The eGullet Hall of Shame

[emmalish]

Got one more shame to add....

Margarine.

I use it on toast & sandwiches. I have no good reason to use margarine - I don't like the taste better than butter, I know it's not really good for you, and I'm not lactose intolerant. I don't even cook with margarine (except sometimes for grilled cheese sandwiches). I am simply cannot be bothered to wait for the butter to soften up to spreadable consistency.

That's what Lurpak Spreadable is for (although I prefer the unsalted one)! While I love real, cultured butter on my rye bread, this stuff is pretty close.

Or better yet, whipped butter!

[Lapin d'Argent]

I LOVE Pizza Rolls. Damn it. But they used to taste better than they do now...they've gone all healthy and "lite" on me. Now the pepperoni has *shudder* TURKEY in it! What the hell kind of pepperoni is that?

Also, when I'm sick with a cold or something, the only thing I want to eat is Kraft Mac & Cheese (powder kind only -- no innovations, thank you), and strawberry jello. No other flavors need apply.

Sometimes a can of Cambell's tomato soup, made with milk so that it's magically Cream of Tomato soup, is also good.

[Kerry Beal]

Sometimes a can of Cambell's tomato soup, made with milk so that it's magically Cream of Tomato soup, is also good.

In my house that was poured over a bowl of crushed Saltines - more added as any sign of liquid was found.

[clove2873]

Quaker's microwave oatmeals. *gasp* Cinnamon or maple brown sugar ftw...

[Marlene]

Quaker's microwave oatmeals. *gasp* Cinnamon or maple brown sugar ftw...

my son's favourite.

[clove2873]

Quaker's microwave oatmeals. *gasp* Cinnamon or maple brown sugar ftw...

my son's favourite.

I'm all for steel cut oats and the like --wonderful texture, etc-- but when Mr.Quakers brown sugary goodness is only 1&1/3 cup of water and a minute&thiry away, i occasionally cave...

[abooja]

One of my most shameful menus includes Shake 'n Bake pork chops with chicken-flavored Rice-A-Roni. I maybe make it once a year. It requires an ocean of water to quench my thirst after that meal.

I am also ashamed to admit that I have, historically, disliked the idea of sushi, sashimi or just about any raw/undercooked fish so deeply, that I tried to convince myself that others' presumed enjoyment of it was more a desire to impress others than a lip-smacking, I've-gotta-have-more-of-that-good-stuff type of experience.

Ditto to sweetbreads and foie gras. Just offal. (As was this joke.)

[Pierogi]

After dinner tonight (hottie dogs w/ kraut, mustard and onions on sub rolls) and Ore-Ida frozen "fast food" (read....coated) fries, another submission popped into my head.

Best Foods/Hellman's mayo is better than any other mayo I've ever tasted, and I would never consider making mayo from scratch (although I have, so I *can*...if I wanted to....but I don't) because it isn't as good as Best Foods.

Into which the cooked, frozen fries were dipped to simulate Belgian frites.

It was a BAD day.....SoCal doesn't do bad weather, and it took me 3 hours to get home the 18 miles from work.

I needed mayo, lots of Best Foods mayo, grease and salt. And Bourbon.

[chezcherie]

don't like sushi. do like jujyfruits.

[andiesenji]

Yep, this is the true "rainy season" of SoCal - not seen since '97-'98 Even up here in the desert we had rain most of the day with more to come today and tomorrow.

Supper last evening was the aforementioned mac 'n cheese made with a can of Campbell's Nacho cheese soup but I did use whole wheat elbow mac so it was a bit more "healthy" than the usual.

After the mention of the cheese powder, I'm determined to try some - I've seen it at Winco and will pick up some on my next visit.

Edited January 21, 2010 by andiesenji (log)

[GwennP]

Arby's roast beef sandwiches with lots of horsey sauce. BUT, they must be the regular size - the rolls are better!

[GwennP]

I love Tater Tots, with ketchup.

Ohhh, I forgot about those. Tater Tots with lots of ketchup. And if some of that ketchup accidentally oozes on to my steak, I am happy (ashamed but happy).

[judiu]

After dinner tonight (hottie dogs w/ kraut, mustard and onions on sub rolls) and Ore-Ida frozen "fast food" (read....coated) fries, another submission popped into my head.

Best Foods/Hellman's mayo is better than any other mayo I've ever tasted, and I would never consider making mayo from scratch (although I have, so I *can*...if I wanted to....but I don't) because it isn't as good as Best Foods.

Into which the cooked, frozen fries were dipped to simulate Belgian frites.

It was a BAD day.....SoCal doesn't do bad weather, and it took me 3 hours to get home the 18 miles from work.

I needed mayo, lots of Best Foods mayo, grease and salt. And Bourbon.

Pierogi, how do you eat with my mouth? We seem to share the same tastes; Hellman's is my secret weapon in a lot of things... SoFLA doesn't do cold very well, but the 2 weeks before this have been damn near bitter!

On my own part, my guilty pleasures run to Arby's Beef & Cheddar sandwiches and their Jamoca shakes. Wow, now I'm hungry for that for lunch...

[Peter the eater]

I love Tater Tots, with ketchup.

Ohhh, I forgot about those. Tater Tots with lots of ketchup. And if some of that ketchup accidentally oozes on to my steak, I am happy (ashamed but happy).

Tater Tots are tasty. Here's another level of shame: when you run out, cut a russet into 1/2" slabs, punch out cylinders using your apple corer, soak for an hour in salty water, pat dry then deep fry in canola until golden.

[robirdstx]

Burger King Whopper, no ketchup. I had one today for lunch. Man, was it good! Good thing I don't drive by there very often.

[SheenaGreena]

I stopped making my own salad dressings after trying Girard's Champagne vinaigrette. It's AMAZING because it's loaded with msg. I also use canned beans (hate the chewiness of dried beans) and canned chicken and beef stock. However if I do have the homemade stuff on hand I will probably use it.

[dividend]

hot dogs stuffed w cheese, wrapped in pillsbury crecsent roll dough, and baked.

YES! I forgot about those.

I will note that my parents started buying the low-fat turkey hotdogs. No. Just no. Ugh. Only the good all beef hot dogs with my Velveeta and crescent rolls, please!

In the highbrow/lowbrow vein, I keep around a block of imported parmigiano reggiano (I have no idea if that's spelled right) from the Italian deli, and thus that gets used the way the green can would. So yes, only fancy schmancy cheese in my potato chip chicken!

[SheenaGreena]

I don't know about you guys but this thread is making me hungry

[lesliec]

When I was just a little fellow, one or two years ago now, my mother always let me have the bowl and spoon to lick when she finished baking. Consequence: I still LURVE uncooked cake mix, pastry, cookies, pretty much everything. That was not my guilty secret. This is:

When I had a son of my own, he was reasonably well schooled in affairs of the kitchen and is now, aged 24, a proper foodie just like his Dad (but with less money). After baking, did I let him have the spoon and bowl? Hell no - that's MINE!

[djyee100]

I don't know about you guys but this thread is making me hungry

I notice that once people admit to their shameful foods, they feel hungry for them and eat them. Is this an aspect of recovery?

I hope so, because I bought a bag of potato chips yesterday.

[smallworld]

Red licorice. It's got a taste and texture unlike anything found in nature, and I can't get enough of it.

I also love canned corn and canned black olives.

Oh yeah, and I genuinely like ABBA. Oops, wrong forum.

[Stephanie Brim]

hot dogs stuffed w cheese, wrapped in pillsbury crecsent roll dough, and baked.

YES! I forgot about those.

I will note that my parents started buying the low-fat turkey hotdogs. No. Just no. Ugh. Only the good all beef hot dogs with my Velveeta and crescent rolls, please!

In the highbrow/lowbrow vein, I keep around a block of imported parmigiano reggiano (I have no idea if that's spelled right) from the Italian deli, and thus that gets used the way the green can would. So yes, only fancy schmancy cheese in my potato chip chicken!

The saddest thing about my casserole post was that not only did I have the expensive stuff, I'd used it earlier that day on a salad. I just couldn't be arsed to grate enough cheese for the breadcrumb mixture. That's a dedication to laziness.

[mkayahara]

I hope so, because I bought a bag of potato chips yesterday.

Wait, are potato chips cause for shame? If so, then count me in.

Actually, there's one particular kind of chips I am ashamed of liking: Tostitos "hint of lime" tortilla chips. They're totally artificial, but when they're in the house, I have to get my partner to hide the bag, lest I eat the whole thing in one sitting. We refer to them colloquially as "crack" around here.

[KaffeeKlatsch]

Here's another one:

Doctor up some canned baked beans with diced onions, green peppers, some brown sugar, ketchup, etc...

Slice up hot dogs and add to the beans. Pour all into a casserole dish. Now take a box of Jiffy corn bread and make it according to the directions. Pour the batter over your baked bean/hot dog casserole.

Bake until browned and corn bread is cooked through.

It's shameful and delicious.

[Kim Shook]

I share so many of these - casseroles, junk food, Beef and Cheddars. My most embarrassing one is that I adore Underwood Deviled Ham - on white bread with tons of Duke's mayo. But the shameful thing is that in spite of this - I make fun of my husband and daughter for liking Domino's and Pizza Hut . How I dare, I don't know.