Could one substitute Vegemite?

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by dannc

Ok. Against my better judgement, why?

Later,
Dan

why is American beer similar to having sex in a canoe?

'Cause it's f***ing near water!

[LittleWing77]

Originally Posted by dannc

It takes a bit of skill to perform this act in a canoe and have the canoe stay right side up.

Not if you're Canadian...

[Afrinus]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

True...American stores now have beer aisles that stretch from one end to the other...
many colorful names...colors....blends...etc...etc..but still crap...

I have some friends that make beer in a shack. They have the place kitted out with all sorts of stills, machines, hoses, tanks and other beer making devices....

They " import" the ingredients for their beer from who knows where...then they refer to to their " secret" recipe book, wherein they have jotted down past beers, recipes, mistakes they made, etc...and then they set forth to make their brew. It is a veritable science project.

Typically, they will make 2-3 different types. It takes them some doing and some time.
Then they'll have their " unveiling" . Select friends, with known beer expertise are invited to sample their wares. On occasions, I get invited.

Let me tell you, that is beer....they make beer perfection. Once you've had one of their brews, no store bought product is even remotely equal.

Commercially available beer is concocted with a profit in mind, so the selection of ingredients they use is compromised.

Mic, I have to disagree here.
There's still some pidly stuff made by the microbrews, sure, but man, there's some really really good stuff as well.
A friend of mine used to brew all his own stuff, just like you described. People would fight buy o get invited to his reveals. In the end he got rid of most of his brewing paraphernalia as it was just not needed anymore.

The biggest issue these days for me is the selection available - there's just too much to choose from.
I learned to stick to a few of the really local ones to me. I'm spoiled maybe as there's five small microbreweries within 20 minutes from me.

Now, while we're at this topic if wierd stuff the anglo saxons eat; I'm surprised it hasn't come up yet.
I'm sure this rivals the yeasty stuff: FISH PASTE.
Look for Pecks Anchovette or Redro. Even better on toast than Marmite or Bovril....

Pieter

[MicHughV]

yeah, what people here in the US refer to as "beer" is actually "lager"....."beer" is what the British have.
I lived in England for some time. When I was first introduced to their ales, stouts, etc, I didn't much care for it. I thought it was rather "flat"....and " warm"....But I got to know this guy who was a beer connoisseur. He had this little booklet that would tell you what beer was being brewed where, as practically every village or town in England make their own beer. He'd think nothing of doing a 200 mile round trip to sample some or other beer somewhere that was only made certain times of the year. Some of it was really kick ass....about 4-5 times the alcohol content of a lager. In time, I really got to enjoy it, far more than any lager I ever drank. It's an " acquired" taste for sure.

But the Brits also make apple cider or "scrumpy" as they call it. It also has a 5-6% alcohol content, but I never took to it.

The Brits also had this thing called a "beer shandy"...a beer mixed 50/50 with lemonade ....supposedly a "ladies drink"....go figure..

I've tried a variety of these American microbrews, but havn't yet found anything that really tickles my fancy. We have area bars here that make their own beer right on the premises, but I havn't had any that really stood out.

Maybe it's just me ???? I can be picky......if I drink beer here, I typically go for Heineken or Amstel....although for the life of me I can't understand why one can get " Amstel Light" here but not regular Amstel.

Ha, I do remember "fish paste"now that you bring it up...lordy, that has been a long time since I've had that. Don't think I've seen it here in the US, but I havn't really looked. Next time I go to the grocery store I will keep an eye out for it..and I'll report back

[Compass790]

Originally Posted by Seaworthy Lass

Aussies think otherwise

I knew they are sick but I never realised the depths of their depravity
Mind you I could be persuaded in a Lucifullan moment. ( I just made that word up )

[dannc]

Originally Posted by boatman61

Naah.. Just keep the main weight low and the lesser central..
Ezeepezee

Yeah, it helps to have a broad beam...

I mean it helps if the canoe has a broad beam. Helps to keep the weight down load too....



Later,
Dan

[RaymondR]

Ah fish paste, I remember it well.

Two slices of those big square loaf (about 8" x 8" and 1/2" thick. They made them that size so that you could still get a man sized sandwich after you cut the mouldy crust off) with a slather of butter and a good even layer of fish paste. Just what a growing school boy needed.

I used to dread the onset of tomato season because they would make tomato and roast mutton sandwiches and they were always soggy by lunch time and being from sheep raising country we got to eat to much mutton. Given me druthers I think I'd take the fish paste anytime.

[MicHughV]

in all my travels....best food I've ever had...was hands down...in Puerto Rico...I don't know what the chef do there, but they have taken cooking to another level.....simply no words...

I find Indian food to be quite enjoyable too....in the USA, people think of curry as that little jar of yellow powdery stuff you buy at your grocery store.....but curry comes in a gazillion flavors and styles and heat...I've been to curry markets the size of a mall, more curry than the eye can see...curry is not a spice per se...it's a blend of spices...fortunately there is an Indian grocery store near my neck of the woods where I can explore..

let's face it....the McDonalds hamburger and french fries can't compete...if they would add a fish paste sandwich to their menu.....hmmm....the mind boggles.

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

The Brits also had this thing called a "beer shandy"...a beer mixed 50/50 with lemonade ....supposedly a "ladies drink"....go figure..

Remember what the Brits call "lemonade," N. Americans call Sprite or 7-Up. Ginger ale is sometimes used too.

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by Lodesman

Remember what the Brits call "lemonade," N. Americans call Sprite or 7-Up. Ginger ale is sometimes used too.

That's the commercial crap..
The real deal is water and sugar or honey brought to the boil then the juice of 4 lemons stirred in and left to cool.. add ice and serve..
For the adult version add gin..

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by boatman61

That's the commercial crap..
The real deal is water and sugar or honey brought to the boil then the juice of 4 lemons stirred in and left to cool.. add ice and serve..
For the adult version add gin..

I know how to make real lemonade, but that's not typically used in a shandy, and likely not what you'll get in a pub.

[MicHughV]

Boatman, I know you are in Portugal right now.

When I was there, local fishermen introduced me to a local favorite.....
fried (??)sardines...or maybe it was fried pilchards???? (a bigger sardine)....maybe you can elaborate....it's a small fish....probably 6" long or less...it is cooked whole....lock, stock and barrel....it is not cleaned, filleted, or otherwise, that I'm aware of, the whole fish gets coated with some or other breading or oil and spices, I don't know if it is grilled or friend after that...but you eat it whole, eyes, fins, innards, the whole patotie..my guess is that it would be damn near impossible to clean, gut or fillet those tiny fish, so the Portuguese just chow 'em down " as is".....

Once I overcame my initial revulsion at eating a "whole" fish with eyeballs intact..much to my surprise...it was very tasty...crunchy, but quite delectable....so I had a few more....but perhaps you can elaborate...

The Portuguese probably look at marmite/vegemite, the same way I looked at eating a fish whole...

[boatman61]

Ahh.. Sardinhas..
Well I live with a Portuguese and she definitely does Not eat the head, fin or skin..
She carefully filets it then scrapes away the flesh and eats that pushing the rest to one side before starting on the next one.. and the guts are removed before being brushed with olive oil and put over charcoal.
No one eats head, tail and fins..
Don't touch em myself, hate seafood..

[MicHughV]

Boatman, I don't recall those fish being filleted, cleaned or otherwise...I clearly recall the eyes, as they has been fried or cooked to look like shriveled sacs of ???? the head was most definitely attached. The fish was eaten whole...the fins were crunchy, I can recall that. Two chomps was pretty much all it took to devour one of these fish.

When I eat friend shrimp (prawns) I like to eat the tails and legs. People look at me like I'm crazy, always leaving the little tail on the plate....but not me, I eat it....

Peel and eat shrimp is where I like to eat the legs...I only eat the tails when they are battered and fried.

I'd rather eat seafood than anything else.

Soft-shelled crabs is akin to eating those sardines whole, as the whole crab is cooked in one piece. I'm not a big fan of soft shelled crabs, but will eat them once in a while. Only way to eat them is deep friend. It's a " southern" delicacy here.

Now, I do love conch....I can prepare and eat conch in any number of ways...

I never used to be a big seafood fan, but I met a guy that taught me everything to know about catching, cleaning and cooking fish and ever since ....I'm a seafood junky!

I like to spearfish, fish with rod and reel...nets, gigs, offshore, inshore....it's all good.

Here's thing, until I learned to properly clean and cook fish, I was not a big fan. It took a pro to show me the ropes.

I can cook fish now that will make you a believer !!!

[boatman61]

Originally Posted by MicHughV

Boatman, I don't recall those fish being filleted, cleaned or otherwise...I clearly recall the eyes, as they has been fried or cooked to look like shriveled sacs of ???? the head was most definitely attached. The fish was eaten whole...the fins were crunchy, I can recall that. Two chomps was pretty much all it took to devour one of these fish.

When I eat friend shrimp (prawns) I like to eat the tails and legs. People look at me like I'm crazy, always leaving the little tail on the plate....but not me, I eat it....

Peel and eat shrimp is where I like to eat the legs...I only eat the tails when they are battered and fried.

I'd rather eat seafood than anything else.

Soft-shelled crabs is akin to eating those sardines whole, as the whole crab is cooked in one piece. I'm not a big fan of soft shelled crabs, but will eat them once in a while. Only way to eat them is deep friend. It's a " southern" delicacy here.

Now, I do love conch....I can prepare and eat conch in any number of ways...

I never used to be a big seafood fan, but I met a guy that taught me everything to know about catching, cleaning and cooking fish and ever since ....I'm a seafood junky!

I like to spearfish, fish with rod and reel...nets, gigs, offshore, inshore....it's all good.

Here's thing, until I learned to properly clean and cook fish, I was not a big fan. It took a pro to show me the ropes.

I can cook fish now that will make you a believer !!!

No chance mate..
Just the smell makes me a pucker..