kwilco

In fact there are only 2 main families of cooking in the world - Chinese and Persian/Turkish - all other cooking is descended from these 2 family trees (there are a few isolated cooking families that grew up in isolation) Thai cuisine is predominantly descended from Chinese cooking and that is quite recent. In some regions the cooking is influenced by other cultures - this would included food from neighbouring countries with a strong Indian influence - that being from the Persian cooking family tree.

DOUGH!! Dough is VERY important - Italian pizza dough is special, A characteristic of a lot of Italian food is that it is deceptively simple. It is based on a philosophy of making the most out of poverty – this gets the most flavour and nutrition out of the most basic ingredients – it uses sauces to flavour carbohydrate bases Dough is vitally important part of a pizza – it is the foundation of th pizza – it’s PASTA” the basis of so much Italian food. Foreign pizzas are often loaded with loads of toppings, Italian pizzas typically have just a few simple ingredients. This means that the flavour of the dough is able to shine through. A simple pizza made with good dough can be a delicious and satisfying meal. Italian pizza dough uses fresh, simple ingredients; unlike some pizza doughs they don’t use artificial additives or processed flour, (which are essential with big companies that ship their ingredients all over the place) Italian pizza dough only uses the flour, water, yeast, salt, and OLIVE oil. This means the flavour of the dough comes from the quality of the ingredients themselves, with good flour and olive oil making a big difference. The type of flour used can make a big difference in the flavour and texture of the dough. Italian pizza dough is typically made with "00" flour, which is a finely ground flour with a low gluten content. (around 12%) - this creates a delicate, light, and chewy crust. Italian pizza dough is allowed to ferment for a long time, 24 hours or even longer. This slow fermentation process develops the flavour of the dough and breaks down the gluten, making it easier to digest. There are of course, a wide variety of regional pizza styles, and each has its own unique dough. In Naples, for example, the home of the original pizza dough is thin and chewy, while in Rome, it is thicker and crispier. But you won’t find highly processed ingredients being use anywhere. Other important factors – Wood-Fired Ovens: A traditional Italian pizza is cooked in a wood-fired oven. This gives the dough a unique smoky flavour and crispy texture. The high heat of the wood-fired oven also helps to blister the crust. The amount of WATER used can also affect the dough. Wetter dough will result in a crispier crust, while a drier dough results in a chewier crust. The temperature of the oven is important for getting the right crust. A wood-fired oven is designed to achieve this. So don’t underestimate dough, it is the main ingredient of the pizza – it is the foreign idea that you can make a pizza “better” by adding ingredients or toppings that in fact, ruins a pizza.

If you were a "good Italian" you would drink beer with pizza.

It’s not just pizza, it’s all Italian food - Italian food encompasses a vast range of culinary traditions from different regions, each with its own unique flavours and ingredients. In typical Italian tradition, Pizza is a regional dish. Here are some reasons why you will find differences in Italian food outside of Italy: Firstly the ingredients. Freshness and quality: Italy has a strong emphasis on using the freshest, seasonal ingredients. Outside of Italy, it is usually impossible to access the same quality and variety of produce, especially the regional varieties and specialties. (Similarly, I usually buy chillies in Thailand to take back to UK family restaurant as they have quite a different taste from the chillies usually available in UK which come from India.) Certain ingredients are just not readily available and are substituted with inferior versions, leading to a different taste profile. Even the most diligent “competent” chef can’t avoid this. Italy has farming that often differ from those in other countries, resulting in variations in flavours and texture of ingredients that may look identical – even though they are genetically different. Italian cooking techniques and traditions don’t travel – chefs take short cut or “innovate” or “improve” – to the cost of authenticity. This is often dictated by availability and economics Most restaurants outside of Italy don’t traditional techniques and recipes. They adapt dishes to suit local tastes or use shortcuts, which can alter the flavour. They lack skill and knowledge. Even if they are of Italian decent, it is still necessary to master traditional Italian cooking and this takes time and the experience of mentors. Cooks outside Italy simply don’t have the same level of expertise, leading to variations in execution. The way food is prepared and presented in Italy is often connected to specific cultural rituals and traditions. Recreating those aspects outside of Italy can prove impossible, impacting the overall experience. What we expect is often erroneous. What we consider to be "Italian food" outside of Italy is often influenced by stereotypes - popular restaurants and media misrepresentations, which are inaccurate reproductions of the diverse culinary landscape of Italy. Taste is of course subjective, and what one person finds delicious, another might find uninspiring – or they may not have ever tasted Italian food in Italy. I personally don’t mind eating things called “pizza” from other parts of the world – (but then my nick name is “dustbin”) – but they are not real Italian pizzas as anyone from Italy will know. I’m sure conversely you will be able to find bad pizzas in Italy – especially in the most touristic areas. Italian food has constantly evolved throughout history, influenced by regional variations and external factors. So, even "authentic" Italian food can look and taste different depending on the specific region and time period. But it still won’t travel outside the country. Ultimately, the best way to appreciate Italian food is to keep an open mind and try dishes from different regions and restaurants, both inside and outside of Italy. Then you’ll realise that Italian food just doesn’t travel outside Italy

thank tyou - I know it goes beyond what the bootless and unhorsed can conceive - and if you can't conceive, you probably don't think it exists...such a blinkered and philistine mindset. I bet you drink and smoke and still think you have a sense of taste?

You don't drink wine with pizza, it's eaten with beer. I don't drink anymore You can tell the difference easily - just buy me a pizza in Italy and I will tell you.

Everything you say in your post is misinformed you show you totally don't understand Italian food when you say "Let's take Neapolitan style." - it not a "style" - Naples is where the pizza originated. you can't just "import" the ingredients and even with a competent chef get the right result. Pizza comes from native ingredients and local skills that simply don't travel - in fact some of the worst "Italian" food is the result of Italian emigrants. Pizza has a history and a reason for being - it celbrated a newly unified Italy and is a traditon of flatbreads common in por societies around the world, each has its own unique local methodology and flavourings and people who think Neapolitan is a "style" re the ones whose minds are closed., to the real histroy and cgharacter of a pizza. THe fact is if you eat pizza in Italy - you will never regard any pizza outsode as the same thing, whether it's the flour, the condiments, the water or just the air - it is never reproduced outsode Italy where they respect regional dishes and know that pizza is not a style -it IS Neapolitan. I quite like some American pizza replicas - but the fact they call it a pie just sums up that it ISN"T a pizza....it's just a nice pastry. (the toppings are joke, though) Italian food doesn't travel. PS - to get an idea most people on this site who live in Thailand should be aware that Thai food doesn't travel well either.

Sorry but they aren't and those who think they are don't know Italian cooking very well.

Anyone who has eaten pizza in Italy would never call the monstrosities available outside that country pizzas. They may be entertaining to eat (i perosnally will eat anything) but thy are not pizzas.

I don't know what that is but if it's got pineapple on it, you need to be shot!

probably Brits

THat will have no significant effect - just think how it could even happen. Thai road safety problems are much more deep rooted that the average observer seems to believe.

I don't see the significance of the OP photo - it looks like a tree has been blown down - not a lot you can do about that - except examine the state of the road and remover trees that are likely to be blown down. One needs to bear in mind that holiday period casulaties are often LESS than the overall average. THis may in part be due to the compulsory removal of commercial traffic and a reduced number of motorcyclists. also worth noting that the number of crashes over last Songkhran in Thailand was about the same as in UK last Easter. YTHe difference is the severity of injuries.

THere is a post that seriously ill-informed about road safety and how it works.

should be waring a bra

yes - sum - I'm amazed you managed to work out the typo. pat yourself on the back - if you can reach it.

Bit of perspective for the Australian police shootings. In 2022-23, Queensland police shot 14 people, New South Wales police shot eight, one person was shot in Victoria, one in South Australia, and two in Western Australia. Across Australia, around a third of the people shot by police survived. More than 600 people are killed by law enforcement in the U.S. each year. Total shot in the US 1243

You don't seem to realise that you are talking about the type of countries that already do have US style policing. Often set up with US help ...just look at the mess and put 2 and 2 together

22 million people in Oz and you think you can some them all up in one sentence....do you not think you are over-stereotyping a little?

I think advice from the US police is the last thing any police force needs.

He's clearly a Gammon - the word has been arpound since the 1600s and it's followed him! - Spread the word! It's in wikipedia....

THe government is now back-pedalling again they won't introduce this until 2025. THe principal is the same - if you are a British citizen fall in love and marry a foreigner the government tells you that they have no right to live in the UK unless you are in a minority high-income bracket.

no I was there around then too.

What did you mean - that's wht you siad. the in/out differetial this year is 750,000 whic=h is higher than ever. THe cause is losss of workers due to Brexit.

It\s dome the complete opposite - just from other regions.