Las Vegas guide and MSE thread 2011

Froggitt

ferf1223 wrote: »

Also, brussell sprouts are the devil's food.

:T:T:TCouldnt agree more!!!!

Spursman180

March

ferf1223 wrote: »

So what was on the American Christmas dinner that was really different to the one here? I would imagine some sort of yams or sweet potatoes...maybe the oft served green bean casserole...but apart from that, Christmas dinner varies a lot from region to region and family to family in the US...so other than turkey or ham (or both) and cranberry sauce...and stuffing/dressing...there may be mimimal similarities between one family's Chrstimas dinner and another's.

Also, brussell sprouts are the devil's food.

Yams, sweet potatoes, squash and 'seasonal vegtables' can't do it, whilst mash is ok, not on its own, must have roasties. I'm of an age and an Irish background where there was as much veg on a plate as meat, there is not the variety of veg available in the buffets when you exclude the above to not make it anything but a meatfest.

The other one that got me was friends did a turkey and deep fried it!!! the whole thing, I thought it was a myth like deep fried pizzas, it was like having a giant KFC. I like fried chicken but this was not what I expected, all that was missing was the encrustation of the secret recipie herbs and spices. It seemed impossible to have any forced meat or sage and onion stuffing cooked in the bird. The gizmo they used looked like the crane/ hoist used to remove car engines. Lowering the bird into canister of hot oil (vegetable not engine) was certainly interesting. I would think temperature is critical, think of damp chips into a deep fat fryer.

The surpises started when the lady of the house said the dinner was nearly ready that the old man who had been in and out all morning (prepping the oil) said ok I'll cook the turkey. I was a bit gobsmacked.

Perhaps when you look around the world the US and possibly the Canadian dinners are closest, of course nothing beats mum's dinner best, although my sister does a cracker as well.

Meat is meat but it is not all, perhaps the ambience is a fair percentage of the experience as well. Cooking the turkey overnight getting up in the morning to the amazing smells, the carnage that is opening the pressies and bacon sanwiches made from the bacon off the bird and some of the forced meat yummy.

Mind you a baked ham or gammon done classic style with cloves and honey mustard glaze is devastating but we usually have that on Boxing day and if it's big enough, in ham and turkey sandwiches for the rest of the week.

Perhaps that's why I've never been taken with the US style as it's a one trick pony in Vegas, you go somewhere eat and leave?

photome

August

Spursman180 wrote: »

Yams, sweet potatoes, squash and 'seasonal vegtables' can't do it, whilst mash is ok, not on its own, must have roasties. I'm of an age and an Irish background where there was as much veg on a plate as meat, there is not the variety of veg available in the buffets when you exclude the above to not make it anything but a meatfest.

The other one that got me was friends did a turkey and deep fried it!!! the whole thing, I thought it was a myth like deep fried pizzas, it was like having a giant KFC. I like fried chicken but this was not what I expected, all that was missing was the encrustation of the secret recipie herbs and spices. It seemed impossible to have any forced meat or sage and onion stuffing cooked in the bird. The gizmo they used looked like the crane/ hoist used to remove car engines. Lowering the bird into canister of hot oil (vegetable not engine) was certainly interesting. I would think temperature is critical, think of damp chips into a deep fat fryer.

The surpises started when the lady of the house said the dinner was nearly ready that the old man who had been in and out all morning (prepping the oil) said ok I'll cook the turkey. I was a bit gobsmacked.

Perhaps when you look around the world the US and possibly the Canadian dinners are closest, of course nothing beats mum's dinner best, although my sister does a cracker as well.

Meat is meat but it is not all, perhaps the ambience is a fair percentage of the experience as well. Cooking the turkey overnight getting up in the morning to the amazing smells, the carnage that is opening the pressies and bacon sanwiches made from the bacon off the bird and some of the forced meat yummy.

Mind you a baked ham or gammon done classic style with cloves and honey mustard glaze is devastating but we usually have that on Boxing day and if it's big enough, in ham and turkey sandwiches for the rest of the week.

Perhaps that's why I've never been taken with the US style as it's a one trick pony in Vegas, you go somewhere eat and leave?

It sounds to me like you should be staying at home for xmas!

As for brussel sprouts :(

A roast dinner is very overated IMO

Spursman180

March

Froggitt wrote: »

:T:T:TCouldnt agree more!!!!

I know they're not environmentally friendly, especially as a youngster feeding them to the dog._pale_

My devils food is swede, just thinking of it will give me nightmares tonight.

Everything being said there are a number of traditional type foods I've only had in the States and will ensure a fix on most trips, pot roast, and particularly meatloaf, peasant food perhaps but isn't the best food always so?

Spursman180

March

photome wrote: »

It sounds to me like you should be staying at home for xmas!

As for brussel sprouts :(

A roast dinner is very overated IMO

Perhaps so, I was always intrigued by American Christmases and always wanted to do it for the experience. It was the first time I didn't spend Christmas at home in 50+ years. Like the other big days Stateside I've picked off one or two. Veterans day was amazing, the Army and Royal marine boys from the UK who were there in full dress uniforms staying in our hotel, to say they were babe magnets was an understatement.

New Year and 4th of July are probably 2 of the ones left but maybe not so keen as they are complete madness in Vegas?

The rest including Easter don't seem to be big Vegas style? bigger events seem to be March madness, The Superbowl and the Rodeo finals seem to cause a lot more activity in town.

Froggitt

Spursman180 wrote: »

My devils food is swede, just thinking of it will give me nightmares tonight.

:T:T:TMore devils food. Remember they used to serve it up at school with an ice-cream scoop?

Can I also add beetroot to the list please?

photome

August

Spursman180 wrote: »

Perhaps so, I was always intrigued by American Christmases and always wanted to do it for the experience. It was the first time I didn't spend Christmas at home in 50+ years. Like the other big days Stateside I've picked off one or two. Veterans day was amazing, the Army and Royal marine boys from the UK who were there in full dress uniforms staying in our hotel, to say they were babe magnets was an understatement.

New Year and 4th of July are probably 2 of the ones left but maybe not so keen as they are complete madness in Vegas?

The rest including Easter don't seem to be big Vegas style? bigger events seem to be March madness, The Superbowl and the Rodeo finals seem to cause a lot more activity in town.

I have been there I was in the royal navy for 7 years and had a few visits to USA in the 70/80s

ferf1223

March

Froggitt wrote: »

:T:T:TMore devils food. Remember they used to serve it up at school with an ice-cream scoop?

Can I also add beetroot to the list please?

Swede is another yes...you'll never find it on a US table at Christmas (and if you did, it would go by the name of rutabega)...I never understand why we have mashed swede and carrot every Christmas and a massive bowl as no one likes it. Beetroot I am coming around to, though only non-pickled and only cold. Pickled and/or hot can go in the devil category.

But I have to say, I have never had a deep fried turkey in my life, though I do know that such a thing exists...many say it keeps the bird moist to cook it that way. I would not know. But Christmas dinner in the US really does vary so much from house to house that it's impossible to write them all off as one.

One day I really hope to experience Christmas in Vegas as I think it would be great...so long as we get out before NYE.

Spursman180

March

photome wrote: »

I have been there I was in the royal navy for 7 years and had a few visits to USA in the 70/80s

All the nice girls and stuff, a port in every girl. No doubt covered by the official secrets act:;)

ferf1223

March

Spursman180 wrote: »

Veterans day was amazing, the Army and Royal marine boys from the UK who were there in full dress uniforms staying in our hotel, to say they were babe magnets was an understatement.

I don't think we have been for Veterans Day, but we were there once when there was some sort of military event in town as loads of US Marines in full dress uniform on the strip...so cool, but found it odd as so many were drinking in uniform...we weren't allowed to even smoke in our high school marching band uniforms, for heavensake...I don't begrudge the boys the time to let off some steam, they deserve it...but in uniform struck me as really strange.