Difference between Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food?

[linguafood (Natascha)]

Feel free to search for an extensive exchange about the difference between spices and spice/heat somewhere on this board. I believe it was in '22 or '23.

Bc I absolutely do not care to revisit it. Have fun!

[gaffk]

Seems like this conversation is getting a bit spicy (and not in the food sense)

[linguafood (Natascha)]

ICWYDT

[Phoenikia]

Waiter, there’s too much pepper in my paprikash

When Harry Met Sally

[gaffk]

I’m probably one of the few people who have never seen that movie.

[Phoenikia]

From this https://www.indianarrative.com/culture-news/from-latin-america-to-india-the-not-so-humble-tomatoes-have-been-globetrotters-148783.html

[linguafood (Natascha)]

Oh, you must! It’s really a classic — and not just for the scene at Katz’s (one of its weaker moments, IYAM).

[Phoenikia]

Hahahahaha
Who pissed in your cornflakes today?

[Harters (John Hartley - a culinary patriot, cooking and eating in northwest England)]

@Phoenikia

all middle-aged people

Too kind.

[Harters (John Hartley - a culinary patriot, cooking and eating in northwest England)]

@gaffk

I’m probably one of the few people who have never seen that movie.

I’m possibly one of the few people on this forum to have almost sat at that table in Katz’s from the movie. We were two tables away as I recall.

[linguafood (Natascha)]

They have it marked

[gaffk]

I’ve been to Katz’s, but was blissfully unaware of my table’s location.

[Phoenikia]

I’ve seen the movie a dozen times, walked past Katz’s a few dozen times, and have yet to eat at Katz’s.

[gaffk]

It’s a NYC experience . . . like going to the Empire State Building (the setting for much more classic movie scenes

[Saregama]

Did you watch Shogun? I didn’t know Portuguese (Catholic) priests were in Japan that early.

[Phoenikia]

I realize it’s a classic NYC experience.

I lived in NYC for a year. I visit the Lower East Side on most visits back to NYC. I was more focused on other foods when I lived there. I’ve never been that keen on deli meats. During the year I was in NYC, I visited Mendy’s once, because a cousin wanted a deli sandwich and we were nearby. I visited the Carnegie Deli with another cousin shortly before it closed. I’ve been to Sarge’s 3 times in the past 15 years. I order blintzes, not a sandwich.

I used to go to the Ludlow Bar just south of Katz’s, and I remember buying a stromboli rolled pizza dough type thing from the pizza spot that was located across the street, on the west corner , in the late 1990s.

[Saregama]

ICYMI

57 Sandwiches That Define New York City

Don’t go for the pastrami - huge disappointment

[Phoenikia]

Poor Katz’s. All this negative press.

Now I’m wondering where I can get a nice Bastirma sandwich.

[Harters (John Hartley - a culinary patriot, cooking and eating in northwest England)]

@Phoenikia

I visited the Carnegie Deli with another cousin shortly before it closed.

Been there as well as Katz. And The Stage. It’s the inner greed in me - we just don’t have those enormous over-stuffed sandwiches in Europe, so it’s a tourist treat.

As I recall , Katz was on the Lower East Side food walking tour devised by fellow Onion, RGR (Roz), which was great fun. And also appealed to the inner greed.

[linguafood (Natascha)]

@Harters

enormous over-stuffed sandwiches in Europe

I’m clearly in a precious minority that doesn’t care for a softball-sized pound of meat centered in the middle of two mediocre pieces of bread. I’d rather make 3 separate ones with that same amount and properly cover the entirety of the bread slices with the layers. Might even throw a pickle in there