I hear yah, PJ. When I first moved to Iowa from Cali, I thought that I'd moved to a culinary wasteland - simple meat and potatoes - no Thai, Sushi, or Indian places and the Tex-Mex and Chinese were horrid! So, I found the one and only Oriental market and started learning to make my own! I still put a lot of that experience to work even today. Gave me a great appreciation for spices and different cooking techniques. But, in the ensuing years, we have "grown up" and have really good Thai, Sushi, and Indian spots, and authentic Mex, but alas the Chinese food still suffers, but it's a far cry better than the original days when I moved here!