I agree %100. I am always baffled at the one mind mentality of living with people that all think, cook, act, pollute, all the same! Often I ask if they like something new to them like, real cheese, green tea, palm sugar, olive oil, seaweed, olives, soy sauce, etc. and they tell me they don't like it! Then I ask, have they tried it and they no, so I say, if you haven't tried it, how do you know you don't like it. I get that blank look also!They have exactly the same fresh ingredients as many superlative dining meccas - Mexico, Vietnam, Thailand, India and Sri Lanka but manage to feck it up completely. And when you mention to locals they could actually spice their grub differently than every other cook in the country they are completely mystified as to your meaning. Don't get me started on the "Left Overs" Muslim warungs where that stuff has been sitting in the window until even the flys don't want it.
Good on ya Mate! My friend had never tried Tomato juice. While I was making a Bloody Mary, he asked for a taste. He was blown away, and said he liked it. I will try your approach of offering a spoonful to see their reaction. Once My friend in Padang Bai saw me using some capers. I gave him one to try, and he almost died! He couldn't believe, I could like something fermented! Oh well, I thought it was funny to see his reaction!Up front, I love to cook and I love eating even more. I cooked for the fam back in Europe and the US so it aint a stretch to carry on doing it here, which I do with passion and hunger - when I can find the ingredients.
My staff (had for 15 years) started off saying "no, thanks" to my offers to try Bule grub and when asked they "didn't like xxxxxx (whatever it was)" as mentioned above. So I started out with small tastes from a spoon and just like small children (that we all are really) they got more and more interested in a culinary world outside their own.
Now when I'm cooking I get those meaningful side-long glances and comments like "smells good" and
"what you cooking". Fact is they now eat everything and even bring my grub home to share with their fam at home.
that's cause there's nothing sour in their cuisine - no pickles, sauer kraut, lemonade, vinegar on salad, nothing.Good on ya Mate! My friend had never tried Tomato juice. While I was making a Bloody Mary, he asked for a taste. He was blown away, and said he liked it. I will try your approach of offering a spoonful to see their reaction. Once My friend in Padang Bai saw me using some capers. I gave him one to try, and he almost died! He couldn't believe, I could like something fermented! Oh well, I thought it was funny to see his reaction!
That's too bad. Because Kimchi, and Sauerkraut are delicious and good for your stomach! And cabbage is easy to grow, and abundant. Plus they don't need refrigeration. Also I love good cheese, yoghurt, keifer, but the only cheese here, is the horrible yellow goo that comes in a squeeze tube! And the only milk, or cream comes in a can with so much sugar, it is like glue.that's cause there's nothing sour in their cuisine - no pickles, sauer kraut, lemonade, vinegar on salad, nothing.
Any of the large supermarkets like Grand Lucky or large Pepito sell a good variety of cheeses. Expensive but the Green Valley mozarella is about 230,000Rph for 2 kilos.That's too bad. Because Kimchi, and Sauerkraut are delicious and good for your stomach! And cabbage is easy to grow, and abundant. Plus they don't need refrigeration. Also I love good cheese, yoghurt, keifer, but the only cheese here, is the horrible yellow goo that comes in a squeeze tube! And the only milk, or cream comes in a can with so much sugar, it is like glue.
I wish they would use more coconut milk and cream, like Thailand, with their delicious curries!
Thanks Harry. I went the Grand Lucky, 2 weeks ago. I was blown away how much inventory they had. I stocked up on lots of supplies for a long while. I saw the delicious looking steaks, and cheeses, but was amazed how expensive they were! I can't afford to spend 1,000,000RP, on one steak, or a piece of nice cheese. Someone is making a fortune asking these insane prices. Australia is not that far away in these modern times. I did buy some nice steak and cheese, but more to my budget. Two days ago I went to the Bintang supermarket in Ubud, and bought a lot of goods there. They have a good variety of foods also. The traffic was unbelievably horrible. Way too many online taxis, and Grab, and Gojek drivers too. It took 1 hour to go down main street. I saw this coming 30 years ago, but didn't think of so many SUV's. Back then, it was just Bemo's and Jimny's. But as it seems everyone had 2or 3 kids, that are now grown up, and they all have motorbikes or cars. Now they are going to have the same amount of kids, and the cycle continues. Most of the tourists there were walking. It's hard to recognize the Ubud of Old.Any of the large supermarkets like Grand Lucky or large Pepito sell a good variety of cheeses. Expensive but the Green Valley mozarella is about 230,000Rph for 2 kilos.
If you have a fridge the mozarella keeps well. The important thing is not to put your hands on the main block as this will soon result in bacteria and mould. I cut the top of the plastic around the cheese and peel back enough to be able to cut off an inch or so across the block and then put this in a separate small plastic bag for day to day use. And again being careful to hold the cheese with the plastic bag and not touch it with my fingers. The main block completely covered will store in a fridge for quite a long time. Two kilos of Green Valley Mozarella for Rph 230,000 is economical. But then if the shop has a special cheese area you can get them to cut 100 or 200 grams and you are not paying extra. I used to buy the smaller packets and then watched as the shop attendant carefully put on a plastic glove. He used the gloved hand to cut with the knife and the bare hand to handle the naked cheese.T
Thanks Harry. I went the Grand Lucky, 2 weeks ago. I was blown away how much inventory they had. I stocked up on lots of supplies for a long while. I saw the delicious looking steaks, and cheeses, but was amazed how expensive they were! I can't afford to spend 1,000,000RP, on one steak, or a piece of nice cheese. Someone is making a fortune asking these insane prices. Australia is not that far away in these modern times. I did buy some nice steak and cheese, but more to my budget. Two days ago I went to the Bintang supermarket in Ubud, and bought a lot of goods there. They have a good variety of foods also. The traffic was unbelievably horrible. Way too many online taxis, and Grab, and Gojek drivers too. It took 1 hour to go down main street. I saw this coming 30 years ago, but didn't think of so many SUV's. Back then, it was just Bemo's and Jimny's. But as it seems everyone had 2or 3 kids, that are now grown up, and they all have motorbikes or cars. Now they are going to have the same amount of kids, and the cycle continues. Most of the tourists there were walking. It's hard to recognize the Ubud of Old.
But as you said, due to the influx of tourists, the supermarkets have improved their inventory greatly.
The driver's now are getting more and more expensive, so that limits how many times I can go shopping.
2 kilo's of cheese is far to much for me.
Hmm... lot's of opinions... but no cooking blogsHi All,
I'm seeking your best tips for food blogs explaining Indonesian food - and providing all the great recipes.
I.e. how to immerse oneself into Indonesian food.
Any and all tips will be greatly appreciated.
start one?Hmm... lot's of opinions... but no cooking blogs