Kidist, spoiling for a fight?

[chaotic life]

My guess is that Kidist is Ethiopian Coptic/Orthodox. Most of Ethiopia is either Coptic Orthodox or Muslim and she clearly cannot stand the thought of being Muslim.

I often wonder if Kidist can grasp that Amharic is NOT Italian and that the Italians are not generally admired by her own ethnic community for their attempts to force Ethiopia into submission without success.

[Mary C Doates]

Wonder why she bothered to start a new blog at all? She could have posted her rambling "musings" on the old blog as well, especially as the topics, different when starting out, are now just the same. Perhaps she thinks she can escape haters like us in this manner.

The only good thing I have to say about her: She's not a religious nutjob.

I got the impression that her new blog was supposed to be about aesthetics, with the eventual goal of having the posts compiled into a book (financed by her "supporters"--has she been conferring with XGayGreg about funding strategies?). She basically stuck with that concept with only occasional off-topic forays into racist rants, which she tries to justify by claiming that the people she despises lack "culture" and somehow violate her aesthetic standards simply by existing. Her most recent posts are more reminiscent of "classic" (and classist) Kidist.

Not sure what her religious orientation is, but I assume she uses it to justify her opinions. I would imagine she might find it difficult to find a church or religious organization that would meet her standards.

[2xx1xy1JD]

Single-minded, isn't she? The voices in her head are quite obsessed with the anti-Asian theme.

Well, genuine ethnic food that caters to people who are part of that group is often cheap - and full of flavor - and quite an amazing bargain. When we were starving students, hubby and I would sometimes splurge on cheap Chinese, since we found a place where we could have a complete, full-course dinner for 2, with soft drinks, for less than $20 including tax and tip. No, you don't get ambiance for that price, but who cares?

More pretentious places in high-rent areas cost more. French restaurants in Toronto don't cater to actual French people, the way a crepe stand in Paris would. That's why a crepe from a stand in Paris is affordable, and a French restaurant on a high-rent street in Toronto is not.

Real foodies know this. They aren't fooled by pretty decor.

Can we force her to watch Anthony Bourdain's Parts Unknown series on CNN? Or even to hang out on Chowhound boards for a while?

Here are some hole-in-the-wall places that are perennial favorites:

Schwartz's delicatessen in Montreal:

http://schwartzsdeli.com/

Dr. Laffa in its original loading dock location:

http://www.blogto.com/restaurants/dr-laffa-toronto

Banh Mi Boys:

http://www.torontolife.com/daily-dish/o ... h-mi-boys/

Salad King:

http://www.saladking.com/

Of course, if someone really does want flashy decor, that exists too in Asian restaurants.

http://dynasty.sites.toronto.com/

http://www.259host.com/

As for the homes - just look at Richmond Hill and Markham. Kidist is looking at areas that are cheaper, and comparing apples to oranges.

[C Potter-Pirbright]

Dear Kidist,

Please do not go visit other countries, they've done nothing to deserve it.

reclaimbeauty.blogspot.ca/2013/06/the-degradation-of-western-culture-due.html

I wonder if this 'affluent friend' of hers reads this travesty of a blog of her, methinks she wouldn't get an invite back for what sounded like a delightful meal.

Such societies have evolved superior forms of food culture. Food is not presented in one stretch of a meal, but in carefully structured segments, or courses. This way, each independent segment can be enjoyed without the palette being overwhelmed.

Besides the food, the decor surrounding the meal is very important, from the chairs, the table cloth, the dinnerware design, and the floral and other decorative arrangements.

to that I say clearly you haven't really eaten good food.

[miffy]

LOL!!!

Ms. Asrat wrote:

Even those areas where reasonably well-to-do (these days they are “Asians†– i.e. Chinese, Koreans and Filipinos, and the South Asians – i.e. Indians and Pakistani) immigrants reside, we find generally inferior homes, with no landscaping or maintenance of the surroundings. Dull and lusterless places.

I don't find this at all.

In-fact I know a Chinese immigrant who owns one of the most beautiful houses i've ever seen, its practically a palace. It also happens to be a few houses away from a house owned by an arab sheik. So maybe it really could be counted as a palace? :P

Kidist just dies with envy when she walks past a marble mansion with a happy family living in it on the way back to her 1 bedroom apartment & alienation.

She has so many hang ups about 'race'. She is African, its not like she is Cape Coloured (different connotations in SA) & able to pass as 'white'. She is an immigrant. She needs to work on being comfortable with herself. Being angry at every other immigrant in Canada isn't going to change the fact that her surname isn't Johnson & her great-great grandparents didn't emigrate from the UK.

[C Potter-Pirbright]

Exactly, no matter how hard she tries, how much she wishes, she is going to be the person she was born as, and in this case it isn't in the French or English upper class, these fancy homes and meals she describes aren't about to happen, she is not to the manor born. Can you imagine inviting her to dinner?

I had a quick glance at Ethiopian food customs and surprise, surprise they too don't seem to big on separate dishes and courses. Then again Kidist is just superior to everyone (in her teeny tiny brain).

[miffy]

Exactly, no matter how hard she tries, how much she wishes, she is going to be the person she was born as, and in this case it isn't in the French or English upper class, these fancy homes and meals she describes aren't about to happen, she is not to the manor born. Can you imagine inviting her to dinner?

I had a quick glance at Ethiopian food customs and surprise, surprise they too don't seem to big on separate dishes and courses. Then again Kidist is just superior to everyone (in her teeny tiny brain).

She would probably be really quiet, because she would be busy taking mental notes for her blog about the blonde haired blue eyed host who had CHINESE paintings on the wall.

Its quiet sad because i'm sure she has some really interesting stories to tell.

[thoughtful]

Such societies have evolved superior forms of food culture. Food is not presented in one stretch of a meal, but in carefully structured segments, or courses. This way, each independent segment can be enjoyed without the palette being overwhelmed.

I know this is a common mistake, but she might have checked before posting, and you'd think someone who claims to be an artist would know the difference between palette (the thing you use to hold paint, or an array of colors) and palate (the roof of the mouth, or sense of taste).

As ever, it's a dead heat between her racism and her delusion. She is a sad case.

[DutchMommy]

reclaimbeauty.blogspot.nl/2013/06/a-blush-of-rose.html

The perfumer (the nose, in perfume technical language) is Annie Buzantian, who has created a long list of perfumes with well-known designers.

I wonder if she chose perfume composition because of her long nose?

Kidist, you have GOT to be kidding me!!

[AnywhereButHere]

Exactly, no matter how hard she tries, how much she wishes, she is going to be the person she was born as, and in this case it isn't in the French or English upper class, these fancy homes and meals she describes aren't about to happen, she is not to the manor born. Can you imagine inviting her to dinner?

I had a quick glance at Ethiopian food customs and surprise, surprise they too don't seem to big on separate dishes and courses. Then again Kidist is just superior to everyone (in her teeny tiny brain).

I remember once, I had gone to an Ethiopian restaurant with some friends. I don't remember separate courses either. There was a big circular table that we all sat around, different things were placed all around it ( a chicken dish, beef dish, lentils I think, etc...), then we were all given a flat bread which was used to scoop up the different foods. You just kind of mixed and matched, so to speak. Good food and fun to eat. :) Not saying all Ethiopian dining experiences are like that one. Maybe Kidist has other memories, but given her skill at inventing them, I wouldn't really believe anything she came up with.

[tropaka]

I guess I shouldn't bother sending her a note that West Hill is not particularly impoverished, nor is the clip of a bungalow that she's shown "prefab housing" (I guess she cut out any greenery to make her fucked up point)....

[ladyamylynn]

Dear Kidist,

Please do not go visit other countries, they've done nothing to deserve it.

reclaimbeauty.blogspot.ca/2013/06/the-degradation-of-western-culture-due.html

I wonder if this 'affluent friend' of hers reads this travesty of a blog of her, methinks she wouldn't get an invite back for what sounded like a delightful meal.

to that I say clearly you haven't really eaten good food.

Kidist obviously hasn't been to any high-end/trendier "western" restaurants any time recently, or she would know that ordering may smaller plates to be shared around the table is absolutely normal and encouraged, and unless you're somewhere like French Laundry, you're not going to eat an 8-course dinner with all eight courses served in succession. Occasionally when I chef for wine dinners, we do elaborate multi-course meals, but this is done specifically to showcase the wine. Not that she would know anything about fine dining, since her meals out seem relegated to a dry chicken sandwich and a glass of table wine at Dusty McGee's Ye Olde Irish Pub.

Also, I got really hungry reading her list of banchan. Korean food is one of my favorite cuisines.

[acheronbeach]

Service a la Francaise - all the dishes coming out at once, covering the table, and eaten communally - was pretty much the universal for French/English haute cuisine formal dinners until the 1800's. It's a French tradition as much as it is a Korean one. (though there were usually a couple of "services" at one meal)

Service a la Russe - dishes coming out in courses - is a Russian tradition brought to France in the 19th century, and preferred because it kept the food hot.

[ladyamylynn]

Service a la Francaise - all the dishes coming out at once, covering the table, and eaten communally - was pretty much the universal for French/English haute cuisine formal dinners until the 1800's. It's a French tradition as much as it is a Korean one. (though there were usually a couple of "services" at one meal)

Service a la Russe - dishes coming out in courses - is a Russian tradition brought to France in the 19th century, and preferred because it kept the food hot.

I wonder how far east you have to travel in Russia for Kidist to start hating everyone?

[knitwit]

Finally got a chance to check out the blog posts in question. Her reading comprehension could use some work, as a few of the photos clearly said that they were a supermarket, and a couple don't look any different than a Sobeys or other "non-ethnic" supermarket. And I'm pretty sure from looking at the building (and the from the brand) that the "Patty King" storefront is the front of their manufacturing/distribution/administrative building as I've mostly seen their stuff sold in supermarkets or independent convenience stores.

Really she just makes me want to check out one of the dumpling places I've seen on BlogTO when I'm in Toronto on Saturday.

[lilah]

I traveled to Seoul and had both family style meals and multicourse meals. During the latter, I was served so many dishes I lost count. I'd try to have one bit to be polite.