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General Chowhounding Topics

Discuss chow in general, including nationally available products, internet & mail-order, national cuisines and tips for chowhounding.

I always enjoy _____, no matter how bad it is.

Keep in mind I am not talking about trashy or junk foods here. I am talking about good foods which you love regardless of quality of preparation.

I have eaten probably thousands of gyros in my life, most of which must objectively be considered terrible. These gyros were bought from seedy shacks, state fair booths, and Chicago Gyro at 38th and Meridian in Indianapolis. With one glaring exception - where some joker had dumped Spanish rice in it - I have enjoyed every bite of processed lamb loaf, limp onions, mealy tomatoes, pale cucumbers, and "tzatziki" made with sour cream that I have ever had.

Chicken wings are the same way. If a chicken wing is cooked and is covered in some sort of sauce, it immediately bypasses all the critical mechanisms I apply to other foods. Is the skin soggy and gummy? Does the sauce taste like something in which you might dip a Mcnugget? Is the meat bone-dry? In many cases, yes, yes, and yes. Did any of these things lessen my enjoyment one bit? NO.

The last one - and this one I am actually somewhat ashamed of - is sushi. I will happily eat any combination of vinegar rice, sesame seeds, and nori. Been sitting in the supermarket case all day? Mix up enough soy sauce and wasabi and I'll eat it with a smile. This makes me popular when I go out for sushi with friends, since I never fight over the expensive stuff like the tuna.

120 Replies

  1. Good question. Though you say no trashy/junk foods, I think for something to achieve this status it has to be reasonably simple enough that poor ingredients or preparation are not enough to ruin the concept.

    For me it's
    1.) pizza- I love really good pizza and will pay ridiculous amounts for what most people get for $5 but if I have pennies to my name and have to feed myself out of a grocery store freezer case, or choke down TGIFriday's with coworkers, I'll go for pizza.
    2.) chili - Homemade chili is so good and easy, I'll never understand how people mess this up, but even when they do, I'll eat it. If forced to do fast food, I usually end up with Wendy's chili, and don't even mind that much.

    1. re: yamalam

      Chili here too. It's a dish that you are likely to find good examples in the darnest places, so I'm always willing to take a risk...and while it may be odd, it's almost always edible.

      1. re: Jeri L

        Actually I am pretty particular when it comes to chili; can't stomach the bad stuff. I think the reason there is so much bad homemade chili is because it's often made by people who don't otherwise cook.

    2. Fried meat. If it's around I can't stop.

      1. French Fries. Soggy, crispy, thin, thick, I love them all.

        1. A truck stop breakfast of hash browns, over-easies and toast with jam. Never turned one down or turned up my nose at the *bad* ones. :-) Cay

          1. re: cayjohan

            Yep, You nailed it. Just don't poach my eggs hard. That's all I ask. :)

            1. re: cayjohan

              Here, Here!! Add a side of crispy bacon and I'm a happy camper.

            2. Bagels. Living in New York I have developed a true appreciation for the real thing, but I could still eat a Lender's frozen bagel and like it.

              Can't decide whether I agree with pizza or not. On the one hand, yes, I would (and do) eat crappy pizza...on the other hand, good pizza is so $#*$ing good.

              I have to say, I'd eat any quality tacos, as well.

              1. re: Olallieberry

                I'm the same way with bagels. Frozen bagels, badly defrosted in the microwave? I'll eat it and enjoy it.

              2. Hamburgers, hot dogs, sushi, laab, khao niyao, sausage, ume, chiles rellenos, Japanese pickles, enchiladas, tamales, bierocks, ravioli, momos, dim sum, anything from a tandoori oven, mondongo, sauerkraut, kim chee, ham & cheese sandwich - all good even in their crappiest crap crap crap versions.

                1. re: Sam Fujisaka

                  Bierocks...Your roots are showing :-D And they are good no matter how badly the cook messes them up.

                  1. re: Sam Fujisaka

                    Tamales, of course! I loooooove a good tamal, but I can't think of a bad one I've turned my nose up at.

                    1. re: tmso

                      o yes! I even eat those nasty ones out of the can. Not very often, mind you, but every now and then.

                      1. re: revsharkie

                        Wow, I've never heard of tamales from a can. The worst I've come across come out of the freezer.

                        1. re: tmso

                          This could go on the "Things I ate In college and will never eat again" thread. They are wrapped in greasy paper IN the can and covered in bright red sauce and you have to gingerly shake them so that they go glooop into the saucepan -- in my case set on a two burner hot plate in a two room apartment.

                          1. re: tmso

                            Hormel makes them.

                            1. re: adrienne156

                              I'm going to look for them next time I'm in the US!!!

                              1. re: Sam Fujisaka

                                yes, they are right up there with spam, canned corned beef, and vienna sausage in terms of mass appeal. I've tried them twice... i'll stick to frozen. they certainly aren't red's tamales....

                                http://www.discusscooking.com/forums/...

                              2. re: adrienne156

                                There are several brands of them, actually, including "Ellis" down south of here and "Bryan" at Duckwalls here. When I was a kid we had a lake cabin, and my dad would open a can of them to eat of an afternoon when we were there and it was too early to fire up the grill. So they remind me of that.

                                1. re: revsharkie

                                  Interesting. The only ones I've ever seen and were subjected to as a kid - I'm not a fan - were the ones that Hormel made with the ground beef filling. I'm first-generation American and we'll just say that the particular town I grew up in isn't known for it's ethnic diversity, so a lot of foods that I now love were first introduced to me in can or box form. The first real tamale I had was brought to my dad by a client from some hole in the wall down on 23rd in Richmond (California, working-class, mostly immigrant area) and I never looked back. Spicy, rich, tender shreds of carnitas, slightly greasey - pure heaven. :o)

                        2. re: Sam Fujisaka

                          After losing over 70 pounds in 18 plus months I managed to gain back 4-5 in one week in San Antonio, Luling, and Lockhart dining on sausage, Tex-Mex beef enchiladas, duck tamales, plus several steaks. I missed out on burgers, hot dogs, (even though there was a cart next to the hotel), and sauerkraut in Lockhart even though it was on my list. Also fed upon, (I did not eat, I fed), brisket, spare ribs, and sweet pickles from BBQ places in Luling and Lockhart. All of this is good quality fare, if I'm going to blow it, I'm going all out. As for tamales, get yourself a South Texas, Rio Grande Valley wife, like but not mine, with a couple of sisters and a mother around Christmas, they'll make a weekend out of it, and of course each succeeding batch is better than the others, depending upon who cooked it. Fresh and warm out of the oven is great stuff. Failing all this, check out a K-Mart or Wally World parking lot in an Hispanic neighborhood, and someone is selling tamales for 5 or 6 bucks a dozen, and are generally outstanding. Just make it a Friday or Saturday evening. (edit)

                          1. re: James Cristinian

                            Great work and enjoy (!) what you enjoy! Abrazos!

                        3. I've had some pretty trashy chicken tikka masala, including some from a takeout place in which Campbell's tomato soup cans supposedly have been spotted. Wasn't too bad.

                          1. Hamburgers.

                            McD's, BK, Jack; Outback, Ruby, Chili's; 'Chez Swanky', whatever wherever whenever.

                            Fresh off the grill, off a steam table, or zapped in the micro. With or without cheese. Patties stacked three high and piled with condiments or one measly patty alone on the bun.

                            Turkey burgers, veggie burgers, mystery meat burgers. I've even downed a few of those truly obnoxious japanese fast food burgers that are like 50% soy protein, 30% sawdust, and 20% unidentified grease.

                            Sure, I would really really love an authentic charcoal-grilled-backyard-burger, well charred on the outside, pink in the middle made of lean freshly ground round on a nicely toasted fresh-baked bun, with thinly sliced sweet onion and tomato fresh picked 20 feet from the grill, a slice of slightly melted artisanal cheese, all topped with someone's "famous" homemade dressing. (Humm...not sure I've ever actually had one like that.... i have a new goal in life)

                            But at the heart, a burger is a burger is a burger. It can always make me smile.

                            1. re: KaimukiMan

                              Kaimukiman, I think I have had those obnoxious Japanese burgers of which you speak, but it was in Taiwan. Do they have a really sugary bun and come in a sealed cellophane wrapper?

                              1. re: RealMenJulienne

                                yes, that is one variety... they seem to be ubiquitous to a lot of asia. But they can be just as bad from some of the burger stands. i often wondered if Asian visitors to the US have the same impression of American adaptations of Asian dishes.

                              2. re: KaimukiMan

                                I've had the Korean variety of those Japanese burgers. Sold pre-packaged in all the highway "Rest" stops throughout Korea. Strangely good stuff.

                                1. re: hannaone

                                  I stopped at one of those "Rest" stops between Seoul and Taegu had a breakfast egg sandwich, wasn't bad except the egg was awfully sweet!

                              3. Cheese. Even if you replace the 'se' with a 'z', I love it. We just finished some lovely triple cream cheese, but on the weekend I had a grilled cheese made with plastic wrapped slices.

                                1. re: Sooeygun

                                  you took the works right out of my mouth. Which goes along with my other answer of pizza! I didn't eat pizza for a long time (crazy dieting phase or something) so now it's like making up for lost time. I will never turn down pizza:)

                                2. Pizza, absolutely. I've tried and loved some of the best versions around the world, but I'll also happily eat Domino's, Pizza Hut, Papa John's . . . I'm also with Sooeygun on cheese . . . my fridge right now contains both Humboldt Fog and Kraft Singles, and I enjoy them both.

                                  1. re: cookie monster

                                    Ditto on pizza. I do properly appreciate a good one, but I'll even eat a frozen Totino's grub pizza if it presents itself.

                                  2. Pizza, shawarma (aka Schwarma, shawerma), gyros, scones (the denser and more brick-like, the better!), baklava

                                    I thought about saying burgers or chili, but the deal-breaker for me with those is the gristly meat that you get in the lowest-end stuff. I hate chewing on grains of connective tissue or , even worse, bone. That's why I gave up on Taco Bell (before I was old enough for health reasons to be a consideration): every time I went there I had the bad luck of biting down on a tiny speck of bone in my meat.

                                    Sushi almost made this list, but one time I had nigiri where the fish wasn't completely defrosted and I did not enjoy it.

                                    1. Macaroni and cheese! I love all the different versions - whether its homemade, from a box, frozen, cheddary, smoky, baked with or without breadcrumbs on top, stovetop, yellow, white, neon orange, little noodles, big noodles, with truffles.... I love them all!! :)

                                      1. re: schmoopy

                                        Macaroni & Cheese is mine too. I don't care how, when, or why.. I'm going to eat it and like it.

                                      2. hamburgers (or cheeseburgers or baconburgers or . . .)! i'm like wimpy i guess. i've never pushed a hamburger away.

                                        1. for me it's tomatoes... even when they're not good, they're still good to me, just need a little more salt :) ... unless they're mushy and spoiling...

                                          1. re: Emme

                                            i should maybe change my answer to this. . . couldn't agree more.

                                            1. re: dtud

                                              i also feel similarly about mushrooms... assuming they're not rotten and not prepared with ginger.

                                              1. re: Emme

                                                I've been trying to rack my brains for something, but mushrooms might be my only always enjoy as well. I'll even eat them canned.

                                                1. re: Lucia

                                                  I was just going to ask about canned - then saw your answer. I love mushrooms, but DESPISE canned ones. If I spot a canned mushroom on my pizza (or in my food) I won't eat it. Too slimy!

                                                  1. re: lynnlato

                                                    I definitely appreciate and love a fresh, properly-cooked mushroom any day, but every so often I'll eat the jarred ones too... straight from the jar. I'm weird.

                                                    1. re: Lucia

                                                      definitely don't prefer them, but i'll eat them too...

                                            2. re: Emme

                                              If I ever have bad tomatoes, I slice or quarter them and put them in a low oven for several hours. They always turn out so much better than what I started with.

                                              1. re: sasha1

                                                Would you define "bad" for us? Do you mean spoiled, or just that they don't taste good?

                                                1. re: Caroline1

                                                  No, not spoiled - those I would throw away. But just about any bland, mealy, or "gassed" grocery store tomato can be saved by low oven roasting, which evaporates the water content and concentrates the flavor and sugar. This is how I get through the winter months. Cherry tomatoes, and grocery store romas, sliced and roasted.

                                                  1. re: sasha1

                                                    great idea! thanks for the tip.

                                            3. Loco Moco

                                              Chinese "dan-dan mien"

                                              Apple Pie (or just about any fruit pie)

                                              PB&J

                                              1. Okay. I've been reading this ever since you posted it and I think my salmon genes are showing. I'm swimming upstream AGAIN...! For me, if something doesn't taste reasonably good, I don't eat it. This little nagging thing pops up in my mind and says, "The only thing you'll gain from eating this sh*t is calories!" If garbage disposals could gain weight, mine would be morbidly obese times ten!

                                                But not to sound too sanctimonious, I have, on occasion, drank a Coke after it had gone flat. And it was good. '-)

                                                1. re: Caroline1

                                                  I love your posts, Caroline! You're always good for a chuckle. :)

                                                  I, too, have drank the flat soda. More b/c I didn't want to waste it than b/c I enjoyed it. I just can't finish a whole can of diet coke in one shot. I love those midget cans of soda, but alas, they are too expensive and never on sale!

                                                  1. re: lynnlato

                                                    Thank you, Lynn. I figure if I can't see the humor in life, I MUST be dead! And yes, the little cans are expensive Coke! Except for the little bottles!

                                                    I also drink cold coffee, but I didn't include it because it has to be good coffee to start with, hot or cold. But whoever picks up last night's cold half full cup, empties it and puts it in the dish washer is in a LOT of trouble!

                                                  2. re: Caroline1

                                                    I love flat soda. Maybe I'm weird, but flat soda tastes good to me. Diet Ginger Ale is a favorite.

                                                    1. re: cheesecake17

                                                      Okay... Flat stuff... And this is all in a whisper because I'd probably be lynched if the vinophiles heard me... But... I do love flat Dom Perignon! <deeply contented sigh>

                                                  3. Like one or two others, there is a line jfood will not cross, as the garbage can near the ice machine in the hotel learned last night.

                                                    But there are a couple of items that have a "gotta really try to ruin" moniker

                                                    - All beef hot dogs. Let's carve out the all porkers, they are bleech
                                                    - pizza - It is really hard to ruin this dish but yes, it has happened
                                                    - cake - if the cake itself is bad, there is always the icing
                                                    - pie - the bell curve on this dish has lots in the average to pretty good. The greats are rare (include mrs jfood's apple crumb in this category) and likewise the inedible are also rare. In that event ask for more vanilla ice cream
                                                    - ice cream - rare that jfood throws out ice cream, but yes he did throw out the Haagen Daz Banana Split a couple of weeks ago.

                                                    1. re: jfood

                                                      oh man, mediocre, microwaved apple pie with mediocre vanilla ice cream is so good you can hardly tell it's bad.

                                                      Also, pudding. Even terrible pudding is still ok, and brings me back to my snack-pack childhood...

                                                      1. re: jfood

                                                        I somewhat agree with your savory items, but not your sweet items. Any kind of dessert or sweet food has to be pretty high quality before I'll enjoy it.

                                                      2. Cake. Even very bad cake, I can't seem to stop myself from having a few bites. And even after I KNOW it's bad and stop eating... I stare at it forlornly and think what a waste of cake-like ingredients.

                                                        1. re: charmedgirl

                                                          pizza
                                                          Hamburgers
                                                          Burritos
                                                          Tacos
                                                          pasta

                                                        2. Agree on the chicken wings. Well, for me it's hot wings. I get dragged to a lot of joints I would not normally choose myself and even when I don't trust anything else I can usually scarf down the hot wings. Especially if there is beer involved, which there usually is.

                                                          1. Hot and sour soup- I've never had it bad enough not to love.

                                                            1. re: invinotheresverde

                                                              I love hot and sour soup!

                                                              1. re: invinotheresverde

                                                                I love hot and sour soup also, but I cannot identify the small brownish/clear gelatinous pieces I find my soup sometime. Any ideas?!

                                                                1. re: kpaumer

                                                                  Insufficiently dissolved cornstarch slurry.

                                                                  1. re: kpaumer

                                                                    Probably wood ear mushroom.

                                                                    1. re: kpaumer

                                                                      If we're talking about the cheapest of the cheap, those might be undissolved cornstarch globules you're seeing.

                                                                  2. Corned beef hash. The more burnt and crispy it is, the better..

                                                                    1. re: krisrishere

                                                                      Oh, my...yes. Corned beef hash. How did I forget? Even the *crappy * Mary Kitchen canned stuff I know the Hub has stashed for emergency cravings. A nice over-easy on top....sooooo good.

                                                                      Cay

                                                                      1. re: cayjohan

                                                                        The Mary Kitchen Roast Beef Hash is one of my favorite "I don't feel like cooking tonight but I want something hot" meals. Fried up with a couple do ftried eggs....yum! I can eat the whole can by myself.

                                                                    2. Controversial answer, perhaps, but here goes: c.h.o.c.o.l.a.t.e.

                                                                      I love love love the really amazingly good, rich, dark, artisanal chocolate that costs a bundle and can take months to savour, but I won't say no to the cheap and nasty brand name chocos, either. I'll eat white chocolate, milk chocolate, Hershey's, Cadbury's. I'll drink cold chocolate milk or hot cocoa. I've eaten wasabi chocolate, chili chocolate, had some green tea chocolate just this morning (not so nice, but still: chocolate!)

                                                                      So that's my vote. Can't believe I'm the only one...

                                                                      1. re: WTBD

                                                                        How about that nasty generic chocolate you find at xmas, easter or other holidays?

                                                                        1. re: lynnlato

                                                                          Mmm, advent calendar chocolate... chocolate gold coins... hollow easter bunnies... :)

                                                                          You're right - there's a lot of choc that is less tasty than chalk. But I'm still likely to reach for it, no matter how bad it is!

                                                                          1. re: WTBD

                                                                            Me too! I love all chocolate, even the stuff no one else would want. And french fries. I think the only ones I've ever said no to were REALLY burned.

                                                                        2. re: WTBD

                                                                          Now I know where to send the Palmer's chocolate my mom got me for Halloween!

                                                                          1. re: spellweaver16

                                                                            Ha ha, send it over :)

                                                                        3. I almost always enjoy buffalo chicken sandwiches no matter how bad they are.

                                                                          1. re: Chew on That

                                                                            I don't even know what that is....

                                                                            1. re: Glencora

                                                                              Just what is sounds like: a chicken breast drenched in buffalo hot sauce, usually topped with pepper-jack, on a bun. A staple of any good sports bar.

                                                                          2. Agree on the gyros. No matter where I've had them and how inauthentic they're always good by me. Chowed on them for lunch just yesterday as soon as my morning sickness passed.

                                                                            Ice cream. Naturally some is better than others, but I've never spit it out or refused it.

                                                                            Arika
                                                                            http://rawforamonth.blogspot.com

                                                                            1. pizza...no matter how bad it is, it's still good.
                                                                              mac and cheese..i'll even eat it cold.

                                                                              1. Almost anything fried ... particularly chicken. The magnetic pull of good (or bad) fried chicken in almost any preparation is basically impossible to ignore.

                                                                                Also, I love mashed potatoes. It can even be from KFC or out of a box ... I'll still eat it. I'll hate myself during every bite, but I'll still eat it.

                                                                                1. re: donnival

                                                                                  Chips and Salsa....can not stop myself.

                                                                                2. Sp;aghetti ~~ good, bad, canned, made w/tomato soup no matter. Love leftover spaghettie fried in butter. OMG. Love cold spaghetti too

                                                                                  1. re: laliz

                                                                                    Spaghetti, that's mine. Even bad spaghetti is still good. And really, it's hard to make seriously bad meatballs... I mean it's meat in a ball shape.

                                                                                    1. re: chef_max

                                                                                      Try my father in law's version of spaghetti and meat sauce...he puts sugar, lime juice, and peanut butter in his meat sauce. uhhhhh...nasty nasty, but other than that, every other version of spaghetti I have had is good and edible!!

                                                                                      1. re: hhutchi25

                                                                                        ew. That sounds horrible. I was going to mention my x-FIL's spaghetti sauce, which involved nutmeg and way too many green peppers, but I think your FIL beats my x-FIL hands down.

                                                                                  2. Pancakes or waffles...just add more butter and syrup.
                                                                                    Bacon...even burned I'll eat it with a smile
                                                                                    ANY iteration of fried bread/batter served with powdered sugar...funnel cake, doughnuts, beignets, zeppole, etc.

                                                                                    1. re: bellyspeaks

                                                                                      Excellent topic!

                                                                                      I agree with many of the above:

                                                                                      Buffalo Chicken Sandwich (always good even if the wings are bad!)
                                                                                      Pizza - I even like Ellio's
                                                                                      Hamburgers and Cheeseburgers (sometimes I pop down to the convenience store below my apartment and get an unrefrigerated cheeseburger or teriyaki burger w/ mayo in a pouch for JPY105 - delicious)

                                                                                      1. re: lost squirrel

                                                                                        Funny thing, just about any buffalo WING tastes good to me but my standards for a Buffalo chicken sandwich are way higher. I have definitely encountered many of those I'd consider disgusting.

                                                                                      2. re: bellyspeaks

                                                                                        Waffles. Even cold with nasty unmelted margarine.
                                                                                        Bacon.
                                                                                        Mashed potatoes. When they are really good they are heavenly, but even the boxed crap is pretty good with enough butter & salt.

                                                                                        1. re: Louise

                                                                                          cold waffles...thats awesome, like when you can squish the butter and syrup into like a paste and schmear it around.

                                                                                      3. Chinese food.
                                                                                        Cheese. Even Cheez Whiz... oh wait. Does that qualify as junk food?

                                                                                        1. Coffee... black... even when it makes my face pale and induces a momentary gag reflex, I will drink the whole thing, even if I have to wait until it cools a little bit to be able to down it in one go

                                                                                          ditto on mac & cheese (I've never come across one that I didn't enjoy), and maybe ramen, too (the instant stuff is supposed to be kind of gross, so I embrace it)

                                                                                          1. For me it's Mountain Dew. It is the only soda I can drink even if it is warm and flat.

                                                                                            1. Mexican and Chinese food. I don't care about quality and lack of authenticity. I wants me some greasy quesadillas and some General Tso's chicken.

                                                                                              Fried chicken is another one. I love good fried chicken, but I'll eat KFC happily.

                                                                                              Pulled pork. I'm sure some of the sandwiches I've eaten in the past aren't slow-smoked shoulders cooked for hours by a barbecue master, but who cares. It's pork!

                                                                                              1. Potstickers and Egg Rolls...I have had some seriously bad ones and still enjoyed them at the time.

                                                                                                1. re: soypower

                                                                                                  ooh... potstickers do me in every time. the only one's I've had that I didn't like were from a local buffet (thanks co-workers!) they were over seasoned, doughy, and greasy and I still ate them.

                                                                                                2. i am picky and i get rather dissapointed when something is not up to my expectations however toast is an exception just spread some butter or avacado, vegimite, jam, honey mmmm im getting distracted but toast is usually very nice it applies to raisin varieties aswell.

                                                                                                  1. Bacon...any brand, even if badly prepared. I can't be trusted with the stuff.

                                                                                                    1. Toasted western sandwiches... if a diner screws this up, run for the hills! I haven't had an inedible one yet, knock wood
                                                                                                      Burritos... it has all the tasty foods in one football-eque package. Again, it has to be really bad for me not to partake.

                                                                                                      1. re: Smorgasbord

                                                                                                        and what, pray tell, is a western sandwich?

                                                                                                        1. re: KaimukiMan

                                                                                                          A sandwich with a western omelette [eggs, onions, ham, peppers] folded inside. Also known as a "Denver," I think.

                                                                                                      2. as long as we're talking bad in the non-spoiled manner.....I will say sushi. I live far from any respectable sushi joint, so i'll take what I can get....and that often includes supermarket sushi, and on occasion, the *gasp* frozen versions I've found.

                                                                                                        I will also say french fries. While my #1 preference is thick cut greasy home made fries....I will eat and enjoy just about any version of french fries. ..and that even includes frozen fries made in the microwave. I don't usually keep fries at home though.

                                                                                                        1. re: im_nomad

                                                                                                          You haven't tried the refrigerator case sushi at my school's cafe. I can't even stomach that stuff while drunk...that tells you how horrible it is.

                                                                                                        2. Potato in just about any form. I mean, "bad" mashed potatoes, "bad" french fries...? I'll make the sacrifice!

                                                                                                          1. re: vvvindaloo

                                                                                                            yeah, i gotta agree with you on that one as well....i'm not sure there is such a thing as "bad" mashed potatoes, even the instant kind.

                                                                                                          2. For me it is New England Clam Chowder, doesn't matter where I get it from, if it is offered I will eat it. Tough, gritty, thick or thin. Love that stuff. Along with a nice fish sammy to wash it down!

                                                                                                            1. Cream cheese pastries! MMMMMM...... "Fresh" out of the cellophane from the local convenience store or one of the more delectables from a French Patisserie.

                                                                                                              1. re: CocoaNut

                                                                                                                What a coincidence, that's the one food I don't enjoy no matter the quality.

                                                                                                              2. Loaded Nachos!!!! From fabulous white corn chips layered with aged jack, cheddar, black beans, homemade guac. and salsa, sour cream, garlic, tomatillos, red and green peppers, grilled adobe marinated chicken, scallions, and LOTS of hot peppers! To late night nachos from 7 eleven loaded with pickled jalapenos, hot dog onions and chili, and lots and lots of glorious pasty cheese from that cool machine!! AHHHH college days!

                                                                                                                1. Cookies. I may complain but not so deep down, I enjoy. It's rare to find a bad cookie. Even the 89c package of faux oreo Trans-fatty-O's rich in riboflavin, niacin and chocolate flavoring have their own kind of allure.

                                                                                                                  I'm also physically incapable of saying no to cheesecake as well. Just a bite.

                                                                                                                  1. potato + oil, as in french fries, hash browns, potato chips, and form of potato when it is cooked in oil crispy.

                                                                                                                    1. Potato - fried or hash browns - soft, mushy, greasy or cripsy, there all good.

                                                                                                                      Chips & salsa - no matter how bad as long as it's not spoiled, burned or stale, it's all good!

                                                                                                                      1. Potato salad. Southern, Amish, NY deli, German, my mother's, mine, with mayo, without mayo, with egg, without egg, hot, cold--you put it under my nose, I'll eat it.

                                                                                                                        1. I tried. I really did. I thought about some favs. I thought about some lesser foods, that I just happen to like. Nothing. There is nothing that I can include in your thread. Sorry.

                                                                                                                          Hunt

                                                                                                                          1. French Fries, Chicken Noodle Soup, and beets.

                                                                                                                            1. re: Katgotyourtounge

                                                                                                                              I agree, french fries. I could eat them regardless of quality. Also, grilled cheese. I don't care if its made with Kraft Singles or a good swiss or mozzarella, its all good!

                                                                                                                            2. Candy, almost any kind, has to be really bad, before I won't at least eat one piece, okay, more like three pieces. I'm sitting here trying to think of candy I absolutely wouldn't eat a few pieces of, hmmm, maybe not that nasty peanut butter toffee that came in the orange and black wrappers at Halloween when I was kid. That's about the only candy I don't think I'd be tempted to eat.

                                                                                                                              Cookies. I'll eat those horrible stale Voortmans, the greasy sugar wafers, no name gingersnaps, and on and on. I'll eat them all if I want a cookie and they're what's available, sad as I might feel while doing so.

                                                                                                                              I see a trend here, and I think it has to do with sugar! <sigh>

                                                                                                                              1. re: amyzan

                                                                                                                                Lima Beans...I love them all. Dry, pasty, prepared unimaginatively from the freezer bag or freshly cooked and buttery.

                                                                                                                              2. i think that i can enjoy almost all indian or indian-flavoured food. there's something about curry and cilantro and paneer , chickpeas, lamb, etc etc. that i can enjoy even if the food isn't super spectacular.

                                                                                                                                curry flavoured crisps, fusion indian food, day old pekora and samosas, indian food that comes out of those little vaccuum packed foil packets, etc etc.

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