Episode from Annemasse (who is right?) - Page 4

scrambled · #61 29.03.2011, 15:00

	Quote:	st2lemans
	I certainly used to. Tom

yes, because by saying "no one" he literally meant, not one single person, not even Tom.

simply put, beefsteak tartar is not a common menu item in the US. that's just how it is.

terryhall · #62 29.03.2011, 15:02

	Quote:	HollidayG
	NO ONE eats steak tartar in the US.

I think this is the most hilarious generalisation in a thread packed to the gills with hilarious generalisations.

PaddyG · #63 29.03.2011, 15:02

	Quote:	scrambled
	yes, because by saying "no one" he literally meant, not one single person, not even Tom. simply put, beefsteak tartar is not a common menu item in the US. that's just how it is.

Well it bloody well should be, it's effing delicious. Can't decide whether I prefer it with Calvados or Cognac though.

PaddyG · #64 29.03.2011, 15:03

	Quote:	terryhall
	I think this is the most hilarious generalisation in a thread packed to the gills with hilarious generalisations.

Is that a generalisation? Hilarious or otherwise.

scrambled · #65 29.03.2011, 15:04

	Quote:	PaddyG
	Well it bloody well should be, it's effing delicious. Can't decide whether I prefer it with Calvados or Cognac though.

completely agree, i had not tried it until i moved here, but it's great

#66 29.03.2011, 15:05

	Quote:	TiMow
	As far as I'm aware, Steak Tartar is just that on any menu, in any western countries' restaurants. It's a generic term. (I believe it originates from the Tartar region of now Russia/Mongolia (sorry haven't time to Google or Wiki, so may not be accurate).

Actually Steak Tartar was invented by Jules Verne, in his book "Michel Strogoff)

http://www.englishforum.ch/blogs/ber...king-book.html

Interesting thread, very amusing

grumpygit · #67 29.03.2011, 15:08

	Quote:	Bertrand - Geneva
	Actually Steak Tartar was invented by Jules Verne, in his book "Michel Strogoff) http://www.englishforum.ch/blogs/ber...king-book.html Interesting thread, very amusing

did they have ketchup in the time of jules verne?

PaddyG · #68 29.03.2011, 15:09

Just to increase the irony count in this thread, what we now know as Steak tartare used to be called "steak à l'Americaine" in French restaurants in the 20's. According to Wikipedia.
No mention of M. Verne, though Bertrand.

grumpygit · #69 29.03.2011, 15:10

	Quote:	PaddyG
	Just to increase the irony count in this thread, what we now know as Steak tartare used to be called "steak à l'Americaine" in French restaurants in the 20's. According to Wikipedia. No mention of M. Verne, though Bertrand.

i was gonna mention that but didnt want to stoke the fire as it were

st2lemans · #70 29.03.2011, 15:12

	Quote:	PaddyG
	Just to increase the irony count in this thread, what we now know as Steak tartare used to be called "steak à l'Americaine" in French restaurants in the 20's. According to Wikipedia. No mention of M. Verne, though Bertrand.

It still is in Belgium.

Tom

Russkov · #71 29.03.2011, 15:15

Back in the States, I actually remember most people knew what steak tartare was. You heard about it in movies and pop culture, although usually in a disparaging way. "Did you hear those crazy European eats raw meat?!" I was influenced by it, too, when I first moved here, until I saw the error of my ways after a few years.

So damn good.

kiwiguy08 · #72 29.03.2011, 15:16

	Quote:	PaddyG
	Just to increase the irony count in this thread, what we now know as Steak tartare used to be called "steak à l'Americaine" in French restaurants in the 20's. According to Wikipedia. No mention of M. Verne, though Bertrand.

Not correct, Wikipedia says it is called steak à l'Americaine in Belgium and the netherlands....

#73 29.03.2011, 15:17

	Quote:	PaddyG
	According to Wikipedia. No mention of M. Verne, though Bertrand.

Don't believe Wikipedia on Everything.....

PaddyG · #74 29.03.2011, 15:19

	Quote:	kiwiguy08
	Not correct, Wikipedia says it is called steak à l'Americaine in Belgium and the netherlands....

No, it says it's called "filet à l'Americaine" in Belgium.

From the article itself:
"It was first served in French restaurants early in the 20th century. What is now generally known as "steak tartare" was then called steak à l'Americaine."

PaddyG · #75 29.03.2011, 15:21

	Quote:	Bertrand - Geneva
	Don't believe Wikipedia on Everything.....

Aye, especially the French version:
"La plus ancienne description conservée du steak tartare se trouve dans le roman Michel Strogoff de Jules Verne"

Suisse2008 · #76 29.03.2011, 15:24

This thread has made me hungry. I'm going to our local restaurant and have the Korean version of steak tartare tonight!

#77 29.03.2011, 15:26

	Quote:	PaddyG
	Aye, especially the French version: "La plus ancienne description conservée du steak tartare se trouve dans le roman Michel Strogoff de Jules Verne"

I don't know if it's true or not, but I like the idea it was invented by Verne.

Now I don't eat it, I never ate it and I will never eat it, so it doesn't bother me more than that....

Nickyboy · #78 29.03.2011, 15:31

I think everybody in this thread is missing the point... why in the world would anybody go to a sh*t-hole town like Annemasse for dinner? Yuck!

olygirl · #79 29.03.2011, 15:41

I love tourists with the mindset of:

We are going to Europe! We are going to taste and experience the culture! We are going to broaden our minds! We'll take our kids with us because it will be a unique experience for them! And everyone better darn well speak English or we'll get pissed off.

fatmanfilms · #80 29.03.2011, 16:00

There is a Mr Bean episode, he goes out for dinner on his birthday and orders Steak Tartar........

	Quote:	russiangeneva
	Good morning, Technically, it's not about Switzerland, but since Annemasse is very close to Geneva, so I figured that it'd be appropriate place to post. We were having a good time in a seafood restaurant "Taverne something" in Annemasse with friends. Had a trouble for a few minutes ordering, since there were no English menu available. Waiter spoke some English, but couldn't explain every dish. I ordered a complete surprise dish for myself (turned out to be an assortment of cooked seafood along with some cabbage and potatoes). Anyway, there was a family of Americans sitting at a table behind us. Father, teenage son and two daughters perhaps. Where it gets interesting is when waiter took their order and some time later bring 3 dishes with tartar (which resembles raw hamburger meat - I've never had it and only knew about it because my friend had issue in Canada with this dish). So he brings and puts plates and I can see the boy's eyes rolling - like "WTF, did you bring to me". Then they huddle and think that maybe meat was brought to be shown to them, then they call waiter, and the boy asks him to cook it. So the waiter (nice guy), starts mixing meat, raw egg, and whatever other ingredients there are. So he brings those 3 dishes "cooked" (mixed) and the guy says - "That's not what we ordered - it's not a steak" - "Please cook it - Well Done". So the waiter is now rolling his eyes, brings it to kitchen and 10-15 minutes later brings cooked tartar. They looked at it and were like, "Well - it's not cooked enough" - so manager gets involved and just brings stuff back to kitchen (never brought it back before we left - I think they just returned it - not sure if they had to pay for it or not, since we left first). I had a good laugh with waiter, when before leaving I asked him to have my tartar to go well done - he said he's never had anyone asking him for tartar to be well done. Here's what ensured the situation: - The dish was called Steak Tartar (Steak!) - Waiters and manager seemed to be really upset about the situation, - American family didn't feel comfortable and probably felt humiliated - good for them they kept composure (people around including ourselves laughed - I felt bad, but I couldn't hold it) - Restaurant didn't have menu in English - ok - you probably won't find menu in French in Texas - but maybe waiter should have clarified the selection since he saw they were foreign - This is how stereotypes are born about ignorant Americans Who do you think is right in this situation and how can this be avoided?