[coastcat]

Okay, I'll start the spin-off thread!

New Zealand has a wealth of marvelous foods and beverages, but we Yanks and Canucks are leaving behind familiar brands and menu items. Here's our opportunity to collect together information on substitutes and recipes.

I've spent most of my life in Maryland, and our local addictions are steamed blue crabs and steamed shrimp. Both are cooked with the same snappy, salty spice mixture. The main brand is Old Bay (McCormick), and that's become the generic term for any crab spice. I'm still researching substitute crab species (any solid info will probably have to wait for our scouting trip next spring), but here's a copycat recipe for Old Bay:

1 tbsp. ground bay leaves
2 1/2 tsp celery salt
1 1/2 tsp ground mustard seed or dry mustard
1 1/2 tsp black pepper
3/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp red pepper
1/4 tsp ground mace
1/4 tsp ground cardamom

Blend together and store in an airtight container. This makes about 1/4 cup of spice mixture. This mix is great on chicken too (especially fried chicken), and I particularly love it on popcorn or grilled asparagus.

So, does anyone have a good recipe (using ingredients available in NZ, please!) for homemade bratwurst, New England clam chowder, Nanaimo bars, poutine, crayfish etouffee, oyster po'boys, or Cincinnati 4-way chili?

[Raeven]

Oh, my god. You eat... poutine?? Gaaahhhh!!!

I have good recipes for some of your requests, but as I'm not in NZ, I'm no help with the available ingredients -- yet. I have a great New England-style clam chowder recipe, and I'll be sure to share it once I've verified all the ingredients are available in NZ. They should be. I live 10 miles away from Pismo Beach: Clam capital of the world!!

I'm gonna miss Dungeness crab. :wah

I wonder if NZ has hickory chips for barbecue... I'm thinking specifically for slow-smoked barbecue pork ribs.

CC, I'm pretty sure you'll be covered for the bratwurst.. Kiwis love their sausages. Also, don't know about etouffee, but crayfish -- called kouras --are a national delicacy. There are 2 varieties, one in the North Island and one in the South. Kaikoura in Maori means big crayfish feast, loosely translated. No help with the oyster po'boys or Cincinnati 4-way chili.. but I'm sure someone will be along!!

Rae

[SoCal Gal]

Hi CC and Raeven! Couldn't wait to get in on this one, although you gals are much more talented cooks than I am, I will try to help out.
I have a recipe for making the taco seasoning blend that is awesome, found it on the web, and it's just like those nasty little Lawry's packets you can buy here, but better! And cheaper! Also, Raeven, did I mention to you that I checked out spices down there and they have all the stuff we are used to seeing, and the prices were very, very good, even in the dairy stores! A lot of my stuff is old, so I might just throw away a bunch and start fresh....it is definitely cost-effective if one wants to. :cool

[SoCal Gal]

TACO SEASONING MIX (like in the packets)
2 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons dried minced onion
1 teaspoon paprika
3/4 teaspoon crushed beef bouillon cube
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
dash onion powder

Combine ingredients in a small bowl. Brown one pound of ground beef (turkey) and drain, add the seasoning mix and ¾ cup water. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Enjoy!

[Raeven]

LOL, awwwwwwww, SoCalGal, it ain't a cooking contest... I think your taco seasoning mix recipe is wonderful, and I'll look forward to using it!!

I'm very relieved to learn I'll manage to get my paws on most of my spices and herbs. I even found juniper berries, so I'm quite pleased.

I can see it's time for me to put up a li'l something here, and since we're doing spice medleys, here's my contribution:

Beer Butt Chicken

The Rub:

1 TB packed brown sugar
1 TB granulated sugar
2 tsp salt
2 tsp Accent or msg (optional)
1 tsp celery salt
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 to 3 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste
1 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder

Combine all ingredients and mix well. You can put it all in a jar and shake to mix. Makes about 1/2 cup and will store for up to 6 months.

Take 2 each 3 1/2 pound chickens. Rub liberally with spice mixture inside and out. Gently lift the skin away from the breast and smear more spice mixture under the skin.

Open 2 cans of your favorite beer. Take a beer can opener and pierce the cans all around the top. Carefully slide the chickens butt-side down over the beer cans. Arrange them artfully so they look like they are dancing!

Set up your barbecue grill for indirect grilling, arranging your coals in two piles along the sides of the grill (we use a Weber). Set your chickens with beer cans on top of the grill. Add 1-2 cups of presoaked wood chips to the coals a couple of times during cooking if you like a smoke flavor. Add 10-12 fresh briquettes to each side after about an hour of cooking. Cook and smoke for 2 1/2-3 hours. Take care when removing chickens and beer cans from grill -- beer will be hot!! I use mitts covered with plastic bags and set everything on a large wooden cutting board. Let stand for 5 minutes before carving the meat off the upright carcass.

Isn't it fun serving a dinner that's a conversation piece, too?

Rae

[drumminj]

I lack all but the basic cooking skills. Any chance y'all can just let me have your leftovers once I'm over there?

[Raeven]

Ok. But you have to renounce your Texan citizenship. Trust me; it will be worth it. :P

Rae

[drumminj]

Hey, there's nothing wrong with Texas. Have you ever been to Austin? Come visit while you're still in the states.

Trust me, I will have no ties to this state (only been here 4 years anyhow - I'm a yankee at heart) nor this country when I enter NZ. Now someone just donate me 5 points so I can get over there. Grrrrrrrrrr. Everyone's happy but me :no

[Raeven]

Hi, J,

I was teasin' wit' yas.. apologies if toes were stepped on. My bad!! :uhoh

I've only been to Amarillo, and I know it's not representative of the State of Texas.. I've heard Austin is actually marvelous!!

Please feel free to bash California as you like -- everyone else does!!

Humbly asking for forgiveness, Rae

[karltsmith]

IS THIS THE WAY TO AMARILO?

EVERY NIGHT I'VE BEEN HUGGIN MY PILLOW!

DREAMIN DREAMS OF AMARILO!

AND SWEET MARIE WHO WAITS FOR ME!

Anyone know if sweet Marie is still waiting...if so can yas' tell her I'm gonna be a bit late!

:laugh :laugh :laugh :laugh :laugh :laugh :laugh :laugh

[drumminj]

Why would you be late? Can't you make Amarillo by morning, up from San Antone?

Rae - I didn't take offense. Was trying to play back at ya, but apparently it didn't work.

J

[Raeven]

Hi, J,

You're cool. You can have the leftovers even if you are a Texan. :mrgreen:

I was thinking you were having a pretty bad day, what with just missing the EOI and all.. I felt bad for messing with you on such a day. I mean, how heartless can I be?? Get that application in; who knows? They might drop the points down to 95, at the rate they're going -- and NZ needs you!!

Where are you thinking of landing in NZ, anyway? If you've mentioned that, I've missed it.

All the best, Rae

[nisse]

A question from a non-American: what is poutine??? :eek Sounds scary!!


Ooh can't wait to my hands on all those crayfish, love the buggers.

Nisse

[karltsmith]

Poutine!

French Fries (Chips), smothered with melted cheese and covered with gravy I believe! Quebec's contributions to Haute Cuisine (I think!!)

Try it with a dash of Tabasco sauce or Nando's or Peri-Peri for an a great kick!

:hopeso

[nisse]

Poutine!

French Fries (Chips), smothered with melted cheese and covered with gravy I believe! Quebec's contributions to Haute Cuisine (I think!!)

Try it with a dash of Tabasco sauce or Nando's or Peri-Peri for an a great kick!

:hopeso

I think I'll take your word for it, Karl, and won't try it with tabasco or anything else :D must say I sounds preetty awful. No offence meant to anyone.

nisse

[coastcat]

Mmm, poutine. The original version is just white cheddar cheese curds (and it must be curds, not finished cheese!) piled on top of hot french fries; gravy was later added to the concoction. The word "poutine" is Quebec slang for "big mess".

This is good stuff. Granted, it's incredibly bad for you, but that's part of the fun. :nice1

[jesselyn]

Get that application in; who knows? They might drop the points down to 95, at the rate they're going -- and NZ needs you!!


rae? do you think its possible that the points will still go down? my officemate has only 90 :( umm she also wants to move to NZ...

jes :angel

[Michelle and Richard]

Why don't you all get together and open a restaurant or better still invite me round for tea, I can almost taste those ribs mmmmmmmmmm.

Noticed nobody mentioned grits or that horrible yellow liquid that some places call melted cheese yuk !

Michelle

[jesselyn]

Mmm, poutine. The original version is just white cheddar cheese curds (and it must be curds, not finished cheese!) piled on top of hot french fries; gravy was later added to the concoction. The word "poutine" is Quebec slang for "big mess".


umm like KFC's gravy?


jes :angel

[Raeven]

Why don't you all get together and open a restaurant or better still invite me round for tea, I can almost taste those ribs mmmmmmmmmm.

Noticed nobody mentioned grits or that horrible yellow liquid that some places call melted cheese yuk !

Michelle

Michelle, you have my word, you are invited for ribs just as soon as we can all get onto the same island!! I would very much enjoy preparing them for you.

ROFL, I'm not sure if you are referring to American cheese ("cheese" being the term used loosely here), or oleo, a sickly margarine-like product intended to replace butter and widely used in such culinary meccas as The Wafflehouse. Urrrgghh. Remind me to tell you about Wafflehouses when we're enjoying our ribs and nowhere near one!!

Rae

[SoCal Gal]

Now, don't you go dissin' my Waffle House, hunny chile!
When it is 3 a.m. and you need to have some fuel so you can press on down the interstate, nothing makes you want to get to a bathroom exit faster than eating at a Waffle House thirty minutes earlier! ;-o
Luv me sum grits!
:cool

[coastcat]

Mmm, poutine. The original version is just white cheddar cheese curds (and it must be curds, not finished cheese!) piled on top of hot french fries; gravy was later added to the concoction. The word "poutine" is Quebec slang for "big mess".


umm like KFC's gravy?


jes :angel

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!! :laugh

Yes, there are times when I crave KFC's industrial mashed potatoes and alleged gravy, but... ugh! Well, okay, I'm rather fond of their extra-crispy fried chicken, but only because it takes so long to prepare real fried chicken and I'm too hungry to wait!

I agree with SCG, don't dis the Waffle House! Fried chicken plus waffles with syrup is the perfect late-night traveling food. It'll keep you awake, anyway.

Hmm. Can you get good doughnuts (or any doughnuts) in NZ, or do we have to add that to the menu?

Ribs, yum. Texas-style beef ribs, Kansas City-style pork ribs with a bold sauce, Kentucky-style mutton ribs, or Memphis-style pork ribs with a dry rub? (the correct answer is "all of them")

[SoCal Gal]

Excellent question about the donuts, CC, I didn't see a single place! But they do love pastries of all kinds, that is for sure, and now I am possessed with the urge for a Krispy Kreme! Oh nooooooooooooooo!
:cool

[Raeven]

Get that application in; who knows? They might drop the points down to 95, at the rate they're going -- and NZ needs you!!


rae? do you think its possible that the points will still go down? my officemate has only 90 :( umm she also wants to move to NZ...

jes :angel

Oh, jes,

I apologize for making an uninformed comment that may have gotten your hopes up. I don't know if NZIS can or will drop points below 100, since as I understand it, 100 is the minimum threshhold under their points scheme. Since I'm going over under the partnership category, I am not educated about how the points work, and I ought to have been mindful of that in making an off-the-cuff remark to another poster. I actually think it's pretty unlikely NZIS will drop points below 100; on the other hand, when I started paying attention, points required were 185, and no one ever thought they'd drop to 100, either.

I'd love to be wrong!!

All the best, Rae

[HowardR]

Luv me sum grits!
OK, for the Brit not experienced in US 'cuisine', what are grits?

[Raeven]

Hi, Howard,

They're disgusting, but they grow on you like a fungus (not literally!).. grits are ground hominy corn. They're most often served like a white mush. They don't taste like much, so you can dress them up as you like. My preference is pretty plebian, with butter, salt and lots of pepper. But you can put jam, milk, cinnamon or sugar on them, too. Some people like them with crumbled bacon or diced ham mixed in. Some people chill them, then slice and fry them, similar to polenta. In fact grits ARE polenta, more or less.. just white instead of yeller. Ahem. Yellow.

Very popular in the southern part of the USA, although you will find them regularly served as far west as Arizona.

Hope this helps! - Rae

[Michelle and Richard]

[
Michelle[/quote]

Michelle, you have my word, you are invited for ribs just as soon as we can all get onto the same island!! I would very much enjoy preparing them for you.

Rae

We have just changed our destination and Richard says can you do some bbq beans.

The cheese is that stuff that's always in a vat and if you turned all the lights out it would glow in the dark

Michelle

[karltsmith]

Nobody into Jumbalaya then? :?

[Raeven]

karl... have no fear.. I make a mean jambalaya. :mrgreen:

You must come for dinner!!! I promise to not talk about politics...

Rae

[coastcat]

karl... have no fear.. I make a mean jambalaya.

Jambalaya? Please say I'm invited too! I'll put together the crawfish boil...

Hey, is corn grown in NZ? It's not listed on the VegFed (http://www.vegetables.co.nz) site as an NZ crop. Uh oh. I guess we'll have to put double the potatoes in the crawfish pot.

[karltsmith]

What about the Chicken Maryland?????? :D

[karltsmith]

Hey Drumminj,

Before you leave Austin, try the Sea Bass at Green Pastures Resturaunt and let me know what you think! ;)

[coastcat]

What about the Chicken Maryland?????? :D

I've lived in Maryland for most of my life, and have never made Chicken Maryland. In fact, I had to look it up! (fricassed or fried chicken with a milk gravy) Sounds delicious!

It's a bad idea to read this thread around lunch time...

[jesselyn]

just arrived from an all you can eat dinner however reading all these food talk is making me wish to be invited too :hopeso :oops: ... umm so i can taste the gravy which is not like kfc's :P , the poutine ( im 100% sure i will like) and the ribs (pork and beef), and the chicken (white meat pls) and the grits (i'll vote for crumbled bacon)... :nice1

jes :angel

[jesselyn]

Oh, jes,

I apologize for making an uninformed comment that may have gotten your hopes up. I don't know if NZIS can or will drop points below 100, since as I understand it, 100 is the minimum threshhold under their points scheme. Since I'm going over under the partnership category, I am not educated about how the points work, and I ought to have been mindful of that in making an off-the-cuff remark to another poster. I actually think it's pretty unlikely NZIS will drop points below 100; on the other hand, when I started paying attention, points required were 185, and no one ever thought they'd drop to 100, either.

I'd love to be wrong!!

All the best, Rae

its ok rae no worries... hugs...


jes :angel

[drumminj]

Hey Drumminj,

Before you leave Austin, try the Sea Bass at Green Pastures Resturaunt and let me know what you think! ;)

I'm not a big fish person, so I probably wouldn't like it. I'm trying to like it more - I figure it's a more regular part of the diet in NZ. And obviously it's healthier. But I should be here for another year, so maybe somewhere down the road I'll give it a shot.

Thanks for the suggestion. I don't even know where that restaurant is.

J

[MelissaLG]

I'm not a big fish person, so I probably wouldn't like it. I'm trying to like it more - I figure it's a more regular part of the diet in NZ. And obviously it's healthier. But I should be here for another year, so maybe somewhere down the road I'll give it a shot.

Hey drumminj,
Please forgive me getting on my soapbox, but I just gotta. I suggest that if someone is not a big fan of fish, so what? Its okay to not try and make yourself into a fan. There are a lot of healthy alternatives out there besides fish and a lot of sophisticated foods as well, so why eat fish if you do not like it? And there is a benefit to your aversion to fish.....the fish out there (particularly Chilean sea bass) are dwindling faster than most people think and pretty soon we won't have any left! Lucky for me, I do not care for the taste of fish, so its easy for me to stay away from it, and I encourage anyone who really does not like fish to not apologize for it! Okay....rant over..... thanks for indulging me.

[karltsmith]

Just think of the Gumbo we could make with the left overs! :(

[justin.g.s]

When you make that beer but chicken, you can miz up the smoke flavor, try some dried rosemary twigs and throw that on you wood chips.

Rosemary hashbrowns(cube stlye) anyone?

[karltsmith]

No mention of Andouille sausages then :(

[coastcat]

No mention of Andouille sausages then :(

Aren't we going to toss them into the crawfish boil (along with the potatoes) and jambalaya?

If we're going to bring andouille to NZ, we must not forget boudin...

[drumminj]

Hey drumminj,
Please forgive me getting on my soapbox, but I just gotta. I suggest that if someone is not a big fan of fish, so what? Its okay to not try and make yourself into a fan. There are a lot of healthy alternatives out there besides fish and a lot of sophisticated foods as well, so why eat fish if you do not like it? And there is a benefit to your aversion to fish.....the fish out there (particularly Chilean sea bass) are dwindling faster than most people think and pretty soon we won't have any left! Lucky for me, I do not care for the taste of fish, so its easy for me to stay away from it, and I encourage anyone who really does not like fish to not apologize for it! Okay....rant over..... thanks for indulging me.

Melissa, I don't think I was being apologetic. The reason I feel I should try to like it more is that I was quite a picky child - and still am quite a picky eater. As I get older, I'm trying to broaden my horizons and break out of my childhood fears of certain foods (I still won't knowingly eat mushrooms. It's not that I don't like the taste of them - I really don't know what they taste like. So I have to say that I'm "afraid" of them). I just need to give foods a fair shot, and judge them based on their merits. It's fine if I don't like some things - like tomatoes. But I'm going to give new and different types of fish a shot.

Trust me, you'd laugh at me if we ever sat down and discussed foods I like. And I've come a *LONG* way since I was a kid.

J

[jesselyn]

im not the only one who is a picky eater :clap ... 2 nights ago, i tried eating cooked japanese food - it was okay :nice1 however, i still wont eat raw fish i dont think my stomach can take that :no...

jes :angel

[karltsmith]

Wot no mention of Jerked Chicken :no

[coastcat]

I mentioned jerk chicken in the original thread. Caribbean food is too important to forget! You need something suitable to drink with all those fruit-filled rum drinks.

[karltsmith]

:laugh :laugh :laugh :laugh :laugh :laugh :laugh :laugh


:oops:

[Moorf]

Thank goodness for this thread - just spent a week surrounded by mozzarella and tomatoes (please god no mooorrree) and if I see another pizza I'll scream :wah

And don't get me STARTED on the octopus....

So... how about a chilli cook-off guys?!!

:nice1

[Raeven]

Heheheheheh.

You're on!!!!

Rae

[HowardR]

Hmmmm... Chilli!!! :yes

[coastcat]

Mmmm... octopus!

(but perhaps not in the chili)

[Moorf]

I'll try anything once, and for octopus it will stay ONCE!!! Not sure if it's the suckers and tentacles that put me off or the strong taste!

I think sea cucumber HAS to be tried - and I believe they cook that in a chilli sauce!! Blindfold recommended!! :laugh

[karltsmith]

MOORF! You just couldn't help yourself could you! The dreaded SC raises it's ugly head (or bottom, who can tell?) again! :laugh

[Moorf]

:laugh :laugh