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Drown anything in garlic and butter and it tastes good 
Never underestimate the power of human stupidity
RAH
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Munchies_Matt wrote: I had good Italian in the US, once.
I had good Italian in Italy, many times.
I had good Italian in Canada, several times. Her name was Rita.
I'm retired. There's a nap for that...
- Harvey
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It really depends on what you eat, I mean proper "Bagna cauda" is astonishingly tasty, as much of the spicy dishes from the southern Italy, and cheeses like Gorgonzola, Taleggio and Casu Marzu are not for the faint of heart.
But yes, on average Italian food is less tasty than what other countries usually eat. English, American and Indian food is generally much more intense - if I have to do a comparison I would equate Italian "level of tastiness" to Japanese food. Normally it is made of simple ingredients, not too many sauces and spices, easy cooking.
Pizza IS anything goes upon flattish bread.
In italy we eat snails too by the way, up in the north. If properly cooked they are exquisite, but I don't like the consistence.
* CALL APOGEE, SAY AARDWOLF
* GCS d--- s-/++ a- C++++ U+++ P- L- E-- W++ N++ o+ K- w+++ O? M-- V? PS+ PE- Y+ PGP t++ 5? X R++ tv-- b+ DI+++ D++ G e++>+++ h--- ++>+++ y+++* Weapons extension: ma- k++ F+2 X
* Never pay more than 20 bucks for a computer game.
* I'm a puny punmaker.
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Ah, but the roast meats of northern italy! Hmmmmm.....
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The most tasteless meat that could ever be conceived, the boiled meat, becomes something utterly different when ate with fruit mustard (the one and only mustard made of f***ing spicy fruit under syrup) or "salsa cogna" (a mix of apple, pears, grapes and other fruit sauce).
And the tartares of raw calf meat, briefly marinated in lemon and garlick instead of being cooked...
* CALL APOGEE, SAY AARDWOLF
* GCS d--- s-/++ a- C++++ U+++ P- L- E-- W++ N++ o+ K- w+++ O? M-- V? PS+ PE- Y+ PGP t++ 5? X R++ tv-- b+ DI+++ D++ G e++>+++ h--- ++>+++ y+++* Weapons extension: ma- k++ F+2 X
* Never pay more than 20 bucks for a computer game.
* I'm a puny punmaker.
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Stop it, I havent had lunch yet! 
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den2k88 wrote: Pizza IS anything goes upon flattish bread.
Yeah - I know.
The difference between what I visualize as pizza, and most other forms of it, are that the "NYC" pizza isn't actually baked. It's placed on the floor of a stone-bottomed very hot oven. Due to the thin crust, most of the cooking is through the dough, by conduction. The hot air above the pizza browns the crust at the edges, and if one is not skilled, everything else.
Most pizza, including most of the US, is really a baked item. The rectangular slices in Italy were a baked item. US equivalent (in NYC) would be a "Sicilian Pie" - which, except that sauce/cheese are default toppings, is breadier and taste quite different. The stuff in the chain stores is, as often as not, not even a yeast dough, but a baking soda horror that passes through an oven on a slow-moving belt. Honestly, for most of the country, people don't know any better. If they did, Dumbinoes, Pizza Slut, and their ilk would have long since been out of business.
And, of course, one of the most important factors: what one is used to.
| Ravings en masse^ |
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| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you are seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
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W∴ Balboos wrote: the "NYC" pizza isn't actually baked. It's placed on the floor of a stone-bottomed very hot oven
This is the normal way of making pizza on the continent, the Sicilian style, put in an oiled pan and then in the oven, is less common (but very nice too, the base gets an oil fry and goes very crispy).
I disagree with 'most of the cooking is through the dough'. I have a wood fired pizza oven myself, and the top bubbles almost as soon as it is in. That is from the fierce heat coming from above )it is a flame grill really). The stone floor is hot too, gives a nice well cooked base you can hold in your hand easily.
My toppings are sparse, a thin tomato sauce, and so little cheese and topping you can see the bread, lightly coloured red, through the topping. Thin base too. Very thin. So it isnt a bread meal, but ultra quick cooked toppings on a thin crust.
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Your description of Sicilian style is basically accurate. I know it's baked because of the time involved vs. the Neapolitan style (viz-a-viz, NYC), which is done in a fraction of the time. Also, the latter is not cooked in a puddle of oil. Typically, the oven's in the neighborhood of 300-350C, but the heat source does not directly access the oven contents.
Favorite toppings: breaded eggplant - makes each slice into a glorious merging of pizza and eggplant parmigiana. However, we generally order a plain pie to take out (i.e., sauce+cheese) and add toppings as the mood strikes; commonly, these are typically selected from sliced black and/or green olives, chopped onions, mushrooms, thinly sliced hot peppers (jalapeno, serrano, bannana-pepper, etc., ca. 5K-10K scoville), pepper flakes, oregano, dill (Mrs. Wife's favorite), "pizza pepper", or sometimes best of all - nothing at all.
As for how pizza cooks in your personal oven? That's your oven. Sounds, from your description, like broiling.
| Ravings en masse^ |
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| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you are seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
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Well, then it's time to try some Dutch food, what do you think of our pea-soup, kroket, and last but not least: stroopwafels 
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ollie bols
Never underestimate the power of human stupidity
RAH
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I cant stand peas or beans, so ewrten soup is right out!
Kroketen are good though, especialy garnalkroketen.
Stroopwaffels are delicious, as are normal waffels.
My favourite though is gratineered witlof, absoloutely delicious!
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You are connaisseurs  Witlof with ham and macaroni gratinee with cheese is a dish we eat very often too !
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I lived in northern Belgium for a few years, got to know the food very well and it is the same as Dutch food generally. The highlight is the witlof though, I love them.
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Then we were close, because I'm from the southern part of the Netherlands !
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I had a friend used to live in Maastricht, used to go there often. Watching the dope heads heading home from the 'cafe' was always amusing!
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I know, I know, my town in the South-West had a lot of drug-traffic too years ago. They had to close a coffee shop as things got out of control, there was a continuous stream of Belgian and French drug-tourists. But things have quiet down now, don't hear much about that. Rumours are that the fantastic indoor Ski-dome in my town was financed with drugs money 
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RickZeeland wrote: my town in the South-West
Vlissinghem?
(I think thats how its spelt) Has one of the best meals in my life there.
A friend of mine lived in Ejsden, right next door to Vise. They wanted to put a massive 'coffe shop' there, to keep the drug tourists out of Maastricht, the locals just burnt it down every time they started building it.
RickZeeland wrote: Ski-dome in my town was financed with drugs money
Probably a rumour, there is one in Vlanderen, forget te name of the town, and one near Thionville too, and they dont sell drugs.
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Vlissingen: close but not quite, it's Terneuzen.
Too bad the Ski-domes in Belgium and France don't sell drugs, would make life more bearable for the people living on the Dutch border, coffee anyone ? ![Java | [Coffee]](https://codeproject.global.ssl.fastly.net/script/Forums/Images/coffee.gif)
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that count: Counting little things.[^]
| Ravings en masse^ |
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| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you are seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
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[I only read the title] That's the way nature is reacting to planet overpopulation.
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It could just be someone hoarding them* - hoping they'll increase in value.
* Don't you go pokin' 'round in my fridge
| Ravings en masse^ |
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| "The difference between genius and stupidity is that genius has its limits." - Albert Einstein | | "If you are searching for perfection in others, then you seek disappointment. If you are seek perfection in yourself, then you will find failure." - Balboos HaGadol Mar 2010 |
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W∴ Balboos wrote: * Don't you go pokin' 'round in my fridge
...must...not...comment...
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No, our village shaman is certain that we have angered our ancestors and some other spirits.
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