I´m finally going to USA...

[sabasgr68]

Well my plan would look like this.
Fly into Tucson and visit @honyock for a few and let him show you some Southwest and then I'll come pick you up and bring you just a bit east and a little north and I'll cook a few meals while you get comfy in a 24 foot travel trailor. Then you borrow the 3/4 ton diesel truck and said travel trailor (I trust you that much and we have that kind of insurance) and you can head out and visit anyone else. Heck I'll send you with a guitar and amp on loan (though if your throwing cash you should order your AD3200 or Ibby and have it delivered to my house). I would start the trip with a fresh oil change and new tires on the trailor. Setup some reservations at camp grounds/resorts. They aren't as cheap as you might hope and you really should have reservations. End up back here and I'll take you to the airport.
Now all you have to do is plot your drive and stops.

Oh God, well, that is THE plan! What a great and generous offer from you. I really love to travel by car, hitting the road with nice music on the stereo. This is the perfect ending for my food trip to the US. And the 3200 or Ibby in my hands as a self bonus treat? Really, hard to beat (rest assured that your truck and trailor will be returned without a scratch!).

As I said in my first post, this thread did bring joy to my day.

Thanks @ID10t, and all!

[mickey]

So? What is it going to take to get you (wife & son) to Tucson to pick up the truck/trailor???

[sabasgr68]

So? What is it going to take to get you (wife & son) to Tucson to pick up the truck/trailor???

You´ll be the first to know, Mickey!

[Mossman]

I'm from New Hampshire (NH), but am only a few hours away from the Atlantic ocean, and on the coast in Maine or NH we would have Lobster rolls, clam chowder, scallops, fried clams....then fresh raspberry pie with local made ice cream smothered in real maple syrup.

Take him to Brown's near Hampton Beach.

[Mossman]

Ok, so, what would you recommend?

If you come to LA, there's not much local or regional cuisine here either (much like NYC), except you'll see a taco joint, cart, or truck about every 10 feet. I've also never seen so many sushi restaurants in one place in my life.

Oh yeah, there's Korean BBQ too... But I'm averse to paying a lot of money at a restaurant where I have to cook the food myself!

LA just sucks... Maybe you shouldn't come here.

[sabasgr68]

Ok, so, what would you recommend?

If you come to LA, there's not much local or regional cuisine here either (much like NYC), except you'll see a taco joint, cart, or truck about every 10 feet. I've also never seen so many sushi restaurants in one place in my life.

Oh yeah, there's Korean BBQ too... But I'm averse to paying a lot of money at a restaurant where I have to cook the food myself!

LA just sucks... Maybe you shouldn't come here.

Well, even if there´s anything like a regional thing to try, a good hamburguer or a good pizza would be great. A box of fresh donuts would make my day anyday! There´s got to be good donuts there I think, chocolate with peanuts topping the better !

But really, if there´s nothing better to do in LA, that´s ok, I won´t go there, meet you somewhere else!

[Chocol8]

You will not find good pizza in LA, but a donut is probably doable. Might be a gluten free organic vegan donut though. Best to skip it and meet Mossman somewhere else.

[mickey]

You will not find good pizza in LA, but a donut is probably doable. Might be a gluten free organic vegan donut though. Best to skip it and meet Mossman somewhere else.

And don't forget everything causes cancer in California!
I once bought some guitar strings that were known to cause cancer in California!
Good thing I'm in Floriduh!

EDIT: I just learned this morning that Tater-Tots cause cancer in California!

[RiverDog]

No one has mentioned scrapple.

And with good reason! I know I'm probably in the minority here but I'm not a big scrapple fan.

[andrewsrea]

@Sinster & @RiverDog : Good catch! That is definitely a Pennsylvania food and one that has mythical-level ingredients.

In 1978 I lived across the street from one of the three Habbersett brothers (Joe), whose scrapple plant in Middletown, PA was about 10 minutes away. Our families became friends and I (a 15 year old) cared for their 20 year old special needs adult son every day afterschool until 6 PM. I would get Danny off the bus and do things with him, like teach him drums, until his mom and dad (who worked in the meat business) got home. He was severely mentally and emotionally challenged, blind and was precocious like a two year old. He had a belligerent streak and would throw tantrums, which since he had the body of a man - his parents had trouble with him on these occasions and for some reason he would only listen to me. He would 'escape' their house and they would call me to get him. So I looked after Danny for a few years.

Since they were friends and I had a soft-spot for the situation, I refused money for watching Danny. So I got paid in scrapple and sausage and on many occasion, was invited to make my own at the factory. A pretty cool experience!

I can tell you first hand that according to their recipe in the 70's, scrapple was mostly corn meal. Butchering was a 'clean as you go' process for them, to which they collected and refrigerated meat scraps and edible animal items that would not individually be bought. Yes eyes, but not ears, brains and testicles as myths go. Most male pigs are castrated, so who knows what the farmers do with the testies. Ears and brains went to other stuff (ridns and dog food?). Anyway, the scraps were mostly pork and put into a fine grinder which emptied into a huge pot of boiling water. After about 20 minutes boil, the pot emptied through a mesh filter that only lets the finest of meat through, into a pot. Where the cornmeal, salt, pepper and a little sage are added. As it cools, they form it into bricks, package it and refrigerate. The boiled meat that did not make it through the strainer, was sold to pet food companies.

So scrapple in the 70's was basically meat broth-soaked corn mush.

Sadly Joe Habbersett suddenly of a heart attack, which Danny could not comprehend and his tantrums became the norm. To which, he ended up in permanent care. Joe's wife sold Habbersett's in the mid 80's and died soon after. The original Middletown factory was shut down at that time, but the brand carries on.

[sabasgr68]

You will not find good pizza in LA, but a donut is probably doable. Might be a gluten free organic vegan donut though. Best to skip it and meet Mossman somewhere else.

Well, I prefer the good old style donuts, and since he´s not a fan of living in LA also, the meeting will be in another place. Damon is nearby somewhere, so we could even meet for a jammin´ gathering!

[sabasgr68]

@Sinster & @RiverDog : Good catch! That is definitely a Pennsylvania food and one that has mythical-level ingredients.

In 1978 I lived across the street from one of the three Habbersett brothers (Joe), whose scrapple plant in Middletown, PA was about 10 minutes away. Our families became friends and I (a 15 year old) cared for their 20 year old special needs adult son every day afterschool until 6 PM. I would get Danny off the bus and do things with him, like teach him drums, until his mom and dad (who worked in the meat business) got home. He was severely mentally and emotionally challenged, blind and was precocious like a two year old. He had a belligerent streak and would throw tantrums, which since he had the body of a man - his parents had trouble with him on these occasions and for some reason he would only listen to me. He would 'escape' their house and they would call me to get him. So I looked after Danny for a few years.

Since they were friends and I had a soft-spot for the situation, I refused money for watching Danny. So I got paid in scrapple and sausage and on many occasion, was invited to make my own at the factory. A pretty cool experience!

I can tell you first hand that according to their recipe in the 70's, scrapple was mostly corn meal. Butchering was a 'clean as you go' process for them, to which they collected and refrigerated meat scraps and edible animal items that would not individually be bought. Yes eyes, but not ears, brains and testicles as myths go. Most male pigs are castrated, so who knows what the farmers do with the testies. Ears and brains went to other stuff (ridns and dog food?). Anyway, the scraps were mostly pork and put into a fine grinder which emptied into a huge pot of boiling water. After about 20 minutes boil, the pot emptied through a mesh filter that only lets the finest of meat through, into a pot. Where the cornmeal, salt, pepper and a little sage are added. As it cools, they form it into bricks, package it and refrigerate. The boiled meat that did not make it through the strainer, was sold to pet food companies.

So scrapple in the 70's was basically meat broth-soaked corn mush.

Sadly Joe Habbersett suddenly of a heart attack, which Danny could not comprehend and his tantrums became the norm. To which, he ended up in permanent care. Joe's wife sold Habbersett's in the mid 80's and died soon after. The original Middletown factory was shut down at that time, but the brand carries on.

Interesting and good and sad story at the same time...

[ID10t]

Well my plan would look like this.
...........

(rest assured that your truck and trailor will be returned without a scratch!).

It's an Arizona truck, not an L.A. truck, I don't know how or why you would get rid of the scratches

I am serious BTW. I'd also have you touring colleges for Graduate classes, but we'll burn that bridge when you get here.

[Sinster]

No one has mentioned scrapple.

And with good reason! I know I'm probably in the minority here but I'm not a big scrapple fan.

I haven't tried it, just know about it from my travels and friends from PA. I traveled a lot for work tried a lot of what different states have to offer. (I still have Hilton Points and I haven't traveled for work since 2013 and have used them for free stays since then. The only states I haven't been in USA have been Alaska, Hawaii, & The Dakota's. )

[glasshand]

You will not find good pizza in LA, but a donut is probably doable. Might be a gluten free organic vegan donut though.

You remind me of the frozen pizza situation in my neighborhood. You can get great pizzeria pizza here, but frozen pizza is a different matter. I should specify that I live in a rather snooty, stereotypically leftist neighborhood. And for some damn reason you can't get a decent frozen pizza around here. Every frozen pizza in the markets is some dairy-free cauliflower-based crap. At least the donuts are still good.

[sabasgr68]

Well my plan would look like this.
...........

(rest assured that your truck and trailor will be returned without a scratch!).

It's an Arizona truck, not an L.A. truck, I don't know how or why you would get rid of the scratches

I am serious BTW. I'd also have you touring colleges for Graduate classes, but we'll burn that bridge when you get here.

LOL I won´t worry about scratches then

I know you are. If we get to that bridge, we´ll burn it.

[mickey]

You will not find good pizza in LA, but a donut is probably doable. Might be a gluten free organic vegan donut though.

You remind me of the frozen pizza situation in my neighborhood. You can get great pizzeria pizza here, but frozen pizza is a different matter. I should specify that I live in a rather snooty, stereotypically leftist neighborhood. And for some damn reason you can't get a decent frozen pizza around here. Every frozen pizza in the markets is some dairy-free cauliflower-based crap. At least the donuts are still good.

That is probably the only type of frozen pizza not "Shown To Cause Cancer In California."

[tonebender]

I would have you over to the house and I would prepare a gourmet meal. It will be a surprise.

[Tonray's Ghost]

You'd feel right at home in NJ...large latino community....you can try Cuban, Brazilian, Puerto Rican, and then top it off with something from Venezuela...oh wait,,,,

Actually...one of my favorite foods in Jersey is a Jamaican dish...Brown Stew Chicken with rice and 'peas' (peas are Red Beans). Also Oxtail stew..



NJ is a melting pot of great cuisines...you can travel from East Asia to South America and up to Caribbean all in one day...then throw in some Krispy Kreme donuts to top it off.

[RiverDog]

@Sinster & @RiverDog : Good catch! That is definitely a Pennsylvania food and one that has mythical-level ingredients.

In 1978 I lived across the street from one of the three Habbersett brothers (Joe), whose scrapple plant in Middletown, PA was about 10 minutes away. Our families became friends and I (a 15 year old) cared for their 20 year old special needs adult son every day afterschool until 6 PM. I would get Danny off the bus and do things with him, like teach him drums, until his mom and dad (who worked in the meat business) got home. He was severely mentally and emotionally challenged, blind and was precocious like a two year old. He had a belligerent streak and would throw tantrums, which since he had the body of a man - his parents had trouble with him on these occasions and for some reason he would only listen to me. He would 'escape' their house and they would call me to get him. So I looked after Danny for a few years.

Since they were friends and I had a soft-spot for the situation, I refused money for watching Danny. So I got paid in scrapple and sausage and on many occasion, was invited to make my own at the factory. A pretty cool experience!

I can tell you first hand that according to their recipe in the 70's, scrapple was mostly corn meal. Butchering was a 'clean as you go' process for them, to which they collected and refrigerated meat scraps and edible animal items that would not individually be bought. Yes eyes, but not ears, brains and testicles as myths go. Most male pigs are castrated, so who knows what the farmers do with the testies. Ears and brains went to other stuff (ridns and dog food?). Anyway, the scraps were mostly pork and put into a fine grinder which emptied into a huge pot of boiling water. After about 20 minutes boil, the pot emptied through a mesh filter that only lets the finest of meat through, into a pot. Where the cornmeal, salt, pepper and a little sage are added. As it cools, they form it into bricks, package it and refrigerate. The boiled meat that did not make it through the strainer, was sold to pet food companies.

So scrapple in the 70's was basically meat broth-soaked corn mush.

Sadly Joe Habbersett suddenly of a heart attack, which Danny could not comprehend and his tantrums became the norm. To which, he ended up in permanent care. Joe's wife sold Habbersett's in the mid 80's and died soon after. The original Middletown factory was shut down at that time, but the brand carries on.

That's an incredible story Rob. Wow! Habbersett was a household name when I was a kid. Good on you for being an all-around good person for that family. Very cool.

I didn't not eat scrapple because of what I thought was in it (I mean, I like hot dogs and sausage in general so come on). It just wasn't something my family ate so I guess that's just how I ended up.

[Rollin Hand]

In Rhode Island, we basically take whatever we find from the ocean and deep fry it. It's so good.

I have fond summer memories of eating fried clam balls on the dock at New Harbor on Block Island!

Those poor gelded clams....

[sabasgr68]

I would have you over to the house and I would prepare a gourmet meal. It will be a surprise.

Deal!

[sabasgr68]

You'd feel right at home in NJ...large latino community....you can try Cuban, Brazilian, Puerto Rican, and then top it off with something from Venezuela...oh wait,,,,

Actually...one of my favorite foods in Jersey is a Jamaican dish...Brown Stew Chicken with rice and 'peas' (peas are Red Beans). Also Oxtail stew..



NJ is a melting pot of great cuisines...you can travel from East Asia to South America and up to Caribbean all in one day...then throw in some Krispy Kreme donuts to top it off.

That looks delicious! Sign me up for that food tour on just one block, without forgettig those donuts... oh my God...