TAC 2017-2018 Luís

[dEhiN]

I guess that's understandable considering there are a lot of Indian people (and people of Indian origin) in London and the UK in general.

If I'm not mistaken, over there when they say Asian, the default connotation is South Asian instead of East Asian, like it is over here in North America. And I think it's because of the amount of South Asians living in the UK.

[Luís]

I think you're right.

In British English usage, the term Asians usually refers to people with roots in South Asia, essentially the Indian subcontinent.

Also according to Wikipedia, there are about 4 million British Asians: 3 million South Asians and 1 million East Asians.

[Car]

I think you're right.

In British English usage, the term Asians usually refers to people with roots in South Asia, essentially the Indian subcontinent.

Also according to Wikipedia, there are about 4 million British Asians: 3 million South Asians and 1 million East Asians.

They definitely use it like that. Actually, I've heard people talking about the "Asian community" on British TV where it seemed they actually meant Muslims. Quite confusing when "Asian" primarily means "East Asian" for you.

[vijayjohn]

My understanding was that "Asian" in a British context historically referred mainly to South Asians, but this has been gravitating closer to North American usage in recent years, so it's being used more often even in the UK to refer to East and Southeast Asians. This makes it even more confusing, because sometimes IIRC, when British people say "Asian," they do mean East and/or Southeast Asians.

In any case, I have definitely been hearing about how there are lots of South Asians in Britain. My dad used to go to Glasgow on business trips, and apparently, he was surrounded by Indian restaurants, which was pretty surprising to me when I was a kid. Back when my family used to watch British comedies, we'd be fascinated every time they ordered takeout and I'd be frantically trying to guess what they were (very calmly and casually, as if this was the most normal thing in the world) eating.

[Car]

I can't say I've ever noticed that on British TV.

If they're ordering food or eating out in British series, it's either Indian, Chinese or pizza from delivery services. My mother said when she people ate out with her in England, it was always at an Indian or Chinese restaurant.

[vijayjohn]

I can't seem to remember a time on American TV when it was ever anything other than either pizza or Chinese food.

[Luís]

I can't say I've ever noticed that on British TV.

If they're ordering food or eating out in British series, it's either Indian, Chinese or pizza from delivery services. My mother said when she people ate out with her in England, it was always at an Indian or Chinese restaurant.

That's probably because British food is awful...

[dEhiN]

That's probably because British food is awful...

Oh I don't know about that; some fish n chips with a side of blood pudding....yummy!

[vijayjohn]

That's probably because British food is awful...

Oh I don't know about that; some fish n chips with a side of blood pudding....yummy!

Just kidding, I'm actually pretty curious about blood pudding, as disgusting as it may sound. I've heard that fish 'n' chips isn't so great, though, and has too much vinegar or something.

[dEhiN]

Just kidding, I'm actually pretty curious about blood pudding, as disgusting as it may sound. I've heard that fish 'n' chips isn't so great, though, and has too much vinegar or something.

If I'm not mistaken, blood pudding, black pudding, and blood sausages all basically refer to the same thing - a dish made with fried blood. I haven't had blood pudding, but I have had blood sausages. Actually, there's a grocery chain here that sells what they call Portuguese blood sausage, which looks like this. I don't recall what the brand is nor where it's imported from, and I can't seem to find it on the store's website.

As for fish n chips, it all depends on who's making it. Vinegar usually isn't added to the cooking process (afaik), but it's something you could add as a condiment. A lot of pubs and diners here have a fish 'n' chips dish. And there are also specifically British style fish n chip restaurants that usually serve haddock or halibut (and sometimes cod) as the fish choices, alongside dishes like haggis, blood pudding, shrimp/seafood n chips (which I have no idea what that is, because I've never ordered it). The pubs that have the dish sometimes advertise it as a special item due to the batter. For example, I've seen pubs that advertise it as "Rickard's Red fish n chips", or just say in the description "beer battered fish". There's also a restaurant here that took the concept and applied it to other kinds of fish: they have salmon, yellowtail snapper, red snapper, trout, etc. But in general the standard kinds of fish used are halibut (when there's no choice of fish given), haddock (when there's one other kind), and cod (when there's two other kinds).

[vijayjohn]

If I'm not mistaken, blood pudding, black pudding, and blood sausages all basically refer to the same thing - a dish made with fried blood. I haven't had blood pudding, but I have had blood sausages.

Oh, I thought they were the same thing.

As for fish n chips, it all depends on who's making it. Vinegar usually isn't added to the cooking process (afaik), but it's something you could add as a condiment.

Yeah, I meant as a condiment.

I guess this is partly because vinegar is just wrong in probably most dishes and partly because of the idea in my family that white people have no damn clue how to eat fish, so it's kind of wasted on them and they should just give them to us! Although I think this is mostly just because fish is fucking expensive here, especially since we live way too far inland to access any fish from the sea and I'm allergic to freshwater fish, and we really wish we could get more fish. Also, we're sore about how people here sell only fish fillets (at least for some kinds of fish) instead of all those delectable bits with more bones, like salmon head and tail ohhhhhhh. They have no idea how much some of us ethnic minorities would kill for those bones.

A lot of pubs and diners here have a fish 'n' chips dish.

Some here, too.

And there are also specifically British style fish n chip restaurants that usually serve haddock or halibut (and sometimes cod) [...] salmon

Goddammit, now I want to move up there and risk freezing my ass off just so I can finally get some fish! I mean, we do have fish here, too, but it's probably a lot harder to get here than it is over there.

[dEhiN]

If I'm not mistaken, blood pudding, black pudding, and blood sausages all basically refer to the same thing - a dish made with fried blood. I haven't had blood pudding, but I have had blood sausages.

Oh, I thought they were the same thing.

I haven't checked to confirm (I really could, just kinda too tired to do so right now), but I believe blood pudding and black pudding are the same thing, but I'm not sure if blood sausage is the same thing.

I guess [...] bones.

Yeah I've never understood the concept of "just add some lemon, oil, maybe a few herbs, and voila, there's your salmon fillet". I also haven't figured out yet why mackerel seems to be so common among Sri Lankans (to the point we just call it tin fish because it is like always bought in cans, and subsequently we call the curry made with it tin fish curry!), but rarely offered in Western restaurants. Up here there are SL stores aplenty and they all have tin fish, so either they all import it from Lanka, or like what's the deal? (Actually, I'm pretty sure the myriad of Chinese grocery stores, that stock to cater to basically any and all minorities in Toronto, carry tin fish as well though they call it canned mackerel). Regarding the tiny bones, I can eat fish curry complete with the bones, but I guess I never grew up eating that a lot. So I'm still a bit more whitewashed in that regard, and would prefer a fillet, both in cooking and eating. But if need be, I can manage. Also, how does an allergy to freshwater fish work? I've heard of that before, but I always wondered what is common to freshwater fish that's not found in saltwater fish, and that the body gets allergic to?

Goddammit, now I want to move up there and risk freezing my ass off just so I can finally get some fish! I mean, we do have fish here, too, but it's probably a lot harder to get here than it is over there.

Oh did I mention that one such restaurant even serves the fish n chips wrapped up in a newspaper, all tradition like?

[vijayjohn]

If I'm not mistaken, blood pudding, black pudding, and blood sausages all basically refer to the same thing - a dish made with fried blood. I haven't had blood pudding, but I have had blood sausages.

Oh, I thought they were the same thing.

I haven't checked to confirm (I really could, just kinda too tired to do so right now), but I believe blood pudding and black pudding are the same thing, but I'm not sure if blood sausage is the same thing.

I just checked. Yep, they are the same.

Yeah I've never understood the concept of "just add some lemon, oil, maybe a few herbs, and voila, there's your salmon fillet".

OK, this time I mean it a little more seriously...

we just call it tin fish because it is like always bought in cans, and subsequently we call the curry made with it tin fish curry!

I have eaten mackerel tons of times (well, or at least a high proportion of the time out of the total number of times I've had the opportunity to eat fish ). I have never once eaten it out of a can, only ever as a fresh fish.

Up here there are SL stores aplenty and they all have tin fish, so either they all import it from Lanka, or like what's the deal? (Actually, I'm pretty sure the myriad of Chinese grocery stores, that stock to cater to basically any and all minorities in Toronto, carry tin fish as well though they call it canned mackerel).

Maybe that's the most commonly available form of mackerel?

Also, how does an allergy to freshwater fish work? I've heard of that before, but I always wondered what is common to freshwater fish that's not found in saltwater fish, and that the body gets allergic to?

I wish I knew. All I know is every time I eat freshwater fish, I (warning: really gross) vomit and have diarrhea. It's an awfully fickle and specific allergy (or adverse food-related reaction ), too; for example, I can eat some kinds of trout (e.g. steelhead trout) but not others.

Oh did I mention that one such restaurant even serves the fish n chips wrapped up in a newspaper, all tradition like?

That's how every fried snack in India used to be served at least until the turn of the century.

[Luís]

Actually, there's a grocery chain here that sells what they call Portuguese blood sausage, which looks like this. I don't recall what the brand is nor where it's imported from, and I can't seem to find it on the store's website.

That's called morcela.

As for fish n chips, it all depends on who's making it

Fish 'n chips isn't that bad. But it's just fried fish with a side of french fries. Compared with other European countries, British cuisine is pretty unremarkable.

[vijayjohn]

Isn't that what the Dutch say about Dutch food?

[Aurinĭa]

The Dutch aren't known for their cuisine either. At least the Brits are pretty good at making desserts.
There was this joke we used to tell as children about the Dutch: "How does a Dutchie make tomato soup?" "By pouring water in a red plate."

[Car]

This reminds me of the Dutch course I have. In all the other texts where they talk about the culture/ country, they only talk about the Netherlands, but when it comes to food, they describe Dutch cuisine a bit, basically say that it isn't that great and spend the rest of the text writing about Belgian cuisine.

[vijayjohn]

I should open a Dutch restaurant!

Think about it! A Dutch restaurant...in Texas?? I could just serve whatever crap I wanted and nobody would know the difference!

[Car]

Yes, after the Indian-run pizza delivery services in Germany that offer the most popular of German and various international cuisines in addition to pizza and pasta, that really would be the next step.

[Luís]

I should open a Dutch restaurant!

Think about it! A Dutch restaurant...in Texas??

I'm sure there are already places in Texas that sell bread and potatoes...

Yes, after the Indian-run pizza delivery services in Germany that offer the most popular of German and various international cuisines in addition to pizza and pasta, that really would be the next step.

Interestingly enough, a great deal of Italian restaurants here are also owned by Indians. I wonder how that came about.