Persistent culinary myths

Qualitymark

Mellor wrote: »

That's absolutely correct. But I'd hazard a guess that a lot of the time when people (in ireland) say they are making sheppards pie for dinner, they use beef mince. In that they are making cottage pie but calling if Shepards pie.

True; shepherd's pie is pie because it's made from the herd's own sheep. But we're not all experts. I recently asked for porter - meaning Guinness or one of the other forms - in a pub and got a lecture about how Guinness was stout, not porter.

Bored_lad

StonyIron wrote: »

That's because eggs are all generally very tightly managed.

European vs American ideas on egg washing are very different.

American eggs are white because they wash off the egg with disinfecting solutions ASAP. This removes the cuticle which gives the egg its colour. It also opens up the pores and allows bacteria in.
It's required by law there though.

Meanwhile in the EU it's the opposite. They prefer the eggs left unwashed as it seals out bacteria with a bio active, live cuticle. Bear in mind eggs can survive this way in a nest...

The EU has significantly less food poisoning per capita due to eggs.

Not food safety advice, just an observation of a "cultural" difference.

Eggs in the US are white because they are laid by breeds of chickens that lay white eggs. You can also purchase brown eggs in the US however they are usually more expensive as they are seen by some as better or a luxury. However there is no taste differnce between white and brown eggs.

duploelabs

The only difference between red and white cheddar is food dye

the beer revolu

duploelabs wrote: »

The only difference between red and white cheddar is food dye

Thats a myth??
I thought that was true - annatto being the colouring.

the beer revolu

Qualitymark wrote: »

. I recently asked for porter - meaning Guinness or one of the other forms - in a pub and got a lecture about how Guinness was stout, not porter.

No doubt the lecture was from someone who didn't have a clue, just like the overwhelming majority of bar staff.

Qualitymark

the beer revolu wrote: »

No doubt the lecture was from someone who didn't have a clue, just like the overwhelming majority of bar staff.

Looks like it https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Porter_(beer)

rubadub

Subcomandante Marcos wrote: »

Shepard's pie doesn't have a lamb/beef issue.

Shepard's Pie is made with minced or shredded Lamb or mutton.

Cottage Pie is made with beef.

There certainly is a similar issue, have you honestly never heard of people making a dish with beef and calling it sheperd's pie? I thought it was pretty well known, and some people get all upset about it. There have been several threads about it, I am guessing you know full well already and are not as ignorant as you like to make out.

And just like the carbonara, irish stew and paella "issues" I have similarly never heard anybody claim that authentic sheperd's pie contains beef mince and not lamb. So I would similarly not consider it a myth that it contains beef mince.

these are 3 mixes I found in tesco online, 2 actually make no mention of lamb, that is how prevalent it is.
http://www.tesco.ie/groceries/Product/Details/?id=252876366

Erin Shepherds Pie Mix

Usage

Transform lean minced beef & vegetables into a delicious Shepherd's Pie. Always a firm Irish favourite, and a great way to get the kids to eat their veggies.

Serving Suggestion

Just add meat and vegetables to make a delicious dinner.

You will need:

450g (1lb) lean minced beef.

1 onion chopped

Schwartz Shepherds Pie Casserole

Usage

For Our Recipe you will need...

1 sachet Schwartz Shepherd's Pie Recipe Mix

450g (1lb) lamb mince....

Hints & Tips.
Also great with lean beef mince.

Knorr Mealmaker Shepherds Pie 37G

Usage

For this recipe you need: 1 tbsp vegetable oil, 1 chopped onion, 75g chopped mushrooms, 450g lean minced beef, 300ml water, 1 tbsp tomato ketchup and 700g mashed potato.

duploelabs wrote: »

There's no way one can make parallels between Irish and Spanish cuisines.

Mellor wrote: »

Why not? Serious question.

Maybe coddle is a better analogue than stew.

+1, I would love to hear his answer.

StonyIron

Bored_lad wrote: »

Eggs in the US are white because they are laid by breeds of chickens that lay white eggs. You can also purchase brown eggs in the US however they are usually more expensive as they are seen by some as better or a luxury. However there is no taste differnce between white and brown eggs.

It's a bit of both. Washing off the cuticle changes the colour perception very dramatically. Even white eggs will look quite different.

Washing eggs in Europe is actually illegal where as not washing them in the US is illegal in commercial circumstances.

There's actually no major difference in flavour between colours of hens eggs' flavour though - unless the chicken is malnourished or on a very weird diet.

They should vary from off white to brown to even a bit green in some breeds.

Qualitymark

StonyIron wrote: »

They should vary from off white to brown to even a bit green in some breeds.

Mine used to lay pale blue (araucana/silkie cross) or pale cream with a hint of peach (cochin) eggs.

Day Lewin

Chipping in a little extra mythology re: Shepherd's Pie.

I've heard two versions:

1. It is a meat pie (made of any meat plus vegetables, minced or chopped etc) that was covered with a thick topping of mashed potato to keep it hot as it was being carried out to shepherds in the field or on a hillside.
The mash being insulation, you see, as well as cheap ballast.

2. Similar: but called "cottage" because it is given a thick thatched roof of...yes, mashed potato!

I do rather wonder whether shepherds traditionally would have eaten their own sheep?
If they did, I'd imagine this "pie" was a way of using up the very last scraps of meat. Shepherding not being a rich man's trade, historically, but rather a poor one.

Also, I think this is very much an English dish: but I could be wrong about that, too.

the beer revolu

katemarch wrote: »

Chipping in a little extra mythology re: Shepherd's Pie.

In our house, shepherd's pie could be made with beef or lamb but always, always leftover roast meat. Never raw minced meat.

If I did a dish with minced beef topped with potato, I'd call it cottage pie.
If I did a dish with leftover roast beef, I'd nervously call it shepherd's pie.
If I did a dish with minced raw lamb, I don't know what I'd call it.
But a dish with leftover roast lamb is definitely shepherd's pie:D

For anyone who hasn't done a pie with minced up roast meat, you should try it - the texture is so much better than with raw mince.

Qualitymark

I'd think of shepherd's pie as an English dish too, and as a use for cheap cuts. And yes, shepherds would eat their own sheep; until modern ultra-specialisation, sheep were generally kept for the sale of both wool and meat, and the occasional sheep would be slaughtered for cottage use.

syklops

I think Im done with this thread.

In our house

That neither proves nor disproves a myth.

We can't even agree on the colour of eggs.

the beer revolu

syklops wrote: »

I think Im done with this thread.



That neither proves nor disproves a myth.

We can't even agree on the colour of eggs.

Chill, sky.
It's a discussion.
I never said it proved anything.

syklops

the beer revolu wrote: »

Chill, sky.
It's a discussion.
I never said it proved anything.

Its syk not sky.

Culinary myths is the discussion. A myth is something which is false. "Thats not how I do it", is not proof of anything.

the beer revolu

syklops wrote: »

Its syk not sky.

Culinary myths is the discussion. A myth is something which is false. "Thats not how I do it", is not proof of anything.

I thought you were done with this thread, sky.

Tarzana2

Qualitymark wrote: »

Mine used to lay pale blue (araucana/silkie cross) or pale cream with a hint of peach (cochin) eggs.

Purdy!

Tarzana2

syklops wrote: »

Its syk not sky.

Culinary myths is the discussion. A myth is something which is false. "Thats not how I do it", is not proof of anything.

Thread need to be called "Persistent culinary myths and pedantry"!

syklops

Tarzana2 wrote: »

Threads need to be called "Persistent culinary myths and pedantry"!

Now Im really done.

Thats all folks.

Tarzana2

syklops wrote: »

Now Im really done.

Huh? I was agreeing with you, you big freak.

syklops

Tarzana2 wrote: »

Huh? I was agreeing with you, you big freak.

Go roger yourself.

Faith

Okay, between the food safety, the bitching and the arguing, this thread has generated far too many warnings and reported posts. It has just turned into a headache at this stage, so I'm closing it.