Is Potato Salad the New Side Dish for Pho?

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The discussion revolves around a personal experience at a Vietnamese restaurant where the owner, known for her hospitality, offers unique side dishes alongside pho, including potato salad, which she learned to make from a friend in Alaska. The diner humorously reflects on the cultural differences in food, suggesting they might bring the owner an Elvis Presley cookbook and other "white people" recipes. The conversation shifts to a light-hearted critique of various American dishes, particularly jello salads and Miracle Whip, with participants sharing their own food memories and experiences, including humorous references to cooking mishaps and nostalgic dishes. The dialogue also touches on the enriching experience of living in different cultures and the surprising nature of certain traditional foods, like pumpkin pie. Overall, the thread captures a blend of culinary exploration, humor, and cultural exchange.
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The restaurant where I get my Pho (a Vietnamese noodle soup) is run by a nice lady who makes special treats for me every time I visit. One time it was a peanut butter ball with tiny pieces of apple, another time it was tiny scoops of tuna fish salad. The last few times she has treated my to tiny scoops of potato salad. She watches eagerly until I have some of the potato salad, very anxious to know what I think of it, and asks for comments. She told me that when she lived in Alaska she had a white friend who had taught her how to make this. So naturally, she sees me, the whitest person on earth, and decides I will go nuts over the potato salad. Of course, I have to make a big fuss over it to meet with her expectations. It's rather an interesting combination, though, to have your pho with a side of potato salad.

I am thinking about bringing her my Elvis Presley cookbook so she can learn some other "white people" recipes like 'nanner sandwiches. Maybe I will bring her a jar of Miracle Whip.
 
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Math Is Hard said:
The restaurant where I get my Pho (a Vietnamese noodle soup) is run by a nice lady who makes special treats for me every time I visit. One time it was a peanut butter ball with tiny pieces of apple, another time it was tiny scoops of tuna fish salad. The last few times she has treated my to tiny scoops of potato salad. She watches eagerly until I have some of the potato salad, very anxious to know what I think of it, and asks for comments. She told me that when she lived in Alaska she had a white friend who had taught her how to make this. So naturally, she sees me, the whitest person on earth, and decides I will go nuts over the potato salad. Of course, I have to make a big fuss over it to meet with her expectations. It's rather an interesting combination, though, to have your pho with a side of potato salad.
:smile:

Maybe I will bring her a jar of Miracle Whip.
NOOOOOO! The only "miracle" about miracle whip is that people eat that stuff. There is no substitute for real mayonaise.
 
I wonder how long until she presents me with a dollop of carrot-raisin salad? Or maybe some kind of fruit in jello mold.
 
Math Is Hard said:
I wonder how long until she presents me with a dollop of carrot-raisin salad? Or maybe some kind of fruit in jello mold.

Now you're talking my mother's cooking.

Of course she never met a vegetable that she couldn't cook to limpness.
 
LowlyPion said:
Now you're talking my mother's cooking.

Of course she never met a vegetable that she couldn't cook to limpness.

At least she didn't deep fry your salad.
 
Math Is Hard said:
At least she didn't deep fry your salad.
That will be next. I swear I remember watching a show where they did deep fry some sort of salad greens, like a ball of chopped salad.

I am so thankful that my mother came from France and I lived the first 14 years of my life without things like carrot raisin salad.

This made me think about the lime jello with cat food in it from Christmas Vacation. I want those Bullwinkle eggnog cups.
 

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Evo said:
That will be next. I swear I remember watching a show where they did deep fry some sort of salad greens, like a ball of chppoed salad.

I am so thankful that my mother came from France and I lived the first 14 years of my life without things like carrot raisin salad.

This made me think about the lime jello with cat food in it from Christmas Vacation. I want those Bullwinkle eggnog cups.

I need to rent Christmas vacation. Haven't seen it!

I just thought of another weird jello thing that I used to come across. There was some sort of gelatin mold that was made with lime jello mixed with cool whip. Strangest texture ever.
 
BWAAAHAHAA! I love Lileks!

Another abomination:

http://www.lileks.com/institute/gallery/knox/garden.jpg
 
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  • #10
Math Is Hard said:
BWAAAHAHAA! I love Lileks!

Another abomination:

http://www.lileks.com/institute/gallery/knox/garden.jpg
[/URL]
 
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  • #11
Oh that is just plain scary looking! I have only one fond memory of jello, my Mother once made a ribbon or rainbow jello something, it was very pretty, in a Andy Warhol kind of way.
I think you should give her the Elvis book, along with a jar of Jiff.
 
  • #12
Ahahahaa! I just read MIH's label "PF's Best Kurdt 2008"! :biggrin:
 
  • #13
hypatia said:
Oh that is just plain scary looking! I have only one fond memory of jello, my Mother once made a ribbon or rainbow jello something, it was very pretty, in a Andy Warhol kind of way.
I think you should give her the Elvis book, along with a jar of Jiff.

Of course! How could I forget Jiff? And Marshmallow creme!

Evo said:
Ahahahaa! I just read MIH's label "PF's Best Kurdt 2008"! :biggrin:

I was so surprised when I won!

(well, not really, I sort of went 3rd world dictator style and just appointed myself. If Kurdt wants it he has to jello wrestle me for it. Until then, the title is mine.)
 
  • #14
mmm yummy fluffernutter sammiches!
 
  • #15
Math Is Hard said:
(well, not really, I sort of went 3rd world dictator style and just appointed myself. If Kurdt wants it he has to jello wrestle me for it. Until then, the title is mine.)


Can I Jello wrestle you for it?
 
  • #16
Evo said:
I am so thankful that my mother came from France and I lived the first 14 years of my life without things like carrot raisin salad.
Living in another country is always enriching. I learn a lot, coming from France and living in Virginia. Who could possibly imagine that pumpkin pie was eatable ?

edit
ok, I just checked the history of pumpkin pie...
1651 - Francois Pierre la Varenne, the famous French chef and author of one of the most important French cookbooks of the 17th century, wrote a cookbook called Le Vrai Cuisinier Francois (The True French Cook). It was translated and published in England as The French Cook in 1653. It has a recipe for a pumpkin pie that included the pastry:

Francois Pierre la Varenne said:
Tourte of pumpkin - Boile it with good milk, pass it through a straining pan very thick, and mix it with sugar, butter, a little salt and if you will, a few stamped almonds; let all be very thin. Put it in your sheet of paste; bake it. After it is baked, besprinkle it with sugar and serve.
:smile:
 
  • #17
Math Is Hard said:
BWAAAHAHAA! I love Lileks!

Another abomination:

http://www.lileks.com/institute/gallery/knox/garden.jpg
[/URL]

What in the heck is the recipe for that nasty dish?

My Hominy radar is blipping like crazy. That can't possibly be hominy and peas formed in jello with other scary vegetable like substances. That cook was mad at somebody when that was concocted.

Warning Will Robinson. Danger. Danger.
 
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  • #18
it looks a bit like congealed vegetable beef
 
  • #19
NeoDevin said:
Can I Jello wrestle you for it?

Yes, but you will have to contend with Kurdt next. And he may up the stakes to Miracle Whip wrestling.

humanino said:
Living in another country is always enriching. I learn a lot, coming from France and living in Virginia. Who could possibly imagine that pumpkin pie was eatable ?

edit
ok, I just checked the history of pumpkin pie...
:smile:

Please, dude. Your people eat snails.:-p

LowlyPion said:
What in the heck is the recipe for that nasty dish?

My Hominy radar is blipping like crazy. That can't possibly be hominy and peas formed in jello with other scary vegetable like substances. That cook was mad at somebody when that was concocted.

Warning Will Robinson. Danger. Danger.

I suspect that Veg-All canned vegetable mix had something to do with this crime.
 
  • #20
Proton Soup said:
it looks a bit like congealed vegetable beef

It also looks a bit like the very last thing I'd want to see when I'm seasick on a boat to Catalina.
 
  • #21
Math Is Hard said:
It also looks a bit like the very last thing I'd want to see when I'm seasick on a boat to Catalina.

that might just set off a chain reaction.
 
  • #22
Proton Soup, that website is hysterical, But now I have to find the recipes for some of the other recipes they have, they look wonderful.
 
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  • #23
Math Is Hard said:
It also looks a bit like the very last thing I'd want to see when I'm seasick on a boat to Catalina.

You get seasick on the boat to Catalina? :smile:

Never go fishing on a deep-sea charter!
 
  • #24
Math Is Hard said:
Yes, but you will have to contend with Kurdt next. And he may up the stakes to Miracle Whip wrestling.

How about we'll Jello wrestle, and if I win, he can have it?
 
  • #25
Math Is Hard said:
It also looks a bit like the very last thing I'd want to see when I'm seasick on a boat to Catalina.

Haha, that reminds me of one of my former gifted teachers who'd taken a boat ride to one of the Channel Islands, perhaps Catalina even, and had gotten very bad seasickness.
 
  • #26
LowlyPion said:
What in the heck is the recipe for that nasty dish?

Step 1: Eat all your vegetables.

Step 2: Eat all your Jello.

Step 3: Get Salmonella poisoning.

Step 4: Refrigerate proceeds from step 3. Serve cold. Serves 3-4 people.
 
  • #27
franznietzsche said:
Step 1: Eat all your vegetables.

Step 2: Eat all your Jello.

Step 3: Get Salmonella poisoning.

Step 4: Refrigerate proceeds from step 3. Serve cold. Serves 3-4 people.

Long time no see. Where have you been?
 
  • #28
Cyrus said:
Long time no see. Where have you been?

I killed a man in Reno, then I took the money and ran. Way down to Mexico yeah. Way down where I can be free. Ain't no one going to find me. Got burned by the sun, everytime I go to Mexico.


Random song quotes not withstanding, lot's of places.
 
  • #29
franznietzsche said:
I killed a man in Reno, then I took the money and ran. Way down to Mexico yeah. Way down where I can be free. Ain't no one going to find me. Got burned by the sun, everytime I go to Mexico.


Random song quotes not withstanding, lot's of places.

Ever replace that chrysler sebring?
 
  • #30
Cyrus said:
Ever replace that chrysler sebring?

I'm frightened that someone here remembers that car. I finally got rid of it last may, after pouring a good $3k into it over the previous year. Driving a PT cruiser now. My younger sibling has the sebring now, and he wrecked it within 4 months. :eek:
 
  • #31
franznietzsche said:
I'm frightened that someone here remembers that car. I finally got rid of it last may, after pouring a good $3k into it over the previous year. Driving a PT cruiser now. My younger sibling has the sebring now, and he wrecked it within 4 months. :eek:

At least you didnt get a motorcycle and kill yourself.

Correction: At least you didn't get a motorcycle and have someone kill you with their car.
 
  • #32
Cyrus said:
At least you didnt get a motorcycle and kill yourself.

Correction: At least you didn't get a motorcycle and have someone kill you with their car.

I wish I had. Parking in LA is a nightmare.
 

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