Food dislikes-as guest, but will politely eat

[shootingstar]

Canadian thxgiving is this weekend. Either we are eating somewhere or we are hosting a meal
Just wondering, what food or types of food dishes do you dislike but can politely eat if offered as a guest?

And food or type of food dishes you absolutely will not touch and why? (of course give your medical reasons, if applicable..)

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For moi:
1. Dislike/not thrilled alot, but will politely eat as a guest:

Deep fried food --ie. fish, whatever. Yea, I'll have a doughnut occasionally. No, I'm not that keen on tempura, no matter how lovely. Very few types of deep fried Asian egg rolls excite me. I consider deep-frying fresh seafood, almost blasephemous. If it's fresh, why cover up the taste? Cook it in a way so it's more naked in taste/enhances it's original freshness.

2. Eithopian bread- injuera. Don't know why but I've never been keen on this.

3. Very sweet, heavy East Indian sweets (but love their savoury dishes!).

4. Organ meats-- tripe, heart, brain, stomach.

5. Probably lots of other stuff worldwide I haven't tried yet.

6. Overly sweetened sauces, chutneys, etc. for ...savoury dishes.


Will not touch:
Sea cucumber. (I enjoy a broad range of gelatinous-mouth feel dishes. After all, soft tofu dishes, etc. falls in this category. But sea cucumber for me, is stretching it. Have had it twice.)

I have to think about this more. Probably forgetting alot of culinary delights I've eaten so far in this short life.

[Eden]

I'll try almost anything once!

I don't drink beer - don't care for it at all. If really pressed to taste something that is supposedly really good beer, I'll take a sip, but I have yet to find one that I think is drinkable and I'd never be able to gag down a whole glass. I think it has a *nasty* aftertaste.
Most fish roes, green bell peppers and arugala are on my will politely eat, but really rather not have list. I would likely refuse a whole stuffed pepper, but can handle it if its in another dish.

Sea cucumber? I've had it prepared really wonderfully at a sushi bar. The way Yoshi does it, I wouldn't really call it gelatinous - its even a bit crisp. Its a real treat when he has it.

[shootingstar]

I'll try almost anything once!

I don't drink beer - don't care for it at all. If really pressed to taste something that is supposedly really good beer, I'll take a sip, but I have yet to find one that I think is drinkable and I'd never be able to gag down a whole glass. I think it has a *nasty* aftertaste.
Most fish roes, green bell peppers and arugala are on my will politely eat, but really rather not have list. I would likely refuse a whole stuffed pepper, but can handle it if its in another dish.

Sea cucumber? I've had it prepared really wonderfully at a sushi bar. The way Yoshi does it, I wouldn't really call it gelatinous - its even a bit crisp. Its a real treat when he has it.

I forgot about my disinterest in beer....probably because I haven't drank any beer in past...um 2 decades! Last time I had beer, my reaction was: I don't get it. What's so great about this? My dearie, who is German..doesn't care for beer. He probably drank it..30 years ago.

I haven't had enough stuffed peppers to dislike...'cause I just don't encounter them when friends serve a home-cooked meal. Nor would I order in restaurant. Sounds hum-drum..well, to me.

Good, that you have found a place for a better way of preparing sea cucumber.

[Sadie]

Coffee. Smells great, but tastes nasty. I don't eat red meat anymore either, so that's hard to pick around at times.

[Eden]

ah - and I don't care so much for moldy style cheeses.... blue cheese, stilton, some of the really ripe french cheeses don't hold too much interest for me. I do enjoy brie, camenbert etc - if they aren't too alive.... but being such a high fat food I don't eat too much cheese anyway.

Other smelly things don't bother me so much - I actually like natto, which apparently makes me a highly unusual caucasian.... I've never had fermented tofu though, nor have I ever had durian, though I am terribly curious after hearing the incredible stories about it.

[shootingstar]

ah - and I don't care so much for moldy style cheeses.... blue cheese, stilton, some of the really ripe french cheeses don't hold too much interest for me. I do enjoy brie, camenbert etc - if they aren't too alive.... but being such a high fat food I don't eat too much cheese anyway.

Other smelly things don't bother me so much - I actually like natto, which apparently makes me a highly unusual caucasian.... I've never had fermented tofu though, nor have I ever had durian, though I am terribly curious after hearing the incredible stories about it.

I really enjoy the strong, moldy cheeses...as long as they aren't too salty. We have it occasionally as a "treat" since the fat content is high.

Yes, I like fermented tofu....it's a condiment for those, unfamiliar with it. I did have it as a child. You put a tiny dab on certain cooked meat dishes, etc. Very salty.

Strangely, but I still haven't had fresh durian yet. We don't have a sharp knife at home..to cut through that tough husk. I'll get there...but have had durian ice cream..and can't remember whatever else.

My body cannot tolerate true capucinno, espresso, Greek or Turkish coffees. But strangely, I can drink alot of regular strong coffee over several hrs.

[martinkap]

Good topic. I have always struggled with my food dislikes while visiting anyone because I will not touch or eat under any circumstances:

• water melon
• strawberries

The following items I eat with really a lot of hesitation:

• chocolate and chocolate cakes ... unless it is a white chocolate - I can definitely eat that one
• milk based ice cream - that is just nasty stuff but I can swallow it
• any overly sweet desert (most US desserts) It makes my stomach curl just to think of one
• raisins
• champain

Of course, I am not fan of brains (I do eat them though - just cannot really analyze it too much), and any kinds of insects or weird food. But above dislikes even though very accomodatable in the daily life, makes my 'guest life' quite hard. And talk about trying to explain to a new BF that I really think it is nice that he bought champain and strawberries dipped in chocolate but that I am not really going to touch any of it ...

[shootingstar]

Well, malkin I'm not a parent so maybe I'm not seeing certain things right here. I dunno.

But I was totally impressed to see my little 18-month old niece dig her hands into and stuffing her mouth with, chopped up steamed bok choy, pasta bow ties, mashed squash, rice, etc. She likes...green olives. Wow.

Her mother believes.. a parent should try a food (provided child is not allergic/sick from it) cooked in different ways...on a child 15-20 different times, before parent gives up. Of course, that could be over a period of months, years. She thinks alot parents don't gently try hard enough. It does take alot of patience.

Mother is a doctor.