Is Mise,

She probably thought you were from a Brahman priestly caste because of your white hair and realised she needed to show deference to you.

You should try going to a Korean restaurant next time and see what happens.

Is Mise,

Thank you for sharing. I love Indian food - but
unfortunately I can no longer tolerate strong
spices. Our next door neighbours do the most
delicious dishes - and we often eat at each other's
homes. But they have to tone down some of the dishes
for me. I'm sure that they find my cooking somewhat
bland - although they've never said so. I also have
quite a few Indian type kaftans that I love to wear.
Saris are so beautiful and exotic. You're a lucky
man.

Where would Australia be without the marvellous food
you're right, I should have mentioned it.
But then immigrants have brought so much into
this country.

I remember my parents complaining at times about the
small choices in what was available in the form of
products. And, when there
weren't any European delis, when Christmas decorations
were not made up of glass balls, tinsel, and other
European style decorations, when there were not so
many choices in types of bread, and the list goes on.

Luckily things have changed - and today we are indeed
spoilt for choice.

Hi Foxy,

A good Yum Cha would not be complete without a decent serve of 'Chicken Feet', my wife's favourite, and don't forget the 'Pork Buns'. Personally of all Asian cuisine I prefer Japanese.

One thing we miss living in Brisbane, is the Asian butchers in Sydney. Mr O do an "Chinese" count in Hurstville shopping centre on a Saturday, you'll be surprised. Te Aroha particularly loved the butcher shops there, had everything she wanted, soft pork bones, pig tails, and when she was making her black pudding she could get, pigs jelly (blood), intestines, coarse pork mince and chicken livers. The 5 or 6 women behind the counter (very busy shops) couldn't speak English, and Te couldn't speak Cantonese, but she always got her message across as to what she wanted, despite the babble and din from all the squawkers serving and being served. Mr O the butcher shops are bedlam, you'll love it.

Foxy and Paul1405,

It's good to see you have come to terms with your Asianess.

Here's hoping a lot more will do the same.

Mr. Opinion,

I've had a revelation! The "Asianness" you refer to could be already here.

In Hasbeen's thread on Queensland getting back to normal, Paul 1405 advises that 'progressiveness' is now to be found in both major parties. Although I suspect that he is permanently on the turps these days, I have to agree with him. After all, I have often opined that there is little difference between Liberal and Labor.

With the lack of difference, we are getting towards the China-style one-party system; we could see an amalgamation at any time, perhaps with a gay wedding for the party leaders.

Hi Paul,

There's a wonderful Lithuanian recipe for chopped
meat in aspic. It's predominantly made up of jellied
pigs feet and is absolutely delish. It's usually
part of a banquet at dinner parties. I've made the
dish many times. It's a tradition for
special occasions passed on from one generation to
the next.

We're lucky to have some really good butchers in our area.
As well as green grocers and delis. I love Singapore noodles
and Chinese dumplings and of course the pork buns. Melbourne
is so good at giving people so many choices of what to eat.

I find it rather strange that Australia sings of having
"boundless plains to share" and yet some people cry about
who gets to enjoy them. Our national anthem tells us
that we welcome "those who come across the sea" as does
our society and economy but there are those still nagging
and complaining about who should come, where they should live,
what they should do, and how they are changing our lives.

We have benefited as a society and so has our economy.
Take our farmers. Where would they be without the short-term
immigrants (backpackers)? Because our local young people
seem to prefer to be on unemployment benefits rather than
work on farms.

Paul, I am curious what Te Arona - your wife's name means.
I looked it up and Te - seems to mean The - and Arona - it
says is a Maori girl's name (EHROWNAH) one who is colourful
and vivacious. Is that correct? It sounds wonderful.