What recipes don't translate well without knowledge of regional cooking?

[black6host]

I'll go first: BBQ. Not cooking on the grill but smoking meats long and slow in a smoker. Here's why I say that: I'm pretty good with Eastern Seaboard style BBQ (here in the US). South Carolina style in particular. I can make some mean baby back ribs, pulled port and smoked chicken. However, this is different from the style of cooking in, for example, Texas (brisket comes to mind) or Kansas City (ribs). I could follow a recipe but I'm not likely to catch the nuances because I'm not from those parts.

I know we have people from all over the globe here. I'd be interested to hear of what regions you know of that don't translate well without some local knowledge.

Oh, and I'm looking forward to trying many of the recipes here. Damn, ,this internet thing is mighty cool!

 

[Karen W]

Asian cuisine for me. Dishes I like, and try to make at home, from Chinese restaurants don't always taste like the "real deal."

 

[CraigC]

Getting a hold of regional ingredients can be quite difficult. Finding good andouille and tasso are impossible locally, so we make them ourselves. There are regional chilis from various states in Mexico that are not commercially harvested. Unless you grow them, our native Everglades tomatoes are not available. We really like Thai cuisine, but had trouble finding fresh ingredients like galangal and kaffir lime leaves. We now grow our own galangal and have a kaffir lime tree. It wasn't until recently that we were able to find fresh epazote. Cuban food is like second nature to us. I'm of German heritage, but could never find Speck (probably could order it online) until we tried to make guanciale (pancetta's better cousin), only to actually find it after purchasing some hog jowl. What to do with the jowl, homemade Speck of course. Finding the actual cuts of meat used in some cuisines is almost impossible. I used to order crawfish from a Louisiana supplier, until a local restaurant supply started bringing them in live, 30# +/- sacks. They only bring them in while river crawfish season is on and refuse to carry pond raised.

Cooking equipment can also be a challenge as well. All in all, I'm thinking technique is probably the easiest to manage if you have the ingredients and any special cooking equipment needed. Kind of reminds me of how I taught myself to cook. Ate everything I made, no matter how bad, making for rapid improvement!

 

[Morning Glory]

Food in the UK is quite 'global' and much less regional than in most other countries. In particular, Indian, Chinese, Italian and Thai dishes are all very popular and commonly cooked at home. Jamaican food is also popular. Vegan and vegetarian food has gained enormous ground in the last few years. Much less seen are African, Russian or German food or Southern style American (except for the ubiquitous fried chicken), Cajun or Creole. I'm sure there are lots of other countries I haven't mentioned.

There are some 'traditiona'l UK dishes which are perhaps little known in other countries. Steak and kidney pudding for example? It seems that in the US, suet (used to make the pudding) is not often used and probably difficult to obtain.

 

[medtran49]

Asian cuisine for me. Dishes I like, and try to make at home, from Chinese restaurants don't always taste like the "real deal."

Part of that is probably the temps you are cooking at. Don't know what kind of stove you have, but I do know our fried rice improved dramatically, as did stir frys, when we got our induction burners that can put out temps to 575 F.

 

[Karen W]

Asian cuisine for me. Dishes I like, and try to make at home, from Chinese restaurants don't always taste like the "real deal."

To make it even more complex, there's a wide variety of regional dishes like Hunan, Cantonese, etc. My fave is Mandarin.

 

[The Late Night Gourmet]

I brewed beer for a long time, but I was never able to make one that tasted like Guinness. Add all the gypsum you want to harden the water: it's still not the same as what they brew in County Cork. Must be the water? Or maybe something about the material used in the fermentation vats?

@black6host: it's great that you lead with talk of regional BBQ. I am far, far from an expert, but I do know that there are a lot of differences between regional styles. I actually feel like I'm dishonoring a style to claim that I'm serving something unless I really understand it. I have put a lot of work into my gumbo, so I can claim that mine is "New Orleans Style", but I'd never claim it was authentuic. I've been to New Orleans, and I asked a lot of questions from the locals about what makes a good gumbo. I've used file powder (sassafras leaves), made my roux the way I've heard and read, and I really like the results. But, I still feel like something's missing. Maybe I need fresher sassafras?

 

[black6host]

Part of that is probably the temps you are cooking at. Don't know what kind of stove you have, but I do know our fried rice improved dramatically, as did stir frys, when we got our induction burners that can put out temps to 575 F.

I can't say I've tried my hand at Asian dishes. I wasn't aware that such high temps were required. What happens if you don't have those temps, as that is a style of cooking I'd like to experiment with?

 

[CraigC]

I can't say I've tried my hand at Asian dishes. I wasn't aware that such high temps were required. What happens if you don't have those temps, as that is a style of cooking I'd like to experiment with?

Do you have a propane fired burner, like used for crawfish boils, low country boils or steamed crabs? If so you can achieve "Wok Hei", the temps needed to do stir frying, etc. Just got to be careful when starting out as if it is too hot, you can singe the hair off your arms very easily!

 

[Herbie]

Part of that is probably the temps you are cooking at. Don't know what kind of stove you have, but I do know our fried rice improved dramatically, as did stir frys, when we got our induction burners that can put out temps to 575 F.

This is true with a lot of curry dishes from India/Pakistan. You need high temperatures and a more oil or ghee than you would expect. There is also the understanding of how to layer the flavours and and add at the right time in cooking.

 

[Herbie]

There are some 'traditiona'l UK dishes which are perhaps little known in other countries. Steak and kidney pudding for example? It seems that in the US, suet (used to make the pudding) is not often used and probably difficult to obtain.

I think English pies are often misunderstood - they need pastry at the bottom, and pork or game pies are an art.

British gravy is not always made correctly, and certainly not the right sauce to go with the right meat or fish. My mother-in-law (Not English and not used to fruit with a main dish) once proudly served apple sauce with chicken!

I have more examples...

 

[black6host]

Do you have a propane fired burner, like used for crawfish boils, low country boils or steamed crabs? If so you can achieve "Wok Hei", the temps needed to do stir frying, etc. Just got to be careful when starting out as if it is too hot, you can singe the hair off your arms very easily!

Unfortunately I don't. I'm going to look into it though. I really want to try this, glad I found out about the high temps needed. Of to shop!

 

[rascal]

I'm at the bottom of the world but I reckon I replicate different cuisines pretty well. My curries and Thai and also Italian dished are very popular here. Might not be the same, but pretty close. A lot of our home cooked meals stem from the uk.

Russ

 

[Dive Bar Casanova]

My friend owns a few Mexican restaurants in California and Arizona.
The salsa fresh made at his Arizona restaurants has way more flavor than the California fresh made. Same kitchen recipe.
He says it's the regional produce that makes the difference.

I also learned down in Mexico that to make a good enchilada sauce ya cook down the entire chili pepper, seeds, skin and all.
Way better flavor and a rich tasting, thicker sauce.
Up north people remove the skin off the chili and remove the seeds, discard, the cook down whats left and you end up with a watery, tasteless sauce.
A HUGE difference when cooking.

Trader Joes enchilada sauce is made from cooking down the whole chili. The canned grocery store house brand sauces don't compare.

Let me add as long as I mention Arizona vs California produce and a little off topic.
If you are familiar with Lake Havasu City AZ (London Bridge), and travel South of LHC along the 95 you'll pass farms on the CRIT Indian reservations.
Those farms were created during World War 2 when Japanese were interned at a camp on the reservation and they taught the Indians how to major league class farm.

 

[Dive Bar Casanova]

Neighbor girl decided to open a Mexican restaurant in Saipan.
She's Latino and took her Grandmother from Mexico recipes and kitchen tricks with her.
Until she opened her place Saipan and surrounding island restaurants were pretty mediocre with Mexican food. It was mostly open the can, heat and serve.

I sent her all kinds of stuff from flour, to Honda generators to chilis and what have you.
It changed the whole islands taste and expectations of how Mexican food should be prepared.

She did good for years but one last Typhoon wiped her out yet again and she tired of rebuilding and severe taxation was introduced. Most definitely left her legacy behind.