SC - Ravioli, dumplings, and excoriation

[Philip & Susan Troy]

> Date: Fri, 21 Apr 2000 22:13:03 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Huette von Ahrens <ahrenshav at yahoo.com>
> Subject: Re: food and appearance...was Re: SC - quick important note
> 
> - --- Bonne of Traquair <oftraquair at hotmail.com> wrote:
> > 
> > So, where did I go wrong in beleiving that #2 was a
> > useful generic term for 
> > the myriad ethnic variations of stuff wrapped in
> > dough and cooked?  What 
> > generic term would you use?
> 
> Personally I don't think that #2 fits the category of
> dumplings, but I could be wrong.  I am sure that I
> will be excoriated for this opinion if I am wrong.
> 
> Huette

Originally I thought this was perhaps a eurocentric view of dumplings,
considering that wontons, jiao tze, guo tie, har gaw, and shiu mai are
all dumplings, or are at least classified that way in English.

On the other hand, there are examples of European filled apple
dumplings, for example, both baked and, I believe, steamed like a clouty
pudding. The English word suggests to my untrained ear that the mixture
(which seems usually to be cereal-based) is dropped from a spoon into or
onto hot liquid or other food, but I think this definition has been
extended considerably as the various aspects of regional cuisines become
more widespread.

The white ravioli recipe originally referenced by, I think, Balthazar,
is for a fairly basic cheese gnocchi, and is pretty undeniably a
dumpling. Of course there are English ravioli recipes that don't call
for a wrapping of pasta either. The name seems to imply a small "turnip"
shape, achieved in any of a number of ways, and a filled pasta is just
one. Others include rolling meatballs and, apparently, a method
practically identical to cheese gnocchi. 

Adamantius (doesn't this list concentrate enough on organ meats without
excoriating its members?)
- -- 
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com