That’s true for the nicer Chinese restaurants around here as well. Usually it’s a warm red or green bean soup, or the cold almond tofu with canned fruit cocktail.
I’m assuming the soups are sweet? I do like red bean ice cream.
Yes! They’re usually served warm, but during summer months, they’re served cold, which is very nice.
I occasionally crave green bean soup, but can’t ever be bothered to make it. I’ve bought the stuff in the can before, but it’s really pretty terrible.
I’m not understanding burger and custard restaurants. Do you put the custard on your burger? Is it like vanilla custard? That you make with milk and eggs? Is this a regional thing in US?
It is a strange combination to specialize in, but it’s true, it’s a thing. All these places specialize in burgers and they specialize in frozen custard (served separately). I’m not sure why.
Custard on the burger? Nonono.
But Culver’s frozen custard is on the same track from what you mention. Not sure the actual recipe, but it’s good stuff. Much richer than your normal ice cream, but so good.
Oh okay, that makes much more sense. But you guys eat grits, on purpose, so I couldn’t be sure…
Thanks
Yeah, frozen custard. Which, I mean, hey, fancy ice cream, whatevs. But a burger n a shake is a classic combo of Americana. These places just do it up 5% fancier with the use of custard rather than normal ice cream or, gasp! soft serve.
(Full disclosure: I love Dairy Queen’s soft serve frozen dessert food product [TM] with my entire heart and soul, even if it is not fancy)
I lived in the South for a few years, where I learned that no one down there eats grits by itself. They always add something. So hot sauce if you want your grits spicy, honey or maple syrup if you want to eat your grits sweet.
I grew up in the South, and grits are just nasty no matter what you do to them.
Hominy sucks too. As does okra. As do collard greens. As do mustard greens. As do black-eyed peas.
Many Southern staples are, or were originally, just poor-people food. Families ate it because otherwise they had no food. That these same awful foods have become traditional Southern foods just speaks to the strength of culture.
Man I am so strongly against this. I grew these in my garden even!
Grits are amazing at their one true purpose: make it easier to cram a bunch of butter and syrup into your mouth.
Grits are just polenta, they’re a great side dish, soak up sauce from your garlicky shrimp or whatever.
Collards are fantastic when made properly, but they are a bit of an acquired taste. You need to be the sort of person that loves to eat long-cooked greens.
And finally frozen custard is fine and all but malteds are the way to go.
Fortune cookies, almond cookies, grits, collard greens… wow Five Guys is really expanding their menu or… oh, yeah this has become a food conversation in general. Heh. You guys often make me smile.
Five Guys is not open yet. It’s on the list though for when it does and people stop being crazy about it.
Your post makes me sad. All of those things are so delicious when prepared right. For each person’s definition of “right.” (e.g., I vastly prefer what Indian cuisine does with okra to what Southerners do with it, but still!)
I think I just gave myself whiplash from nodding in agreement so hard. Malted milkshakes are best milkshakes, FULL STOP
Best okra is actually not indian but chinese-indian. Look up bhindi manchurian, it’s deep-fried with chili, garlic, ginger and onions. Even better with cauliflower.
I didn’t even know chindian was a real thing until a couple years ago. I was obsessed with it for awhile.
Agreed. I’ve had really delicious versions of all these foods. A lot of people also hate livers and onions, which I don’t understand. But then I realized that probably most people don’t have it the way mom makes it with the strong spices and the lemon sprinkled on to give that zing.
I cannot even begin to disagree. Shit is like fucking magic.