Chuleta's Profile
Boston's association with cream
Allstonian, I have to disagree, since we have moved on from my original 3 points as well as "cream", and Barmy, considering the feedback you incurred regarding "regular" coffee, I would have to disagree with you as well.
A good example of what I am suggesting is Boston/NE's clam chowder. The original chowder, as I learned, was made with salt pork and crackers. Cream and/or milk were added later, perhaps as the dish moved from ship's galley to home kitchen, or as dairy became more important/available in Boston's/NE's culture. I like to eat, but how can you enjoy food without context?. Anyone? Suggestions for a more culinarily academic website?
Boston's association with cream
Thank you "Making Sense", besides the native NE folks that defended their "regular" coffee, you seem to be the most thorough. But I have made no claims, only thoughts and questions.
I have to say though that most responders, as well as yourself, might be missing my point. As I had said originally, this may be a more anthropological question, or I may not have been clear. But it seems to me that at some point in history, cream (which I guess I should now replace with "milk" or "dairy")..I mean dairy, must have been important enough in NE/Boston culture that it warranted an association. In a similar way that beef became important in Chicago and Philly at a certain point in history for Italian immigrants to make their respective, well-known sandwiches. I guess I'm looking for the Clifford A. Wright of New England culture.
Boston's association with cream
I knew that this would get complicated. Thank you Linda and Barmy ...What I meant was that what east coasters/NEer's call a "regular" has been called a "Boston" OUTSIDE of the east coast, particularly in the Midwest. Of course they don't call it a "Boston" in Boston, just like they don't call Pain Perdu, French Toast in France. Thank you pescatarian, but I have been to Wikipedia, where I thought I would find the answer, but to no avail. I'm looking for someone knowledgable about Boston's association with cream, please.
Boston's association with cream
Okay, I can make a lot of assumptions, but I really need a solid answer about WHY Boston has an association with cream. This may be more of a culinary anthropological question, but I thought I'd try it here anyway. Here's what I know;
1.Boston has the highest ice cream consumption in the country.
2. Boston Cream Cake/Pie is the state pie.
3. A "regular" coffee, (one with cream and sugar) is known as a "Boston".
The last one, regarding coffee, I assume is because of the east coast tendency toward light and sweet coffee. I am going to go out on a limb and say that Dunkin' Donuts' Massachusetts origins helped popularize this SPECIFIC regional reference across the country, though I'm sure it already existed outside of the New England/Eastern Seaboard areas.
Beyond that, I'm willing to posit that New England, being rich in dairy farms, had a lot of really good cream and somehow it became associated with Boston. Conformation of this, or a correct fact-based answer would be appreciated.
Angelenos in Chicago, 2 days
Have to agree with nsxtasy about Chicago Pizza, Giordano's is great Chicago style pizza, Gino's East and Uno's (Due, as well) have fallen off in my opinion, there are much better places in the neighborhoods and in the burbs. I think Chicago may have a lot of great food, but it's at heart a "Steak and Potato" town and you should have a steak while you're here, no doubt. Gene and Georgetti's and Gibson's are two of the top ten in the city if not the country..I have to second nsxtacy on Blackbird-fantastic!! But I disagree with them on Mexican food. Though I feel Chicago has a great range of Mexican food, as well as Asian, it can't top what you have in Cali. Maybe Tompolobampo/Frontera Grill for sheer deliciousness and Chicago cultural relevance. Have fun and enjoy!
Ox tails?
Any good supermercado in your neighborhood should have them.. Mexicans, Dominicans, Puerto Ricans, Jamaicans, West Africans and even Italians eat them, so I would imagine that they shouldn't be too hard to find.. Go early on a saturday morning when they should be the most fresh..
La Pasadita and La Pasadita and La Pasadita
The two on the west side of Ashland are like the children of the one on the other side of the street, which one actually came first was detailed in a Sun Times article a few years ago..of the two "kids" the more northerly one actually has a salsa negra from charred jalapenos (which is fantastic) that the other doesn't make and one of the two of them makes a superior Chile Relleno that it's sibling doesn't have either..after having been away from Chicago for a while, I will say that the Las Pasaditas are NOT as great as they used to be. Mexican folks from all over the city used to go there back in the day, but I think due to gentrification, general increase in food knowledge/appreciation, and skyrocketing popularity of Mexican food, the ante has been upped and you can pretty much find a decent taqueria in every neighborhood, I stumbled upon a little taqueria on Clark across from the old Sportmart near Belmont, which was mind blowingly tasty and fresh at an odd hour..also out in Tinley Park on 159th, next to Barcode, I want to say called Jalisco #2, full restaurant with hard working waitresses, full tequila and beer menu, authentic menu, great salsas, good chips, great regional dishes...also Blue Oasis in Blue Island (get the torta ahugado).. skip BI's Mario's Tacos, definitely fallen off in the last few years, also on Blue Island AVE. in PILSEN, Casa de Puebla's taqueria/cafeteria on the other side of the store's parking lot is great, have a breakfast platillo w/ rayas con queso and the most tender and flavorful Barbacoa I've had in a long time..a Supermercado on 55th street and California(?) across the parking lot from Cafetazzo (who incidently do a bangin double espresso) do great carnitas especially the jowly buche..TMI?
