Bonus #115 - Wilfred Padua and Jeff Scheen [PATREON PREVIEW]

Summary

Stavvy's World: Bonus #115 - Wilfred Padua and Jeff Scheen [PATREON PREVIEW]

Release Date: February 13, 2025

Hosts: Stavros Halkias, Wilfred Padua, Jeff Scheen, and Mike

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Introduction to Cultural Diversity in Michigan

The episode kicks off with a lively discussion between Jeff and Mike about the diverse cultural landscape of Michigan. Mike highlights the significant presence of German whites and Chaldeans, shedding light on the lesser-known but vibrant Chaldean community.

• Mike (00:03): “We got... a lot of German whites. And then we got Chaldeans. You know, we got a Chaldean group.”

• Jeff (00:08): “What the hell is Chaldea?”

• Mike (00:10): “It's Christian Iraqis. Came over from from the first Iraq war.”

This exchange serves as an eye-opener for listeners unfamiliar with the Chaldean community, emphasizing Michigan's role as a melting pot for various ethnic groups.

The Chaldean Culinary Scene

The conversation transitions to the culinary preferences of the Chaldean community. Jeff expresses curiosity about their traditional foods, while Mike admits unfamiliarity.

• Jeff (00:30): “What's the Christian ir crack food like? They got kebabs and...”

• Mike (00:33): “Oh, I don't know. We never tried either.”

The hosts delve into the theme of milk consumption with meals, a staple in many Midwestern households but often a point of contention elsewhere.

• Mike (00:56): “You got to scoop that out your tongue. That's how you do it.”

• Jeff (02:01): “That's dessert. That's literally what dessert should be. What you're describing is, like, savory dessert, like, texture.”

This segment humorously critiques the ubiquitous presence of milk in meals, likening it to an odd pairing with savory dishes.

The Great Milk Debate

A spirited debate ensues about the appropriateness of consuming milk with savory foods. Jeff vehemently opposes the idea, while Mike defends it with anecdotes about his father's dining habits.

• Jeff (03:07): “No, no, no. It cannot. First of all, it can't even slide to lunch."

• Mike (02:36): “How do you know when you're getting it? It's just...”

The discussion highlights differing perspectives on traditional eating habits and the subjective nature of taste preferences.

Exploring Asian Culinary Influences

The hosts shift focus to Asian cuisines, particularly Korean, and their integration into American food culture. Jeff and Will discuss the adaptation of hot dogs in Korean cuisine, leading to a debate about the elevation of such traditionally simple foods.

• Jeff (05:53): “It's like a fancy corn dog, but takes like 15 minutes to make the thing.”

• Will (06:00): “They put a lot of work into it.”

• Jeff (06:07): “I think actually a hot dog should not be elevated."

This exchange underscores the tension between authentic traditions and their modern, often gourmet, reinterpretations.

The Umami Conundrum

A comprehensive discussion on umami, the so-called "fifth taste," unfolds. The hosts explore its definition, perception, and prevalence in various cuisines.

• Jeff (07:18): “Umami is not really a thing. It's more of a description of a type of, like, savory flavor.”

• Mike (07:24): “Yeah, that's what I meant. It's a rich.”

• Will (07:51): “My girlfriend made chili last night, and then she was like, oh, I put some umami in it. I was like, I couldn't tell.”

Jeff offers a skeptical view on the distinctiveness of umami, while Mike and Will share personal experiences, illustrating the complexity and sometimes ambiguity surrounding this flavor profile.

The MSG Misunderstanding

The conversation delves into the controversial topic of Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) and its association with umami.

• Jeff (08:26): “MSG's back, brother.”

• Mike (08:32): “And that's umami.”

• Will (08:30): “It is bad.”

The hosts discuss the evolving perceptions of MSG, noting its debated reputation and its role in enhancing umami flavors in dishes.

Personal Food Preferences and Nostalgia

The episode concludes with personal anecdotes reflecting on childhood food experiences and the lasting impressions they leave.

• Will (10:05): “My girlfriend made chili last night...”

• Jeff (10:10): “I'm eating ice cream. Teaching a baby, this is like teaching a baby, like, what opinions are.”

These stories humanize the conversation, connecting broader cultural and culinary discussions to individual memories and preferences.

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Key Takeaways:

1. Cultural Diversity: Michigan is home to a rich tapestry of ethnic communities, including the often-overlooked Chaldeans.
2. Food Traditions: Traditional eating habits, such as consuming milk with savory meals, can spark lively debates and reflect deeper cultural values.
3. Culinary Evolution: The adaptation and elevation of traditional foods, like Korean hot dogs, highlight the dynamic nature of culinary practices.
4. Flavor Exploration: Understanding and defining complex flavors like umami reveals the subjective nature of taste and the challenges in categorizing culinary experiences.
5. Personal Narratives: Individual food preferences and nostalgic memories play a significant role in shaping one's relationship with food.

Notable Quotes:

• Mike (00:10): “It's Christian Iraqis. Came over from the first Iraq war.”
• Jeff (02:01): “That's dessert. That's literally what dessert should be.”
• Jeff (06:07): “I think actually a hot dog should not be elevated.”
• Jeff (07:18): “Umami is not really a thing. It's more of a description of a type of, like, savory flavor.”
• Jeff (08:26): “MSG's back, brother.”

This episode of Stavvy's World offers an engaging exploration of cultural diversity, culinary traditions, and the ever-evolving landscape of food preferences, all delivered with the hosts' characteristic humor and candidness.

Transcript

[Jeff]

What did you. What did you guys have over there? What kind of mix Michigan.

[Mike]

We got. I mean, it's a lot of German whites. And then we got Chaldeans. You know, we got a Chaldean group.

[Jeff]

What the hell is Chaldea?

[Mike]

It's Christian Iraqis.

[Jeff]

Oh, wow.

[Mike]

Came over from. From the first Iraq war.

[Jeff]

Oh. We let the Christians in, and then.

[Mike]

They came over to a spot in Michigan. So all Michigan people are like, oh, yeah, we know Chaldeans. Nobody else knows what they are. It's like a little Michigan secret. We have a whole bunch of Christian Iraqis.

[Jeff]

Yeah.

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Jeff]

What's the Christian ir crack food like? They got kebabs and.

[Mike]

Oh, I don't know. We never tried either.

[Jeff]

Just meatloaf. Every meal, we know they're there.

[Mike]

That's enough.

[Jeff]

You do have a Stouffer's ass face, Jeff. That's right. You have a right down the middle American cuisine face.

[Mike]

Oh, you better believe we had milk with every meal.

[Jeff]

Oh, no. That shit is so fucking gross. That's interesting that that type of trash travels across the country, because Foley is like that. Just pure, you know, Philadelphia.

[Will]

I went over to his place.

[Jeff]

Milk.

[Will]

He's making a turkey and cheese sandwich on white bread. Just mayo and a glass of milk. And it's like.

[Jeff]

With a turkey, mayo, cheese sandwich.

[Will]

I was like, you're 30.

[Jeff]

That's every shade of white possible. Just every shade of, like, from paper white to, like, cream. All your foods are in that spectru. That's. So there's chips in there.

[Mike]

There's potato chip.

[Jeff]

Yeah, yeah. The only pop of color is if you went Nacho Doritos that day. If you're. If it's. If it's Cinco de Mayo and you have nacho. Nacho Doritos.

[Mike]

But it was sour cream and onion.

[Jeff]

You better believe it was sour cream. Oh, that's so gross.

[Mike]

Like, yeah, it's good.

[Jeff]

That's not good.

[Mike]

That's how you're supposed to eat.

[Jeff]

That's desert. That's literally what dessert should be. What you're describing is, like, savory dessert, like, texture. You know what I mean? Like, I'm thinking about that sliding down my throat, and it's pissing me off.

[Mike]

No, no, enjoy the slide.

[Will]

Enjoy the white bread that, like, sticks to the roof of your mouth.

[Jeff]

Yeah, no, toasted. Not toasted.

[Will]

No, not at all.

[Mike]

You got to scoop that out your tongue. That's how you do it.

[Jeff]

That fucking sucks.

[Mike]

Yeah. My dad would order at a restaurant. He'd order spaghetti and Then he'd go, when it comes out, a cold glass of milk with the Spaghett.

[Jeff]

That sucks. He wanted to warm up. He needed it. I respect that. At least I do weirdly respect that he is strict with his temperatures, but that is. What is he chasing there? What's the thing you want?

[Mike]

That's how you get it. Hot spaghetti, cold milk, Cold milk.

[Jeff]

Hot spaghetti and cold milk. Because to me, milk is so. It's dessert coated. You know what I mean?

[Mike]

Yeah, yeah.

[Jeff]

It's like a treat. It's not to be eaten with your main course.

[Will]

Yes. It shouldn't be with savory food.

[Jeff]

So fucked up to be with savory food.

[Mike]

I mean, it's in the breakfast category.

[Jeff]

Breakfast is.

[Mike]

I think it can slide.

[Jeff]

No lunch. No lunch, dinner. No, no, it cannot. First of all, it can't even slide to lunch. You got really greedy, Jeff. I was going to listen to you. If you made a brunch based argument. If you made a brunch based argument. My ears were open. But that you tried to move it all the way to dinner.

[Mike]

You got your cereal milk sandwich.

[Jeff]

No, no, no, no. Absolutely not. Absolutely fucking lutely, not.

[Mike]

For years.

[Will]

For years I've been craving pizza and cold milk.

[Mike]

Yeah.

[Will]

I think about myself eating that when I was a kid and I'm like, damn, that sounds like it would fucking hit.

[Jeff]

But that's.

[Mike]

Come on.

[Jeff]

No, no, no. What that is, is. What that is is summer camp palette. You know what I mean? That's like you get a box, you get a. That's like school lunch. We would get milk that, you know, that started early for me because they would give us milk and as a child I was disgusted and I would always try and get chocolate milk and see it as a separate entity to my lunch. See it as my dessert.

[Mike]

That's why it's dessert.

[Will]

Same way.

[Jeff]

Yeah, but that's. It's for. I think it's for everyone. It should be that way.

[Mike]

I was over there being like, give me that extra milk.

[Jeff]

Can I get that 2%? Can I get two. Two percents.

[Mike]

In the SK. Well, skim's for hydrating.

[Jeff]

Yeah, of course. Skim's basically water. You have a squeeze bottle full of skim. When you're running track, that's what you mix Gatorade with. You. You're at soccer practice with powdered Gatorade and skim. That actually doesn't. Now I'm actually on board. That sounds like a creamsicle situation. Orange Gatorade skin powder. I'm listening that's protein fortified Gatorade right there.

[Mike]

Finally.

[Will]

This is.

[Jeff]

Yeah, we just invented something by accident. Out of the ashes of your. Of a disgusting riff comes something. Comes something possible and interesting.

[Mike]

Beautiful Midwest riff.

[Jeff]

Yeah. The. The amount of dairy and because you.

[Mike]

You.

[Jeff]

I'm guessing you're in a. No dairy.

[Will]

Filipinos don't love dairy.

[Jeff]

Asians in general. I feel like Koreans will put like cheese on weirdly.

[Will]

We so do Asia. So do Filipinos.

[Jeff]

They do, yeah.

[Will]

Well, there's like cheese ice cream.

[Jeff]

Interesting. Yeah, I guess I'm thinking of that, like, hot dog on a stick that Koreans will do. But I feel like a lot of that is them misunderstanding American culture. I think they're trying to get in on it, like, late in the game.

[Mike]

But I think they All Korean hot dog spots.

[Will]

Yeah, we go to that Korean hot dog spot around the corner. For me, it's like. It's so much better than like corn dogs here.

[Jeff]

Interesting.

[Mike]

It's like a fancy corn dog, but takes like 15 minutes to make the thing.

[Will]

Yeah, they put a lot of work into it.

[Jeff]

I think actually a hot dog should not be elevated. I think it deserves to stay in the basement. It's a disgusting food and we should have it at barbecues and it should have. We should take. No, I'm with Jeff here. I'm not trying to wait 15 minutes for a hot dog. In almost circumstance, when we did go.

[Will]

It took like an hour.

[Jeff]

An hour for a bespoke cheese covered hot dog on a. He needed.

[Mike]

He needed his Korean porn dogs. All elite.

[Jeff]

Yeah. Two very interesting pallets over here.

[Will]

Jeff's coming in for revenge right now.

[Jeff]

That's hilarious. Yeah, because it's. It's all. It's all. I respect that about the. The Asian palette. There's no. There's no dairy. Really? Anywhere.

[Will]

No dairy? No. Lots of.

[Jeff]

Lots of spices and spices.

[Will]

Umami, whatever the hell that is.

[Jeff]

Maybe some umami, brother.

[Mike]

Yeah, Umami throws me off every time.

[Jeff]

Yeah, you're not in on umami. It's.

[Mike]

It's like purple, but it's got a milk vibe.

[Jeff]

No, no, you're thinking.

[Will]

You're thinking about ube.

[Mike]

Ube.

[Jeff]

The purple stuff. Umami. Umami.

[Mike]

Which one's that?

[Jeff]

Umami is not really a thing. It's more of a description of a type of, like, savory flavor.

[Mike]

Yeah, that's what I meant.

[Jeff]

It's a rich. Yeah, MSG has a lot of umami there. Mushroom involved in it, sometimes tomato.

[Mike]

Oh, it's a. It's like a vibe.

[Jeff]

It's a vibe. Yeah, it's closer to. It's a vibey. It's salty. It's. It's the. It's savory salty with, like, a better, like, pr. That's what umami is. It's good, though. You know what I mean?

[Will]

Yeah. I can't tell the difference, though.

[Jeff]

Between what?

[Will]

Umami and non umami.

[Jeff]

Yeah.

[Will]

I don't know.

[Jeff]

I don't know. I just.

[Will]

My girlfriend made chili last night, and then she was like, oh, I put some. Some umami in it. I was like, I couldn't tell.

[Jeff]

But she might just be getting got by PR because now it's. It's kind of thing, like, they'll be like wagu steak at Walmart. And it's like, that's not wag. You know what I mean? Like. Whereas, like, umami. It's like, you know, I saw, like, at Costco, there's, like, umami flavoring. It's like, that's not. I think you got to put msg. I think MSG was. It's been. It's been exonerated, as people used to think it would make you sick.

[Will]

Yeah.

[Jeff]

And they were like, no, msg, but it's actually good for you.

[Will]

It is bad.

[Jeff]

It's. That's.

[Mike]

MSG is back.

[Jeff]

MSG's back, brother.

[Mike]

And that's umami.

[Jeff]

Yes, it is.

[Mike]

All right, look at me.

[Jeff]

Let's go somewhere. It's part. Yeah, I'm ready to attack. Lots of different things can get you some umami.

[Mike]

Oh, okay.

[Jeff]

You know, it's just a deep richness. I feel like fish. Sometimes fish stock can give you a little umami, some tomato, a lot of different flavors.

[Mike]

How do you know when you're getting it?

[Jeff]

It's just. I mean, this is. You're pretty. You're. You're barely hanging on to this concept. The questions you're asking really betray that. You. You're pretending to understand it a lot more than you actually do. So it's okay. We can drop it. We don't have to keep. We don't have to keep talking about umami.

[Mike]

So someone at the table can disagree, though, if it's umami.

[Jeff]

I suppose the way you could disagree if something's too salty or too sweet. You could have. You could have opinions on what level?

[Mike]

I could be like, this is an umami.

[Will]

Well, how much umami is in it?

[Jeff]

Yeah, I think so.

[Will]

I don't even. I couldn't tell you the difference.

[Jeff]

I think it's just a. Yeah. I mean, it's just a flavor? I don't know. It's. It's like, you know, it's more of a richness, like a multiplier of flavors. It's not. We really don't have to spend that much time on this.

[Mike]

But I can be at the table and be like, I disagree.

[Jeff]

You. I guess the way you could with almost anything. Somebody could bring a plate. Let me put it in terms you understand. Somebody could bring a plate of new. Of well done noodles, and you could say, I could. They have some shape to them. These are not. These are not boiled enough.

[Mike]

You know what I mean?

[Jeff]

So the way you could say that, you'd be like, I'd like these a little more boiled, please.

[Mike]

So it's obvious, but it can be opinionated?

[Jeff]

Yes, it could, I guess. All right, all right. To each his own. To each his own.

[Mike]

I'm eating ice cream.

[Jeff]

Teaching a baby. This is like teaching a baby, like, what opinions are. Yes. Some people like, even though you like cookies doesn't mean she likes cookies. You can ask her, is this too much chocolate for you? You know, that kind of thing. I can't wait to disagree when you go have some. Some of Wilford's girlfriend's chili. You could say, there's no mommy in here.

[Mike]

I disagree. Eating with a fork and a knife.

[Jeff]

Y.