WHY YES, A SECOND POST ABOUT FOOD
Why another post about food? Because it's important! Also, now that I am a proper Faculty Wife, food is a major part of my Domestic Sphere. So what's up on the food front?
On an expected, but still sad note, Mexican food has not really made it to Geneva (or I would guess most of Switzerland), although we have seen one Mexican restaurant here: Le Chat Rouge. We walked by this place, but given that it is priced in line with most Genevois restaurants (i.e. a main dish at dinner time will run you close to 30 CHF or $29.55 USD, and this is just at "normal" restaurants, not the nicer ones), we are waiting to see if we can find any good reviews of it before gambling that much cash.
Given that restaurants in Geneva are generally so expensive, what are the alternatives, when all you have are two burners and a refrigerator? Well, you could try making Mexican at home, with the "wide variety" of products available at the local supermarket:
Oh Pancho Villa, we need you to start a food revolution here
However, I think we will wait until our stock of canned black beans, masa (corn flour) and salsa arrives from the US (this will clearly be after we find an apartment, as our belongings can't clear customs until we have a permanent address, but that is another story. . .) to try out the homemade Mexican. We have resorted to what I have started calling the "Genevois Burrito" which is actually shawarma (pick your spelling) or kebab. A good hearty kebab wrap will only run you 7 CHF, and fill you up with deliciousness, in lamb, beef or chicken. Thank you Middle Eastern immigrants for making Geneva more livable!
Another option we have tried has been the pre-prepared meals (not quite MREs, but similar!) of both East Asian and Indian varieties. Some of have been pretty good, some OK, and last night's Indian experiment. . . not so good. Palak Paneer with "mildly spicy sauce" was full of red chiles and almost too hot for Emily, let alone me, as was the "mildly spicy" other dish, which was full of chile oil. The real problem, though, was that they both had very strange flavors, and in both cases not very pleasant flavors. We managed to eat most of them between us, with a lot of water and bread and wine to try and stop the flames in my mouth, but we have vowed to stay away from that brand in the future.
More successful are basic dishes like pasta (with a marinara sauce or a lovely pesto) and salad (with olives and tuna on top), although your choice of salad dressings is balsamic vinagrette or French. That's it. Everywhere. I do quite enjoy the fact that in Swiss-German, salad dressing is called "Salatsauce". It's the little things that amuse.
So to those of you living the dream in major metro areas of the US, I say "enjoy your delicious Mexican food, and think of us when you do." Our next trip home at Christmas time is likely to include traditional holiday dishes like enchiladas, tamales, and anything with carnitas or chile verde.
On an expected, but still sad note, Mexican food has not really made it to Geneva (or I would guess most of Switzerland), although we have seen one Mexican restaurant here: Le Chat Rouge. We walked by this place, but given that it is priced in line with most Genevois restaurants (i.e. a main dish at dinner time will run you close to 30 CHF or $29.55 USD, and this is just at "normal" restaurants, not the nicer ones), we are waiting to see if we can find any good reviews of it before gambling that much cash.
Given that restaurants in Geneva are generally so expensive, what are the alternatives, when all you have are two burners and a refrigerator? Well, you could try making Mexican at home, with the "wide variety" of products available at the local supermarket:
Oh Pancho Villa, we need you to start a food revolution hereHowever, I think we will wait until our stock of canned black beans, masa (corn flour) and salsa arrives from the US (this will clearly be after we find an apartment, as our belongings can't clear customs until we have a permanent address, but that is another story. . .) to try out the homemade Mexican. We have resorted to what I have started calling the "Genevois Burrito" which is actually shawarma (pick your spelling) or kebab. A good hearty kebab wrap will only run you 7 CHF, and fill you up with deliciousness, in lamb, beef or chicken. Thank you Middle Eastern immigrants for making Geneva more livable!
Another option we have tried has been the pre-prepared meals (not quite MREs, but similar!) of both East Asian and Indian varieties. Some of have been pretty good, some OK, and last night's Indian experiment. . . not so good. Palak Paneer with "mildly spicy sauce" was full of red chiles and almost too hot for Emily, let alone me, as was the "mildly spicy" other dish, which was full of chile oil. The real problem, though, was that they both had very strange flavors, and in both cases not very pleasant flavors. We managed to eat most of them between us, with a lot of water and bread and wine to try and stop the flames in my mouth, but we have vowed to stay away from that brand in the future.
More successful are basic dishes like pasta (with a marinara sauce or a lovely pesto) and salad (with olives and tuna on top), although your choice of salad dressings is balsamic vinagrette or French. That's it. Everywhere. I do quite enjoy the fact that in Swiss-German, salad dressing is called "Salatsauce". It's the little things that amuse.
So to those of you living the dream in major metro areas of the US, I say "enjoy your delicious Mexican food, and think of us when you do." Our next trip home at Christmas time is likely to include traditional holiday dishes like enchiladas, tamales, and anything with carnitas or chile verde.
posted by biglou at 6:05 PM
4 Comments:
Ah, the challenges of getting some home cooking abroad. When I first came to live in Japan, in this semi-rural area, it was a REAL challenge. Now it's not so hard, though oatmeal is 1 yen per gram (about 1.2 US cents per gram) and whole chickens or turkeys have to be special ordered from Kobe. I'm sure, gradually, you find (be told about by colleagues?) sources of lots of good and familiar foods. Also, remember to check out internet ordering possibilities.
If you want to feel comparatively blessed with home cooking supplies, consider my Japanese friend Miho, who's living in a village in Ireland!
Louis:food as Lia:poop
Love you guys and will think of you when we have just-north-of-ok-Mexican food here. Actually, we have fantastic tamales, but we haven't found truly great enchiladas yet. Crossing my fingers for an apartment . . .
Uh, for the record, I mean to say that you talk about food in your blog the way I talk about poop in my blog. Or at least as frequently. It's not that I eat poop. Ok, signing off now . . .
So, can you say mole, posole, and New Mexican style turkey for the holidays.
Much love, and still sending positive thoughts on the apt. front.
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