Perception....

I love this forum.

But one of the things that really bothers me lately... there seem to be lot of posts that have to do with how a some sort of food (Pizza,Cajun,hot dogs or whatever) that you remember from where the particular person came from geographically, that some business is serving with the best intentions, doesn't quite measure up to what is perceived to be authentic.

Come on folks... This is Louisville...We have a lot to be proud of without having to measure up to a real New York Pizza, Chicago Sausage or Sonoran Burrito....

Maybe it's just me... but I'm getting tired of people whining about how some particular dish doesn't measure up to what they serve from where it is you came from....

If you don't like the food here then move back to where ever it is you came from so you can have it every day!

I feel that this city has a long tradition of culinary excellence with it's own idiocincracies....

Just try to get a Benedictine sandwich in Dallas,TX...Or a Hot Brown in San Fransisco and see what you get on your plate...

Dan,
I think is the comfort factor people are looking for when they are looking for something authentic from their hometown area. In most cases it's not like they don't like Louisville Food because many of the ones looking for something "special" are ones that post here regularly about how good some local restaurants are. As you well know everybody has certain foods that are "comfort foods" to them, normally something from their childhood and for their childhood wasn't in Louisville.

You will notice that it seems this type of request has become more common recently during the hard economic times we have been experiencing. Again this helps enforce the idea that people won't even something to comfort their self.

I know personally there are a couple of foods from my childhood that I like occasionally. I grew up in Rochester New York but wouldn't give up what I've got here to move back there. I'd just like an occasional "white hot" for Genesee Cream Ale (beer)!

Dan, I bet there are a bunch of wives out there that heard something similar from their husbands just after they were married. (" But it's not like what Mom used to make! Mom made it different.")
I agree with Mark. It's just a comfort zone perception.

Dan, I couldn't agree more. I think what makes something special is not being able to get it everywhere, if a person can get an exact replication of ny pizza, chicago pizza or a hot brown anywhere it makes it less special. I had a hotbrown not too long ago here in Virginia and I nitpicked the hell out of it but it was fine it just wasn't "The Brown Hotel Hotbrown" and that is just fine with me.

Maybe it's just me... but I'm getting tired of people whining about how some particular dish doesn't measure up to what they serve from where it is you came from....

Just try to get a Benedictine sandwich in Dallas,TX...Or a Hot Brown in San Fransisco and see what you get on your plate...

Are you whining about the perceived quality of a Benedictine sandwich in other locations?

I had a hotbrown not too long ago here in Virginia and I nitpicked the hell out of it but it was fine it just wasn't "The Brown Hotel Hotbrown" and that is just fine with me.

Are you saying its OK to nitpick a dish thats not served the way it is back home,just not OK to do the nitpicking on a public internet forum?

When someone posts a question that directly relates to the authenticity of a particular dish, I dont see how its out of line to discuss this on a forum that has a focus on food and restaurants. When somebody makes a claim that they are serving NY style pizza it would seem to open them up for comparison to NY pizza. Recently someone asked about the availability of Chicago style thin crust pizza in Louisville. I didnt see it as whining when I responded. I lived here for over seven years and have tried many of the pizzas in the area and found nobody that comes close to that style of pizza. Yes its an opinion,but isn't that what were here for. Isn' that what the poster had asked for,somebodies opinion? I didnt see any Louisville bashing,did either of you? Perhaps I am misinterpreting the intent of your posts, but it comes across as bit over defensive. Plus I think you were out of line with the " go back home if you dont like it" bit.

[Robin Garr]

Dan, I hear what you're saying in a way, but I also agree with John. We talk about food here. And if a restaurant presents itself as ethnic or claims authenticity for a particular dish, then I think it opens itself up to fair judgment and criticism by foodies. Discussing food is what we do here, and there's nothing whining about that.

If you read the last few words of my post I also say that is just fine with me, I don't want to get the exact same food everywhere, that is what makes "home" special. Just one man's perception you are more than welcome to complain all ya want.

Dan -

Everyone has thier buttons pushed occasionly; topics or thoughts that we do not agree with or simply get on our nerves, but this site is ALL about people's opinions. When a topic is brought up, others will chime in with like minded thoughts. If you don't agree, a simple comment to that effect would suffice or you can just let it go and check back in a day or two. The topic will likely have moved on to something else.

Hang on, everybody - I think I know what happened here. Dan just came home after a night of revelry and got mad because we really can't get Provel cheese here! I know it ticked me off. Like waving a red flag in front of a bull, that was.

Hang on, everybody - I think I know what happened here. Dan just came home after a night of revelry and got mad because we really can't get Provel cheese here! I know it ticked me off. Like waving a red flag in front of a bull, that was.

And, not just Provel cheese....Provel cheese in rope form. The only time I've ever found it in a grocery, was in a St. Louis Dierberg's. And, it was in ropes.

I didn't mean to ruffle anyones feathers.... When I lived in New England I loved whole belly clams and lobster rolls(they even had them at McDonald's up there). It would be great if someone offered them here locally. But to me, I would compare them to what I've experienced on the Maine coast but I don't think that I would argue that they "aren't as good as" those...It is a whole different experience completely. I think a lot of what we eat in our minds has to do with where we ate it. Can your really enjoy that slice of NY pie walking down Bardstown Rd. as much as walking through the Village? Do they even compare? That was the point I was trying (poorly) to make.

I think the recent slew of people asking where they can find a certain 'authentic' dish in Louisville speaks very strongly for the diversity of our offerings here. People who ask questions like that wouldn't do so if they didn't believe that their craving could be satisfied somewhere in Louisville. While nothing is ever quite as good as 'mom used to make', Louisville does offer a wide range of dishes to satisfy most palates.

Ahh, yummy provel cheese from good ole' St. Louis - available in rope or slices from Schnucks, Dierbergs, and Straubs, for sure. I always bring some back when I go over there, or beg people who come here to visit to bring some on ice. I'd never heard of it until I moved to St. Louis, and really don't think it's available outside the general area (except in Columbia, MO - they have a Schnucks there!)

Anybody else ever found it anywhere else outside of STL? It really does make a pizza or salad delish! Although I think cheese purists might gag!

There's a Schnuck's in Newburgh, Indiana. Maybe they have it, and that's only 90 miles away. Our oldest son lives there; when I go again, I'll check.

Thanks, Nancy! I'll keep my fingers crossed!