Hi all; Charlie wrote;
>
> Brian,
> A food TOPE is an excellent idea. I could finally see the likes of Haggis,
> Vegemite (or was it Dolomite?), etc. As for the food on my Dad's plate, it
> couldn't be simpler: Hoppin' John is simply a cooked mixture of rice and peas
> (
> with a little onion, spices and bacon grease to hold it together). Your choice
> of pea is optional but purists insist on Field or Crowder Peas. It is a very
> old
> dish and I have no clue how it got its name. Local tradition holds it will
> bring
> good luck if eaten on New Years Day. Collards is a green in the Cabbage family
> that grows all winter in the southern US. A classic southern vegetable that is
> simmered for a few hours with smoked ham, onions, garlic and a little vinegar.
> Consumed on New Years Day and it will bring you wealth thoughout the year. I
> introduced them to my northern in-laws when I lived in Rochester and now they
> beg for them. The third item on the plate is nothing but grilled "Italian"
> sausage. Not traditional in these parts, just an easy thing to fix for a lot
> of company.
> Regarding the tree; you are absolutely right, though on this side of the pond
> they are called Sycamores. And as you have probably figured out, the "birds"
> are
> my three children. Anna (at the bottom) has been in two previous TOPEs.
>
> Charlie
Yes, I plan to provide a picture of "dolomite" one day !!
I checked on Giggle and found that collards are closely related to what is
now a non-fashionable vegetable here; also tough and will grow through a
frosty winter; curly kale. Here's what one page had to say about them
> Brassica oleracea collards and curly kale; non-heading "cabbages"
> Collard greens
> Long a staple of the Southern United States, collard greens, unlike their
> cousins kale and mustard greens, have a very mild, almost smoky flavor.
> Although
> they are available year-round they are at their best from January through
> April.
> While collard greens share the same botanical name as kale they have their own
> distinctive qualities. Like kale, collards are one of the non-head forming
> members of the Brassica family along with broccoli and cauliflower. The dark
> blue-green leaves that are smooth in texture and relatively broad distinguish
> them from the frilly edged leaves of kale.
For me, a main meal without potatoes is a non-meal. I first came across this
fact when as a student in the UK in the 1960's I went to Austria for skiing
holidays. To my amazement, there were NO POTATOES with the dinner.
Just pasta, which didn't cut it with me at all.
Another non-area for me, in this topic of food, is beans.
I have married into a Dutch family, and the Dutch (as in "inhabitants of The
Netherlands"), have a long culture and understanding of beans, many sorts of.
Here in New Zealand, we are familiar with many kinds of green beans such
as broad beans, runner beans, green beans; but not the many kinds of red
beans that are purchased as dry food, or in tins, in the Netherlands.
Some of these kinds need very special treatment before cooking, and our
culture is largely ignorant of these matters. Some kinds of these beans
contain proteins that humans cannot digest (unless they are eaten with a
special enzyme that *is* available) and the Dutch know to partake only
sparingly because eating a solid plateful results in a malodorous form of
violent diarrhoea. Unbelievable, first time, I can testify.
Then there are the white Lima beans that my Mother used to serve in white
sauce when I was a child; bitter and dry they were and I detested them. They
are sometimes, rarely, used in soups, like lentils.
Curly kale is best steamed for quite a while, and excellent in soups.
Brian
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