OOTS #1263 - The Discussion Thread

[dancrilis]

We used to be.
We used... to be... good at... *crying in old italian*

You didn't lose a game between the 11th of September 2018 and 5th of October 2021 (inclusive), more then three years without a loss is pretty decent and it wasn't like they were nothing games.

[hroþila]

If you are serious at this, let this italian person say that most of the time italians on the internet get triggered by food discussion for comedic purpose. Or, to say it briefly, we italians like to play the "mama mia, imma an italian!" card.
Personally I don't really care if you put pineapple on a pizza. I don't like, but I like barbecued pineapple on meat.
I assumed that "Godfather's theme song intensified" was a giveaway about humorness. I'll work a more heavyhanded punchline next time.

Oh don't worry, it's not that I took your post seriously, it was more commentary on the broader Italian cuisine internet scene (incidentally, no, it's not just Italians - Spanish Twitter is every bit as bad).

[Peelee]

So, an even bigger exclusion zone around houses? Because people can throw their TVs further?

Nah, they're footballers. Throwing has never really improved much.

You didn't lose a game between the 11th of September 2018 and 5th of October 2021 (inclusive), more then three years without a loss is pretty decent and it wasn't like they were nothing games.

The Italians are famously good at soccer. Arguably second only to Brazilians.

[dancrilis]

The Italians are famously good at soccer. Arguably second only to Brazilians.

Currently ranked 7th - but they have had a bit of a poor year so far.

[brian 333]

Fillet a fish, leave skin on.

Put the bones in a small stock pot and boil with a cup of water for five minutes then set aside.

While the bones are boiling, brown some onion slices in butter (if you can tolerate the fat) or olive oil in a saucepan large enough for the fillets.

While the onions are browning, pat dry, salt, and pepper your fish.

When the onions have browned, scrape them into a gravy boat, add oil or butter as needed, get pan hot, and set fillets, skin side down on the pan with thin parts to the cooler edges of the pan. Cook no more than three minutes, or until fish can be easily moved with a spatula.
Gently, using two spatulas, flip fillets and toast top for no more than one minute.
Optionally, toss two springs of dill weed in the pan.

Remove the fish and place skin side down on platter and place in cool toaster oven or microwave for them to finish with dill on top of used.

Return the pan to the fire with two to four cloves of minced garlic, and when it begins to heat, toss a small spoonful of flour to absorb the remaining oil and stir constantly for no less than a minute. Gently add by spoonfuls some of the fish stock made from the bones. The stock should steam as it hits the pan, and this will loosen up the brown stuff on the bottom of the pan. Stir that brown stuff into the stock, which should begin to make a gravy. Remember the onions? They go back in here.

Slowly add heavy cream or half and half to double the volume in the pan, (half fish stock, half half and half,) and gently warm. You don't boil the milk!

When milk is warm but not simmering, grate about 1/8 the volume of the gravy of parmesan cheese into the pan and stir until the cheese disappears. Put this sauce into the gravy boat.

Plate the fillets skin side down with grilled or broiled asparagus, green beans, broccoli, or cauliflower. Drizzle the gravy over both to marry the fish and vegetables, being sure to spoon out some of the carmelized onions, and enjoy with a friend.

Wine enthusiasts will say drink white, but try this bold dish with a California Red Blend.

Note: do not allow your guest to eat the cream sauce like soup. That stuff has like a million calories and enough cholesterol to give an elephant clogged arteries. Try a drizzle on omlettes or scrambled eggs the next morning or as a dip for toast points, but the real trick is to make no more than a cup of sauce so you don't have all that much left over. It is hard.

A note on seasoning: the salt and pepper on the fillets should be enough for the whole dish: you are merging subtle flavors. If you taste the sauce before removing the pan you may want to season it there, but a better option is to season the vegetables and allow the fish and sauce to stand up on its own.
Some like lemon or lime with fish, and this dish does well with a wedge of citrus as garnish. If you really want citrus, try a spoonful of zest added with the onions. Be careful to avoid pith, and do not directly add lemon juice to a cream sauce. (Or do it once, just for fun, on a night you want to fool around and see what happens.)

[Peelee]

Currently ranked 7th - but they have had a bit of a poor year so far.

I'm sorry, I thought that since you talked about the last few years, we were discussing overall performance, not solely this year.

[Faldrath]

You didn't lose a game between the 11th of September 2018 and 5th of October 2021 (inclusive), more then three years without a loss is pretty decent and it wasn't like they were nothing games.

They didn't qualify for this year's WC, which pretty much overshadows anything they've achieved in the past 4 years.

[dancrilis]

I'm sorry, I thought that since you talked about the last few years, we were discussing overall performance, not solely this year.

Bit of both - over the few years before this one they were in top form, solid arguement I would say for being the top team on the planet, this year not so much - which might have been what Laurentio III was referring to with saying that they used to be.

[Riftwolf]

Minerals? In food? Preposterous!

Abby from Stardew Valley disagrees.

[Laurentio III]

Bit of both - over the few years before this one they were in top form, solid arguement I would say for being the top team on the planet, this year not so much - which might have been what Laurentio III was referring to with saying that they used to be.

Well, to be honest I don't follow soccer. I don't even have a favourite soccer team, a thing that sometimes makes conversations ackward.
"From which soccer teams are you?" * yes this makes sense in Italy
"I don't follow soccer."
"Okay, but which team?"

Anyway, "we were good at sports" means something different for a relatively old guy like me (47 yo). We were strong at fencing, in horse riding competitions (hey, we beated Buffalo Bill in a marking of calves contest!), archery, and several athletic sports.
This was in a time when sports other than soccer were considered in Italy.
We lost lot of ground, and it's not regarded as important by most italians. At the same time, we are very vocal about the fact we should win, because you know, ancient Rome was the most powerful empire in the world, so... you all people own it to us.
Yes, it's real. Being italian is crazy. Mostly, it's not even about winning. Is most about everyone else losing. It is different.

Okay, thanks for listening, now I'm going to have a little pisolino (siesta) under a tree, lulled by the song of cicadas.

[danielxcutter]

Hey!! That's spanish!!

Eh, it’s all Greek to me.

[Larsaan]

Out of curiosity, how do italians feel about lemon juice on pasta aglio e olio?

[KorvinStarmast]

*"The Godfather"'s theme music intensifies*

Yes, salt in the water.

Northern Italians can't even agree with southern Italians about what "food" is, having them agree on a specific recipe?

In the North, they use butter. In the south, they use olive oil. (Told to me by a Genoese native when discussing the cuisine around Naples).
Less beef in the south than up north, more fish, though, particularly in Campania. (That spelling looks wrong. For some reason, I remember it being spelled with a "g" in Italian).

Because people can throw their TVs further?

On New Years Eve, they often go flying out of the windows.

This was in a time when sports other than soccer were considered in Italy.

Don't they also play basketball? I think Kobe Bryant's dad played professionally there, and that's where Kobe fell in love with Nutella, which he later endorsed.

Being Italian is crazy.

Asterix and Obelix certainly felt that way about Romans. pazza

now I'm going to have a little pisolino (siesta) under a tree, lulled by the song of cicadas.

Riposo? Or is that a regional thing?

[Peelee]

Yes, salt in the water.
In the North, they use butter. In the south, they use olive oil. (Told to me by a Genoese native when discussing the cuisine around Naples).
Less beef in the south than up north, more fish, though, particularly in Campania. (That spelling looks wrong. For some reason, I remember it being spelled with a "g" in Italian).

That was mostly a joke about South Tyrol (Italian) based on me being ethnically Tyrolian (Austrian).

Don't they also play basketball?

I know basketball is very popular in Austria. At least, as of, 20 years ago among the people I knew.

Asterix and Obelix certainly felt that way about Romans. pazza

I will always appreciate an Asterix and Obelix reference!

[Laurentio III]

Out of curiosity, how do italians feel about lemon juice on pasta aglio e olio?

... never heard of. I'll give a try.

Yes, salt in the water.
[...] Campania. (That spelling looks wrong. For some reason, I remember it being spelled with a "g" in Italian).

Different things. Campania is an italian region. Campagna means "countryside".

Riposo? Or is that a regional thing?

Yes. It varies from region to region (or from city to city), so you can have a siesta, a riposino, a pennichella, a sonnellino, and so on. It's a pomeridian brief sleep.

[KorvinStarmast]

Different things. Campania is an italian region. Campagna means "countryside".

Makes sense. Grazie Mille.

Yes. It varies from region to region (or from city to city), so you can have a siesta, a riposino, a pennichella, a sonnellino, and so on. It's a pomeridian brief sleep.

Reminds me of the old power nap ...

[pearl jam]

My great grandparents on both grandmothers' sides immigrated to the States from Italy. {scrubbed} So a lot of Italian cooking at family gatherings on both sides. lol

[Ruck]

My great grandparents on both grandmothers' sides immigrated to the States from Italy. {scrub the post, scrub the quote}. So a lot of Italian cooking at family gatherings on both sides. lol

My great-grandfather on my dad's side also immigrated from Sicily. My mom's side has some northern Italian but is more heavily Spanish with some French as well and they've been in the States much longer.

[pearl jam]

Yeah, I'm not sure about one of my great grandmothers, but the other 7 great grandparents all immigrated to the States between WW1 and WW2. I think my grandparents may have all been born in the States, but perhaps some of them made the trip as children.

[Laurentio III]

Yeah, I'm not sure about one of my great grandmothers, but the other 7 great grandparents all immigrated to the States between WW1 and WW2. I think my grandparents may have all been born in the States, but perhaps some of them made the trip as children.

And you live in Tokyo.
Sir, my respect. You are trully a man of this world.

[pearl jam]

Funnily enough, I'm the only one in my family (not including my wife or daughter) who's never been to Europe. My dad and sister have both been to Africa, which I also have not. On the other hand, I'm the only one in my family who's been to Australia. lol None of us have been to Central or South America (or Antarctica!) , as far as I recall.

[F.Harr]

Redcloak's really fed up.