Subj : Re: Goulash
To   : Carol Shenkenberger
From : Dave Drum
Date : Thu May 30 2024 05:54:00

-=> Carol Shenkenberger wrote to Dave Drum <=-

> Us crazy Americans will insist on corrupting other's regional cuisine.
> Hell, we even put pineapple on pizza. And have been known to salt our
> beer. Not to mention the obscenities we visit on chilli con carne -
> turnng it into chilli con carnage.   Bv)=
>
> And don't get me started on what we've inflicted on Oriental food.
> I mean chow mein noodles - from a can??? Are you kidding me??? Then
> there's this ....
>
> MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06
>
>       Title: American Chop Suey II
>  Categories: Five, Pasta, Beef, Vegetables
>       Yield: 5 Servings
>
>      16 oz Pkg uncooked elbow macaroni
>       1 lb Ground beef
>       1 lg Onion; chopped
>  21 1/2 oz (2 cans) tomato soup
>            Salt & pepper to taste
>
CS> Ugg, that's not even remotely 'chop suey' by any stretch.

Of course you realise that Chun King (brand) is not Chinese.

CS> Chop suey is claimed by the americans but was devised by Chinese
CS> railway workers it seems.  Lots of variation but it's likely roots are
CS> an americanized version from Chinese immigrants, based on available
CS> products.

The legend I heard has it "invented" in Gay Bay (San Franciso)  by Anglos
not in their largish "Chinatown".

I remember my grandmother treating me and my sister to this at our local
Five and Dime (yes, I DO remember actual "dime" stores). In my town we
had S.S. Kressge (which grew into K-Mart), Woolworth's (which morphed to
Woolco). And a Ben Franklin store which jus, afaik, evaporated.

Also heard this "legend" The Oxford Companion to American Food and Drink
as a main source. That book states: "A likely origin for American chop
suey is the recipe for Chop Suey Stew in the `1916 Manual for Army Cooks',
an urtext for many institutional foods of the twentieth century. The army
recipe could be made with either beef round or pork shoulder, beef stock,
barbecue sauce, and salt."

I found that quote in a nice discussion of the dish at:
https://sampan.org/2021/history/the-origins-of-american-chop-suey/

Definitely worth a read.

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06

     Title: Woolworth's Lunch Counter Chop Suey Chow Mein
Categories: Pork, Rice, Vegetables, Mushrooms
     Yield: 4 Servings

     1 tb Lard
 1 1/2 lb Pork; in 1/2" cubes
          Salt & pepper
          Flour
     1 lg Spanish onion; diced
     3 c  Sliced celery
     3 tb Soy sauce; regular strength
     2 tb Molasses
     1 c  Liquid drained from veggies
     8 oz Canned mushrooms
    16 oz Canned Oriental Vegetables
          Sticky steamed white rice
          Fried chow mein noodles
          Soy sauce

 PRESSURE COOKER -- Heat shortening in cooker. Dust meat
 lightly with seasoned flour. Brown meat in batches in
 hot, smoky oil. Add onion, celery, soy, molasses, and
 liquids from canned vegetables. Cover. Set rocker (pot
 only had one pressure setting). Heat until you get a
 steady rocking and cook 10 minutes. Cool of its own
 accord. Stir in vegetables and heat through.

 Serve: chow mein noodles on bottom; 2 scoops of rice; 1
 ladleful of chop suey; extra soy sauce. (And they always
 brought catsup.)

 From: http://www.recipesource.com

 Uncle Dirty Dave's Archives

MMMMM

... Ketchup + hot sauce = better catsup.
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