cost and availability of utensils and ingredients not to mention the time involved. How many Colombians have an OVEN ? I think the number is less than half.

The poor have great dishes prepared during the Christmas season.

Maybe a family get together at the finca.

"When you men get home and face an anti-war protester, look him in the eyes and shake his hand. Then, wink at his girlfriend, because she knows she's dating a pussy." Quote - General Tommy Franks

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Monpirri says on Apr 4, 2006, 13:33:

One must be a savvy traveler and an epicurean on Colombian gastronomy to know the difference!!

Food in Colombia varies from region to region and just because a person lives in Colombia or is married to a Colombian it does not mean that the husband and wife or boyfriend and girlfriend really know about Colombian cooking because some people do not really like to cook.
Also, as I said above it does not matter if you lived 10 years in Colombia you must be an eagle to scout Colombian food and we know that the travel situation is a bit difficult. The best thing is to hang out with people who really know or go to these new Colombian gourmet festivals or watch Caracol TV "Conociendo a Colombia"
And I pointed out before in another thread, many Colombians are poor and did not have the funds to travel within the country to go and try new dishes, however, the same phenomenal happens in a wealthy country as the United States, the poor people in the states do not have the funds to go and travel to Maine to enjoy the epicurean delights of the Maine Lobster festival, or go to New Orleans to enjoy the Cajun style food.

My second favorite food is Italian and just to prove a point, how cooking varies from city to city or from state to state, I cannot find an Italian restaurant in Texas that has the same touch or cooks the same as the Italian restaurants in New York. A plain spaghetti with hot mussels in New Jersey it tastes superb, but I cannot find one restaurant here that can duplicate the aroma and taste of an Italian restaurant in NJ.

The life spam of a taste bud is ten days

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Rubiazo says on Apr 4, 2006, 13:43:

I may be a foodie But I really don't like gourmet food that much. I find it over-processed and overwrought in most cases. When you try to improve on nature you always fall flat on your ass.

When I cook a meal I always try to bring out instead of mask the natural flavors of the foods I cook. If I come across an ingredient in a recipe that I think is too overbearing I'll substitute something lighter and more transparent.

Once again, are we talking about quality preparation of food or quality of the raw ingredients. Because Latin America has the States and Canada beat HANDS DOWN on raw ingredients.

Most of those haute cuisine dishes are just bastardized versions of some creative dish poor people came up with because of lack of the usual ingredients anyways.

Brazil is a place where they are really blessed for food. If you live in SP or Rio, you get trucks coming from the Northeast with all the most wonderful freshest fruits in the world, and at the same time, you get trucks coming up from the South with the best meats in the world! And the ocean is right there too! Not to mention Brazil has 26% of the world's fresh water so freshwater fish are also plentiful. I had just the most incredible kinds of food in Brazil, from sushi to Italian food that knocks the ass off of anything in Canada or the US!

Colombia doesnt do as well in terms of food preparation, but the ingredients are there. As more and more people from all over start landing in Bogota you will see a vast improvement in the city's culinary scene.

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kernow62 says on Apr 4, 2006, 13:48:

Poco I understand the concept of being able to have a nice meal of your choice of cuisines in Houston. What I was wondering though is there a specific type of cuisine associated with Houston? You know like bologna sandwich or something.

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poco says on Apr 4, 2006, 13:58:

Good question (that maks 5 in a row). You know like bologna sandwich or something.

I'm not into "fine cuisine", unless of course it is tax deductible or put on the expense account or I’m out with someone who can.

Personally I like Jiff Crunchy Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and a glass of milk. Not something I can get in Colombia.

Someday I hope the average Colombian can have the opportunity and income to experience this culinary treat.

For now,, this is the best they can do.

"When you men get home and face an anti-war protester, look him in the eyes and shake his hand. Then, wink at his girlfriend, because she knows she's dating a pussy." Quote - General Tommy Franks

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Desideria (Moderator) says on Apr 4, 2006, 15:18:

Interesting... I only like salt herring and lingonberries and they don't have any idea what I'm talking about here in Cali...I have already lost around 5 pounds and even if my friends keep taking me to the best restaurants in town I can't find anything to my taste. Ahhh...a plate of Swedish meatballs with gravy! Ahhh....please no more sancocho de gallina, empanadas vallunas, champus, jugos de fruta natural, grass-fed beef, corn-fed chicken, fish from the open sea. No more mountain-grown coffee, sancocho de pescado think with coconut, chontaduros with salt, guayaba manzana and mango viche con sal.

(Yes, rubiazo, the ingredients are there, the talent and creativity too to make Colombian cuisine great)
(Yes, jaramillo and especially, monpirri, but unfortunately tastebuds need to re-educated to be able to appreciate the finer nuances of delicate flavors. To the admirers of Mex-Tex or Tex-Mex cooking: too much picante hides and overpowers the wonderful, natural taste of first grade ingredients in cooking. There's a reason for too much chile in the food: it's to make us sweat and cool down, not to enhance the flavor.)

Cheers,
Desi

Embrace your uniqueness. Time is much too short to be living someone
else's life.

-Kobi Yamada

"When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?"(First Witch in Macbeth)

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jalf12 says on Apr 4, 2006, 16:44:

Antibiotics & Hormones Well I didn't take the time to read every post in this thread but I would like to say that one difference I notice between the food in the US and that in Colombia (I have favorites in both) is that if you buy a dozen eggs at Walmart it doesn't have any flavor compared to the dozen eggs you buy at the local market in Colombia. The chicken you buy at a Publix will not have half the flavor as a chicken you buy at a local market in Colombia. I believe there are two reasons for this. One is that the majority of the meat and chicken here is pumped with antibiotics and hormones, whereas the chicken you buy in Colombia is fed on table scraps. The second point is that the chicken you buy at Publix was probably killed two or three days ago, refrigerated, maybe pumped with some perservatives, and sits on the shelf a few more days. The chicken you buy in Colombia was probably killed yesterday by the farmer down the street.
As far as preparation goes I think there are talented chefs in every part of the world and many different preferences, if the meal is "authentic" or not is irrelevant.

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utopiacowboy says on Apr 4, 2006, 17:04:

Eggs! I used to have eggs from free range chickens that I would sell or give away to people. Believe it or not, there were people who preferred the tasteless store eggs. They complained about the bright color and the egginess of my eggs. I guess it takes all kinds!

Disclaimer: any comment I make is inane and is not to be taken seriously, and is so patently ridiculous that no one should take it seriously, even as an insult.

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kernow62 says on Apr 4, 2006, 17:05:

Spam, the cuisine of Hawaii.

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kernow62 says on Apr 4, 2006, 17:48:

If I get to Houston I will check it out. However Houston is not in the top 500 next travel destinations for Mr. Kernow. I think by the time I get to Houston CHURASCOS might be out of business.

I almost went to Texas a few months back to deliver a car to a buyer on eBay, but in the end I paid someone to go for me.

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poco says on Apr 4, 2006, 17:59:

Save the chickens whereas the chicken you buy in Colombia is fed on table scraps.

Hey,, don’t say things like that while I’m here,, I almost fell off my chair,, takes a long time for old folks bones to mend.

Then,, this image of Rubiazo came to mind,, squeezing the eggs out of a chicken to save 50 pesos for 2-1/2 dozen. Gives a new meaning to the term chicken chokers.

"When you men get home and face an anti-war protester, look him in the eyes and shake his hand. Then, wink at his girlfriend, because she knows she's dating a pussy." Quote - General Tommy Franks

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poco says on Apr 4, 2006, 22:44:

Maybe NYC Because Latin America has the States and Canada beat HANDS DOWN on raw ingredients.

Rubiazo: Maybe up north,, but NOT Houston. Actually,, they do fly in fruits and vegetables to NYC from all over the world (same as Houston), many restaurants send staff to the markets to hand pick the produce, at least according to the food channel. I don't believe much on TV but I do believe the footage showing the trip. There is an Iron Chef isn't there?

I know "common" variety fruits come from South America. Last week I looked at a container of Mangos,, Peru.

I'd assume the same folks who like McDonalds Hamburgers also love Hot Picante Sauce and drench their steak with A1 sauce. Neither of which I've purchased. Then again, I've never had any food that needed to be disguised.

I see a trip to the market in my future.

Gezzz, raw materials,, $2.00 + bread in Florida, I really wonder where they get their "raw materials", or maybe it is TAX ??? Could this TAX be HIDDEN ?

"When you men get home and face an anti-war protester, look him in the eyes and shake his hand. Then, wink at his girlfriend, because she knows she's dating a pussy." Quote - General Tommy Franks

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kernow62 says on Apr 5, 2006, 05:56:

In Florida we can buy a lot of the fruits from South America, but some don't travel well. We certainly don't have the variety or freshness though.

Free range eggs can be purchased in many supermarkets now, they are worth the extra money. At my mother's house there is a chicken that belongs to a neighbour but often leaves fresh eggs for my mother. ;-) The chicken eats from the same plate as her cats at the same time as the cats!

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poco says on Apr 5, 2006, 11:18:

Ah, a kindred spirit
The chicken eats from the same plate as her cats at the same time as the cats!

I love(d) chickens. This is a chicken I named Bruce standing in the bedroom. He had access to the house, kind of “Free Ranging” I guess,, because he ended up on the range, but didn't eat free food.



Got this photo last week of the latest “crop”. Seems they are growing pretty fast and might end up on the range before I get back. She also sent a photo of the 3 baby ducks. I see BBQ in my future.

Suggested putting some in the Freezer. I guess that genetically modified “chicken feed” with the hormones they sell in the feed store, along with the table scraps :is WAY to much..

I’m not sure whether to ask them to eat more food to produce more scraps, cook enough extra to assure their well being or cram them into a smaller space so when they faint from malnutrition they don’t fall over,, so many options it boggles the mind.

Chicken Disaster I hope this didn’t effect the chicken supply in Bogota. Just think of the people with table scraps and NO WHERE to use them. There are always the pigs. I can only hope that somehow I don’t inadvertently add to the disasters in Colombia. Thinking of all the chickens at risk in the Pasto area is truly sad.



The parrot still refuses to “act right” and will attack a chicken should the opportunity present itself. The constant clucking of the parrot is even more of a problem so I’ve been told.

"When you men get home and face an anti-war protester, look him in the eyes and shake his hand. Then, wink at his girlfriend, because she knows she's dating a pussy." Quote - General Tommy Franks

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kat1 (Moderator) says on Apr 5, 2006, 11:29:

Kernow, I need to talk to you do you have an email? ;)

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dagui says on Apr 5, 2006, 12:13:

the eggs have you guys noticed how much more vivid yellow the egg yolks r in colomboland.oh yea for me the food is bland but good tastin,fresher and probably healthier than u.s.a. food.I mean look at the typical body habitus of a lombo vs gringo typical.

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kernow62 says on Apr 5, 2006, 19:18:

Here you go Kat1 Hi Kat1 email me

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Monpirri says on Apr 5, 2006, 21:29:

Roger! Eloquently explained. I would do anything right now to have one of those food items you just mentioned.
I agree with you Daisy, some people in some parts of the US need to go to boot camp to get trained or as you said, they need to get re-educated to learn to appreciate great food from other countries, in this case from Colombia, the “Cinderella” in cooking.
But I really think that is not going to happen because once they have embedded a single type of food or cooking for many years in their brains and tastebuds, the chances to change are very slim. Is like asking a German family to change their food and cooking techniques for one of another country.

I say for those who claim a great knowledge about Colombian cooking, about three or four here, in order to really know Colombian cooking they need to start from the top, go to Cartagena and try several the typical dishes of that region.
This is what Daniel, el Paisa said about Cartagena, “If you're planning a gastronomic trip, i suggest you go to cartagena, reviewed by critics as the gastronomic city of colombia.” http://www.poorbuthappy.com/colombia/node/16089

Travel to Buenaventura and try “Carne Serrana” Try “Sopa de cuchuco de cebada” from Cundinamarca: http://www.masapan.net/compania.htm

Or if you feel wild and adventurous, try some of the typical foods from the “Amazonas” in Colombia. “Sopa de motelo” or turtle soup, “mono” monkey on the grill with “masato” drink, and the menu continues…
Let us know after you have visited all the regions in Colombia how bland the food is.

APRENDE Y DISFRUTA DE LOS MEJORES PLATOS DE COLOMBIA
More typical dishes by regions: http://kryto.galeon.com/

The life spam of a taste bud is ten days

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