Sweet & Meat...mmmm yeah~

[Frexitarian]

Yeah, I've been persecuted for my love for the sweet and meaty combo. Roscoe's is it's own thing. It's not fancy and just because it's in "Pasadena" it doesn't mean it's not "real" either. (some people just get things so mixed up) - - - Roscoe's is pretty pricey. Actually, I don't think I've been to a "soul-food" joint, that wasn't pricey...can someone answer THAT question for me? Anyhow, I've been hittin' Roscoe's way back when it WAS in a highly black and brown populated area of Pasadena (north of the 210). The chicken has always been so salty for me. Then again...MOST soul-food joints are too salty for me anyhow. I could hang but dang...I needs me a pitcher of water every time. The waffles are in a class of their own. Some waffle snobs have dissed Roscoe's waffles yet my buddy's grandmother who is from the south likes them a lot. Not to say that her stamp of approval means that it's the "real deal" or anything...just pointing out that the waffles are Roscoe's and Roscoe's alone. To me...
"their" chicken goes well with "their" waffles. They do a good job marrying. you could not match a "Manekan" waffle with Roscoe chicken...no way. Even though Manekan is freaking delicious. So, you really just have to try Roscoe's to see if your palate likes it or not. IF you do...great! If not...oh well. Onto the next sweet and savory dish! I recommend, Philippine Pan de Sal & sweet maiz ice cream! (bread roll & corn ice cream)

[mariacarmen]

ham with brown sugar and pineapple.... canadian bacon pizza with pineapple...

[ipsedixit]

Or bacon candy.

[kaleokahu]

This is actually a brilliantly oblique approach to showing what can be a culinary blindspot. Thank you!

The *idea* of sweet + meat repulses me--I have always eschewed syrup within a yard of my bacon.

Yet, the one time I tried a McGriddle, I knew taking a second bite would be risking fullblown addiction. I have happily fattened myself for--going on two decades now--the Mongolian Beef at my favorite Chinese restaurant (not to mention General Tso's Chicken)! And what about all those Monte Cristo sandwiches? Even tonight's Pollo Involtini (sweetened balsalmic vinegar reduction over chicken-wrapped mild sausage)!

Must try chicken and waffles..............................................................

Aloha,
Kaleo

[smartie]

just thought of Moroccan lamb stew with prunes or and apricots and cinnamon.

[ipsedixit]

Same idea behind Teriyaki or Orange Chicken (or General Tso's chicken) and turkey with cranberries I suppose

[sisterfunkhaus]

Kind of kitschy, but little smokies wrapped in bacon and baked in brown sugar are DIVINE!! Sweet meat at its best.

[linguafood]

I'm on the opposite end of the spectrum, I guess. I keep my pancakes & syrup far, far away from my bacon or sausage & eggs.

My man made a Greek chicken stew yesterday that included honey, cloves and cinnamon. Way too sweet for my taste, even tho it wasn't cloyingly so.

The only applications where it works for me is with very rich-flavored meats such as duck, venison or very good pork. Foie gras comes to mind, too. It can be a nice counterbalance to have a *hint* of sweetness, like a port wine & fig reduction with duck, or cherry sauce with venison, or spicy applesauce with a good pork chop.

But in general, I'd even like those fruit additions to be on the more acidic side than sweet.

[mariacarmen]

ahhh foie and something sweet! perfect example... my favorite ever was little jellied cubes of Jurançon paired with foie... in Paris, of course, to sweeten the deal.....

[roxlet]

I'm with you, lingua! I like applesauce with pork roast, but that's the extent of mixing sweet things with a protein, and even at that, the applesauce is unsweetened. People seem to love it though, as evidenced by how often that nauseating concoction known as Chicken Marbella shows up on the Home Cooking board.

[linguafood]

Is that the one with canned peaches? Blurgh.

[laliz]

Pineapple w/ham
Orange w/duck

[smartie]

Lamb with mint jelly or redcurrant jelly, turkey with cranberry sauce, BBQ is sweet, latkes with apple sauce, lots of chinese food comes sweet and sour, there must be other examples.

[MGZ]

Glazed ham. Breakfast sausage (especially dipped in maple syrup). Hell, even corn dogs.

ETA - Don't know how I didn't think of it at first, but there's also the most common of them all . . . ketchup on a burger.

[smartie]

and green relish

[pdxgastro]

Not every foreign culture likes it. But I do! Apple sauce or sauteed apple slices with pork chops. Cranberry with turkey. I have never had chicken and waffles.

[ammyrodrics]

Sweet meat?? How?

[mariacarmen]

i believe Frexitarian is speaking of pairing a meat with something sweet - fried chicken (salty) with waffles (sweet because of the syrup you pour over.)

like.... the new trend in donuts. maple bars with real bacon bits on top. SO. GOOD.