A Tico describing a food...

crtreedude · June 02, 2005, 01:20:04 PM

A friend of mine just posted this on a group about Costa Rica (mainly because I abused the concept of Cilantro in everything) He is Costa Rican (Tico) and is perplexed about a certain food he saw. Can you name the food? ;)

While in Orlando a couple of years ago I noticed how people from the
midwest consumed large amounts of "engrudo" at the local IHOP. I
don't know its name but it was sort of a thick paste completely
devoid of any color whatsover that just dripped sideways their big
containers.

beenthere · June 02, 2005, 01:48:26 PM

Maybe the word "grits" comes to mind? :

crtreedude · June 02, 2005, 02:22:26 PM

You are correct sir! 8)

I don't think we can count him among the Grits survivors. :D

Paschale · June 02, 2005, 04:34:30 PM

Ironic that he attributed this strange culinary phenomenon to MIDWESTERNERS!

Those grit loving guys have it all worked out: they eat the DanG stuff, but somehow have pulled the wool over the international community so that they appear completely blameless, and pass the blame on to us midwesterners. I take deep offense to this. ;)

crtreedude · June 02, 2005, 04:40:33 PM

I suspect to him all Gringos look alike... :D

JimBuis · June 02, 2005, 05:37:23 PM

grits: pl.n. (used with a sing. or pl. verb)
1. A ground, usually white meal of dried and hulled corn kernels that is boiled and served as a breakfast food or side dish.
2. Coarsely ground grain, especially corn.
??? ??? ??? ???

Who in the world ever thought of taking perfectly good corn and making something inedible?

Certainly not a Midwesterner!

;D

Heh, you guys wouldn't believe what the Japanese do with corn. ??? They put corn on pizza as a topping. Want some corn with that Italian sausage? ;D They also sprinkle corn kernels into their tossed salads. My all-time favorite is their corn porridge!! ;D Yeahhhh buddy!! ;) ;)

crtreedude · June 02, 2005, 05:49:32 PM

you do notice how quiet it is? :

All the usual suspects are at the show while we are speaking ill of their food. :D

CHARLIE · June 02, 2005, 06:23:57 PM

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhh.....not all. I'm here just smiling. I can understand a native Costa Rican not being too sure about a new food. In fact, I've had Grits at restaurants in the South and found that they did not put salt in them. I just figured it was a Yankee cook. What I don't understand is Yanks not liking Grits, yet they'll eat Cornmeal mush. Now that makes me scratch my watch and wind my butt a whole heap of times. ;D

Teri · June 02, 2005, 06:59:21 PM

I'm here too waiting to see how far this subject goes. ;)

crtreedude · June 02, 2005, 08:31:50 PM

I don't eat cornmeal mush either.

Costa Rica is an interesting place as far as food is concerned. Not a lot of spices, mainly because the food is always fresh. Way too much Gallo Pinto (rice and beans with stuff) for me.

The meat will make your teeth bounce (beef) but you can deal with that. I explained to Ana, our housekeeper and cook that the way you get meat tender is to let it hang for a bit to tenderize it - needs to be aged a little.

She does this and then the meat is very good - very lean. The cattle here are grass fed, not grain. Not very much fat on them.

I was really startled one night though - I walked into the kitchen looking for a snack, and saw a fan running on the sink - which was odd since it really wasn't hot in the house. Then, I looked up and saw what it was pointed at - a big strip of meet, hung from a hook. The point of the fan was to keep the flies off it.

It really worked too - the meat turned out really good. Just a little strange to see a big slab of raw beef hanging over your kitchen sink.

rebocardo · June 02, 2005, 08:34:54 PM

FWIW: Northerners call grits "Cream of Wheat", which tastes okay with Maple Syrup. If you want some strange looks, order grits at a Waffle House and ask for the Maple Syrup :D

JimBuis · June 02, 2005, 10:53:58 PM

Nah...if you want some looks, go into an IHOP or Denny's to order your pancakes and ask them to bring out the peanut butter!!! ;D All discerning gourmets eat peanut butter on their pancakes then smothered with syrup!

Now that's good eatin'! ;)

CHARLIE · June 02, 2005, 11:59:15 PM

JimBuis, I agree with you whole heartedly. Peanut Butter is good on pancakes. In fact, peanut butter is good on most anything. 8)

etat · June 03, 2005, 12:04:34 AM

QuoteI'm here too waiting to see how far this subject goes.

It's going downhill fast, that's what I say!!!!!!

Teri · June 03, 2005, 04:50:51 AM

:D :D :D :D

Paschale · June 03, 2005, 08:45:48 AM

Well, the way I look at, we non-grit eaters have got to get in our jabs while the majority of those grit-lovers are having fun at Sawlex. :D Calling all sane eaters: Get in your comments while you still can! ;) :D It's open season on mushy food! (Except oatmeal--that's where normal people should draw the line.) ;)

tnlogger · June 03, 2005, 09:48:23 AM

ck downhill is not the word for it. it just hurts so much that some people do not understand one of the
of the worlds best eating foods. ;D
I wonder if the this might have happened because most of the southen boys are on the road and not here to defend the honor of GRITS ???. I guess we'll just have to wait untill the 4 muskateers return from da road trip to see. :D :D :D