Misplaced Pages

Hi, Phaedriel! I'm sorry to be missed. I just don't think Misplaced Pages is for me anymore. Real life is proving more fun lately, and, frankly, has fewer unsavoury characters skulking about. —Bunchofgrapes (talk) 15:31, 2 May 2007 (UTC)

I miss my stalker. :( KillerChihuahua 14:08, 3 May 2007 (UTC)

Happy news!

My daughter is going to Europe for a month, and among other things, is compiling a list of Foods Not To Try (as her command of most languages is rudimentary at best) and I was able to point her to Casu marzu, which she found (after some retching) to be very helpful! Not that she's planning to eat a lot of black market foods, mind you, but it was fun to watch her face as she read the article. KillerChihuahua 14:11, 3 May 2007 (UTC)

Lutfisk. Watch out for the dreaded saponification. Bishonen | talk 14:21, 3 May 2007 (UTC).

Ewww, good one. She's not going to Norway, however - is this served elsewhere? She's going to England, France, Belgium, Germany, Czech Republic, Italy, and since that's seven there is one I am not remembering at this time. KillerChihuahua 14:26, 3 May 2007 (UTC)

Spain? Portugal? I believe the Portuguese gourmet food bacalhau is essentially lutfisk. Is your daughter very rich? A restricted budget would save her from these expensive delicacies. Bishonen | talk 14:58, 3 May 2007 (UTC).

Spain not on list, Portugal also not on list. One month is limited; funds also limited. She's doing the Eurail Pass/backpack/Youth Hostel version of the Grand Tour. KillerChihuahua 15:09, 3 May 2007 (UTC)

I did the two-month version of that grand tour in 1992. Belgium serves the grossest food of all -- mayonnaise-ruined French fries. Be afraid! As far as England goes, best off not putting anything at all in one's mouth there. —Bunchofgrapes (talk) 15:16, 3 May 2007 (UTC)

The flight lands at Heathrow, they have to be there briefly. Also, there is a Friend with an Empty Couch there, aka free lodging for the night. I will warn her to eat only cholocates in Belgium. KillerChihuahua 15:20, 3 May 2007 (UTC)

If travelling one has to be adventurous and eat everything, In England when having an English breakfast I am quite fond of black pudding if you can overcome the thought it is quite nice, and of course so is haggis - not the Chow mein your thinking of BoG, even I am not that cruel. Giano 15:26, 3 May 2007 (UTC)

I agree with "adventurous" but not necessarily with "eat everything". She plans to be adventurous, which is why she is trying to formulate a "short list" of foods she has a strong indication she will not find remotely palatable. I think this is practical; she will only be able to sample a limited number of unfamiliar dishes, and by identifying in advance those which are unlikely to be worthwhile for her, she will be able (on her limited time and budget) to widen her experience of those which are more likely to prove pleasurable - perhaps finding new foods such as your pudding which she can enjoy. KillerChihuahua 16:32, 3 May 2007 (UTC)

• Killer babypuppy, let me tell you something - this is going to shock so sit down, travelling in Europe on a limited budget means the only food she will see will be served in restaurants with not only English translations on the menu, bit probably pictures as well. The little Tavernas and bistros (a la Somerset Maughan etc.) serving Ossobuco and calamari with prunes will be way out of her budget. In France and elsewhere the menu gastronomique is always the most expensive. England has safe food, in most British restaurants the cheapest is Lasagne, Spaghetti Bolognese (in England the same dish but with different forms of overcooked pre-dried pasta) or Chicken Tikha Marsala (cooked from frozen) the only places not to eat are north of London and south of Edinburgh where the vegetables are always tinned and overcooked - apart from that the food in restaurants is very nice so long as you are prepared to pay approx. £30 to £50 per person, anything less and you are backed the British versions of Italian or Indian food. Best and cheapest place (probably on her itinerary) to eat is Rome or Sicily, although here is nice fish restaurant in Collioure but not exactly cheap. Tell her to save her money and spend in in "Buca Lapi" (Via del Trebbio) Firenze's best kept secret known only to the discerning few such as myself or "Don Camillo" in Siracusa. Apart from that it is chips with mayonnaise, but at least the servings are smaller than you Americans eat. Giano 18:14, 3 May 2007 (UTC)