from ray stevens - takeoff from an old joke but still good
http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=6de_1363816077

Not bad. The joke always cracks me up since I've had some Yankee friends who act similarly. I think people from Mass think that one seasons soup by walking through the kitchen with a can of black pepper in their hands, not daring to actually put any in it.

quote:

Originally posted by Gatogordo:
Not bad. The joke always cracks me up since I've had some Yankee friends who act similarly. I think people from Mass think that one seasons soup by walking through the kitchen with a can of black pepper in their hands, not daring to actually put any in it.

Too true. When I have "pilgrim" visitors like that I like to take them to a Sri Lankan restraunt to "season" THEM.


I rank ethnic food "warmness" boadly, in this way from coolest to hottest...

1. "English" and most "French" & "Italian"
2. "North American"
3. "Mexican/South American", and a few Ukranian or German dishes
4. Indian (India)
5. Thai
6. Sri Lankan

I've had guys who consider Jalapena and hotter peppers eaten alone to be a fine casual snack burst out in instant sweat when they took the first bite of local Sri Lankan food ordered "mild" just for them.

Me, I can't stand the taste of most peppers except chilis and bell peppers, but I LOVE the "hot" version of Sri Lankan stuff.

I'm sure everyone has their own rankings of things, but I still think it does everyone a favor to try (and enjoy) them all.

Just a hint...ice water won't even help "cool" a palate when eating really hot curries or the Sri Lankan spiced stuff. Plain unsweetened and unflavored yoghurt probably does the job the fastest. All the Sri Lankan dining places I am familiar with usually put a communal bowl on the table, just in case.

Still remember my first Thai experience. Dear God What are those little bright red peppers.

Funny stuff. I agree that the yankee influx has no concept of how we Texicans eat here. Oh.+ yes Albert I love the scotch bonnets peppers. I enter the Austin Hot Sauce contest every year.It a GREAT event if ya'll are down here.

love them hot peppers,
but they make me sweat...
sweatin' now just thinkin'
lol

I would vote for Thai followed by Indian, although I've never had Sri Lankan.

I would split Mexican/South American, as South Americans in general don't like spicey food at all, other than Brazilians.

On my offshore rig in Venezuela we ran a hot sauce contest one year because we had Expats flying in from all over bragging on their hot food. I thought a Trinidadian, Brazilian, Thai, or Indian hot sauce would win. Not so, the good old USA won; Viper Venom was the name.

For the locals, if you ever visit a Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant, pick their hottest sauce on their temperature scale. Let me know how you feel in the morning. I didn't feel that pert.

I've eaten HOT food for many years but frankly have never heard of Sri Lankan food or, AFAIK, ever seen such a restaurant. I'll have to keep an eye out for them. Eating REALLY hot food is an acquired taste and, for me, at least, is a taste that needs to be worked into. Being out here in the boonies, we do not have any really hot food readily available. I can't just step up and eat truly hot food today, like I used to.

A Thai restaurant opened in Mt. Pleasant about a year or so back and it ain't bad, but the owner doesn't cook really Northern Thai hot. "Pet,pet". As anyone who knows anything about it, hot Thai food will burn a Mexican to the ground.

AFA Indian food goes, I've eaten it several times over the years but find Thai so much more to my liking that I almost never consider going to an Indian restaurant anymore.

AFA Buffalo Wild Wings hottest flavor goes, I don't like it. It is very hot, but not unbearably so, but it has no redeeming flavor values to add to the wings IMO. I like Mango Habanero tho.

Notes >From An Inexperienced Chili Taster Named FRANK, who was visiting
> Texas from the East Coast:
>
> "Recently I was honored to be selected as a judge at a chili cook-off.
> The original person called in sick at the last moment and I happened to be
>
> standing there at the judge's table asking directions to the beer wagon
> when the call came. I was assured by the other two judges (Native Texans)
> that the chili wouldn't be all that spicy, and besides, they told me I
> could have free beer during the tasting, so I accepted.

> Here are the scorecards from the event:
>
> Chili # 1: Mike's Maniac Mobster Monster Chili
>
> JUDGE ONE: A little too heavy on tomato. Amusing kick.
>
> JUDGE TWO: Nice, smooth tomato flavor. Very mild.
>
> FRANK: Holy shit, what the hell is this stuff? You could remove dried
> paint from your driveway. Took me two beers to put the
> flames out.
> I hope that's the worst one. These Texans are crazy.
>
> Chili # 2: Arthur's Afterburner Chili
>
> JUDGE ONE: Smoky, with a hint of pork. Slight Jalapeno tang.
>
> JUDGE TWO: Exciting BBQ flavor, needs more peppers to be taken
> seriously.
>
> FRANK: Keep this out of reach of children!
> I'm not sure what I am supposed to taste besides pain.
> I had to wave off two people who wanted to give
> me the Heimlich maneuver.
> They had to rush in more beer when they saw the
> look on my face.
>
> Chili # 3: Fred's Famous Burn Down the Barn Chili
>
> JUDGE ONE: Excellent firehouse chili! Great kick. Needs more beans.
>
> JUDGE TWO: A bean less chili, a bit salty, good use of red peppers.
>
> FRANK: Call the EPA, I've located a uranium spill.
> My nose feels like I have been snorting Drano.
> Everyone knows the routine by now, get me more
> beer before I ignite.
> Barmaid pounded me on the back; now my backbone is
> in the front part of my chest.
> I'm getting shit-faced from all the beer.
>
> Chili # 4: Bubba's Black Magic
>
> JUDGE ONE: Black bean chili with almost no spice. Disappointing.
>
> JUDGE TWO: Hint of lime in the black beans.
> Good side dish for fish or other mild foods,
> not much of a chili.
>
> FRANK: I felt something scraping across my tongue, but was unable to
> taste it, is it possible to burn-out taste buds?
> Sally, the bar maid, was standing behind me with fresh
> refills;
> that 300 lb. bitch is starting to look HOT,
> just like this nuclear waste I'm eating.
> Is chili an aphrodisiac?
>
> Chili # 5: Linda's Legal Lip Remover
>
> JUDGE ONE: Meaty, strong chili. Cayenne peppers freshly ground, adding
> considerable kick. Very impressive.
>
> JUDGE TWO: Chili using shredded beef; could use more tomato.
> Must admit the cayenne peppers make a strong
> statement.
>
> FRANK: My ears are ringing, sweat is pouring off my forehead and I can
> no longer focus my eyes. I farted and four people behind
> me
> needed paramedics.
> The contestant seemed offended when I told her that her
> chili had given me brain damage.
> Sally saved my tongue from bleeding
> by pouring beer directly on it from a pitcher.
> I wonder if I'm burning my lips off?
>
> It really pisses me off that the other judges asked me to
> stop screaming.

> Screw those rednecks!
>
> Chili # 6: Vera's Very Vegetarian Variety
>
> JUDGE ONE: Thin yet bold vegetarian variety chili. Good balance of spice
>
> and peppers.
>
> JUDGE TWO: The best yet. Aggressive use of peppers, onions, and garlic.
> Superb!
>
> FRANK: My intestines are now a straight pipe filled with gaseous,
> sulphuric flames. I shit myself when I farted and I'm
> worried
> it will eat through the chair.
> No one seems inclined to stand behind me except that slut
> Sally,
> she must be kinkier than I thought.
> Can't feel my lips anymore. I need to
> wipe my ass with a snow cone!
>
> Chili # 7: Susan's Screaming Sensation Chili
>
> JUDGE ONE: A mediocre chili with too much reliance on canned peppers.
>
> JUDGE TWO: Ho Hum, tastes as if the chef literally threw in a can of
> chili peppers at the last moment. I should note
> that I am worried about Judge Number 3.

> He appears to be in a bit of distress as he is
> cursing
> uncontrollably.
>
> FRANK: You could put a grenade in my mouth, pull the pin, and I wouldn't
>
> feel a damn thing. I've lost the sight in one eye, and the
> world sounds like it is made of rushing water.
> My shirt is covered with chili which slid
> unnoticed out of my mouth.
> My pants are full of lava-like shit to match
> my damn shirt.
> At least during the autopsy they'll know what killed me.
>
> I've decided to stop breathing, it's too painful.
> Screw it, I'm not getting any oxygen anyway.
> If I need air, I'll just suck it in through the
> 4-inch hole in my stomach.
>
> Chili # 8: Helen's Mount Saint Chili
>
> JUDGE ONE: A perfect ending, this is a nice blend chili, safe for all,
> not too bold but spicy enough to declare its
> existence.
>
> JUDGE TWO: This final entry is a good, balanced chili,
> neither mild nor hot.
>
> Sorry to see that most of it was lost when
> Judge Number 3
> passed out, fell over and pulled the chili pot
> down on top of
> himself. Not sure if he's going to make it.
> Poor Yank, wonder how he'd have reacted
> to a really hot chili?
>
> FRANK: --------------(editor's note: Judge #3 was unable to report)
>

What I found interesting was how a cuisine changes country to country. When I first moved to Singapore in 2003, we tried what they had and learned that we would be moving to India. We had Indian food in Singapore, and the Indian family running it asked that we please not judge their food versus what we would get in India, which they preferred. Personally, the Singapore Indian food was better than what we found in Mumbai. Too much of the local food was poorly presented. It looked bad on the plate.

In Malaysia, the Indian food wasn't as good as Singapore, but better than Indonesia. In Australia, they had better Indian food than Singapore, to my taste. Some restaurants (Two Fat Indians) had one temperature; smoking. Other Indian restaurants had three options; hot, medium, or mild.

Some of the best Indian food was served on our rigs in India and East Timor. We had Indian crews, and Indian cooks. A lot of the red neck Expats never tasted Indian food in four years. They would always go for the western menu; steak and potatoes, chicken, fish, or hamburgers. They really missed-out on some good eating.

I find the same thing in Dallas. We have our favorite Punjabi Indian restaurant. They cook to Western tastes. Our favorite Thai restaurant will give you Mild, Medium, or Spicy options, but it depends on the cook on duty at the time. My wife chose Mild once, and had to send it back. That same night, my Medium was brutally hot. The cook must have been in a foul mood.

FWIW, due to the recent discussion of Sri Lankan coooking I searched the net for Sri Lankan Restaurants in DFW. Apparently there aren't any BUT I did find this which I find interesting. All I know is what's on this site but I'd love to try it if she is still operating. However, we live 2 1/2 hours drive so it would be a long take out. Note: site is quite specific that it is NOT a restaurant...... Sri Lankan take out Dallas area

BTW what is your favorite Thai restaurant and Indian restaurant in DFW area? I've eaten at several but don't really have a favorite at this time.