I won't eat... What are your food limits?

[fifi]

Pixelchef started a thread about not liking foie gras. The thread sometimes drifts into other foodie confessions. Someone suggested a separate thread so here it is.

I don't "get" caviar. I can eat it but I don't particularly enjoy it, even the best stuff.

Raw fish? Can't handle it. I think it is a texture thing. Raw oysters are in the same class. Actually, I don't even like the taste of oysters, cooked anyway you can imagine. Strong fish flavors make me gag.

Truffles... This is the one that really bothers me. I really want to like these things. I really want to feel the rhapsody of a truffle. Can't do it. There is a story behind that. About 25 years ago, I had the pleasure of working in a chemical plant for a couple of months. We were using a particularly nasty solvent, acetonitrile (ACN), to extract butadiene. It has a distinctive smell. These days, you practically have to wear a moon suit to handle it. Fast forward to a few years ago. A foodie friend had just returned from France bearing some high quality truffle oil. All of the foodie friends agreed that it was the best they had tasted. I confessed that I had never tasted truffle. I was presented with a small piece of very good bread with a light smearing of the truffle oil. All were watching with great expectation as I lost my truffle virginity. My immediate reaction was... GAK!!! and I spit it out. ACN! That is what the taste was! Over the years I keep trying. I am a firm believer in continuing to explore tastes that you don't like at first. I have had fresh shaved white and black. I have had truffled eggs, truffle sauces, truffle stuffing. The list goes on and on. I still have to choke it down. No, I don't have a bad association with that chemical plant experience. Actually, it was a very good time. The smell of the solvent was distinctive but not disgusting. It just isn't something you would want to eat.

OK... I feel a lot better. Now that I have lost my foodie credentials, I will crawl back under my rock.

I hope this doesn't mean I can't play here anymore.

[KNorthrup]

I have friends who are underwhelmed at best by truffles. However, I'm in the camp of another friend, to whom I introduced them. I think it was just the oil the first time. Budget and all. Her eyes got really big and she said 'it tastes like sex.' I thought that hit it on the head. About caviar, I'm not nearly so enthusiastic.

[Jason Perlow]

I enjoy and fully appreciate all kinds of caviar, but I can understand why someone else might not. I wouldn't even call it an acquired taste, I think you either like it or you don't.

I can also see why someone might not like raw oysters or raw clams either. I like raw oysters, but only usually after having a couple of drinks first. Can't go straight into the raw oysters. Its sort of like foreplay needing to precede more intimate sex, I think.

Oysters Rockefeller though... I can dive right into those, no problem. Fried oysters too.

[pixelchef]

Great thread, fifi! :)

Okay, well, in addition to the foie everyone knows about now ( ), I'll also confess to disliking the following:

Sweetbreads

Tongue (actually, most offal)

Mustard (yes, mustard)

Frog legs

.. I'm sure there are more, but that is all I can think of right now. See, I'm not that picky! I'll always at least try something. What pisses me off is that like in the case with my foie gras experience this weekend, I have to fork out some good money to find out I don't like something. Grumble.

[Jason Perlow]

I also hate all of those with the exception of mustard. I love all kinds of mustard -- but I don't love it on everything.

As to offal, totally turned off by it. I guess that pretty much eliminates most of the weirder Chinese and French stuff for me.

[KNorthrup]

Oysters -- excellent example. Many worship them. Many avoid them. I've tried them twice -- once raw, once deep fried -- and neither stayed down so I refuse to risk further humiliation.

[jhlurie]

You know, the odd thing is that "raw" is about the ONLY way I like most fish.

My list of things which everyone else seems to like--and I don't--would be damn near endless. The only conclusion I can come to about my list as a whole is that my strongest objections are usually based on texture instead of taste.

[Jason Perlow]

You know, the odd thing is that "raw" is about the ONLY way I like most fish.

My list of things which everyone else seems to like--and I don't--would be damn near endless.  The only conclusion I can come to about my list as a whole is that my strongest objections are usually based on texture instead of taste.

Yes, I prefer sushi and sashimi-style preparations of fin fish as well -- I think it eliminates the innate "fishy" taste. However, I gotta have my lobster, crab and shrimp (well, with the exception of amaebi) cooked.

[fifi]

Oh! I am REALLY feeling better. I can't handle offal either. I do like liver though.

[Basildog]

Olives..try and try, can't get to like em

Blue cheese, goats cheese, come to think of it lots of cheeses

[Marlene]

Great thread, fifi! :)

Okay, well, in addition to the foie everyone knows about now ( ), I'll also confess to disliking the following:

Sweetbreads

Tongue (actually, most offal)

Mustard (yes, mustard)

Frog legs

.. I'm sure there are more, but that is all I can think of right now.  See, I'm not that picky!  I'll always at least try something.  What pisses me off is that like in the case with my foie gras experience this weekend, I have to fork out some good money to find out I don't like something.  Grumble. 

pixel, our tastes run about the same (except for the mustard. I like all kinds of mustard ). I don't get caviar and I don't much like oysters either. Can't stand raw fish. And I can't eat truffles even if I wanted to

[fresco]

Brains. Tripe. Brussels sprouts. Kiwi fruit.

[Nick]

Never had truffles or caviar. Does flounder roe count?

Oysters are great. Cooked or raw. (American, not European.)

Anchovies. I'd really like to like anchovies but, so far, no success.

Escargot - snails. Yes, I love snails. Also what we call conckles - pickled conckles.

Yes, to mustards. And pepper.

Edited May 26, 2003 by Nickn (log)

[=Mark]

Don't get caviar, glooby salt blobs.

Jury is still out on sushi, I eat it but the delicate flavor is lost on me. Use it more or less as an excuse to eat wasabi and pickled ginger.

Not too into organ meats, but I did try Dan Gill's Shish Ka Bobbits at an Oinksterfest a few years ago.

Don't think I'll ever go for chitluns, the concept is a little too daunting.

[docsconz]

About the only "routine" food I do not generally like is eggplant. While I do not go out of my way to order it, I am now at the point where I can eat it and actually enjoy it if it is well prepared.

I would not order brain, eyes or tripe, although I would eat them if served by a restaurant or chef I trusted to do a good job with them.

I will not eat insects.

In general, I will try almost anything if I trust the integrity of the chef/cook/restaurant.

[jhlurie]

Jury is still out on sushi, I eat it but the delicate flavor is lost on me.  Use it more or less as an excuse to eat wasabi and pickled ginger.

Has the Red Savina has finally knocked out a few taste buds?

The delicate taste is exactly the reason why sashimi is my favorite raw-fish preparation. That doesn't mean that I don't slather horseradish paste all over it eventually, but the rice and seaweed are sometimes even more distracting. I'm conservative with the fish I eat (usually just Tuna and Salmon), but the clean taste of a perfect piece of highest quality raw tuna is kind of a polar opposite to the sensation I get in eating a good spicy meal.

[KNorthrup]

The best part of being an adult isn't being able to drink, it's being able to NOT eat brussels sprouts.

Have never tried any sort of organs/offal/brains/eyes/etc so can't really give an opinion there. Yes, wimpy.

Something I just remembered was rabbit. I've tried it more than once, but all I can think is bunny. Probably because I had one as a kid. Lamb and veal go down easily.

Didn't try eggplant until college because my mother hated it. Have been voraciously making up for lost time ever since.

[nightscotsman]

I confess that so far I don't really get truffles. I've had them in sauces and shaved over dishes in some very fine restaurants. It's not that they taste bad, but that I can't really detect ANY flavor. Sort of like potatoes - vaguely earthy, but not really bursting with flavor. Am I missing something? Of course I've only had black truffles (in season), so maybe the white ones will be my salvation.

And there is no way in HELL a raw oyster is getting anywhere near my mouth. Sushi I'm just fine with and enjoy very much, though I tend to prefer cooked Japanese dishes when given a choice.

[jrinct]

I know this may spark a firestorm, but my opinions are just that. My OWN!!!

Not into the FOO FOO ish foods at all. Take that to mean whatever it means.

Will NEVER do , sashimi, sushi etc...fish bait IMHO.

Will say this regarding myself. I , being sicilian dont care for what i call the "old time italian /siclian food"( and my father when he alive, FWIW was a DAMN good cook.He had MANY chances to have a restaurant and/or be a chef). More into the " American italian food-- the simple basic stuff as long as its WELL prepared".

Suffrito, manesta, , tripe,escarole and beans etc.........YUUUUUCK!!!. I KNOW kidddies this is SACRELIGIOUS, but i didnt like that stuff asn STILL dont!!!

Veal or chicken parm, spaghetti and --just about any fish/ sauce, steak, pizzaola and foods on that ilk, i love. Maybe for me its a texture thing.

Hope i didnt offend the ENTIRE board!!

[fifi]

I remember a story that probably prompts me to keep trying things.

I have always HATED turnips. My mother would grow these beautiful turnips and fix them... "Oh, but you will like these. They are sweet as sugar." So I would try again. GAG! they tasted like sweet turnips.

Then not too many years ago, I was at friends house in New England and the wife fixed a rather simple brown beef stew. I was in the kitchen talking and helping out when she drags out the turnips and proceeds to cut them up. TRAPPED! Oh well, I say to myself, I will have to grin and bear it. Surprise! That was the most delicious stew I had eaten in a long time. The turnips added just a little something... a "turnipness" that was just right. I will admit that is the only way I have ever liked them to this day.

I can't imagine eating an insect if I were starving.

Edited May 26, 2003 by fifi (log)

[Lesley C]

I'm not into any fish eggs. I'll eat them but I can pass on them in a minute. I recently reviewed a Russian restaurant and when I went back there for a shot of vodka they brought me a free mound of osetra on the house. I ate it, but it was totally wasted on me. I can’t help feeling that with the present shortage of caviar, I can find better things to indulge my gourmet whims.

I also will not eat lobster in the shell. It grosses me out no end. Take it out of the shell and I'm fine with it, but cracking the bug to bits and sucking out the meat is disgusting. I keep thinking it's a big cockroach -- which it is.

[Jason Perlow]

So bashing open crabs or eating Alaskan king crab legs are out of the question as well? What about shrimps in the shell?

fifi: yes, turnips blow.

[fifi]

But shrimps in the shell are glorious. I do like the heads off, though. We always cleaned our crabs before boiling or steaming. When I had to rip their backs off and plow through all of that gunk the way they do in Louisiana, I was grossed out. I still don't do it. I don't suck crawfish heads either. I can understand about cracking a cleaning shellfish. If you weren't raised doing it (like my crab thing) it can be tough to do.

[Lesley C]

Lobster is really the worst offender, it just looks so bloody evil. But crab, yes, gross, and the legs, yes, also gross. But all that stuff out of the shell is fine by me.

Shrimps in the shell don't bother me. In fact when they are really fresh, I eat the shell along with the flesh. Deep-fried soft shell crabs are also great. I guess the thicker the shell, the more turned off I am to the experience.

[vengroff]

I don't like fennel or green pepper. I'm not a big fan of the taste of either, and they tend to dominate any other flavors in most dishes where they are used. I've had a handful of dishes from skilled chefs who have managed to use them in subtle ways that made sense to me. But most kitchens can't do them without overdoing them and grossing me out.

I also can't say I've ever enjoyed a kidney of any sort.

I'm shocked at the number of negative comments about oysters. But I guess that means there's just more creamy briney goodness left for me.