two preference foods

Ted's red cabbage post brought to mind 2 preference foods. Three come to my mind immediately, Rotkohl(red Cabbage), waffles, and calves or beef liver.

Rotkohl- still a little crisp or long cooked
Waffles- either soft or crispy
Liver-either medium well done or medium rare.

Since the last two are cooked to order I always required my wait staff to ask for the preference.

Can you think of other 2 preference foods?

[Jenise]

Something I often see asked for these days is salad with the dressing on the side because the propensity for restaurants to overdress or dress too early and serve a soggy salad has given customers the need to do. Whether or not servers are at the point of having to ask for a preference, though, I don't know.

Barbeque with sauce served on the side. Too often restaurants will slather day old (or older) ribs with too much sauce to cover up their sins. Also, most commercial sauces are too sweet for my taste and I don't want it all over my meat. I'd rather eat the meat naked or use my own sauce if I order take out.

Also, steak! Don't we all have a preference for how we like the doneness of our meats? As much as I don't care for rare meat, I'd rather it rare than well done. The same with tuna. I believe tuna is ruined when cooked to well done, and all fish is ruined if cooked beyond that "just flakes" stage, unless its something like a Vera Cruzana.

Steak, for sure. I live in a Sprat household... HWMBO wants it well (because he wants chewy texture), and I would like it to "moo" softly when I put a fork in it.

Seems like there are more preferences or choices to make nearly every time I dine out. For certain now, am always asked how I want my steak done and what I'd like on the baked potato, if you want your Caesar with or without anchovies, how spicy the steak tartar should be and what you want included in it.
And preference in salad dressings, how you want your eggs cooked etc.
It's getting so that the extensive Q & A is sounding like an old comedy routine.

My two preferences:
Cold, fresh salad, without any brown spots, and a home made yummy dressing.
Perfectly cooked meat, fowl or seafood, served hot, and very tasty.
The bonus would be an array of perfectly cooked veggies, that I would eat, because they are better or just as good as I make at home!

[Jenise]

In Jewish delicatessens, you often get the choice of 'new' or 'old' pickles. Make mine new.

Oh, no! At least "half" sour and "full" sour is better yet!

The way I'm understand this post, it's about two things you order in restaurants, right? For me that would be things I don't make at home, and I gravitate toward complicated little starter courses, like a perfectly done tuna roll (sushi). I also go for homemade ravioli, especially when made with fresh wild mushrooms. I do make ravioli at home, but very, very rarely.

The way I'm understand this post, it's about two things you order in restaurants, right? For me that would be things I don't make at home, and I gravitate toward complicated little starter courses, like a perfectly done tuna roll (sushi). I also go for homemade ravioli, especially when made with fresh wild mushrooms. I do make ravioli at home, but very, very rarely.

Sorry if I wasn't clear. What I meant was specific food items that people prefer one specific way or the other another. Especially if the not preferred way is one that makes the person so unhappy with their food that they might send it back.

The pickles example was a good one. I know of people who if given a full sour pickle would say it's spoiled because of it's texture. The same person loves half sours.

[quote="GeoCWeyer" What I meant was specific food items that people prefer one specific way or the other another. Especially if the not preferred way is one that makes the person so unhappy with their food that they might send it back..[/quote]
Okay, now I get it. A good example for me would be unripe sliced tomatoes, which is pretty much what you get this time of year in a restaurant, if you order a burger or sandwich that normally comes with tomatoes. I'd rather have a sandwich without those pale imitations of a tomato. I really only like ripe, red, fully flavored tomatoes which you can pretty much only get at farmers' markets in the summer or grow them at home yourself. Another thing I'm picky about in restaurants or anywhere is bread and rolls. I won't eat it if it isn't crisp on the outside and flavorful on the inside. Which pretty much means I don't eat most hamburger buns or sandwich rolls.

I always ask for "No bell (or green) peppers" if I am at an Asian or Indian restaurant.

The 2nd would be how my meat is cooked...squab, duck, leg of lamb, pork chops I like medium (although, at some restaurants I will order it medium rare because they tend to overcook them). Beef, lamb chops, or vension I like medium rare (or sometimes even rare). I don't bother with seared tuna...it needs to be raw. And like Jo Ann, most other fish can only be cooked to the flake stage.

Call me old-fashioned, but I can't enjoy under-done lamb or under-done fish. When ordering tuna or salmon, I always ask the waiter how the chef likes to prepare it, and beg him or her to write down "Well Done" underlined three times. Where the word "seared" appears, at least I know what I am dealing with ... but menus don't always signal the cook's intentions to leave it pink and gelatinous in the middle. The fashion for pink lamb has also passed me by. Well done, please.

Matilda, is your preference for "well" a safety thing, a texture thing, a flavor thing, ...?

With fish, it's about texture. Underdone fish seems gelatinous to me, which I don't like.

With lamb, I enjoy the flavour and texture of well-done lamb much more than when it's pink. I grew up eating well done meat, so maybe that had an influence on my preferences - but that can't be the whole story because the first time I ate rare beef I was converted instantly.

Safety? No, not a safety thing.

!/ A large plate of premium french cheeses, with or without fresh baguettes, and accompanied with the best of suitable french wines.

2/ A large plate of very spicy beef sausages, well done on the outside but extraordinarily succulent on the inside, together with a fine selection of the best mustards and sauces from around the world.Again with a fine selection of great red wines suitable for standing up to this simple food.

Thanks, Matilda. (My partner prefers all fish and meat well-done and it is for the texture.)

Call me old-fashioned, but I can't enjoy under-done lamb or under-done fish. When ordering tuna or salmon, I always ask the waiter how the chef likes to prepare it, and beg him or her to write down "Well Done" underlined three times. Where the word "seared" appears, at least I know what I am dealing with ... but menus don't always signal the cook's intentions to leave it pink and gelatinous in the middle. The fashion for pink lamb has also passed me by. Well done, please.

I'm with you on the fish, unless it's sushi grade tuna. Lamb, I like medium to medium well--just pink, not red.
How about duck breast? I'm sorry, I just cannot eat pink poultry. I've tried it several times and not only is it unappetizing to look at, it doesn't taste good to me. Give me a half slow-roast duck with crispy skin anytime!

I agree: pink-in-the-middle and poultry do not agree. Well done for birds of all feather.