What Foods Do You Hate/Dislike that Most Hounds Probably Love?

[Perilagu Khan]

fava beans
Swiss chard
whole tomatoes
tofu
Brussels sprouts
pineapple
miso soup
hummus
tahini
falafel
brie
grapes

[nikkib99]

Caramelized onions...ugh!

[gaffk]

Caramelized onions . . . yum!

[plasticanimal]

I've got a huge pot of them on the stove right now!

[nikkib99]

I have this things against cooked onions and caramelized onions are on the toppings platter from hell. Plus, they look like worms.

[plasticanimal]

Ha!

[plasticanimal]

"Artisan" pizza. Not because of the taste. It's just the opposite of what pizza is to me. And it makes me mad.

[sandylc]

Plasticanimal, "artisan" pizza is like all other food - it can be good or bad, precious or real... you get the idea.

[plasticanimal]

I put the word in quotes because it's the act of calling it artisan that bugs me. It's assumed that good pizza is handmade with skill.

[cacruden]

To be quite honest -- never heard the term until you used it. Always heard it referred to as Italian style pizza. Crust usually very thin, a few ingredients (not a buffet of ingredients).... can finish eating it and not feel stuffed (but still as calorie rich as anything - the pizza in the picture below is likely around 1,400 calories....

[Perilagu Khan]

Oh I hear the term "artisan" all the time, and not just applied to pizza. What it is is a trendy shibboleth designed to lure in gullible types who believe things taste better because they're shaped irregularly.

[Jay F]

Domino's is even making "artisan" pizza now. I tried it. A complete joke.

[Perilagu Khan]

Let me guess--it's also "Tuscan."

[Jay F]

OMG. It *does* say "Tuscan."

http://reviews.dominos.com/1018/PIZSV...

It was excrescently bad.

[lcool]

Here,the greater DC metro area we have many independent pizza places,good and bad.
"Artisan" is turning up,over worked damn near everywhere. Perilagu Khan nailed it .Only leaving out,how far can they go with the trendy word and get away with it.

[cacruden]

I am not sure I know what you mean by artisan pizza. Are you talking about non-American (i.e. Italian/Sicilian style) or pizza with non-standard things on top?

[Chemicalkinetics]

It depends what you mean by artisan. If we mean individually (artisan) made pizza vs factory processed pizza, then I definitely prefer the idea of artisan pizza here. I also think in this case, artisan is what a pizza is about. If we are talking about high end expensive ingredients (like caviar) pizza vs regular common folk pizza, then I prefer the common ingredients pizza.

Maybe you can spell out for us what you mean by artisan.

[cathodetube]

Pizza made in a wood burning oven? Hand stretched dough? Would be interested to know as well.

[plasticanimal]

I definitely prefer fresh, handmade pizza (I can't actually think of a pizzeria that has factory made pizzas brought in). I'm referring to the term being thrown around by the thirty or so places that opened up in my town in the past year that make pizzas with no crust, no sauce, and no toppings and charge you the price of a steak. They're obsessed with what they call authenticity (they have pamphlets describing the history of the the village that the wood oven was shipped from and the names of the buffalos who provided the cheese) but to me, what in the world is less authentic than tatted-up trust fund hipsters in Toronto trying to replicate the work of a humble Napoli Nona and selling it to rich people?

[cacruden]

I guess my favourite pizza is a artisan pizza then. Pizza is San Giorgio at Terroni's. Tomato based pizza with spicy calabrese, mushroom and buffalo mozzarella (I think it is buffalo mozzarella). Especially like it with the roasted chilies in oil.

Not a big fan of white pizza's though.....

[plasticanimal]

To each his own! :^)
Danforth Pizza House is my favourite.

[cacruden]

Yes, I have to admit I will eat frozen pizza (linked) "McCain's Sicilian Pizza" (which I do like) before I will order pizza from chains like 241, Pizza Pizza, etc.

I cannot find it here :p, but then my favourite food is Thai food so I don't really miss it that much.... and if I did have a craving -- there is an Italian style pizza place that is actually quite good a 5 minute walk from here.

I have found myself having a craving for Chicago Style pizza (I lived in Chicago for a year and it was ordered during meetings) -- but I don't see it anywhere but Chicago now-a-days....

[cacruden]

Actually, it was funny -- I brought my nephew to the Terroni's in Toronto and he ordered the sausage pizza (forget the name). He was eating it and he said it tasted exactly like the pizza that he ate about an hour outside of Rome -- where he went to school. Service can sometimes be iffy, but the pizza... I love.

Now about 24 hour flight time from that pizza place :o (Italy closer).

[Perilagu Khan]

Heh heh. Preach it, my man. (Or woman.)

[lcool]

white chocolate,coconut,ketchup,most chocolate cakes-too much flour,nearly all cooked fish-I prefer raw,nearly raw,cured,smoked or pickled fish,peanuts and peanut butter

[vjb]

The 'yuck' list:
Weird, unpleasant, non-food-like flavours: lychees, mangos, coriander leaves
Bitter-tasting: rapini, olives, coffee (love the smell of coffee, can't stomach it)
Odours & flavours reminiscent of regurgitated stomach contents: marzipan & almond extract -- they're the same taste/smell to me, emmental/swiss cheese, gruyere
But I looooooove chaumes, and it never smells nasty to me. Go figure!

[cacruden]

Ah you hit me where it hurts :o

mangos: One of my snacks of choice.... green mango slices with a sugar/chili dip. Or green mango salad, or one of the only deserts I tend to order.... mango with sticky rice....

coriander leaves (and roots I suspect): Almost half my Thai recipes use either leaves or roots of the coriander plant (54 + 49 out of 160+ recipes).

lychees - always a good snack......

Although I don't "eat" olives -- I do like them on my sicilian style pizza and in chicken catatorie...

Coffee? Do you drink coke (American option) in the morning?

MMMM, to me it sounds like you grew up in Scarberia (just a local's joke) :o

[vjb]

Daaaahhhhhling, I drink tea in the morning! And the afternoon. And often the evening. And none of that insipid Ceylon bilgewater, either! A luscious, malty Assam is best. Coffee.... feh!

See response to RetiredChef re mango and sticky rice ;-)

[RetiredChef]

Your list makes me scratch my head because some of your yucks are my ultimate yucks (olives, coffee) and regular yucks (marzipan & almond extract) are on my list but some of my all-time favorite foods you also have mentioned. Mango’s - fruit of the Gods. Coriander leaves - absolutely necessary in many of my dishes, very close 2nd to basil as my most used and loved herb. Swiss cheese, the best, and gruyere is the god of cheeses.

Funny how we are the same yet so different.

Cheers

[vjb]

I found this topic, and posted my list, because I was curious to find out whether there are correlations in other people's dislikes. Do mangos and coriander leaves appear on the same 'yum' or 'yuck' lists, I wondered. Does a dislike of marzipan correlate at all with a dislike of cilantro? If someone dislikes some bitter things, do they dislike all bitter things? It's certainly not a scientific approach or result, I know. But I have simply been wondering!

By the way, I'll eat a few slices of those yellowy-orange-coloured mangos as long as they're sitting in a big bowl of sweet, Thai sticky rice pudding (and lots of coconut milk!). Otherwise, forget it! And I'll eat semi-sweet chocolate, and even straight cocoa nibs, if they're combined with raspberries or raspberry spread (the way-more-fruit-than-sugar kind).
A fabulous feta is a deity among cheeses. And Iranian feta? My-o-my-o-my-o-my-o-my-o-my!

[cathodetube]

Some mangoes are a lot better than others. Have you tried Alphonse mangoes?

[vjb]

I've never noticed if the mangos in the supermarkets/fruit markets have, er, proper names. A country of origin, sometimes. But I'm in lowly Scarborough, the eastern suburb of lowly Toronto, in lowly Canada. And Monsieur Alphonse may not yet send his mangos my way. ..... Or do I need to look only in Middle Eastern grocery stores or Chinese grocery stores?

[CanadaGirl]

I'm in Halifax and have no problem finding Alphonso mangoes. Heck, even Costco usually has them. I can often find them at Superstore, which is owned by Loblaws. These mangoes are smaller, yellower, and way yummier.

[jw615]

I don't know about anyone else, but I love cilantro, while I can't do mango at all. For some reason, all the mangoes that I have ever tried taste like pine needles to me. And I am not a fan of pine needles, either.

[tracylee]

That's a good description. The mangoes I had in Ecuador had that taste. Someone once described it as turpentine. People gave them to me all the time - my parrot loved them though!

[cacruden]

Funny, they don't taste that way to me.... but they are usually fresh (i.e. within days).

[tracylee]

Oh, these were right off the tree, but very ripe.

[jw615]

Carrots (though I force myself to eat them sometimes to set a good example for my stepdaughter)
Most chocolate - though I can take it in small quantities, like a peanut butter cup
French fries

Perhaps most shockingly, at least to the people around me - Bacon. I can't even stand the smell of bacon cooking. More effective than ipecac.

[cacruden]

I remember taking a cooking course 5+ years ago (Thai cooking) and they gave me a small carrot to use in a stir fry and then they came back and asked where it went..... I told them I ate it, they then were going to give me another one..... and I told them I would eat that one too.... I like raw carrots as a stack but never cooked (even if in a stir-fry) :o

[sandylc]

My mother is constantly saying she doesn't like things. Upon further conversation, I sometimes discover that she has never tried the food in question.

I wonder if anyone here falls into that category? I do admit that there are a few foods that I would rather not try, but wow, my mom hasn't tried an awfully lot of the things that she "doesn't like" - !

[cacruden]

And sometimes it ends up just being the way something was prepared. I remember not liking eggplant at all, but then I was introduced to eggplant that I actually liked eating -- turned out that I just did not like soggy eggplant :o I also found I quite like thai eggplants (small bulb sized and green in color) the most of all the eggplants. It is good I like the thai eggplant since I like my thai curries as well and the cooking teacher told me that the eggplants were essential for curry since it balances (good for) the high cholesterol that is part of coconut milk/cream :o

[ErnieD]

Eggplant is one of the few foods I just don't like (not yucking your yum, there's nothing inherently bad about it I'm sure, but I don't care for it). For some reason, eggplant evangelists are awfully aggressive. Any time I say I don't like it, which is fairly rare because I don't walk around announcing it, people fall all over themselves to convince me that I just haven't tried THEIR eggplant whatever. Which, maybe not, but I've tried any number of things and I don't like it. I always want to ask if they have anything they don't like, because I really think most people do and I don't know why it is so distressing. My dislikes are basically eggplant, canned water chestnuts, and head cheese. I'm not that picky so I'm not sure why these are unacceptable to some people.

[foiegras]

Thank you ... I couldn't figure out what the heck that was in my Thai food! Striped, right?

[cacruden]

Sort of. Picture of thai eggplant before cooking. If it is old, then the seeds a black which means very poor quality. (photo broken so will try again)

[cacruden]

thai eggplant

[Emme]

mine's the same bloody way! won't try a new thing unless i practically trick her into it! ...and then when she discovers she likes something, she always tries to resist saying, "um, it's okay." then later goes on about it. so frustrating!

[sandylc]

I feel your pain!!! Will we be that way in another couple of decades?

[jo_jo_ba]

Cilantro, capers, avocado, olives, coconut, bacon on EVERYTHING, collards, porcini mushrooms, water chestnuts, nutritional yeast

[sal_acid]

Hummus , guac, tahini, gyro meat,

[GraceW]

Almond milk (a new one for me... besides everything else I listed earlier)

[ocshooter]

bacon

[RetiredChef]

#1 Coffee (They smell makes me nausea and the taste makes me gag)
#2 Olives (They all taste like nasty dirt)
#3 Brussel Sprouts (Belch)
#4 Sauerkraut - seriously folks this is just yucky.
#5 Pickles are pretty nasty but I can handle a little bit mixed in with other stuff.

[ctfoodguy]

Ice cream wasabi & cucumbers. Hate 'em

[RetiredChef]

LOL - I had Wasabi Ice Cream for dessert last night and just ate a large cucumber salad for lunch 30 minutes ago.

[TerryG]

innards of all types
goat cheese (It's in virtually every interesting dish these days so I've really tried0
blue cheese and esp. blue cheese dressing
cantaloupe (love all other melons)
bananas passed the green stage
all tea and tea flavored stuff (pet peeve: most fruit sodas these days are ruined by adding tea)
all coffee and coffee flavored stuff including tiramisu
squid and octopus
oysters
caraway seeds
icing on anything -- especially cinnamon buns (I'm in the South and everything here is loaded with sugar)
too sweet desserts
yams with sweet stuff on top
sugary cereals
too much salt on stuff
greens (of the turnip, mustard, and collards variety)
pizza - yes, I'm a terrible person. I'll eat the vegie kind, but really would prefer almost anything else
sausage
falafel
cottage cheese
avocado -- although I like guacamole
soft boiled eggs
french fries unless they are thin and very, very crispy
pork belly
dark meat chicken
melted cheese on top of a dish or sandwich -- don't mind the taste but seems like wasted calories that overwhelm the flavor of the main event so no cheeseburgers for me
licorice and anise flavor
raisins
root beer
cream soda
beer and ale
scotch and bourbon

hmmm. a much longer list than I would have thought

But also there are some things I've learned to like like olives and lobster

[Dax]

I don't mean to come off as patronizing, but this list makes me sad for you. Although I agree on cottage cheese and licorice. I don't hate either but they're not worth the calories to me.

[TerryG]

Interesting. But I think there is a world of wonderful food to savor not on this list. Almost all vegies, fruits, dairy, condiments, and most meats. fish, and liquors. It's vegans I feel sorry for. Actually my family thinks I am an adventurous eater. You wouldn't believe the narrow palates of most of my relatives. Hard to share a meal with them. That makes me sad. And I will eat/drink much of the stuff on the list -- just don't enjoy it much.

[Dax]

I did not mean to suggest you are not adventurous, at least you have tried those things to know you do not like them. I love most of them and tolerate some of those items.

[dsackton]

I am a vegetarian because I don't like meat. In addition to not eating fish, I don't like other things from the ocean (seaweed).
Otherwise: mushrooms (a texture issue mostly, if completely puréed into soup or something, they are okay), tomatoes (tomato sauce is fine), and olives (love olive oil though).
Bananas, concord grapes, cooked cherries (I don't adore them raw, but can eat them)

[Sparklebright]

Top of my list; GARLIC!!!
Blech!!!
And it seems that everybody else has to put it in everything savory!
My husband teases me about being a vampire!

The rest of my dislikes have already been presented here.
Cilantro
Olives, olive oil
Feta
Anchovies
Licorice
Shellfish except crab and imitation crab.
Stinky cheeses

[staughton]

I'm like your Jack Sprat because I love everything you hate! But, as much as I like garlic, I have to concede your point that far too many people dump it into ANYTHING that is not dessert. In the past 30 years, it has really made its way into everything, from Alfredo sauce to chain pizza crusts to diner food such as home fries--and even in granulated form on some fast food french fries. I'm lucky I don't really like most of those things, but enough already!

[JerryMe]

Bummer on the pineapple, cuz' fresh pineapple is DIVINE!

I can barely tolerate onions and sometimes (most times garlic). Oh! Blue cheese (or what ever cheese is spelled like that including feta) is just too, too much for me.

[SparklingSugar]

- Cilantro
- RAW sushi
- Anchovies
- White and red onions (yellow are okay, but never raw)
- Mushrooms that aren't piping hot and heavily seasoned/coated with sauce or butter or EVOO
- Sweet breads
- Relish
- Pickles
- Black coffee

[Hank Hanover]

Yeah... I'm not much for blue cheese or cilantro. I do have to admit that quacamole is just not the same without a little cilantro.

[calmossimo]

salmon
fish -- almost all types and preparations (i will eat canned tuna/sardines, salmon sashimi, shellfish, and a fish taco about once per year)
tiramisu
cheesecake -- i don't hate it, but i really don't care for it and would not order it/make it for myself
blue cheese
fresh tomatoes
papaya
dill
lemongrass
wasabi
liver
scrambled eggs, and sometimes eggs any way make me want to vomit, but other times i crave them... it's weird
beer
bell peppers -- i recently tried those baby sweet peppers and they were decent when dipped in ranch dressing
avocado, not even as guacamole, not even in a choco-avocado shake, not even with lime and hot sauce, not even with milk and sugar -- i'm working on this -- i think this is the one that appalls people the most, for some reason

[Emme]

i totally get the avocado thing...
"i don't like guacamole. or avocados."
"oh but you haven't *my* guacamole!"
"is it made from avocado?"
"of course!"
"...then i won't like it."

i'm with you on lemongrass (tastes soapy to me), bell peppers, salmon, blue cheese, liver (ayayay), beer, and papaya. i wouldn't say "most hounds probably love" liver though.

[Perilagu Khan]

A little lemongrass goes a long way. Much like cilantro in that regard.

[CanadaGirl]

Oddly enough, my BIL loves guacamole, but can't stand avocado. Yes, he realizes they're the same (basically). It does give us all something to mock though :)

[Emme]

that's interesting, as i think they taste one and the same...
similar contradiction for those who don't like tomatoes but like ketchup... however, in that circumstance, i'd say the latter doesn't really taste like the former.

[staughton]

I love all those things you listed! hahaha. With me, it's not so much a "what" but "how". My pet peeve in the foodie/hound world today is that holier-than-thou junk food churned out in snooty little upscale, low-profile restaurants run by hip, expensive cooking school graduates who all seem to hail from America's 20 wealthiest suburbs. Oh, you know what I'm talking about: the "4-cheese, 'house-made' mac&cheese" that is a complete waste of the likes of Stilton and Morbier and Emmenthaler,etc. and combines them in some ramekin for $13.00 as a side-dish. The homemade potato chips, the local & organic catsup, the Paris-interned pastry chef's housemade Snickers bar, etc., etc., etc. I'm soooooooo over it. If you want junk food, just go eat the real thing.

While I love asparagus, I really can't stand them grilled. All that's left after they've been on the grill is the charred soot from the grill and the smell that I most associate with going to the bathroom not long after I've eaten asparagus.... Their green freshness is obliterated.

And chocolate is TERRIBLE with fruit, I don't care what anyone says. The chocolate makes the fruit taste sour and watery and the fruit makes the chocolate taste chalky. Silly combination invented by some hotel maitre d' or concierge, I have no doubt.

[Perilagu Khan]

I agree wholeheartedly with your first paragraph. Foodie culture in the US has gotten so prissy, precious, pretentious and preachy that it makes me...well...lose my appetite.

[cacruden]

I have seen that but then I also realize that not all those that say they are foodies are actually foodies but food snobs. A foodie loves food, wants to learn more about it... will try almost anything once (hiso right to street food; or "regular folks" food.

Then there are food snobs which are driven by their insecurities to put some people/food down because that is the only way they can figure out how to make themselves feel above others.

There is really nothing much in common between the two groups.

There is a difference between not liking something and putting down others that have different tastes.

[EWSflash]

I think you nailed it, cacruden.

[TexSquared]

Best CH post I've seen in awhile. Agree with EVERYTHING you said.

I'm not sold on this "upscale diner" craze. Junk food and "DDD" type food are meant to be cheap and fun. I think it started when celebrity chefs started making $100+ hamburgers with Kobe beef... now everybody is doing it.

[staughton]

Yes, I do believe the celeb variety of chefs who lack true innovation or inspiration are to blame for a lot of this nonsense. I don't like when these types of chefs Euro-fy other ethnic foods, either. I don't need my spring rolls sauteed in Plugra butter and already cut-up (fork-ready) and then arfully drizzled with what should be the dipping sauce. And Korean food (among other ethnic foods) is meant to be served in big communal portions--not on stingy, waspy individual plates that won't be shared.

[TexSquared]

Preaching to the choir with me, buddy...

I'm a big fan of "traditionalism " and "authenticity", which means I abhor "fusion". When I walk into a Japanese restaurant I do not want to be served all those Monster Truck Rolls from Hell, just like you don't want Euro-style spring rolls.

Maybe that's the thing with those snooty diner food variants. Japanese food is about the highest quality ingredients and allowing them to shine, and that's part of what makes it special. But that mantra just doesn't translate well to junk food, fast food, street food, diner food, food trucks (another craze I'm not sold on either).... those are all about getting cheap ingredients to taste great in combination. It is a waste to use top ingredients to make such dishes.

A Big Mac clone made from Kobe beef patties and certified-organic 100-mile special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, and sesame seed bun won't taste significantly different from the genuine article made from cheap ingredients picked up at the drive-thru. So what's the point doing it? Other than giving a talentless chef an excuse to charge $50 for it :-)

[staughton]

LOL. Ugh! I forgot about those monster sushi rolls. That is EXACTLY the sort of thing I'm talking about, but at the other end of the spectrum. Macho, kitchen-sink, "dare you to eat it all" rolls of sushi COMPLETELY miss the point of Japanese food. Good one.

[discombobulated]

Mushrooms. I kind of like the taste but I can't with the texture.

Most cheeses, when eaten alone. I will devour the hell out of hard, sharp Italian cheeses, and I'll eat almost any cheese if it's melted. But the texture of, say, cheddar makes me gag, and many many many cheeses have a texture like that. I also don't like the taste of brie or any blue cheese. I'm trying to get better! I really am!

Do Chowhounds like tofu? If so, this goes on the list. My family loves it and I can't eat their food because I can't fucking stand the stuff. The taste is mediocre and the texture makes me gag. (I did have a delicious pesto/silken tofu spread a few weeks ago, which had neither tofu's taste nor its texture, so it was okay.)

Haven't had many organ meats. I'm a bit wary of trying them.

Smoked salmon. Actually, most smoked things that aren't bacon.

[Hank Hanover]

I tried some tofu once when I went out for lunch with a vegetarian. This was a spicy chinese dish and it needed to be. The tofu didn't seem to taste like much of anything except the sauce. In fact, I had to check with my tongue to make sure the tofu had gotten into my mouth. I mean this stuff had a very light texture. I have to assume tofu is eaten for the protein and it is typically heavily spiced so you can, at least, taste something.
I understand that there are two different textures of Tofu .. a very light version and a heavier version.

[discombobulated]

Maybe you had silken tofu? That's the lighter stuff. I find firm tofu revolting, but silken tofu I can stand in some contexts. I agree that neither one is very flavorful. I think silken tofu might be a little hard to work with because it falls apart so easily, but I could be wrong -- I've never tried it.

If I were vegetarian and needed protein, I'd eat beans every day for decades rather than touch firm tofu -- I really hate it.

[EWSflash]

I really like tofu, and I'm not vegetarian, either- I just love the taste and texture

[SparklingSugar]

I easily could have written this post. Let's be friends! :D

[HouseSparrow]

Straight honey. Unless it's hidden, used as a sweetener in recipes, even just the smell makes me recoil in disgust.

[Emme]

i don't like honey straight at all at all, nor do i like "honey flavored" X. hidden away in something more complex, it's fine.

years and years ago, i thought i'd try the honey and peanut butter combo so many love. i spread some PB on some bread (oh those were the days) and drizzled on some honey. i took a bite and spit it out. i looked at whomever i was with and said, "ugh, it tastes just like honey." the eyes rolled. i'll stick with a much better, IMO, combo -- peanut butter and brown sugar.

[Hank Hanover]

My wife loves peanut butter and light Karo syrup

[biondanonima]

Most of my major dislikes (ketchup, beets, cooked carrots, broccoli rabe, lima beans) are pretty common and have already been mentioned, but here are a few that no one has yet mentioned:

Breakfast cereal (Yes, I know it is a broad category. Yes, I hate them all. Even as a baby, my mother swears she could not get a single spoonful of cereal past my lips. However, I will eat Chex Mix. I think the butter and salt disguise the cereal taste.)
Any sort of cola-flavored beverage (Pepsi, Coke, Dr. Pepper - if it even resembles cola, it's out)
IPA (I like other beers well enough, but IPA tastes like vomit/bile to me)

Hopefully the fact that I happily eat foie gras, sweetbreads and stinky cheese will keep me from getting my Chowhound card revoked!

[bonefreakchef]

+1 on breakfast cereal. I can't stand almost any of it. Probably a result of eating it every single day as a kid.

Other items:
-ketchup (I won't scrape it off a burger, but don't you dare put it on fries we're splitting)
-turkey (awful, boring buzzard that's a pain to cook. Only redeeming feature is the gravy)
-pumpkin/squash of all kinds
-maple syrup (I may have my Canadian citizenship revoked for admitting that)
-sea urchin
-octopus (I keep trying, but I can't make myself like it)

[cacruden]

Turkeys are great for making stuffing! The rest might be boring but I have made some wonderful stuffing in turkeys.

[EWSflash]

Oh man- I LOVE turkey!

[cacruden]

I am not fussy and have a relatively short list:

beets
mashed or baked or boiled potatoes (french fries with salt and vinegar I will happily eat).
beef liver
blue cheese

That is basically all I can really think of that I go YUKKKKK!

On a different note, I will eat and have eaten recently:
- crickets or grasshoppers (thai snack).
- duck tongue or beak (tongue with serving attachment :p)
- ox tongue
- most offal meats
- love deep fried shrimp heads

[foiegras]

Interesting list. I absolutely love whole tomatoes (well, I cut them at least in half ;), but I too dislike tofu, miso, hummus, and brie. Are you a supertaster?

[pepperjam]

Organ meat
Saffron
Squid ink - but I like Squid
Pork belly - too fatty for me to digest
Gingerbread/Ginger Snaps

[cookmyassoff]

ya pork belly is pretty dang fatty....its basically bacon steak! (which is why i love it but dont have it often)

[Perilagu Khan]

I'm no supertaster. Pretty damned finicky compared to most of this lot.

[foiegras]

I ask because I am ;) It's a technical term ... basically supertasters have abundant tastebuds. So a supertaster child is very sensitive. I could never understand how other people could stand to drink grapefruit juice (the kind you'd get in little cans when I was a child) ...

I think I forgot to mention beer. I don't like beer of any kind. Even the fruity Belgian stuff is still beer--no tank you.

[Perilagu Khan]

Well, live and learn. I rather doubt I have superabundant buds. If I did, some of the foods I eat would positively blow my cranium through the ceiling.

[GraceW]

The smell of curry makes me feel like I am going to vomit. I am sorry, I have nothing against it; my body just feels very ill when I smell it.

[cookmyassoff]

thai curry or indian type curry? they are quite different.

[cookmyassoff]

curry one of my favorites! wow...

[GraceW]

I think it's the smell of anything with curry powder.

[cookmyassoff]

gotcha. so since curry powder is actually a combination of different spices, there must be something about that combo that just doesnt work for u. the reason i asked about thai vs. indian is usually indian curries are made with curry powder, while thai curries use curry paste, which is red chiles, shrimp paste, lemongrass, garlic and some other jazz. and then there are caribbean-style curries....fugetaboutit!

[cacruden]

There are sooo many different curries - generalizing just gets you into trouble. There is curry powder which is a blend of spices (as stated) - usually yellow curry powder, then there are pastes (Thai and some regions of India), an instant curry mix which makes up Japanese curries. I know that most Thai's cannot eat Indian food (generally speaking) because of the strong smell (Thai people have the most acute sense of smell).

Hope your aversion is not all curries - I actually find them very comforting (especially Thai curries).

[cookmyassoff]

oh, i forgot durian....i love fruit and i love strong cheese but i dont like fruit that tastes like strong cheese....that just creeps me the hell out!

[cookmyassoff]

im one of those people who will eat most things.....u put it on a plate and i will pretty much give it a shot. but heres my list:

papaya
over ripe bananas....i like em pretty green
canned/pickled beets, although i like them fresh, steamed, etc
rum. blech
not real huge into the organ meats but i love tongue, foie gras and fried chicken liver
not a huge fan of pomegranate...its just sorta bitter

but heres the one that usually gets people:
dill pickles.

do NOT let that horrid thing touch my burger. and its weird cuz i like other pickled things like those purple pickle things that are in middle eastern food, sauerkraut, pepproncini....and i like sweet pickles in tuna salad. but dill pickles can get lost.... its funny, the original poster's list? thats like half my diet...

[StringerBell]

There isn't much I don't like, and I have no food allergies that I know of. I don't really care for shrimp but I'll eat them. The texture grosses me out a little, but if they're cooked really well they're ok. Mostly though I just don't like highly processed grains and really sweet food. I don't like any type of dessert at all, ice cream included. Eating ice cream, pie, cake, etc. to me is like eating a stick of butter, just glutenous and nasty. I don't like juice, too syrupy and sweet. I hate highly processed or sugary breakfast foods (waffles, pancakes, pastries, donuts). I don't like pasta very much but I eat occasionally.

When it comes to normal ingredients fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, meats, nuts, grains, cheeses, etc. there is hardly anything I don't like. The only fruit or vegetable I've had that I don't like is nanches. These were in a jar, so maybe fresh nanches are better, but these tasted like rotting carcass. I can't think of any herb or spice I don't like. I hate tobasco sauce, too sour and harsh, it gives me bitter beer face. I'm not sure I like organ meats but I've never really eaten them so I can't say for sure.

[stloochew]

Goat cheese . . . which makes it very difficult to order salad in an upscale restaurant. C'mon, chefs, quit being so tribal and expand your cheese repertoire!

[Perilagu Khan]

Hear hear.

[stecworld]

cooked carrots--love raw
beets--can't stand the smell either
kale
anchovies
all root vegetables except potatoes

I know I'm forgetting a bunch

[Bill Hunt]

Now, I am the same with spinach. Raw is delightful, but when cooked, it smells like grass clippings from a week ago, moldering in a black plastic bag, waiting to be thrown out. From what I can recall, it tastes, like it smells.

Now, root veggies are a different story for me - in most cases.

Hunt

[Maggiethecat]

I guess I am not too picky, most of the items listed so far are fine to me. But there are a few:

Cilantro - hate, hate, hate the flavor. It overpowers everything it touches.
Shredded coconut - it's a texture thing for me. The flavor is fine, and in fact I use coconut milk in a lot of dishes.
Liver & onions - I haven't had this in years but hated it as a kid. But I would be willing to try it as an adult.

Now, there are a lot of things I CAN'T eat due to food allergies. Bananas, cherries, apples, peaches, pears, carrots, celery, avocado, peanuts -- just to name a few. That's not to say I don't like them; I would love to snack on carrot and celery sticks or make a smoothie with bananas and peaches, but it just can't happen. And it makes me a sad cat.

[PotatoHouse]

The thing about liver and onions is that the cook has to really know what they are doing because it is so simple to cook and so easy to mess up. Literally one minute of overcooking turns it from a tender and flavorful piece of meat into a chewy piece of shoe leather.In order to give yourself a fair chance, make sure you find a good cook.

[IndyGirl]

I'm not much of a mustard fan. Maybe because of my early greasy fast-food hamburger experiences (see above, under ketchup)!

[JReichert]

Also - and this is weird - but I had a pear a few years back and it tasted EXACTLY like chlorinated pool water. Exactly. My husband said I was nuts and ate the rest of it. I tried a pear again some months back - still a hint of that damn chlorine.

Don't know what it is . . . . . regardless, pears are on my do-not-consume list. : ( And they always tasted great in Pac-Man! ; )

[JReichert]

Onions, onions, onions. I've just now gotten to the point where I can use minute amounts of onion powder. But the real thing? Not in a million years. There's something about the taste and crunch that revulses me, to the chagrin of my parents whilst growing up. : /

The only veggies I can really eat are green beans, red pepper (sautèd) pickles, and raw carrots, and in a miscategorized sense potatoes, fresh corn and tomatoes. I'm sure I've all kinds of nutritional deficiencies.

Don't like bleu cheese, feta, brie.

Hate mushy cereals - hubby loves.

Hate brownies - who wants to eat heavy burnt chocolate? That's all it tastes like.

[foiegras]

Great topic ... I really dislike Brie and cauliflower. Also tofu and miso. Since Brie is so widely loved, it's like people can't hear me when we're ordering a cheese platter as a group and I'm trying to make sure it will have something I can eat ... it's like it's considered an aberration rather than a legitimate preference ;)

[CapeCodBob]

I wish I could tolerate meat gristle, cartilage and fat. Hating them means I am missing some wonderful foods especially Asian. I can't imagine my being able to even put tendons in my mouth Pictures current fad of braised and fried pork belly lookd delicious, but I know I will not be able to swallow that much fan. Cut thinly,ike bacon, is a whole other story. Has anyone been able to train themselve sto eat these foods that "bounce" back?.

[Rodzilla]

some very fatty pieces of meat/fish aren't gristle or cartilaginous (salmon, short ribs) can you tolerate those?

I have trouble with gristle and cartilage as well, I just had it conditioned as something I'm not supposed to be eating. Maybe you could transition with something midway/ softer - like marrow or lardo.

[Bill Hunt]

CapeCodBob,

I am with you completely on those various beef (and other meats) connective tissue. They do zero for me.

Hunt

[foiegras]

Braising renders a lot of fat, of course, but I also use my knife to remove remaining fat on short ribs or pork belly. Some remains, of course, but a little time with the knife can take care of the worst of it. I like rich food, but prefer not to encounter large chunks of fat (and I'm sure my waistline feels the same).

[Hank Hanover]

I don't know about gristle. I mean... I just toss it aside. Now fat.. especially the fat on the edge of a nice steak. That's good stuff. I don't eat it all but I make sure I get a mouthful or three. In fact, now that I mention it, I remember eating a piece of fat that had the blue ink from the grading process on it. Not sure why but that is a rather vivid memory.

[foiegras]

It's like you were marked by it.

[sandylc]

Anything that tastes fishy.

[aynrandgirl]

I'm with you!

[sandylc]

Bleu cheese.
Horseradish.
Sauerkraut.
Mayonnaise (although I will enjoy it in dishes that really require it)
Raw fish.

[Bill Hunt]

SandyC,

Just pass the Bleu Cheese, horseradish, sauerkraut and good raw fish done to my end of the bar. I will relieve you of the problems.

Hunt

[charles_sills]

i dont like sushi.

"but, maybe youve never had really good (which we all know means expensive) sushi."
actually, i dont care for vinegared rice, and i dont care for plankton. so thats why i dont really like sushi.

also, i hate coffee. with the exception of chili/coffee marinated short ribs, i cant even stand the flavor off coffee in things. im sure if i drink coffee every day i would learn to like it, but why? why would i want to?

[mariacarmen]

i don't like coffee either. don't like the smell of it, even!

[Bill Hunt]

Asparagus - whether green, white or otherwise. They also make all of my wines taste really "off."

Hunt

[Pzz]

Caviar - even the really good stuff. Completely overrated, IMHO.
Brains - on principle and out of a medically-based fear of eating central nervous system stuff.
Chitterlings - maybe they weren't cooked right, but the smell almost made me puke. Nasty.
Truffles - the smell is repulsive (yet I like every other fungus I've tried).
Raw bivalves - hard to admit this one, as I'm from the Chesapeake region, but they're creepy.
Cloves - really repulsive taste/smell unless they're way, way in the background.

[danany]

Bitter greens. Pick a bitter green...any one!

[Christina D]

Bananas, but I love plantains. Go figure.

[jagostino]

I think the list of what I will eat is much sorter than what I won't eat. Even the things I will eat have limits, like chicken. I could eat it just about every day of the week, but only boneless skinless breast. I can't even cook it in the same dish as the dark meat my husband likes because I gag on the taste that has made it's way to my piece. One thing is for sure, without a doubt is my distaste for anything seafood related or including lima beans (I can smell them hiding in a pot of soup) Just the thought of putting any of that in my mouth or watching someone else eat it makes my throat feel like it's closing. I feel my blood start to boil when someone say's, "Oh, but if you tried it this way you would like it." Someone always says something like that not realizing how close they have come to just ketting the crap kicked out of them for that simple statement. NO I will not like it!!!

[Perilagu Khan]

Heh heh. Hilarious post.

[ptrichmondmike]

any offal (yecccccch!), lamb, venison, other game (i.e. aurochs, brontosaurus); slimy things.

[crowmuncher]

Don't care for most animal parts really. I do appreciate people eating the entire animal and not letting it go to waste, but I think it's gross (including skin). I gave up eating meat and poultry but I must say I do love a bloody steak and some fried chicken. I'm a total wuss when it comes to cartilage, liver, heart, etc. These were never my first choice even as a meat eater. And salmon skin (or any fish skin)? I hate the flavor. I've tried to like it since I love sushi and there are so many combos that include it. Hopefully one day I'll grow out of it...

[BananaBirkLarsen]

cooked carrots
black pudding
sweet pickles
whole cardamom pods

[S_K]

With you on the cardamom especially if I'm expected to just eat them..with a smile on my face. Adds a new level of torture. (It's okay in tea though because it's the essence not the thing I'm eating.)

My other thing is okra. I'm not sure okra and I will ever be friends.

[BananaBirkLarsen]

I even like the ground stuff and I'm okay when the seeds have been removed from the pods. But as soon as I see the pod floating in my curry, I just can't take it.

[S_K]

Yeah, I don't mind the ground stuff too, but I got the pods in a fruit salad once. It was pretty bad because it was yogourt, cardamom pods and fruit. And I wasn't expecting it because I was eating in the dark...yuck. So I would feel the same way about seeing it my curry, I'm sure.

[Cynamar]

Sushi, soy anything, bread & butter pickles, and hotdogs. Yuck!

[t.susannah.chen]

UNI!

[mamachef]

Shad Roe
Skate
Tendon
Turtle Soup
Anchovies, but I love the paste
Bourbon, whether good, bad or indifferent
Tequila, the same

[buttertart]

No skate, mc? I lurve it. With you on the other things except tequila (in margaritas), 100%.

[Perilagu Khan]

Bearish on tendons? Dear, oh dear, oh dear... ;)

[Passadumkeg]

I love this thread. It reminds how many delicious foods there are out there!

[02putt]

Radicchio, raw mushrooms or mushrooms on pizza, raw red onion (unless soaked in cold water first), eggplant (except in Baba Ghanoush) dragon fruit, star fruit (both tasteless), pears, red apples other than Courtland, white flesh peaches, venison, head cheese, bologna, organs (brains, liver, etc), spam in a can (don't ask), cod or any other "fishy" fish, sushi, cooked tuna but love it from a can, milk other than skim (unless cooking with it), ice cream. Top three things that want to make me sick just by the smell, Olives, Blue Cheese, and Cilantro (not technically a food but revolting just the same).

[IndyGirl]

I am also not a fan of raw mushrooms or extremely strong red onion (though I love red onions that have been soaked in vinegar).

OTOH I love cilantro, blue cheese and olives!

[02putt]

Never thought of the vinegar angle. Do you use Balsamic or another type? Must try.

[Emme]

i'm not a big red onion fan either, but diced red onions and diced tomatoes soaked in a balsamic vinegarette is lovely.

[IndyGirl]

I use red wine vinegar.

[mshenna]

Old thread but why not ...

Plums. They look beautiful at the farmers' market every year. I even make plum jam sometimes (for other people to eat). And I try eating one every year & ... no.

Grapes & raisins (can just about stand a decently dry chewy raisin, but large squishy sultanas & any raisins cooked to pulpy awfulness in things, please no). I liked grapes as a child but somewhere in adolescence my tastes changed.

It occurs to me now that I stopped liking grapes when I started liking wine. Maybe I just felt they were not living up to their potential?

Tobiko & ikura. (But I like osetra & sevruga caviar now & again.)

Until last month, I'd have said dried apricots, but then I encountered a Greek/Middle Eastern/Eastern European deli that sells squares of pistachio nougat sandwiched (or rather bookended) in dried apricot (about 4 or 5 parts nougat to 1 part apricot), & the combination is amazing.

[pinehurst]

White grapes are a no-go for me, too, now. Always hated them in the "fruit cocktail" my mom would give us during childhood when the only "fresh" fruits available were apples/bananas.

[thew]

there are many different varieties of plums. some i don't care for. others i anxiously await summertime for

[buttertart]

Holy cow spill on where you get the apricot/nougat thing, please.

[cathodetube]

I hear you on the plums. It is so disappointing each year to buy some and find they are tasteless. I have stopped buying supermarket ones. The only ones I like (over here in UK) are greengages and sometimes the Victoria plums are good. I always ask to taste a plum if I am in a market or at an old fashioned greengrocers before buying and 9 times out of 10 they are tasteless. I have now started to do that with strawberries as I have been disappointed too many times.

[02putt]

Being from Canada you can imagine we have to go by the season to get the really delicious stuff. I love my fruit to be very sour. People look at me strange but their nothing better than a really tart apple or plums so sour and juicy you make a face. When in season though the berries especially blueberries are to die for. Same with peaches. I am lucky in that I have a little market (25 farmers maybe) very near where I live. You actually buy off the farmer. We don't eat breakfast before we go because you can sample all you want. That's how I found out I love the little purple oval shaped plums. I am hesitant to buy some items at the grocery store because of the price. Nothing worse than getting home and it is tasteless.

[loveballet101]

haha i find this post incredibly funny because

I'd have to say grapes are my favorite food, I LOVE ikura and tobiko, I can down tons and tons of raisins in one sitting, and I really enjoy plums

[mdalloway]

Oh boy. Here we go!

Condiments -- yes, pretty well all of them. Ketchup, mustard, relish, mayonnaise, bbq sauce, aioli, salad creams... The list goes on. Only recently made the connection between most of them: vinegar. Horrible stuff!

Pickles
Dill
Caraway
Red Wine
Beer
Turnip, Squash, Rutabaga, et cetera
Raw Tomato
Raw Onion
Cream Cheese
Cottage Cheese
Blue Cheese
Avocado
Caviar
Truffles

But I swear, I don't just eat bread and potatoes! I make lots of fun meals full of neat spices, herbs and veggies. And surprisingly, I'm quite adventurous: if I haven't had it before (or heard of it!), I need to try.

[J.Dish]

Cake. I can't stand cake. Maybe yellow cake fresh out of the oven, with nothing on it... even then, doubtful. Cake is awful. I can sometimes eat a cupcake...

Chicken breast. Boring. Give me the thighs.

Mezcal.

[Greg B]

I don't have a long list, but I absolutely cannot eat:

Raw onions of any sort, especially the now-ubiquitous raw red onion, which has become to restaurant plates what a sprig of parsley was in the 1950s. And like the parsley, most of the time I see it sent back, untouched. I hate them with the heat of a thousand suns.

Eggs of any sort (as opposed to eggs that are an ingredient, like in a cake). Apparently as a tyke I would eat eggs, but at some point I developed a strong aversion to them. They make me quite nauseous. The current fad of putting a fried or poached egg on top of a dish that would normally not have one baffles me. I hope it is a fad that doesn't last long.

Liver, foie gras, offal or organ meats in general. Same nauseous reaction.

I wonder why I get such a physical reaction to these items? There are lots of things I don't like, but which I can eat. But my reaction to these items is far more than dislike.

[Ann0927]

chili, cilantro, pesto, ham, sausages, bacons, raspberries, walnuts etc....

[SIMIHOUND]

Fennel in anything.

[david t.]

any bacon/maple syrup combination flavor on food.

[EileenPearl]

I'm with you on beans: fava, and add lima and kidney beans!
deviled, hard/soft boiled,or fried eggs
things that contain gelatin
cottage cheese
mayonnaise
eggplant
seaweed
roe
liver and other organ meats

seaweed

[LorenM]

Kind of an old thread but fun. I like almost every form of food and drink or can at least appreciate it (caviar comes to mind). Some of the things I don't really care for seem to be pretty common dislikes like beets. I never let the idea of what something is deter me from trying it and I am not afraid of strong, funky flavors and weird textures, however as a CH I must admit I do not like drinking wine (however I do like to cook with it sometimes). I like me all sorts of alcohol but am just not a wine guy and especially do not like to pair it with food. I actually don't like to drink alcohol of any kind with food but definitely do not drink wine on it's own. Weird, huh?

[buttertart]

Whatever floats your boat. My father had an excellent palate and loved to drink but did NOT care for wine at all.

[alliegator]

I also dislike wine. I've tried so, so many on the insistence of friends and I just can not warm up to it.. Give me a great beer or a nice liquor any day!

[HillJ]

I dislike headcheese, offal and most grinder meats and I have tried them all. Hounds describe some remarkable experiences and dishes using these delights but I am not a fan. Something about gelatin & meat makes me timid.

[mlgb]

blue cheeses, especially with an iceberg wedge
sea squirts
crepinettes
gristly breakfast sausages

[AndrewPF]

All nuts and nut products (life-threatening allergy)
Olives
Mushrooms (allergy)
Lettuce hearts
Avocado
Whole tomatoes
Most fresh fruit (allergy)
Pork chops
Salami

[highforpie]

I dislike: olives, mayo, ketchup, plain pistachios ( but love them in baked goods and ice cream!), super dark chocolate, most marinara/red sauces, mashed potatoes, most chips (tortilla, potato), dill in most recipes, seafood salads, most beer. However I do notice as I get older my tastes are changing. I used to hate all nuts but now eat nuts and peanut butter almost daily. I WISH I disliked sweets/baked goods but that will probably never happen ; )

[rHairing]

Organ meats
Apples...glad I'm not the only one
Raisins
Strong cheeses~blue,gorgonzola
Kimchi
Cilantro...OK..this is weird but it tastes like dish soap
Tomatoes..OK....I can only eat them homegrown in the summer..Other than that they taste like the smell of formaldehyde??? Except the grape tomatoes.

[fala125]

white truffle oil
when black truffles are put on everything in a restaurant
kidneys of any kind

octopus isn't my favorite, but I'll eat it, as well as cottage cheese. other than that, i'm not a picky eater. i just don't like it when people overuse truffles, and i hate the smell of white truffle oil.

[Passadumkeg]

Golly Gee, I wish some one would overuse truffles on me. I've never had them. They are on my bucket list.
"Please sir, I want some more."

Oliver Keg

[gaffk]

Good earthy truffles, black or white, are like good mushrooms on steroids--just great company on the dish when used sparingly.

Have to agree on the truffle oil, though; it's like perfume on a pig.

[somervilleoldtimer]

Oh, man, I had truffles for the first time recently, and I HATED them! I kept tasting the food they were in, because I was sure that the next bite would be delicious. Right? Of course! I'm a chowhound and I love food, and of course I would love truffles. Right?! Did I mention that I HATED them? I really, really don't get it. Clearly it's me, but the dots are totally not connected.

[gaffk]

Question: Do you like mushrooms? If not, you won't like truffles. If you like mushrooms and truffles, the truffle oil is unappetizing. It's just a matter of taste; I happen to like earthy.

[thew]

i disagree. there are places where truffle oil really work wonderfully. like on a salad. and it doesn;t matter if they are "real" or not - i don;t like them because they are truffled, but because of the flavor they have, regardless of what they are made of

[fala125]

I really like mushrooms, and totally dig truffles in pates, delicately shaved on whatever dish I'm served and so on. That stupid truffle oil. Ugh. I work in the pastry department of a restaurant once a week, and I swear they wait until I arrive to make the truffle oil salad dressing. That smell is just awful.

I must withdraw the cottage cheese statement as I've been eating it lately.

[mariacarmen]

MORE? MOOOOORE??? OLIVAH! OLIVAH! NEVER BEFORE HAS A KEG WANTED MORE!

i would be clad in them, buried in them, stuffed with them, and even bathed in the oil, despite its not being "the real deal". Yeah, I've never been lucky enough to have been over-truffled. give me something to bitch about, will ya?

A local high-end market used to sell truffle butter (tiny little pieces in unsalted butter) and i would buy a little tub of it and just every now and then take a little buttery scoop and let it melt on my tongue. heaven.

[tracylee]

I just got two 8-oz tubs of truffle butter from wine.woot. I also got a pair for my folks. Unfortunately, to keep them for any length of time, freezing works best. I tried chunking off a bit of white truffle butter for my pumpkin ravioli, but it clearly wasn't enough.

[sisterfunkhaus]

I've never had a fava bean, but I love all of the rest.

I'm not sure I've tasted a food I really disliked except for fried liver and pate'. I will no longer even consider organ meats or nervous tissue. I will say sardines and anchovies aren't my favorites. I don't hate them, but don't love them either.

[IndyGirl]

I'm pretty adventurous, except for meat...I'm veg, which I know slams a lot of doors shut..

Also I hate sardines -- I have tried, as I know they are healthy and that a lot of people like them, but I just can't get over my problem with them

others:
cooked carrots
most cake (though I used to love to bake)
pickles (except for excellent homemade dills)

agree with whomever said red apples--ew, mush city!

all mustard (again, I keep trying--I just can't do it)
ketchup on eggs
GREEN PEPPERS! I swear they are only used because they are so cheap! Why are they in every vegetarian entree? YUCK!!!
wet bread (I don't mind vinegar-soaked bread , as in pan bagna, but cannot abide greasy bread--early fast food experience is probably why I am vegetarian now)
freshwater fish

But I swear, I am not that picky :) :)

[alanbarnes]

Okay, we'll ignore the whole fish-eating vegetarian thing as semantics. And we'll give you a pass assuming that "green peppers" are limited to mass-market bell peppers. But still...

Pickles? All the varieties of pickled cucumbers are a broad enough category, but what about pickled carrots, pickled cabbage, pickled onions, or kimchi? Pickled herring may be an acquired tasted, but nobody doesn't like pickled lemon as an ingredient. And that's without going so far as pickled mango. Don't give up on pickles yet.

Ditto with red apples. Don't judge them all by grocery store Red Delicious. Sure some are mushy and bland, but try a good Winesap or Braeburn some time.

And freshwater fish - where to start? Never mind all the various species available, rainbow trout can run the gamut from bland farm-raised mush to some of the finest fish you'll ever eat.

It's good to be picky, but don't shut down your options. Expanding your horizons is a hit-or-miss proposition, but it's a whole lot more fun than keeping a closed mind.

[sisterfunkhaus]

Try a crunchy honey crisp within a short time after harvest. They are only available for a short window, but are so sweet and crunchy. Mmmmmm.

[IndyGirl]

Wow! I must have come off as some sort of weirdo who only likes nilla wafers and tapioca.

Allow me to further clarify:

1. I started to clarify my preferences as lacto-ovo-pescetarian, but I find that sort of thing tiresome. Though I'm aware that the terminology is more strictly interpreted elsewhere, in my part of the country, EVERYONE considers how I eat to be vegetarian--for many people I know around here, not eating meat is weird enough. I love sushi and sashimi way too much to give it up, though, and I'm a midwestern girl-how could I give up eggs or dairy?

2. Apples: I love a good honeycrisp or braeburn. I'm talking about your "garden variety" (har har!) red apples. The kind included in the horrid pre-packed brown bag lunches at conferences. The kind served on middle-school hot lunch trays. you know the ones. They practically turn into applesauce if you look at them funny. I'm a fan of local apple orchards and have never missed my annual autumnal orchard visit.

3. Pickles: I have never had pickled lemon (I don't think), but I'm just not the world's biggest pickle fan in general. Exception: fabulous homemade dill pickles at a place like Zingerman's. I also pickle red onions for certain applications and love those. And, in case you might think I don't know what it is, I keep trying kimchi, and I REALLY want to like it, but I haven't been able to make it happen yet. I wish I could! I'm due for another try soon. (I've never made my own, but buy a jar occasionally at a local Korean market where they make it fresh.)

4. Freshwater fish: I've actually caught my own rainbow trout, thank you very much. I've baited the hook with a worm that I actually dug out of the ground myself, caught the fish, removed it from the hook, participated in the preparation (not my favorite part) and then cooked and eaten it. I freely admit that, if freshly caught and prepared well (either minimally steamed or grilled and dressed with lemon, or deep-fried and then sprinkled with a little salt and lemon juice), it is fabulous-nothing better. It's just that, in general, I don't prefer freshwater fish over ocean-caught fish, especially as prepared in most restaurants (including supposed upscale places). They taste muddy to me if they are not very fresh and I'm usually disappointed. I am the daughter of a fisherman, and am intimately acquainted with the various species (crappie, bluegill, bass, and yes, rainbow trout!); I have nothing against them personally ,but they usually aren't handled well and I no longer fish (unfortunately). So I usually don't bother ordering them. I suppose it's more like I am extremely picky about the quality of freshwater fish.

5. Almost forgot! Peppers. I can do jalapenos, but green peppers make me sick. It's happened since i was a teenager. I taste them for days after eating them; I'd almost classify it as an allergy at this point, though I've not been tested. I also usually try to avoid yellow/orange varieties, but raw red peppers can be ok as they are sweeter. I do love good chiles rellenos, but doubt I could handle the poblano raw. Ironically , I love spicy food.

I'm quite adventurous, I swear! Perhaps I was too pithy, as the original post seemed to set that standard. (I'm terse to a fault sometimes, owing to the fact that I'm struggling with carpal tunnel and write for a living-I usually save the polished prose for work! Overly pithy mails have gotten me into similar trouble.) Have I convinced you yet? :) :) :)

[alanbarnes]

Well, dang, IndyGirl, it's not that you dislike any particular food. You just don't like **bad** food. More power to you!!!

[Passadumkeg]

As stated above, I'm not a fussy eater in the least, but I avoid almost anything in cans (sardines excepted), especially little cans and #10 cans. Corn? If not fresh, frozen.

[ZenSojourner]

I love corn so much I'll eat it any way. I actually prefer the canned to frozen. I'll even eat field corn that other people tell me is too tough for anything but livestock.

Fresh on the ear is of course best, but you know, some of the new supersweets barely taste like corn to me. I'd rather the field corn!

[Passadumkeg]

It's a c-ration legacy.

[GraceW]

I HATE bacon, pork, and all meat--especially burgers. (Hence: I'm a veg.)
I hate anything with corn syrup.
I wouldn't eat anything with mayo.
I hate cheesecake.
I do not even really care for cheese.
I dislike milk.
I dislike juice. All juices.
I would rather starve than touch a doughnut.
I dislike bagels.
Unless it is deep-dish, I think pizza is nasty.
Not to be absurd, but I dislike alcoholic beverages of all kinds.

Oh, and if that isn't snobby enough: I avoid oil at all costs.

[gaffk]

Wow, may be easier to list what you *do* like.

[fredster1]

So..... what do you eat????? or drink?

[GraceW]

I eat fish and also tofu. I love eggplant; I eat quinoa, rice, noodles, pilaf, sweet potatoes, and all vegetables. I eat a lot of dessert too.

I drink tea, coffee, more coffee, diet pop, and water.

[chefmindy]

Let's see...

All sweets, especially chocolate, cake and ice cream.
most fish
bacon
mashed potatoes
pork chops
PEANUT BUTTER
ham
carrots
apples
toast
coffee
green pepper

[Perilagu Khan]

Bacon and chocolate and coffee--oh my!

[gaffk]

There go my three favorite food groups.

[alliegator]

Bacon?! Hold on, I think I need to do so breathing exercises, lol.
This is a cool thread, it's very interesting to see how widely peoples tastes differ.

[cacruden]

+1 on mashed potatoes, baked potatoes with butter, about the only potatoes that I like are when they don't taste like potatoes .... greek potatoes oven roasted - taste more lemony and french fries (although I prefer vinegar with my fries).
+1 on peanut butter

[Slowdive]

Sushi and tempura (and glad to see I'm the only one. I live in Vancouver so it was beginning to feel that way!)
Tofu
Salad dressings and mayo-based/creamy sauces. And coleslaw, potato salad, etc.
Nuts
Bacon
Chocolate
Most dairy
Most fruits (oddly enough though, I LOVE vegetables, much more than most people seem to.)
Okra
Shellfish

[gaffk]

No nuts, bacon, chocolate, dairy or fruits? I'd starve. But I do admit, nothing with mayo, despite the fact I am the designated deviled egg maker.

I am so glad we have so many choices!

[Perilagu Khan]

Bacon and chocolate?!

Dear, oh dear, oh dear...

[mariacarmen]

bacon.... it pains me!

[Slowdive]

Heheheh. It's amazing how much tastes differ, I suppose. In my defense regarding dairy, I didn't used to dislike it so much, but now (at the ripe old age of 18!) most of it makes me feel absolutely awful, hence the aversion.

[Cynamar]

Sushi. I love fish but just don't like sushi. I'll eat almost anything else.

[fredster1]

Sushi of any kind
Tofu
Crab
Lobster
Gefilte fish
Matzo
Kidneys
Cantaloup Melon
Okra
Tongue

[Breadcrumbs]

Foie gras

Caviar

Goat cheese and any other goat milk/cream product

Organ meats and any other gnarly bits that should only be included in hot dogs (which I do enjoy!)

Cooked carrots

Most nuts

Earl Grey Tea

Dill pickles

Dark Chocolate

Martinis

Scotch

[gaffk]

Love:

cooked carrots
Nuts
Earl Grey Tea
Dill pickles
Dark chocolate
martinis
scotch

I will not yuck another's yum.

[mariacarmen]

i'm with BT, i have to yum your yuks!

[ZenSojourner]

Except for the Earl Grey, I'm with you. Carrots - well depends on how cooked. Plain cooked carrots by themselves, yuck. Cooked in a soup or something - that I like. Dill pickles - only on burgers.

[c oliver]

Wait! Those are the things you DON'T like? Holey moley.

[RetiredChef]

Dump the dill pickles and you have a list of some of my favorite food items

[alliegator]

olives, blue cheese, and (as much as I hate to lump one whole cuisine together) I don't like a fair amount of Japanese dishes

[Perilagu Khan]

You wouldn't like my martinis then, which include Roquefort-stuffed kalamatas.

[mariacarmen]

what time should i be there?

[Perilagu Khan]

Directly the sun approaches the yardarm.

[alliegator]

I'm sorry to say it, but i'd have to give it a miss. But with your creativity, maybe you could mix me up something else?

[Perilagu Khan]

I make a miso margarita that would bring tears to your eyes.

[ZenSojourner]

The mere thought IS bringing tears to my eyes . . .

LOL!

[gaffk]

I don't like blue cheese, miso or tequilla . . . but I love a good cocktail. Anything in your repetoire for me?

[c oliver]

A seasoned, very professional bartender told me that anything other than a twist was simply wrong. I've agreed. Good gin and vermouth need little else.

[Jay F]

eggs if I can distinguish the whites from the yolks

cooked cabbage

tofu, including its many cutesy Frankenfood identities (Tofurkey? Oh, please)

caviar (and I've had the good stuff)

well-done meat; I'm not that fond of most meat, TTYTT, but nothing else I've actually eaten rises to the level of this thread's theme.

the Andrew Weil/Gary Nunn vegetables: broccoli, cauliflower, greens

raw onion

plain yogurt; the thought (I've never had any) of "homemade" yogurt is particularly disgusting: I don't think I could kiss someone who I knew eats homemade yogurt.

pumpkin pie

warm mayonnaise

brussels sprouts (cooked cabbage by another name)

Earl Grey

anything with "smoke flavoring" in the ingredient list; and by association, chipotle

lots of Asian sauces, esp. if I can't tell what's in them

marzipan and fondant

too much cumin; and it should only be used in meat

[aching]

Shellfish (including and especially oysters!)
Foie Gras
Sweetbreads

But I DO love a lot of the things on other people's lists above!

[electricfish]

Most goat cheeses. I tried to like them, but I finally gave myself permission not to.

Saffron. I find it incredibly unpleasant and acrid tasting.

[kookiegoddess]

oysters
truffles (a little truffle oil I can bear but generally, just not my thing and irritating when it's just flung on any old dish and then made to seem expensive and special)
omelettes - I hate the way the bottom of the omelette gets all leathery
CHEESE omelettes especially, makes me want to gag
artichokes. They smell and taste like pee to me (or how I would expect pee to taste). Also they are a total PITA to prepare and I remember working as a commis chef and cutting my finger in exactly the same place each week when I prepped them. Grr.
And I generally don't like other people cakes. They always taste pretty bad to me. I am always very quick to offer to make desserts! But it's a rare delight when they are good.

[mimolette]

I don't like fish belly and I absolutely cannot stand mackerel sashimi.... once I smell mackerel sashimi I cannot even eat anything else on that same plate, it literally makes me want to puke immediately. I also hate frosting, that super sweet oilly something is repulsive. And in general mayo is just so so, I don't hate it unless there is too much of it but I certainly don't ever have an urge to apply it.

[ZenSojourner]

Any meat that is not cooked all the way through.

Steak, no matter how it's cooked, except for filet mignon which I don't try to buy out anymore because the cook invariably throws a hissy fit when I order it cooked well done, then burns it on purpose.

Omelets. I do not see the attraction at all. I like eggs, but not eggs full of stuff that isn't more eggs.

Coffee, like the smell, hate the taste, don't want coffee flavored anything.

ANd I like my tea nekkid too, except for masala chai - REAL masala chai, not the yuppy Starbuck's idea of masala chai.

[Perilagu Khan]

I, also, am no respector of omelettes. Frittatas, yes. Omelettes, no.

[Paulustrious]

We must agree to disagree. I live with Italians and believe that frittatistas are failed omeletteurs.

[Emme]

concur! i hate when i order an omelette, and what arrives is a flat piece of egg with all the fixings mixed in like a pancake.

[EWSflash]

I see no reason for scrambled eggs. Omelets, whatever filling, yes, scrambled eggs, no. But my guys love them. I remain incredulous. They are handy for picking up a piece of when they aren't looking, though.

[Passadumkeg]

Add dice green chile to the scramble.

[gaffk]

Or green peppers and mushrooms.

[lisaress]

I see I am much delayed in posting...

1. anything sweeter than a blueberry with the exception of very moist chocolate cake or brownie - very hard too find to my expectations and since I am a cook, not a baker, I never try to make them myself
2. ice cream - I know that is addressed above, but it seems every restaurant plops ice cream on every dessert - so when everyone else is having dessert, I am having an after-dinner drink
3. coffee and anything that tastes like it - I kind of wished I did - coffee drinkers seem to love it so much, but glad I don't have the addiction
4. anything sour
5. seaweed
6. tea that has any fruit flavoring or sweetener of any kind - I like my tea naked
7. broccoli - but I love cauliflower and brussel sprouts - I wish someone else in my house did

I love salty, sweet/salty, and sweet/sour - I like when the sweet or sour is off-set by a contrasting flavor

[tcamp]

Fascinating thread.

I don't hate/dislike many thing but I'm not a fan of most frosting, most bottled salad dressing (esp. creamy ones), anything caramel, and sweet, fruity alcoholic beverages. Not a big fan of poultry feet either.

I don't appreciate crab cakes so I avoid, even though everyone here in the mid-Atlantic region seems to love 'em.

I can't think of a cheese, bean, chile-related product, fruit, veggie, or fermented food that I don't like. Menudo, yum.

[Perilagu Khan]

Back when I ate shellfish, crab cakes were among my favorite dishes, bar none. Those, fried clams, and crab legs were my mainstays.

[Emme]

we're cake compatible... i really just like the frosting (not whipped cream, but real frosting), so we can share :)

[EWSflash]

Wow- you really do have specific likes and dislikes, glad to hear you like menudo, though. I'm a fan myself.

[Passadumkeg]

Menudo, my Sunday morning breakfast choice; w/ raw onions and lots of fresh lime juice w/ a buttery flour tortilla on the side. Starts the day! We hike every Sunday.

[c oliver]

I SO love menudo.

[Hank Hanover]

Hands down.... Curry and Indian cuisine in general.

I just can not get to like that cuisine and I have been served what I was told was pretty decent Indian food. A couple I worked with were Indian and were celebrating so they served us all lunch and they were very proud of the meal they set before us.

It was pretty bad. It all had this overriding flavor that I assume was the curry spices.

Anyway, I just don't like it and life is way to short to purposely go about developing a taste for it.

[Perilagu Khan]

Indian food seems to be a love-it or hate-it thing. Those of us who love it are generally quite fanatical about the stuff. But I've known perfectly intelligent, normal and reasonably open-minded individuals who won't set foot in an Indian restaurant. And the aversion seems to be the spice combinations because the main ingredients are not particuarly alien to the Western palate.

[alanbarnes]

"Indian cuisine in general" is a whole lot of food to dislike. The subcontinent is a couple of million square miles, and has at least five major cuisines. Each uses spices, but different spices are more prevalent in different places. And there's nothing mysterious about "curry spices" - they're mostly things like cumin, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, etc. that can be found in the typical American cupboard

Not to say you should seek it out, but don't assume you'll dislike all Indian food based on the samples you've had. You might find something you really like.

[Perilagu Khan]

If you have any interest whatsoever in learning to appreciate Indian food you might try the various kebabs and tandoori dishes (chicken, fish, etc.). These tend to be very straightforward and are not spiced intensely. Additionally, pakoras and samosas are so harmless and unintimidating that I cannot imagine anybody not liking them reasonably well.

[Hank Hanover]

Perhaps I will keep trying. Unfortunately, I don't think I care for the spices that seem to be the core of Indian cuisine. I don't like cumin. I don't like turmuric. I have tasted them right out of the spice jar.I like cinnamon but I don't think it has ANY place in rice. I haven't tasted coriander out of the jar yet so I will withhold judgment on that one.

Perhaps a kebob. I ate a kebob at an Iranian restaurant once. A coworker wanted me to try it. It was good.

[alanbarnes]

Not many people enjoy cumin right out of the spice jar. But according to some of your other posts, you like Mexican food. And cumin is one of the most commonly-used spices in Mexican cooking.

Seriously, if you try new things on a food-by-food basis instead of making categorical assumptions about what you don't like, you're more likely to eat well in the long run.

[c oliver]

Good point, AB. You hear people say "I don't like sushi." Well, that simply can't be true. And I'm betting the range of sushi dishes is a fraction of Indian cuisines.

[aynrandgirl]

I assume "simply can't be true" is sarcasm. Not only do I not like sushi, I don't like seafood at all, of any species in any cuisine.

I don't generally like Indian food either, probably due to the all too frequent use of cardamom and yogurt in that cuisine's cooking. I've had non-Indian curry dishes that I liked, and the one time I tried vindaloo I like it too, probably because both were spicy hot and I love anything with heat.

[linguafood]

You may not be aware of the fact that there is, indeed, lots of sushi (which, btw, refers to the RICE part) made without seafood - cukes, carrots, peppers, pumpkin (yuk), avocado....

[alanbarnes]

I won't speak to CO's intent when she made her post, but I agree wholeheartedly - and unsarcastically - with her statement. Generally speaking, those who make sweeping statements such as "I don't like Indian food" or "I don't like sushi" do so because they have misperceptions about the food they claim not to like.

Using your post as an example, just because you don't care for seafood doesn't mean you can't enjoy sushi. Tamago nigri, inarizushi, and rolls made with umeshiso, kampyo, oshinko, and kappa are just a few of the traditional Japanese sushi preparations that don't have any seafood in them. And if you're willing to break with tradition, most American sushi bars serve all kinds of creative rolls, plenty of which are fish-free.

Until you had vindaloo, maybe you'd never tasted an Indian dish you cared for. But that didn't mean that no such dish existed. India is a such a big place with so many people and so many wildly different culinary traditions that I'd be willing to bet every person on earth could find at least some (and more likely a whole lot) of Indian dishes to enjoy.

Similarly, unless you can't stand rice, I'd be willing to bet you could find sushi that's to your liking. Whether you want to do so is, of course, up to you. But sweeping generalizations such as "I don't like sushi" generally stem from false assumptions. As such, it's a fair bet that any such statement is incorrect.

[linguafood]

Ugh. I have a good friend who doesn't like "Chinese food." Makes me want to slap her over the head. Hard. Repeatedly.

But she's happy living on white bread with mayo and hard-boiled eggs, or the occasional scrapple. Waste o' time.

[sandylc]

Recently my mother said, "I've never had Asian food before! I've only had Chinese food!" After, she said, "I don't like Asian food!"

[Perilagu Khan]

In the case of Indian food, one or two exceptions doesn't vitiate a rule. If somebody tastes 1,000 Indian dishes and dislikes 998, it's safe to say they don't like Indian food.

[limster]

If someone tastes 1,000 Indian dishes, it's undersampling. Think of the diversity of the various cuisines, the number of dishes for each, the range of interpretations of given dishes etc...

[The Chowhound Team]

Folks, this sub-thread is getting needlessly testy. Please let it go.

[c oliver]

I haven't bought spices in jars in years and years. They're too expensive - ridiculously so. You're paying for the glass, the lid, the label. Also they're generally old and the flavor isn't nearly as good.

[Hank Hanover]

Your points are all well taken but I don't see any reason to seek the cuisine out. What I have tried was repulsive.

Based on my experience so far, I can't imagine a circumstance where I would enter an Indian restaurant. I suppose if a dear friend wanted me to go out to lunch with him and he was really looking forward to Indian cuisine.

I don't think I am curious enough about it to make it myself. There are a lot of other dishes and cuisines I am curious about. Perhaps, an opportunity will come up but it is unlikely.

[grayelf]

Hey Hank, I have a similar thing going on with "Indian" food myself. I don't like cumin either, although I adore Mexican food, and haven't found it a problem in that regard. What I have noticed is that the kind of Indian food I don't get on with so well tends to be Punjabi -- it is a combo of the spicing and the fact that I often get an upset stomach after eating it.

We had a great Gujerati resto in Vancouver for many years that had wonderful dishes that I would happily devour, no sign of the spicing I dislike or gastrointestinal sequelae. So maybe it would be worth seeking out Indian food from other parts of the subcontinent. Or not :-).

[linguafood]

'all Asian food' covers A LOT of ground, i.e. cuisines. Which ones have you tried and disliked?

[mariacarmen]

have i said coffee? i don't even like the SMELL of coffee. i know, i know.....

[RetiredChef]

I am with you - it's disgusting stuff and the smell makes me nauseous.

[jennc]

liver
papaya
sake
rapini
raw oysters
blue cheese
swiss cheese

[iluvcookies]

MAYO... ugh that is the worst stuff on earth!
Lobster
liver/foie gras/offal/organ meats
sriracha
anything really spicy like hellfire hot wings
creamy salad dressings (especially ranch)
olives
white chocolate
red velvet cake made with food coloring instead of the "real" way with cocoa powder

And for the record, I have tried all of the above except for offal/organ meats which I just don't have the stomach for.

[sinjawns]

ditto on the white choc. An abomination.

[linguafood]

save for the white chocolate, those are probably some of my favorite foods. excellent.

[mariacarmen]

ditto to you, lingua food.

[gaffk]

With you on everything (esp the mayo) except really spicy.

And I must say, I really don't get the recent trend of offal as the height of gourmet. I understand in the past, when there was a lot of subsistence farming everything needed to be used. In fact, my uncle who grew up on a farm in Depression-era Missouri said the organ meat was his favorite because that's all the fresh meat they had--after butchering the animal (cow, pig, etc), all the meat was cured for use throughout the year, but the organs were eaten immediately.

Of course, that said, I love scrapple?

[NicoleFriedman]

CHEESE! :}

[pairswellwithwine]

Any organ meat except for liver in pate
OYSTERS (have tried several times but just can't abide them in any form)
Octopus
Uni

[sinjawns]

i have had a recent conversion to licorice/anise/fennel flavours, which I have DESPISED my entire life but now adore. Go figure. I like that I am getting more flexible on food while getting less flexible in every other way.

I still have a hate on for cauliflower, a useless and tasteless vegetable (the lobster of the vegetable world?); not a fan of foie gras, and despite repeated attempts can not take a liking to lamb, except when it is bouncing around in a green field...

[goodhealthgourmet]

"I still have a hate on for cauliflower, a useless and tasteless vegetable"
~~~~~~~~~
i know this post is pretty old, but just in case...have you ever tried super-crispy roasted cauliflower?

[tracylee]

cooked fish
most veggies (winter squash is fine)
cilantro
liver (liked it one time when it was very thinly cut and well-seasoned)
green olives
Slab-O-Meat
Whiskey
Beer
Gin

Yeah, I've always been picky and joke that I can live on sushi and pepperoni pizza. My ex was always into "complete" meals for dinner and one of our first nights together asked what I'd have for dinner if I was alone: "Pop-tarts and wine".

[Perilagu Khan]

Chateauneuf de Pop Tart?

[tracylee]

Sounds like a great vintage to me!

[jax12479]

MAYO
everything else pales in comparison to my hatred/revulsion towards mayonnaise, but I'd add:
Tuna fish
Dark meat chicken
Organ meat
Tofu
Raw clams
Wasabe paste
Oatmeal
White chocolate
Twinkies
Flan
Whipped cream
Cottage cheese
Licorice
Boston cream donuts

[jhopp217]

I'm with you on Tofu (because I don't consider it food), Flan and Licorice. But youu have some of my all-time favorite things on your list. I love mayo, tuna fish, some organ meat is the best...have you ever had beef hearts? Raw Clams - had about 40 this saturday. I don't love chocolate, but like white chocolate, and I love cottage cheese.

[mariacarmen]

1. Green bell peppers
2. Lima beans (except in a Persian dilled rice dish usually served with lamb shanks)

that's it.

and i LOVE fava beans, tho some say they are the same as lima beans. i don't believe it for a second.

[Tripeler]

I second that. Lima beans and Fava beans are entirely different.

[mariacarmen]

THANK. YOU.

[Tripeler]

Different as they are, I like them both quite a lot.

In fact, I've never met a bean I didn't like.

[Emme]

bell peppers blech. they always repeat on my too...

[mangiadetroit]

cilantro (vile weed!)
bleu cheese, stilton, gorgonzola, et all
liver (or any internal organ)
milk - to drink

[aynrandgirl]

organ meats
seafood of every kind (except, oddly, tuna sandwiches)
root vegetables
brussels sprouts
super strong cheeses like Stilton
hummus
wine
liquors and mixed drinks

[jhopp217]

I find it so funny that so many people who don't eat seafood love canned tunafish. I rank it up there with all my friends who hate whole tomatoes but love tomato sauce, ketchup and pizza.

[vixen216]

Rice Pudding, Coconut, Bananas.
It's a texture thing, I like the flavors off them but....rice puding makes me GAG, coconut feels like TRASH in my mouth and I just do not like to chewing bananas......go figure....

Also: Red velvet cake, eggs cooked hard or that have brown on them (they smell), more to come as I think about it......

[synergy]

foie gras
organ meat

[Catherine C in NYC]

Goat cheese. I hate it with every fiber of my being. Just the thought makes me shudder. And normally I will eat just about anything--tripe, blood sausage, I'd even try balut. But I can't even force myself to swallow goat cheese. No one who knows me believes how much I hate it.

[hala]

I dislike vinegar. It just tasts like rotten fruit to me. I have no problem with its sour taste, in fact i love eating slices of lemon with just a bit of salt on them. I can eat small amounts of cooked vinegar if the taste of the rotten fruit is cooked out. But the dislike for vinegar carries out to some foods like most pickles and olives that are preserved in it. Thankfully, i have recently found a place that sells tons of different olives preserved in brine and in olive oil. mmmm.

[mickie44]

I love everything...except mangoes. I keep trying them but in spite of everyone's help in picking a good one, they all taste of turpentine. Any advice? Other than stop trying?

Oh, white chocolate too. Instant headache.

[Paulustrious]

I like mangos, but I understand what you mean by turpentine. They have a chemical smell that grows the more they ripen. A sort of ester-ketone mix. You may find you are OK with green mangoes in a stir-fry. Then again, why bother finding out. Compared to some other people your list is mercifully small.

[Passadumkeg]

Funny! We bought some mangoes on Fri. and the women at the cash register asked what they tasted like and I shot back, "Like citrus pine needles." Turpentine is made from pine.

[OCEllen]

If they are well chilled, really cold, the turpentine flavor is lessened.

[mickie44]

That might be the secret since I do eat most fruit unrefrigerated. It's good for one more try anyway. Thanks.

[OCEllen]

What are called Champagne mangos or Arfalo (sp. may be wrong) tend to have less of the turpentine flavor.

[Paulustrious]

Maybe Ataulfo. There is also a very expensive short-seasoned mango called Alphonso which comes from India Here in Toronto they an only be found in Indian supermarkets.

[Passadumkeg]

Again, although, I hated it my tour in 'Nam it has had the benefit of making me one of the least fussy and most appreciative eaters in the world, just give me quality to celebrate life.
Find out what a ham mutha is:
http://17thdivision.tripod.com/thepea...
Kiss a vet and bring 'em home.
Carpe diem!

[c oliver]

And that attitude of yours, IMO, makes you the ultimate Chowhound. Sieze indeed!

[Passadumkeg]

Thanks, your dog looks delicious! Donk kai in Korean.

[c oliver]

You leave my dog alone :)

[Island]

Liver and any organ meats, marrow
duck, goose
venision and other wild game meats.
salami and similar
oysters and mussels
olives
sardines, anchovies, salmon, trout, bass, most fresh water fish. smoked fish.
caviar
capers
cilantro. Soap!
cumin
curry
martinis
shots of any alcohol
beans
fried eggs with yolks alone or served on top of something else.
asparagus
cheesecake, but I love making them!
Like basic cheeses melted in Mexican and Italian dishes, mac n cheese, a little blue and feta in a salad, but can't toterate eating a cube of cheese on it's own or expensive soft or hard cheeses on a cracker, baguette. It's dislike of texture more than taste I think.

[invinotheresverde]

Oh, the joys of a well-made Plymouth martini...

[JenniferRoman]

mayonnaise, mustard, dill, caraway and essentially anything that contains those four ingredients. (pickles, rye bread, tartar sauce... bleh)

i think parsley tastes like dirt. (but i love cilantro. go figure, right?)

i try blue cheese every time it's offered to me and i still can't stand it.

i also don't care for beer or watermelon and i feel so un-american every time i say it :(
but they're just not for me

[Whosyerkitty]

WATERMELON. No no no no. So I'm with you on that one.
I do like beer though. It just doesn't always like ME.

[Emme]

agree with watermelon and beer.

someone said i should drink beer to "develop an affinity," but why would i need another vice? i feel the same about coffee. don't like it, don't need to.

my ex-stepfather, as well as my current one, and my mother love watermelon. it's flavor, texture, everything. it may be low-calorie, but it's not nutrient-dense, and i'm not missing out.

[Dansky]

Guacamole.
I think I stomped on too many cicadas as a young boy, and it just grosses me out to look at the stuff.

[amyzan]

I'm confused. Guacamole reminds you of squashed cicadas because of the color? That's interesting. Did your mom serve some guacamole the same day you stomped on a bunch, or is this an association you made years later? I have a friend who won't eat dates because they remind her of "palmetto bugs" where she grew up in Texas. (We all know that palmetto bugs are really a variety of cockroach, but don't use that word with her or she'll leave the room.) They swarmed screens where a light was left on inside at night, which terrified her, and somehow she associates the two. I don't think they look that much alike...but dates are squishy like insects with their exoskeletons. I suppose avocados are similar, eh?

[Dansky]

Yep. The similarities in color and texture are remarkable. Throw a few insect legs and/or wings in there, and it would look pretty close.

[amyzan]

Do you eat avocados sliced or cubed in dishes like burritos or on sandwiches? Or is just avocado dip?

[occula]

I find dates offputting for very similar reasons - they just look like a kind of bug I can't stand.
Husband, who doesn't like eggplant, often picks one up and uses it in an "Alien (the movie) alien's head" impression, but I never before considered he might not like them because he thinks they look like the alien! That doesn't explain why he still likes kiwis despite the joke he always makes about *them*.

[mariacarmen]

i TOTALLY agree with you about the dates, and tell your hubby to get a doctor to check that out. ( :

[emmafab]

cilantro.
i hate it.

just read a great article that validated my distaste for it. says i am bioligically inclined to dislike stuff that tastes like soap.

[Emme]

do you dislike ginger too? they're on the same 'soap' palate spectrum.

[lawgirl3278]

broccoli rabe

In my town (Philly), it's practically a crime for an Italian to dislike it. It's just too bitter for me.

[Chemicalkinetics]

try boiling/blanching it first and then do whatever you need to afterward.

[jhopp217]

You're right, people that don't like it are usually those who tried it at home and didn't know to boil/blanch first. If you don't it is unbearably bitter!

[buttertart]

Oh yeah, me too, forgot that one. Also turnips/rutabagas.

[Whosyerkitty]

Olives and people think you're crazy or haven't "really had a good one"
Ditto capers
Yellow mustard
organ meats
Gin and scotch. And I've "good ones" of those too.

[invinotheresverde]

Braised rabe is pure crack to me.

[Peachie]

The Chicken Marbella recipe you all rave about. It was awful and a waste of money and time.

[buttertart]

Liver (except foie gras, fresh sautéed or as mousse/pâté)
Tripe (unless in Chinese prep with hot oil)
Oxtails (except as soup and the meat extracted from the bones and cleaned up - no thanks glutinous fat and those toenaily things that separate the vertebrae, too much quiddity for me)
Feet avian and mammalian
Chicken thighs (especially cut up as the meat in Chinese dishes)
Lima beans
Canned tuna, all types (canned salmon instead please)
Fresh cooked salmon
Cooked cereals (oatmeal cookies yes, cooked oatmeal no, and have a particular horror of cream of wheat)
Most smoked things (bacon an exception, and especially cheeses)
Bourbon
Black walnuts

[c oliver]

No Italian tuna packed in olive oil? No lox? More for me.

[buttertart]

I said cooked fresh salmon. Only. Raw, ceviche, tartare, smoked (one of the exceptions to the smoked foods thing), lox, gravlax, I love.

[c oliver]

Ah. I was focussing on the smoked not salmon. So less lox for me. Dang.

[buttertart]

I imagine there's enough to go around. We're not fishing in the same geographic pond after all.

[stuck in Hartford County]

Me too!

I do not like cooked salmon. I do not like it baked. I do not like it fried. I do not like it grilled. I do not like it poached. I don not like it here or there. Not in a house...or w/a mouse...or on a train! I do not like it ANYWHERE.

But I like it raw and smoked and in dips and on bagels. Go figure!

[buttertart]

Hurray, a fellow traveller!

[TexSquared]

My wife and I are polar opposites on that one.

I love salmon. Any way it's prepared -- raw, broiled, smoked. poached, grilled -- I'll eat it and enjoy it.

She hates it and won't touch it. She can't even sit at the table with me if I'm having it because the smell makes her sick.

That polar love/hate of salmon even extends to our cats. 3 of our cats love it and will wolf it down. The picky Siamese... will shake his feet in disgust and storm away if we try to serve it to him. And that includes salmon cat food, not just table scraps from me!

[onceadaylily]

My SO and cat are the same way (actually, the boyfriend just points out that for the price of the salmon, we could have damn fine steaks instead). When I cook salmon, the cat comes running. She cries and cries until I give her some. She takes one sniff of the offering, and then glares at me, as if betrayed, and goes to sit in the kitchen door, with her back to me.

Sometimes, I just have to take the heat from both of them. A perfectly grilled salmon is lovely.

[buttertart]

If you like it.

[onceadaylily]

Agreed, not lovely if it makes one gag, instead of doing an impatient and joyful dance next to the grill.

[buttertart]

I have my friends trained to give me just about any other fish but!

[emmafab]

ha!

[Emme]

i don't agree on lima beans, but the rest are reasonable :) i wouldn't think *most* hounds lover feet, tripe, liver, etc.

i soooo want to like salmon, and no matter the prep, i just don't... and it's so good for you, but i am a grown-up and i won't force myself to like or eat things just because they're good for you.

[buttertart]

There are some things that seem to be a badge of doctrinaire "Chowishness" and offal seems to be prime among them. A little holier than thou gets into these discussions quite often. (I love sweetbreads, have eaten Chinese intestine preparations with pleasure, and love brains au beurre noir, but some innards seem to me to be better suited to their previous function than to my taste. May be a result of having a liver-loving stuffed heart-boiling mama.)

[c oliver]

No to holier than thou. I've been eating more and more offal and other "parts" the last few years. I generally have it the first time in a resto that I know will prepare it well. And tripe? I started eating menudo decades ago so it was a breeze to try other preps. No snobbery at all.

[buttertart]

I did not have you in particular in mind when I wrote that. As we learned in Latin class, suum cuique.

[Passadumkeg]

Siempre ubi sub ubi !

[buttertart]

Or go commando.

[Chemicalkinetics]

I am actually in the process of asking "Perilagu Khan " for forgivenss (read above), so I don't think I am holier than you. Well, actually that only proves I don't think I am holier than Perilagu Khan.

[buttertart]

No one is holier than anybody else as far as I'm concerned - love of food is not exactly Eagle Scout badge material - as my mom used to say, "if everybody were the same and liked the same things, it'd be a pretty boring world, wouldn't it?".

[Chemicalkinetics]

Boring maybe, but peaceful :) DIfference creates conflicts. :P

[Island]

Ewe forgot about feet, head, neck, tongue, gizzards.
tuna packed in oil
anything embedded in gelatatinous material.
I wouldn't be able to eat insects, covered in chocolate or not. Just the thought of insects, organ meet innards, dog or cat makes my stomach turn!
Fruitcake

[alanbarnes]

Let's play with a hypothetical here.

First, let's assume that you ate something that you didn't know what was. Either you failed to ask, or there was a mistake, or somebody just lied to you about what you were eating.

Second, let's assume that the thing you ate was on the list of things that make your stomach turn. Say, a spread that actually consists mostly of liver. Or insects.

Finally, let's assume that you thought the stuff tasted really great.

If you found out that the good-tasting stuff had an ingredient on your "makes my stomach turn" list, would you eat it again?

[thew]

in my wandering years i had a policy of always tasting 1st and asking what it was after for just that reason

[c oliver]

Have you ever had Italian tuna packed olive oil? It made a believer out of me.

[Island]

Yes husband loves it and SIL who lives in Italy, packs some of her favorite things for him when she visits.

[c oliver]

I can buy it in a regular grocery here in NoCal. Had it for lunch yesterday with capers, red onions, cilantro, a tiny bit of sherry vinegar and additional evoo. I was making mmmm noises for a while there.

[c oliver]

I'm really surprised at the number of CHs who have long lists of disliked foods. Not critical of them, but surprised.

[TexSquared]

I do believe that what people list here are items they have tried and didn't like (or in my case, something that smelled so off there's no way I could convince myself to eat it). As opposed to, things they saw on Bizarre Foods or No Reservations and decided, no way I could eat that....

So, they were CHish in that they did try those items and can file them in their list of personal experiences... just that they weren't good experiences!

[buttertart]

Everything on my list I have tried many, many times. Where is it writ that someone must love everything edible?

[TexSquared]

No argument from me on that one! The stuff on my list, some I've tried once, some I've given numerous chances, but in the end, just didn't work for me so I'll just give up now and not eat them.

Plenty of other edibles to choose from in the world. Even if your list is ridiculously long like some of the posters here....

[c oliver]

What I mean is not any single item but that there are some who have a lot of items that they "hate/dislike." There are foods that I don't care much for but almost none that I feel that strongly about. And a couple of those are old dislikes that I'm going to try to revisit.

[Emme]

the lists may seem "long," but of all the foods out there, no one's is *that* long... for me, i've tried most of mine many or at least multiple times and tried to like the majority.

that said, for all these that "most love" that i don't love, there exists a long list of "i love" that others don't, and that i won't understand :)

[Perilagu Khan]

This thread is a confessional. I've performed the service of allowing guilt-stricken CHs to unburden themselves. Send checks to P.O. Box 847, Lubbock, Texas 79418 c/o P. Khan.

[buttertart]

All those foolish enough to have posted will be excoriated, scourged, shunned and forced to leave the CH community! ;-) Hand in your badge at the door.

[Chemicalkinetics]

Are you a priest? Can we have a private moment with you and ask for forgiveness? (Maybe then I will donate to your church of Khan)

[Perilagu Khan]

Absolution is automatic if you are sincere in your confession. Monetary indulgences never hurt, however. So give, GIVE, when the pie plate, I mean collection plate comes your way.

[FoodFuser]

Carpe totum.

[Isolda]

And here's my list:
soft scrambled eggs (if they don't bounce, I won't eat 'em)
tiramisu
WHITE CHOCOLATE (can't even put it in my mouth--nasty, nasty, nasty)
scallops, clams and lobster (all other seafood is great)
chicken (yeah, I'll eat it, but I don't really like it)
blood sausage
turnips
rutabagas
caviar (Beluga, Sevruga--have tried them several times--I give up)
truffles (taste and smell like a barnyard to me)

All of this would make me a cheap date, except that I love foie gras and order it whenever I see it on the menu.

[jhopp217]

It's funny, the first thing that dawned on me was scrambled eggs. I have no problem eating them, but honestly don't think I have in over five years. There's something about a yolk I just need when I have eggs. I actually prefer white chiocolate to dark or milk. I'm with you on lobster, but can't live without clams and especially scallops. How can anyone not like chicken? I'm eating chicken francaise right and I'm in heaven. Blood sausage is the best. I kinda see the point on caviar and truffles to be honest

[Isolda]

Right there with you on the Brussels sprouts! I had a neighbor who tried to convince me that it I fried those bitter little balls in bacon grease, then soaked them in vinaigrette, I'd like them. No, thanks, I'd rather just eat the bacon grease and vinaigrette by themselves.

[Chemicalkinetics]

Hey, I love brussels sprouts and the bitterness does not bother me. However, you can always boil or blanch them before the pan frying. It removes some levels of bitterness.

[Passadumkeg]

Eat the B.S.raw right out of the garden. (No BS puns, please)

[Chemicalkinetics]

:) Ha ha ha

[Bryan Pepperseed]

Sun dried tomatoes
Cold soup.

[jhopp217]

If you're bashing gazpacho, there will be repercussions, haha!

[Bryan Pepperseed]

Not sure I'd use the word bashing.
At the time of my reply I was thinking of pureed gazpacho, borscht, and vichyssoise - but even then, I was leaning more towards "dislike" than "hate".
However, further deliberation on the matter has (along with proving once again that I'm full of contradictions) forced me to clarify:

I still think "soup" should at the very least be warm if not hot.

That said, pureed gazpacho served in a glass instead of a bowl and properly called something like V-8 would be okay - especially if it had vodka added.

As for "chunky" gazpacho, I have no problem with it - as long as it's served with honesty and someone says something along the lines of, "It's our leftover salsa, but we ran out of chips."

Now, as to the newly discovered contradiction......
Below the "cold soup" line in my original list, please add ...... "warm salsa"
:-)

[jhopp217]

With all due respect, your two descriptions of Gazpacho (pureed and chunky) lead me to believe you have never had good gazpacho, which is a shame, but understandable, being most restaurant versions are awful. Good gazpacho should not be 100% pureed. I think about 50/50 works. And it should be served ice cold. It's as refreshing, if not more than, watermelon on a hot summers day!

[Bryan Pepperseed]

I'm sure you're right about about my never having good gazpacho, and I will make it a point to either find or create a good 50/50 version as soon as the local farmers start selling this years fresh crops.

That said, I must admit that for some strange reason this thread got me thinking about tomato aspic and how I'd probably rather have ANY form of gazpacho if given a choice between the two. :-)

[grayelf]

LOL! I forgot about aspic. My mum makes it every year at Christmas, pretty simple with just tomato juice, gelatin, minced onions and into the antique bunny shaped mold (why bunnies? she actually has two of them, in different poses, so not like my mum). Anyway, I've hated it all my life but every year I try a tiny taste to see if things have changed, and damned if I don't like it a wee bit more every year. Not eating a bowlful any time soon though :-).

[stuck in Hartford County]

chicken breast
baked goods (cake, pastries, cookies)
caviar
tomato based sauces
tempura battered anything
fancy lettuce salads
oil-n-vinegar dressings
Maytag blue cheese
goat cheeses
Mediterranean foods
rice (except rice and beans and some risottos)
iced tea
coffee

[pikawicca]

"Mediterranean foods" covers a huge number of foods and cuisines of many countries. You don't like Moroccan? Lebanese? Greek? Spanish? Italian...?

[shaogo]

Yet another vote for foie gras. It's too much like baby-poop.

Go figure I can eat calf's liver or chicken liver all day long...

Barbecue sauce, that sickly-sweet "BBQ" taste that seems to be over-running restaurant menus (particularly the appetizers). I never "got" it. I put olive oil and garlic on most grilled meats... now, dry, smoked "barbecue" is another thing altogether.

I'm not a fan of licorice at all but love anisette in strong coffee. Cannot abide, however, the combination of chocolate and mint.

[Perilagu Khan]

I'm no respecter of sweet BBQ sauces either, but not all BBQ sauces are sweet. In Texas the sauces tend to be somewhat on the thin side, quite spicy and occasionally hot. There are also places in the South where thin, vinegary sauces are the rule.

[shaogo]

Vinegary's okay. It's just that dumb "Kraft" Barbecue Sauce - kinda flavor that I can't abide.

[Chemicalkinetics]

Don't forget the mustard based sauce.

[jhopp217]

I'm actually with you on this one for the most part. I think most restaurants, even BBQ joints have gotten to into that realy sweet, very sticky sauce. I prefer a lighter sauce with some heat to balance the sweet. I am not a big fan of the dripping sauce ribs because of this, I much prefer dry rubbed.

[Perilagu Khan]

Yeah, I prefer my ribs with a dry rub as well, although a quick douse of vinegar mop sauce to finish sure doesn't hurt.

I do like sauce on every other BBQ meat though.

[buttertart]

I strongly dislike sweet bbq sauces too. Give me my Memphis ribs dry, please. Hot+vinegary/ketchupy, unh unh.

[jhopp217]

I forgot Marzipan & cherries. The first I can't stomach. The second, I just don't get.

[MandalayVA]

Raw mushrooms (love them cooked though)
Beets
Licorice/anise
Olives (olive oil is fine)
Mint
Wintergreen

There are a lot of foods for me that used to be on the "hate" list but got off when I had them prepared decently (asparagus and shrimp for example).

[Smileelisa]

mushrooms
meat
beets
sardines
anchovies
okra
turkey
organ meat
pepper
eggs
cantaloupe
clams
mussels
scallops
I know, picky eater at best

[Chemicalkinetics]

Meat?

[Chemicalkinetics]

I dislike Chinese Sichuan cuisine.

[restless]

Meat. Yes, I'm a vegetarian. But not for the "usual" moral reasons. I don't like meat or fish. Never have. I was the toddler who ate asparagus, broccoli, brussel sprouts, and beets but not hot dogs or chicken nuggets.

I don't like undercooked or runny eggs. Hard fried, scrambled well, or hard boiled are fine.

I don't like wine.

Any kind of vegetable or any vegetarian thing I will eat. I will eat corn, but only cut off the cob. That is the only vegetarian item I am picky about.

[laliz]

Oysters
Crawfish
Cornbread
Okra
Miracle Whip
Pickled beets, I like beets, just not pickled (I don’t like pickled anything) (except pickles, I like pickles)
Mint
Lamb
Marshmallows
Cilantro
Pork Rinds
Fresh water fish (trout, pike, perch, etc)
Mussels
Black licorice
Kidney beans
Black eyed peas
Caviar
Liver (although I do like chicken livers)
Duck
Old Bay Seasoning
Capers
Ginger
Smoked meats
Smoked poultry
Smoked cheeses
Smoked nuts
Smoked fish
Indian Food
Grits
Dr. Pepper
Pepsi
Guava
Manhattan Clam Chowder
Pearl Onions
Dill
Curry
Anchovies
Goat Cheese
Feta Cheese
Chipotle
Jalapenos, stuffed poppers
Prunes
Sardines
Catfish
Orange/chocolate combination
Milk (whole or low fat)
Ranch Dressing
Pepperjack Cheese
Anything cooked with or containing wine and/or alcohol
Buffalo wings
Cajun spiced anything

[c oliver]

My word, it might have been a shorter list to just have what you DO like. Do you get invited to people's homes for dinner very often? :)

[TexSquared]

He could easily eat at McDonald's, since I didn't see french fries, Big Mac ingredients (beef, lettuce, onion, regular pickles, normal bun), or Coca-Cola listed :-)

[c oliver]

What about the "special sauce"?

[laliz]

no, I don't care much for McDonald's except for a DIET coke. However, your extreme snarkiness is duly noted. tsk.

[reelection]

I wonder what kind of reaction exactly you were expecting with an encylopedic list like that!

[Perilagu Khan]

This looks like a comprehensive list of foods you dislike rather than foods you dislike that Chowhounds are likely to love.

[crowmuncher]

Miracle Whip? Ouch!

[Shann]

Foie gras; any type of organ meat; fancy sweets.

[Passadumkeg]

Gourmet, especially Japanese renditions of Spam (Sorry, Sam).

[Paulustrious]

Cinnamon rolls with frosting (should be banned from shopping malls)
Okra (keep trying it though)
Sprouts (probably some psychological childhood trauma)
Most wedding cakes (with a thick sludge coating)

Not had natto yet, but I'll eat everything else people have mentioned.

[grayelf]

Forgive me, Paulustrious, but since you say you'll "keep trying" on the okra I thought I'd venture a suggestion: if you have a Japanese resto nearby that does good tempura, ask it they have okra when it is in season. There is one place in Vancouver that does a killer okura tempura... drool. Seems to keep the slime factor at bay so you just taste the lovely "greenness" instead, with a crunchy coating of course. And I always get a side of gyoza dipping sauce to dunk it in :-).

[Tripeler]

Both okra and natto are GREAT ingredients in Tempura. When raw, okra finely sliced pairs very nicely with natto. Okra and natto are two of my favorite foods. Fortunately, they are regularly available where I live.

[janetofreno]

Frying helps okra in general. I have had East Indian and southernUS versions that I love. The Gujaratis manage to make it crispy and not slimy by panfrying the heck out of it....love okra that way..and my husband does a great job with it.

[Perilagu Khan]

Slice okra thinly, fry until very crisp, sprinkle with turmeric, cayenne and just a dusting of garam masala. Some of the best okra you'll pop into your mouf.

[grayelf]

Waaah, I used to love okra done that way at the late lamented Gujrati resto here. I guess it must be something about frying (pan or deep) that helps. I can tell you from horrifying experience that stewing is about the worst thing to do to okra. I had a friend in university who could two kinds of stew: slime and non-slime (he is Palestinian and they were both family recipes). Care to guess what was in the first one and how many times I ate it?

[Emme]

more frosting for the rest of us, i say ;) cinnamon rolls are mere vehicles for cream cheese frosting bliss. mmmm.

[Chemicalkinetics]

Paul,

Hey, I like most of the things you mentioned. I like cinnamon, but not too much frost. For example, I think cinnabon can use less frost, but I won't eliminate it.

Okra. I used to hate okra, that stupid slimy texture, but it grew on me. I especially like fried okra (which is not slimy at all) and I enjoy okra in gumbo.

Sprouts. Ok, I like it ok.

Wedding cakes. I don't like wedding cake, but I think it is the wedding part.

[Chemicalkinetics]

Now that we mentioned this. I am thinking about the fried okra coated with cornmeal and fried in bacon fat and serve with bacon bits.

[amyzan]

Ankimo and foie gras make me gag, or supress a gag.
I don't like the smell of tripe and chitlins, to the point I can't bring myself to take a bite.
I cannot yet eat tongue, though I'm determined to try one of these days.
I don't care for tempeh unless you slice it thinly and fry the hell out of it, which is funny because I love mushrooms and other foods with similar textures.
I don't much like oysters and clams, though I suspect I haven't yet had them well prepared. I keep meaning to try whenever I'm on the coasts, and somehow haven't yet. Too many rubbery clams on childhood beach vacations will do that to a person.
Oh, and flavored tea, thank you, no, I'll pass. No Earl Grey, no Christmas tea, no jasmine even. Bleh. If it's camellia sinensis, I'd prefer it without flowers and flavorings. You can flavor herbal tisanes and I'll give them a go, but leave my tea alone, please.

[woodleyparkhound]

cucumbers, rose water, watermelon, camomile tea, cardamom, pancakes/french toast/doughnuts in the morning, barely-cooked green beans

[anakalia]

Other than the fact that I don't eat meat, I think I enjoy eating just about everything (ingredient-wise, that is) other than these few items I see CHs enjoy...

1. Beer
2. Okra
3. Blue cheeses (i'm trying, but it's taking a looonnngg time)

I hate going to "nice" beer places because I have to choose the "beer for people who don't like beer" choice, usually something fruit-flavored. I hate the little smirk I get, which reminds me of the same look given to girl who order a glass of white zin at a wine bar. But I've tried and I just really can't like any beer, at all.

[grayelf]

Even though some people have mentioned alcoholic beverage dislikes, I didn't think to mention beer. I really don't love it either, anakalia. I've even gone to beer tastings at really good brew pubs trying to find a style I'll enjoy but no dice. For me it's partly the carbonation -- which I suppose leads to another thing I don't go for that many CHs would like, and that is carbonated anything (even champagne and especially soft drinks). I just find they make me thirstier :-).

[Lefty21]

mayo, brusells sprouts, turnip greens and anything that even vaguely resembles either

[TexSquared]

Looks like a revival of this old thread:

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/580251

I'll just paste in what I said in that thread with some updates! Here goes:

Green tea (give me black tea, especially Earl Grey, over that green hype

)

Beer, especially lagers (Guinness I enjoy)

Phony sushi (California roll and its variants made by non-Japanese line cooks)

Falafel... tried it, didn't "get it". Go figure I actually love hummus....

pho (the foodies go ga-ga over this "soap soup"... if I wanted to drink warm soapy water I could get it in the shower for free!) Pho rhymes with bleh, makes perfect sense to me....

Thin crust so-called "gourmet" pizza especially when made with stupid toppings (give me a soft thick crust, a New York pizza, or a Chicago deep dish over these "pizza crackers")

unflavored sparkling water of any kind (regardless of price point or where it came from)

fried calamari appetizer (my family must love to eat deep fried rubber bands)

tomato juice/V-8/bloody mary mix/Clamato (gross! and I'm from Canada, home of the "Caesar" cocktail)

frozen yogurt (give me real ice cream or gelato)

kimchi

carpaccio

"premium" vodka that has been quintuple distilled and quadruple charcoal filtered... for a lot less I can buy Everclear, tastes the same

"premium" cocktails made with the above

gelatinous meat products (if I wanted jello I'd get jello, and not in meat flavors)

Filipino food in general (ugh... balut, "chocolate meat", watery stinky goat stew, need I say more)

Beets

[Emme]

ooh green tea! forgot that one... it actually makes me nauseous, and sometimes gives me a headache//migraine.

[limster]

Not trying to argue or anything, just want to be clear, as there are many different types of green tea (may be >100 different types or more), and they can be very different from one another. Are both of you referring to a specific type of green tea or to all of them?

Also, how were the green teas brewed? They tend to be very finicky and difficult to brew and if the water temperature is off, they taste horrible.

[Quine]

I really really hate beets and carrots. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard the argument (in the purest logical form, as you suggest) you present for those. And I do keep an open kind, since over 57 years ago I spit those baby foods out as far as I could. But inspite of parental, you must eat it to CH well have you tried it "this" way. sometimes we just plain don't like it.

Remember not liking the taste of something to a TRUE CH is not a value statement of that item, just a taste statement of that CH :-)

[TexSquared]

Agree totally (I like carrots, hate beets).

If it tastes good to me, I'll eat it. If it tastes bad to me, I won't. Regardless of whether it's "un-cool" or "un-foodie" or "un-Chowhound" to eat or not eat that item.

Which was the whole point of this thread!

[Emme]

+1 on love carrots, hate beets. sweet and lovely are the former, ruddy and horrid are the latter, and i've prepared the latter numerous times for others (including tonight) to the acclaim of 'OMg these are the best beets i've ever eaten,' and i still hate em... oh well.

[limster]

Again, want to bend over backwards to emphasize that I'm not trying argue, but in some cases, the category mentioned can be pretty broad. If you didn't like beets and carrots, would it make sense to say that you didn't like vegetables? Maybe you're not going to try more beets and carrots, but I hope it won't stop you from trying spinach or potatoes.

[goodhealthgourmet]

Tex, you just reminded me - chamomile and Earl Grey. gag.

[smartie]

+1 with Camomile tea - I don't know if it's a slight allergy or just an aversion but the smell makes me nauseous and it makes my mouth itch. But Earl Grey is nice.

[mokie]

Very late, but in case it pops up on anyone else's search results:

Chamomile is in the same family as ragweed, and is likely to cause allergic reactions in folks who suffer from hay-fever.

[TexSquared]

I forgot about chamomile, yuck... and most of those wacky non-tea "teas" they sell (I think the snooty word is "tisane"). I do like Earl Grey though.

[al b. darned]

You can pass me your rubber bands, I mean calamari. That is one of those things I *must* have if I see it on a menu.

[TexSquared]

If I'm out for dinner with my family, my father and 2 brothers are like you, if it's on the menu they gotta have it (while my wife and I can't stand breaded and fried rubber bands)

So we intentionally pick restaurants that DON'T have it on the menu! In Toronto that's hard to find.... seems every place has it.

[c oliver]

We went to Babbo a couple of years ago and one of the things we had was grilled octopus and loved it. After that and because of that, I bought some baby ones and sauteed and they were terrif also.

[aurora50]

Agree with the kimchi.
Smelling it makes me want to throw up.

[Babyducks]

Salmon in any form.

[cheesemaestro]

radishes
cauliflower
beets
raw celery (OK cooked)
raw carrots (OK cooked)
sauerkraut
Scotch whisky
peanut butter when cooked into things (but love it by itself)
pineapple when cooked (but like it raw)
mayo--can't even look at it without feeling like gagging

[junescook]

milk, cream, sour cream, etc, Salmon and other smelly fish. Rare meat, I have to eat steak from the outside in. Melon except for watermelon.

On the other hand, somebody here made me think about Swiss chard. Ours is not quite ready to b picked so I think I'm going to go out to the market to get some and make swiss chard with white beans and penne topped with some good parm reg.

[alanbarnes]

There's nothing I dislike. There are just some things I haven't yet learned to appreciate.

[c oliver]

+1. I tasted liver and onions the other night after about a 40 year hiatus. I don't hate it anymore. Yay. If Sam had lived, I would probably have eventually eaten balut.

[susancinsf]

There are definitely some foods, and IMO liver and onions would be one of them, where how the food is prepared, and/or its quality, would make all the difference. It could be that the liver and onions you had previously wasn't prepared properly (it's a tricky dish, I think).

While I never hated falafel, I never liked it either, until I tasted it at a little stand in Jordan. It was an 'aha: so THIS is what falafel should taste like!' moment.

Similarly, I always thought I HATED feta cheese: until I tasted some that was of very, very good quality. Turns out that what I hated was cheap, low quality feta.

Growing up, hubby hated steak because his mother would cook steaks way beyond death, and it wasn't something he was allowed to order in restaurants. So, after he moved away from home and some friends suggested going out for a steak dinner, his reaction was, 'WHY would anyone want to do that?'...(its a favorite now).

Thus, my personal philosophy is that if one hasn't had a hated food in 40 years or so, it is time to try it again, preferably from a different provider/cook. Based on this philosophy, I have discovered that there are very few foods I truly dislike, although yes, I do indeed hate dill (but not dill pickles :-)) and tarragon (but love cilantro).

I used to think I hate gin, but am getting over that aversion now too, thanks to a friend who knows how to make an outstanding gin and tonic...

OTOH, even with this philosophy, you can't get me to taste my true nemesis food: bananas. But that's another story....

[c oliver]

I think *I* changed rather than the prep or quality of the liver. People would just KNOW that I was going to like THEIR liver and I didn't. I'm going to try chicken livers (MY other nemesis) next. I had some really tasty chopped liver (with an insane amount of butter in it) a few months ago and like it. But with those, I'm going to hedge my bet and cook them with gizzards and hearts which I love. Go figure on that one :)

[goodhealthgourmet]

"I think *I* changed rather than the prep or quality of the liver. "
~~~~~~~
i'm with you on that. i "hated" cilantro and ginger well into my early 20's...now they're two of my favorite things.

[c oliver]

Yeah, and I don't think it's a dimunition (?) of taste buds. For me I think it's the more things I eat, the more things I'm willing to eat.

[Jay F]

c oliver said: "People would just KNOW that I was going to like THEIR liver and I didn't."

Exactly my problem with pumpkin pie.

[EWSflash]

Oh no- pumpkin pie?

It's okay, more for m e.

[onceadaylily]

The boyfriend and I do Thanksgiving alone (in exchange for the wheel of craziness that is the rest of the Midwestern holiday year), and every year he says, "I don't like pumpkin pie like *you* like pumpkin pie." And every year, I look innocent as I say, "Really? You don't? Huh."

We both pretend not to know what I eat for breakfast the day after.

[grayelf]

I can't believe I forgot bananas -- BLORG! Just today my two-year-old niece was eating one for lunch next to me and I had to repress the urge to revile the evil thing, all squidgy and chalky with browny bits that it was :-). I used to love the bananas in Mexico, though, so I suspect it has to do with them being picked underripe and shipped a gazillion miles.

And susan, so glad you are getting over the gin hatred. When you are next in Vancouver, you must allow the SO to make you a Gibson's. Drool.

Tarragon is a nasty weed masquerading as an herb. Except in cauliflower soup.

[DiningDiva]

Ditto bananas and tarragon

[Perilagu Khan]

How odd. I just prepared a scruptious banana and tarragon veloute'.

[grayelf]

Runs screaming from the room ;-)

[DiningDiva]

Ditto on runs screaming from the room :-)

[janetofreno]

Not like gin? Are you sure we're related? :-)

But your comment about feta was interesting. I've always disliked feta as well. Can you recommend a good brand so that I can give it a chance again?

[grayelf]

Hey janet, I know you were talking to susan but I can't help myself. Not a brand but a style -- if you can find Dodoni(s), give it a whirl. Sheep's milk, smoother, creamier and less salty than a lot of feta but still crumble-able, so good I sometimes serve it on a cheese plate. I also like Barrel for same reasons but less so. If you have a Greek deli, you can go and get them to just hack you off a piece (or even better, give you a taste on the spot) from the giant slabs that will be lurking by the olives. I'm not a fan of the prepackaged fetas of any description... or the fish your own out pans that some stores keep smaller pieces in.

I have a suspicion that people get turned off by cheap feta that is too harsh, kind of like only tasting Danish blue and then eschewing blue cheese in general (with due respect to intrepid 'Hounds who have plowed their way through all kinds of blue cheeses and just don't love 'em).

[janetofreno]

thanks, I will try it. I do find feta too salty and sharp....but I like Danish blue...go figure! In fact, feta is probably the only kind of cheese I DON'T like....

[grayelf]

I had the good fortune to work in a cheese store when I was in high school and got exposure to so many amazing and unusual cheeses that I can be a bit of an evangelist if I don't watch it :-). There are still some cheeses that I really can't get my head (or teeth) around though -- get thee behind me, aged tilsit, for example. We used to have to close the store when the rounds would arrive for preliminary cutting as the smell would stop people from entering the establishment till they were safely saraned. I learned early, however, that cheese is never stinky or smelly, it is "pungent" ;-).

[sandylc]

How true. I grew up VERY picky. Then I discovered that most things could be prepared much better or be of better quality than I had thus far experienced. My food loves list expanded dramatically after this revelation.