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fandomhigh2024-09-03 08:59 am
carbsliftthespirit) wrote in fandomhigh2024-09-03 08:59 am
Food & Cultural Appreciation, Tuesday Third Period
"All right, guys, gather around," Raiden said once all of his students had assembled at the Portalocity office. "I assume everyone is here for Food and Culture whatever the hell I called it when I filled out that form. The class where we go places and eat the food. If you're not here for that then I don't know what to tell you other than you're missing out.
"I want to set up a few ground rules before we get started. The first one is: You do not have to eat the food. If you have an allergy or a religious restriction or something like that, then obviously do not eat the things that applies to. If you have dietary restrictions that are less, I dunno, binding, you may find that different cultures don't accommodate them so well as you're used to. In some cultures 'vegetarian' is a foreign concept, or fish and even chicken may be considered to fall under that umbrella, and anything like low carb or gluten free is going to get you blank looks in some places. So...be prepared for that. But beyond that, you may encounter ingredients or flavor profiles or preparations that are completely new to you in this class, and you may find some of them offputting or even upsetting. You do not have to try those things, but I want you to keep an open mind. That brings us to our second rule, which is to be respectful. The words 'gross' and 'disgusting' are banned in this class. I don't want to hear them. That's somebody's culinary tradition you're talking about, and we are visitors in their society. Think about why they might eat the things they do, and what it is about it that you find 'gross.' And think about trying it. You might like it, and even if you don't, you're more informed than you were before. Does anybody have any questions?"
After he'd paused to allow time for said questions, Raiden said, "Next order of business is introducing ourselves. I'm Raiden, and I'm your teacher, and my qualifications are that I really love food, especially 'Southern' food, which is food from the southeastern part of the United States, and pizza. But all food, really. Now if everybody could tell me their name, even if I already know it, and what your favorite food is, along with anything else you think I ought to know, like maybe something you'd really like to try or things you can't eat, that would be great."
Once that had been done, Raiden clapped his hands together in excitement. Seriously, he looked like a kid about to enter a candy store. "I hope everybody came hungry, because today we're going to one of the greatest food cities in the world and a fantastic example of what happens when different cultures' food traditions meld: New Orleans, Louisiana. If you're unfamiliar, New Orleans got its start as the location of a trading center used by Native American tribes, and when Europeans began colonizing the area the French recognized its strategic location and built a city there at the bend of the Mississippi River. The city was a French colony, then a Spanish one, then it went back to the French before finally being purchased by the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase. So you've got those different waves of settlers, plus enslaved Africans brought over to work the land, some influences from the Native American tribes in the area, and then later waves of Italian and Vietnamese immigrants--plus a few other groups, like the Irish and Germans, whose influence is felt less in the food but still there.
"If you're confused about the difference between Creole and Cajun, historically it's a whole thing about when and where from you immigrated to Louisiana. The Cajuns spent time in Canada first, you see. But the easiest way to think about it is that 'Creole' culture is focused on the city of New Orleans, and 'Cajun' culture is more out in the country, down in south Louisiana. There are a few places to get good Cajun food in the city, but really you need to head down toward Lafayette for that, because that's where Cajuns live." Gambit notwithstanding. "There are lots of differences, but the most noticeable one, culinarily speaking, is that Creole food uses tomatoes in things like jambalaya and gumbo, while Cajun food does not, because...I don't know, reasons." The Cajuns had just as much access to tomatoes as the Creoles, so it didn't make a lot of sense to Raiden, who was always in favor of adding over subtracting.
"The local food is very seafood and pork heavy. You can probably figure out why the seafood, and the prevalence of pork is, just spitballing here, probably because you need much less land to raise pigs than cattle, which is great when large portions of the available land are also sort of water and full of alligators, plus pork can be preserved in various ways that, before modern refrigeration, kept better in the heat, like pickling or cured sausages. Speaking of gators, this is also one of the only places in the US you'll regularly find them on the menu, and because carrots don't really grow well here--plus the Spanish didn't really use them--instead of the French mirepoix of celery, onion, and carrot the backbone of Creole cooking is the trinity: celery, onion, and green bell pepper, accompanied, of course, by the pope. That's garlic, see, because a clove of garlic looks kinda like a little pope hat if you squint...yeah.
"One of the greatest examples of culinary fusion I can think of is jambalaya, which, if you know your food history, is pretty clearly what happened when an African cook tried to recreate paella based on a Spaniard's description and using the New World ingredients available to them, and didn't really land on paella but did create something absolutely delicious. Gumbo, the classic soup of the region which is meant to use whatever the hell meat you could get, is thickened either with file," pronounced FEE-lay, "which is pounded sassafras leaves, a very Native ingredient, or okra, which was brought over from Africa. In New Orleans you'll also find some of the best fried chicken you'll ever put in your mouth at places like Dooky Chase or Willie Mae's Scotch House," because this was a New Orleans where Willie Mae's wasn't closed due to a fire, "and it's the birthplace of not one but two great sandwiches, the po'boy and the muffuletta," this being also a New Orleans where Central Grocery wasn't closed due to hurricane damage, "and you can also get fantastic banh mis, thanks to that wave of Vietnamese immigrants a few decades back. I've heard that the very first brunch restaurant was here, and there's still no shortage of great brunches, especially bottomless brunch." The local restauranteurs knew what hungover tourists wanted.
"Speaking of invented here, the city can lay claim to both Oysters Rockefeller and Bananas Foster, and while we're in the wrong season for king cake you can bet we won't be leaving this city without getting beignets and cafe au lait...ah, man, I could just go on and on, and I'm making myself so hungry. And I haven't even touched on the city's rich cocktail history! But don't worry, most of the places we're going sell booze, and New Orleans is a civilized city, meaning you can take your drink with you while we walk around! It's another hot one today, so I recommend a Pimm's Cup. It's a whole thing here." Had he forgotten some of his students were underage or did he just care as little as your average Bourbon Street bartender? Could go either way. "Let's head through our portal to the French Quarter, where we're going to meet up with our guide and go on a food tour to experience just a little bit of what this amazing city has to offer."
Before they headed through said portal to a point just outside the entrance to the French Market, Raiden paused to check, "Oh, nobody wore all black, did they? Because we're going to Cafe du Monde, and...yeah, you'll see." If they had to learn the hard way, at least they would learn.
"I want to set up a few ground rules before we get started. The first one is: You do not have to eat the food. If you have an allergy or a religious restriction or something like that, then obviously do not eat the things that applies to. If you have dietary restrictions that are less, I dunno, binding, you may find that different cultures don't accommodate them so well as you're used to. In some cultures 'vegetarian' is a foreign concept, or fish and even chicken may be considered to fall under that umbrella, and anything like low carb or gluten free is going to get you blank looks in some places. So...be prepared for that. But beyond that, you may encounter ingredients or flavor profiles or preparations that are completely new to you in this class, and you may find some of them offputting or even upsetting. You do not have to try those things, but I want you to keep an open mind. That brings us to our second rule, which is to be respectful. The words 'gross' and 'disgusting' are banned in this class. I don't want to hear them. That's somebody's culinary tradition you're talking about, and we are visitors in their society. Think about why they might eat the things they do, and what it is about it that you find 'gross.' And think about trying it. You might like it, and even if you don't, you're more informed than you were before. Does anybody have any questions?"
After he'd paused to allow time for said questions, Raiden said, "Next order of business is introducing ourselves. I'm Raiden, and I'm your teacher, and my qualifications are that I really love food, especially 'Southern' food, which is food from the southeastern part of the United States, and pizza. But all food, really. Now if everybody could tell me their name, even if I already know it, and what your favorite food is, along with anything else you think I ought to know, like maybe something you'd really like to try or things you can't eat, that would be great."
Once that had been done, Raiden clapped his hands together in excitement. Seriously, he looked like a kid about to enter a candy store. "I hope everybody came hungry, because today we're going to one of the greatest food cities in the world and a fantastic example of what happens when different cultures' food traditions meld: New Orleans, Louisiana. If you're unfamiliar, New Orleans got its start as the location of a trading center used by Native American tribes, and when Europeans began colonizing the area the French recognized its strategic location and built a city there at the bend of the Mississippi River. The city was a French colony, then a Spanish one, then it went back to the French before finally being purchased by the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase. So you've got those different waves of settlers, plus enslaved Africans brought over to work the land, some influences from the Native American tribes in the area, and then later waves of Italian and Vietnamese immigrants--plus a few other groups, like the Irish and Germans, whose influence is felt less in the food but still there.
"If you're confused about the difference between Creole and Cajun, historically it's a whole thing about when and where from you immigrated to Louisiana. The Cajuns spent time in Canada first, you see. But the easiest way to think about it is that 'Creole' culture is focused on the city of New Orleans, and 'Cajun' culture is more out in the country, down in south Louisiana. There are a few places to get good Cajun food in the city, but really you need to head down toward Lafayette for that, because that's where Cajuns live." Gambit notwithstanding. "There are lots of differences, but the most noticeable one, culinarily speaking, is that Creole food uses tomatoes in things like jambalaya and gumbo, while Cajun food does not, because...I don't know, reasons." The Cajuns had just as much access to tomatoes as the Creoles, so it didn't make a lot of sense to Raiden, who was always in favor of adding over subtracting.
"The local food is very seafood and pork heavy. You can probably figure out why the seafood, and the prevalence of pork is, just spitballing here, probably because you need much less land to raise pigs than cattle, which is great when large portions of the available land are also sort of water and full of alligators, plus pork can be preserved in various ways that, before modern refrigeration, kept better in the heat, like pickling or cured sausages. Speaking of gators, this is also one of the only places in the US you'll regularly find them on the menu, and because carrots don't really grow well here--plus the Spanish didn't really use them--instead of the French mirepoix of celery, onion, and carrot the backbone of Creole cooking is the trinity: celery, onion, and green bell pepper, accompanied, of course, by the pope. That's garlic, see, because a clove of garlic looks kinda like a little pope hat if you squint...yeah.
"One of the greatest examples of culinary fusion I can think of is jambalaya, which, if you know your food history, is pretty clearly what happened when an African cook tried to recreate paella based on a Spaniard's description and using the New World ingredients available to them, and didn't really land on paella but did create something absolutely delicious. Gumbo, the classic soup of the region which is meant to use whatever the hell meat you could get, is thickened either with file," pronounced FEE-lay, "which is pounded sassafras leaves, a very Native ingredient, or okra, which was brought over from Africa. In New Orleans you'll also find some of the best fried chicken you'll ever put in your mouth at places like Dooky Chase or Willie Mae's Scotch House," because this was a New Orleans where Willie Mae's wasn't closed due to a fire, "and it's the birthplace of not one but two great sandwiches, the po'boy and the muffuletta," this being also a New Orleans where Central Grocery wasn't closed due to hurricane damage, "and you can also get fantastic banh mis, thanks to that wave of Vietnamese immigrants a few decades back. I've heard that the very first brunch restaurant was here, and there's still no shortage of great brunches, especially bottomless brunch." The local restauranteurs knew what hungover tourists wanted.
"Speaking of invented here, the city can lay claim to both Oysters Rockefeller and Bananas Foster, and while we're in the wrong season for king cake you can bet we won't be leaving this city without getting beignets and cafe au lait...ah, man, I could just go on and on, and I'm making myself so hungry. And I haven't even touched on the city's rich cocktail history! But don't worry, most of the places we're going sell booze, and New Orleans is a civilized city, meaning you can take your drink with you while we walk around! It's another hot one today, so I recommend a Pimm's Cup. It's a whole thing here." Had he forgotten some of his students were underage or did he just care as little as your average Bourbon Street bartender? Could go either way. "Let's head through our portal to the French Quarter, where we're going to meet up with our guide and go on a food tour to experience just a little bit of what this amazing city has to offer."
Before they headed through said portal to a point just outside the entrance to the French Market, Raiden paused to check, "Oh, nobody wore all black, did they? Because we're going to Cafe du Monde, and...yeah, you'll see." If they had to learn the hard way, at least they would learn.
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Introductions!
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"Sir Graham of Daventry!" he announced proudly, because, no, the thrill of the title still hadn't diminished any, and he lifted his hat and bowed regally before straightening again and settling his hat back into place. And I've been living on mostly barracks food all summer, so I am very excited about this class! I love food, especially sweet foods, especially pies. I think pies might be my favorite food because there's so much you can do with a pie! Fruit pie, chocolate pie, shepherd's pie, hand-pies, pizza pies! Ohhhhh," his eyes went as wide as pie as he shook his head and rubbed his stomach. "I love pies! And jelly beans! Jellybeans aren't my favorite, but my trusty mount Triumph sure loves them. Popcorn's my favorte flavor, and actually popcorn's pretty great. Have you ever tried kettle corn? My mom likes to put peanuts and little bits of chocolate, and oh! Choco-chip pancakes! Those are actually my favorite, choco-chip pancakes are the absolutey best thing in the world, fresh off the griddle, with a little syrup and whipped crea--"
Graham seemed to realize that he was starting to ramble, and he chuckled a little as he cut himself off, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.
"In conclusion," he offered apologetically, cheeks as red as raspberries, "needless to say, I really enjoy food, and I'm really going to enjoy this class, I think!"
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"Hi! I'm Arden Finch and I also love Southern food, especially barbeque," she said, bouncing on her toes a little in excitement. "I mean real barbeque, not throwing burgers and dogs in a grill." Which was fine! And delicious! But it wasn't barbeque.
The next part of her introduction dampened her enthusiasm a little, though it would come back as soon as he started talking about New Orleans. "I can't eat chicken--well, any poultry at all, really. Form dietary restriction. And, ah." She looked a little uncomfortable. "I have a weird thing about marshmallows. Especially toasted marshmallows. If we're going to do anything that involves the smell of toasted marshmallows, I'd really appreciate a heads up? You don't have to skip it or anything. I just need to know in advance so I can prepare."
And, you know, not have a freakout and run away.
Wow. Look how cool the sidewalk here was. Fascinating.
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"That's grilling, not barbecue," Raiden said with a nod. "I think there are a couple of poultry items on the agenda today, but there should be easy substitutions available if you still want to try something at those places." And hey, look at that, there were! "We're going to a candy shop today, but it should smell like pralines--brown sugar, butter, and nuts--more than marshmallows, I think."
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"Uh, I'm Cal Kestis, and my favorite food is probably turbo dogs, which I've been told is kind of like your hot dogs. It's the sort of thing where you don't ask where the meat came from, because you probably don't want to know," he said with a laugh. "Thankfully, I don't have any dietary restrictions. I'm not from Earth, so I'm looking forward to trying literally anything we can get access to."
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"Space hot dogs!" Raiden exclaimed. "Hot dogs are great, but yeah, you don't want to know where they came from."
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"I am Doctor Hannibal Lecter," he said with a small bow. "I have lived on Fandom for a number of years, and taught several food classes myself. I take pride in my own food, but I also very much enjoy eating anything well-made by another. I have yet to meet a food that I wouldn't try, provided it was safe for humans."
New Orleans!
For those of you who don't want to watch an hour-long video about New Orleans food (can't relate) here are the stops on our food tour!
1. Tasting hot sauces at the French Market (Crystal? Or Tabasco? Crystal. The answer is Crystal.)
2. Oysters at MRB ("If you don't feel up to trying a raw oyster, you can try the chargrilled ones," Raiden told his students. "They're drowned in garlic butter and then covered with Parmesan cheese, so there's no way they can be bad. You could put that on a shoe and it would taste good.")
3. Muffulettas at Central Grocery which, again, did not get walloped by Ida in this universe. I do what I want.
4. Beignets & cafe au lait at Cafe du Monde where you will learn why Raiden counseled against wearing black (or dark colors in general, really): beignets come with an absolute mountain of powdered sugar on top.
5. Duck & andouille gumbo at Tableau (or substitute turtle soup, another great New Orleans tradition!)
5a. A flying stop at Antoine's, the oldest restaurant in the city.
6. Blackened chicken (or shrimp) & (Cajun) jambalaya at Royal House Oyster Bar
7. Pralines at Leah's Pralines because after Cafe du Monde you clearly needed more sugar.
8. Not-so-classic shrimp po'boy at Killer Po'boys (taking major inspiration from the banh mi) in the back of Erin Rose, which serves a great frozen Irish coffee if you're of age or willing to risk getting carded (it could happen).
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But that? Was a problem for future Graham!
As was the later discovery of the fact that powdered sugar from spare beignets shoved into his cloak pockets was a challenge to clean up!
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She was happy to split a mufuletta with someone (it was delicious, but there were so many other things to try), and skipped the cage au lait, but had an extra beignet to make up for it. Next was turtle soup - something she's never had, but whoa, instant fan - and then she was hitting one of her of-age friends up to share a Pimm's Cup with her, before rushing over for shrimp jambalaya and pralines and she had no idea how she was going to eat a po'boy, but damn if she wasn't gonna try...
"Okay, y'all," she said to her friends, drawl a little thicker than normal now that she was back in the South proper. "There are no fourth period classes. Y'all wanna see if Professor Raiden will let us stay longer every week so we can actually savor everything? I'm willing to ask."
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By the end of their tour, though, she looked rather overwhelmed. New Orleans was a feast for all of the senses, after all.
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He also managed somehow not to get a speck of powdered sugar on his three-piece suit. Don't ask how; it was a talent.
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"Excuse me, Professor Raiden?" Arden said, at some point in their tour. "Some of us were wondering if it would be okay with you if, in the future maybe, we could stay a little longer in places after class? An hour's barely enough time to enjoy all the great stuff you picked out for us to enjoy. So we were hoping it'd be cool to maybe go a little slower and savor our choices and then grab a later portal home?"
Please let them stay longer and eat more food, Raiden!
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OOC
2. The Creole/Cajun tomato divide is REAL. I have Cajun relatives around Houma and the first time I ordered jambalaya in New Orleans I was so confused by the tomatoes. Brown jambalaya 4eva.
3. Couldn't fit it in this class but if you are ever in New Orleans you MUST go to District Donuts on Magazine Street. I am feral about these doughnuts.
3a. Relatedly, Elaine told me I had to mention that her favorite place to get a Pimm's cup is Napoleon House, where they have seasonal flavors. Right now it's watermelon!
4. "But Mary, you didn't mention Bourbon Street." Bourbon Street is a circle of hell, next question.
5. Raiden lbr
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