Food dislikes-as guest, but will politely eat

[OakLeaf]

Pork. For me that's not religious, it's just the combination of my general reluctance to eat m**t at all, my especial reluctance to eat factory-farmed m**t, and the high cognitive and emotional sophistication of swine. As I put it in another thread a while back, slaughtering something that's capable of forming a close emotional relationship with an unrelated animal - even an animal of another species including a human - just repels me. Call it hypocritical, but if someone offers me a vegetable lightly flavored with pork that I can serve myself a portion that doesn't contain any actual meat (like bean soup or boiled green beans, e.g.), I usually will still have some.

Veal and lamb. Pretty irrationally in the case of lamb I suppose, but really a gut response in both cases.

I'm allergic to a long list of foods, but not the life-threatening kind of allergy, just the kind that makes me congested, fatigued and edematous. So unless it's the peak of pollen season and/or I'm already sick - or maybe if I have a big event in the next couple of days - the only thing I completely refuse because of my allergies is ice cream. The combination of the dairy and the cold temperature just kills me. Passing on dessert isn't a big deal in any case - even if it's the only thing that's served, rather than ice cream with cake or pie as it usually is - so I don't feel I'm being rude.

Other than that, I'll have a taste of anything, to be polite (including tongue and sea cucumber, which I just can't abide the texture, and konnyaku, which is on the same list). Is sea cucumber served raw as sushi? That might be interesting - although honestly, with the exception of amaebi, I'm not a huge fan of shellfish sushi. (And yes, I relish the tempura shrimp heads! ) I haven't mustered the courage to order natto yet, although I enjoy other fermented East Asian foods like kimchi and Chinese preserved tofu. But if I were a guest and someone served me natto, you bet I'd try a small bite - as much for the adventure as for the etiquette.

[Onix]

I'm a vegetarian...so...meat is off the table. I also don't eat fish--so that is off the table too.

Otherwise...umm....I'll try anything just about once.


I can usually get my self out of anything though with a simple: "It looks really good, but my stomach has been really off the last few days, and I think I've got to stick with the boring stuff "

[ginny]

this is fun...

Um, the only food I really really hate is onions. Even in a nice restaurant, I will take the time to pick onions out of something, or I just won't eat. I swear there is some compound in there that only the onion hating among us can taste...

I have mild food allergies to peanuts, corn and soy. Unfortunately, I really like all three of those things, but as I get older, I learn it's just not worth it to eat corn chips, or yummy, salty peanuts.

I have had fresh Durian... I won't go out of my way to eat it again. If I found myself in Singapore again and it was offered to me once again, I would eat it to be polite. I also will not eat fois gras or veal from personal convictions. I was at a formal dinner last year, where the menu (not revealed prior to arriving at the dinner) involved BOTH fois gras and veal. I ate both as it was already prepared and set before me. I felt horrible about it.

I like the idea of gently trying foods a number of times. My SO will not tough asparagus. I'm sure he would appreciate it if I could hide what it is - though, if he did the same to me with onions, I would not be pleased, so we have eliminated asparigus from our diets.

[Mr. Bloom]

onions and garlic exile me to another room

boiled okra - yuck!

hog jowls and blackeyed peas - not since my mother force it on me in 1972! - Double Yuck!

Squash - eke

Grits - Despite my southern upbringing - NEVER!

Tea - Pass out allergic!

Coffee - can't stand anything with that flavor

[MomOnBike]

This thread makes me wonder (yet again) if, when we say we just don't like a food, what we are responding to is an allergy to whatever it is. For example, I have wondered if I have a banana allergy, they just tast & feel wrong.

DH says that cucumbers just don't agree with him, so all his cucumber slices magically translocate to my plate. Allergy? Intolerance? I have to wonder.

BTW, I'll help with any tea, onion, squash or root vegis anyone doesn't want.

Oh, and T-giving in our house has a group of Very Specific group of recipies I must fix and Cannot Be Altered! Turkey with a specific stuffing which includes a bread I make special, chorizo, various vegis & wine, brussel sprouts with garlic mustard butter, butterhorn rolls, Cranberry Chop-Chop good stuff (a mix of cranberries, onion and jalepeno) and a cranberry pound cake. Yes, this is caloric. I thank whatever is in charge of things I only have to cook this way once a year.

[malkin]

I would certainly not turn down any of the food at MomonBike's T'giving table!
And I would probably be found loitering around, schmoozing for that Chop Chop recipe...
*hint*

[Tuckervill]

I want this one:

garlic mustard butter,

Karen

[tctrek]

I am an incredibly picky/fussy eater. I cannot cook at all, so DH does all the cooking. He eats anything that will not eat him, but he usually cooks for me.. the fussy one.

DH and I explored why I am the way I am about food and we discovered that my mother was an awful cook -- I used to stuff my mouth with her food and run in the bathroom to get rid of it. We had to clean our plates, so that was how I did it. I wasn't bulimic or anything like that, just couldn't stand the taste of it!! For most of my childhood, I lived on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

It took me over 50 years to discover the roots of my food aversion -- now I try to eat different things, but I'm not always successful. I eat foods that I know I like and that are healthy for me but a limited menu. Sigh... I know DH would love it if I was more adventurous.

[arielmoon]

I am every hostess' nightmare. I am a strict healthy foodie vegan. No refined sugar, enriched flour, alcohol, caffeine or anything coming from an animal.

[7rider]

I have no food allergies or dietary restrictions. Generally, I eat anything that doesn't run away from me.
That said, I don't care to eat, and would politely refrain from eating if offered: liver, brussel sprouts, and.....well....I think that's about it.
I'm not counting the really bizarre in there: crickets, worms, monkey brains, fried cicadas, suff like that. (A neighbor sauteed some newly hatched cicadas with garlic and butter when the 17-years hatched a few years ago, and claimed they were quite good. I'll take her word for it. I imagine anything is good cooked with butter and garlic, but I have my limits.)

[szsz]

I am every hostess' nightmare. I am a strict healthy foodie vegan. No refined sugar, enriched flour, alcohol, caffeine or anything coming from an animal.

That, add gluten intolerant and allergies. I am also a nightmare.

[PamNY]

I am every hostess' nightmare. I am a strict healthy foodie vegan. No refined sugar, enriched flour, alcohol, caffeine or anything coming from an animal.

Vegan isn't even remotely close to a nightmare IMO (unless the person wants to be a nightmare and make drama).

Pam

[aeiea]

There's nothing I dislike that I would politely eat.

However, I have very few dislikes:

1. bugs
2. things that are still moving while you eat them (like live uni in shell)