Do you need cultural cohesion ?

I made baingan bharta the other night (eggplants from CSA I wanted to use). We had with scallops (with butter, wine, garlic) and purple potatoes with sage. Betsy remarked it seemed strange to serve without rice . I started thinking about how we generally unconsciously just gravitate towards some form of unified menu theory. Did I decide to do Korean style pork because I was making an Asian slaw, or was it the other way around. If doing an Italian-ish pasta dish, side will likely be likely be broccoli rabe (or broccoli with colatura d'alici). When I made bhindi masala suddenly the chicken was tandoori-ish, and basmati rice (instead of our usual Japanese). But really there's no reason that one couldn't do veal marsala with fried rice and Indian okra. Do you mix it up at one meal?

Betsy remarked it seemed strange to serve without rice . I started thinking about how we generally unconsciously just gravitate towards some form of unified menu theory... Do you mix it up at one meal?

I'm not a stickler, but to some extent, yes, some things feel more coherent. I cook a lot of tofu with "Asian" style flavorings, so I'm not dogmatic about 'authenticity' in that respect. But it does feel best eaten with short-grain East Asian rice, or sometimes Asian noodles. I recoil at the idea of combining with Western-style potatoes.

I also never cook these tofu dishes with olive oil, the flavor doesn't seem right. My wife isn't concerned and will cooks hers with olive oil, which always makes me shudder.

Interesting question. I can't see anything inherently wrong with mixing, say, a Thai curry with mashed potatoes, but I don't think I'd do it. Rice just seems right with Asian food. By the same token, jasmine rice with osso buco seems wrong.

I like the sound of rice and osso buco! I also think naan makes a great hot dog bun.

But I'm not dogmatic about it. "Usual and customary" is typically fine.

I like the sound of rice and osso buco! I also think naan makes a great hot dog bun.

But I'm not dogmatic about it. "Usual and customary" is typically fine.

Well. risotto certainly counts as rice, but that creaminess is what I find makes it a good match.

But naan and a hot dog does sound good.

I mix it all up, now, I need to use things up as I am feeding one, most of the time. In years past, I did a lot of Mexican, Portuguese, Indian, Italian, Asian, and more. If you could see my dried spices and herbs, you would be amazed. When I make Mexican food, I usually stick to that, and some Asian, etc. I see no reason not to make mashed cauliflower with an Asian inspired chicken, etc. It is fun to cook, and I am a tweaker and have learned how to make many too-long recipes shorter. For some reason, I am not doing as much rice as I used to, and I have many great recipes. I'm liking Farro, Wild Rice, and ancient grains better. And, as you all know, I am a huge meat-and-potatoes gal.

[Robin Garr]

Very interesting question, Dale! Thinking about it, I share the consensus that seems to be forming: As a general rule, cultural cohesion feels natural, although there are degrees: Is Cincinnati chili really chili even though it has cinnamon in it and is really relabeled Greek spaghetti with meat sauce? Do beans belong in chili if Texans consider it heretical? What ever happened to the fusion cookery trend, anyway? Did it turn into cultural appropriation? Is Wolfgang Puck still around?

On the other hand, yesterday I used a bag of Rancho Gordo pinto beans to make Appalachian soup beans but with Mexican spices and a scoop of Bosnian red-pepper avjar to kick it up a notch ...

Sounds like most people are on the same page- instinctive to plan a meal that's culturally integrated, but not rigid).
I think even when doing "fusion" cooking we tend to adhere to at least one half of the equation.
And yes Wolfgang Puck is still around (as is Jean Georges Vong..(I can't spell it), maybe his closest NYC counterpart
Thanks all for thoughtful responses

YES, beans belong in chili, at least MY chili!

[Robin Garr]

YES, beans belong in chili, at least MY chili!

I'm right there with you on this, Karen!

[Jenise]

A question for you Dale. You mention serving broccoli raab as a side with pasta. Now you know I eat a lot of vegetables and many of my meals consist of only vegetables, BUT, I never serve a vegetable as a side dish with pasta. If I'm having pasta, it's the only thing on the plate--it may contain vegetables, but there's no side because it's not culturally correct to me based on the Italian restaurant cooking I grew up with. And there will always be a salad course.

That said, I'm mostly with the group. My meals plates generally always have a cultural reference or direction that everything chosen will go along with.

As for naan on a hot dog, NO! But yes yes YES to a corn tortilla.

I'm also with the majority view here. I find that I like the various dishes harmonizing to some extent, but I am by no means rigidly dogmatic. I have also found this to be true with restaurant dining. I find that, given the choice, I will take an expertly prepared meal that comes from a distinct cultural perspective over a 10-course tasting menu that showcases the chef's creativity and talent. To quote our friend Mike Tommasi, I prefer cooking with "soul."