What we eat. Who we are: Scott Mason’s Thoughts.
By Scott Mason, Owner/Chef of Ketchum Grill where autumnal dishes are being served nightly. Be sure to check out Scott’s recipes for Lentil Soup and Rosemary Raisin Bread, as well as his assorted food tips.
What we eat. Who we are.
On a street corner in old Han Oi there is restaurant proudly displaying whole cooked and caramelized dogs in the open for everyone to see. Somewhat of a dying breed, the dog restaurant in Viet Nam is becoming about as popular as a French poodle in Sun Valley. Naturally, if a restaurant wanted to sell something they would display what ever the food was in a most appetizing way. But thit cho, no matter the presentation, is better left at the foot of the bed or at the end of a leash than on the table. I found myself, the man who can eat anything at least once, somewhat dismayed during a recent trip to Viet Nam that I was unable to coax my appetite to yearn for “hot” dog.
So I wonder. What makes us long for certain foods and tastes?
Is it innate or culture or perhaps a desire to impress our peers? Certainly some tastes are innate. Sweetness and salt I think could be considered innately pleasurable tastes. I personally, do not believe we are naturally inclined to eat oysters, salmon roe, beef liver or dog. So is hunger the only reason we eat certain things? Our cultures and upbringing must play a huge role in what we like to eat. I have one friend who likes only steak for dinner and that’s all she orders at the restaurant. Another friend who loves vegemite and many who loathe it. Nutella on toast for breakfast? How gross is that? But many Euro-types love the stuff. And those root beer floats that I love so, were completely berated by a previous French boss who insisted my favorite summer dessert tasted like toothpaste.
The ability to spend our hard earned cash must play a role in our food decisions and what’s good and what’s not. Sam, our guide in Viet Nam, when asked about the mystery meat during one dinner said, “oh, you wish it was cat”. Why do we wish that? We asked Sam. “Cat is very expensive and is mostly exported to China”. He replied. “We can’t afford cat here”. Is cat good Sam? “Oh yes, if you can catch it”. Who would actually want to eat some of the things that we humans eat? I’ll tell you right now I’d have to be near death with hunger to eat a cockroach, in any preparation, yet I’ve seen them in markets for sale.What is considered good and normal in one food culture is strange in another. Here at home I’ve actually had a guest ask if we had any “normal” food on our menu. In the kitchen my sarcastic reply was “you mean like snails, rocky mountain oysters, sea slugs, and beetles?” Out front the answer was “well certainly we have all kinds of normal food”.
Luckily for diners here in the Wood River Valley, only “normal” food is served.
About Scott Mason:
Scott and his wife Ann Mason have owned and operated the Ketchum Grill since 1991 and that little place in the mountains called the Ketchum Grill has pulled in more celebrities, foodies and mostly just regular folks than you‘d care shake your stick near. “I’m not sure why they come… I just cook it and they do” And it’s no wonder why. An award winning wine list, food tasty enough to eat every night and reasonable enough for an average Joe to play big spender. Snow Country Magazine chose Ketchum Grill as 1 of the “8 best Ski town restaurants” with “food rivaling Manhattan’s best.” Book reservations online or call 208-726-4660. For directions, click here.
And The American Dairy Counsel chose Scott to be one of their Premiere Chefs of America 1997 spokes people . “I love to cook, I love to eat. What more can I say”
As a simple analogy Scott relates trends in food and taste to trends in music… “Mozart and good wine here to stay…the Beatles and Organic Produce staying too…. Back Street Boys and Snail Caviar… only time will tell.”
Read more about Scott, Ann and the Ketchum Grill here.
