Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Things I learned at the dinner party

{Gifts from the New World}
#1. If you say you're from Hawaii, people get very curious.
#2. No matter how smart you think you are, you'll feel dumb in a room full of famous Ivy League professors.
#3. About 60% of the world's crops originated in the "New World" - the Americas: tomatoes, peanuts, potatoes, avocados, zucchinis (courgettes), eggplants (aubergines), vanilla, chocolate...

Of course, #3 got me thinking (and taking a page from writer Bill Bryson) - not only did New World food get incorporated into foreign cuisines, it became the foreign cuisine...
Can you imagine Italian food without tomatoes?

Or Thai food without peanut sauce?

Or English fish and chips without chips? (Terrible thought!)

P.S. The Tea Maker - a short, sweet tribute to John Lennon.

And before I sign off, a big thank you to lovely Marilou at Twenty York Street for passing on a blog award! More soon!

(Images via Edible Portland, The Stir, iFood and Virgin Media. Some thoughts on food history are from writer-journalist Bill Bryson's At Home, chapter on "The Dining Room.")

58 comments:

Tiffany Kadani said...

So true! And now I'm just hungry again.

a little black cloud in a dress said...

mashed peas!! And now I'm hungry.

Sandy a la Mode said...

girl!!! you are making me soo hungry.. and boy is it late haha!!!

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Inez said...

Really true! I think I would feel stupid in this situation too :)

Anonymous said...

I also agree with you:)
Big greetings and kiss from rainy
Croatia.

jeanette from everton terrace said...

A room full of Ivy League professors sounds like a dream dinner party for my daughter - think she'd be in heaven. How clever of you to translate #3 into the whole foreign cuisine thing! I am now fascinated to know what the traditional cuisine of these countries were before. Not enough to do the research you see, just enough that I hope somebody does. I'll be whipping these facts out at my dinner party you can be certain.

k said...

Interesting information! I guess I don't think much about the origins of food, I just concentrate on eating it :) and a lot of it!

Ginta said...

Yes, about #1 - I'd get curious too :)
So true about #3 - I couldn't imagine my life without many products you mentioned here!

Lee Oliveira said...

Thanks for sharing the information..
You always make me hungry..
whats ur adress? im coming over for dinner.. hahahahah
LOx

Signe said...

Great post and I believe you on #2 :)
And now I want fish and chips...

Diana Mieczan said...

That is really interesting. I was always fascinated with different food origins. Btw: I am totally with you on nr.2:) Hugs and kisses,sweetie pie
Have a great day

Ps: I am hosting a stunning leather clutch GIVEAWAY later today, just in time for Holiday Parties!

Design Elements said...

so true, especially #1 :-) wonderful pics. lovely greetings from Bulgaria

Nicki said...

YUM! All this food looks so good. I love Thai food in particular. That, along with Indian food, is my favorite cuisine!

Jude, you always find the best photos!!!

Lisa Gordon said...

Great post Jude, and these photos are making me so hungry. Now where to get Thai food at 8 am?!
Have a great day!

Susanne said...

10/10 for this post. So true!

Brandi said...

Even if you're a grad student, you still feel stupid next to a lot of professors (I keep reminding myself they have 30+ years on me). And I had no idea about all the food from the New World. Kinda makes me wonder what meals looked like before. You're right -- it's amazing how many of these products were used so much they became an integral part of foreign cuisines.

Cat said...

This is exactly what I love about dinner parties...I always leave feeling a bit smarter and have a few new fun facts under my belt! :) Have a great day!

Unknown said...

oh wow that all looks so yummy xxxx

the southern hostess said...

I love this post!

little luxury list said...

So true! I didn't realize so many "popular" food originated in the US and it's awesome how it becomes incorporated into other cultures.

I have a giveaway today - enter if you'd like! Win All Clad, Le Creuset, or $50 via CSN from Chic 'n Cheap Living!

vintch said...

a dinner party with professors and this delicious food sounds simply divine. looks like such fun!

and flowers pick themselves said...

mmm i'll take a bite of it all!

xo Alison

noone said...

lol I agree with #2, when they start talking about stuff you have noo idea what they are saying!

noone said...

P.S I love your blog, I'm your newest follower!

Krysten @ Why Girls Are Weird said...

SO hungry now!

Angie Willis said...

I second that about the fish & chips. You can ditch the mushy peas though - don't like them! Feeling hungry now!

Rosie Grey said...

Jude, I LOVE reading your posts! Always so entertaining and interesting, as well!

Justine said...

what a funny post, very entertaining and maybe we should host a virtual dinner party on a common thread, we each get to invite 3 famous people and say why we would invite them, love playing that game!

Anonymous said...

amazing pics! gorgeous!
thanks for passing by and leaving your comment! it made my day :D

ciao ciao from rome
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THE ALTERNATIVE WIFE said...

Ha what interesting info! And don't worry, Ivy league professors have that effect on most people :) xoxo

Tanya (a Taste of T) said...

Wow I feel like this is a 'The More You Know Commericial.' Super interesting. Also, being from Hawaii IS pretty awesome.

Aloha nui loa.

Jude said...

Thanks so much for all your comments, and Justine, I love that idea!

Yvonne - Frl. Klein said...

Dear Jude, why I´m always hungry, when I´m on your blog :-) ?
I love your posts!
Have a wonderful evening,
Yvonne

this free bird said...

When someone tells me they're from Hawaii I immediately think 'aloha' and everything that word means: kindness, acceptance, love, family...and food! hehe

i can't believe your pie hit the floor!! it's the worst when you're watching it happen and it's total slo-mo (i could see it when i read your words!!). i heard the crash and the eff word (he's not a swearer, but i think sheer panic over my painstaking faves hitting the floor evoked panic). i saw them lying there, helpless...covered in floor cooties.

i cried a little. oy

xo,
c

Amber said...

Oh yeah, I would feel like a complete moron in a room with college professors and if I met you at a dinner party and you told me you were from Hawaii, I would have a million questions for you :)

Melissa said...

All the food sounds (and looks) so, so good!

Kristin H said...

Loving your comments from the dinner party!
Hawaii is EXCOTIC to us. I went once to Honolulu, and it was fantastic. I have never felt so refreshed before!
Just became a follower of your blog. About time!!!
Have a wonderful evening afternoon:::)

Dewi said...

... and oh, the last thought about fish without chips, terrible indeed ha... ha... ha...

Hey Jude, tell me more about Hawaiian ... now I am curious :)

~*~ saskia ~*~ said...

Good colors = good food. I always pay attention to the color combination of the food on a plate.
Have a lovely day, Jude xxxx

thingsIlove said...

You make me hungry...!

20 YORK STREET said...

Alright, I suppose I should shelve my Hawaii questions in my hard drive for now?

=)

And - you're very welcome and I knew exactly I wanted to pass on the award to you!

Prutha Raithatha said...

this is great information...i never knew... so what did people do before to make gravy for pasta?

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follow if u like what u see?
xoxo

Collette Osuna said...

YUMMY food pics!!! I love veggies!!

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momgateway said...

Very intriguing how things would be so different if not for these New World crops... very interesting post, Jude

Annie said...

I definitely cannot imagine!! Terrible thoughts indeed :)
I hope the dinner party was fun to some degree! xo

Connie @ SogniESorrisi said...

So true! I think my husband would die without tomatoes!

elena nuez said...

great post Jude, as always!
Ok, I'll confess ...
I would die without chocolate!!

HitomiNeko said...

lol.. well i don't think i'm that smart.. i'm probably gonna feel dumb in a group of somewhat average ppl.. lol.. >_<


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Style, She Wrote said...

Terrible thoughts, indeed! Those ingredients make those foods great! xo style, she wrote

Anonymous said...

I could not agree with your points any more. When everyone is talking "ivy league", my thoughts tend to wonder off to movie lines, and song lyrics, or other things of the pop culture.

Great post.

Meghan said...

I just ate but now I want more...

Lady Grey said...

Very interesting thought.... oh and I like your little list of things your learned. If I met you at a dinner party and found out you were from Hawaii, I'd be pretty curious too... it's just unique!
oxo

Stacey said...

i guess being a foreigner of sorts, the origins of food has always interested me(which is probably why i'm drawn to/love to experience different cultures). I get the same curiosity when i open my mouth(because i have an accent). #2 would make for a very interesting and enlightening evening for sure. This post was a delight:-) XX

Anonymous said...

english fish without the chips would be terrible its always great homefood.

Usagi said...

English fish and chips without chip? sounds funny:). these foods make me hungry

Rowena said...

Oh brother, amen to #1. Sometimes I just wanna say that I'm from the United States, just to avoid the questions!

Anonymous said...

Oh and don't forget the vinegar on the chips! Hm I am starving, it's lunchtime now and I just want to grab these through the screen... all of them please!

Oh, My Darling said...

What a quirky collection of dinner party lessons! Must be fun to talk about Hawaii... to a point.

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