I think anyone who enjoys beer has something wrong with their taste buds. It's such a foul drink (the smell, the taste/aftertaste, the texture, eugh). But I also envy anyone who does, because I...
I think anyone who enjoys beer has something wrong with their taste buds. It's such a foul drink (the smell, the taste/aftertaste, the texture, eugh). But I also envy anyone who does, because I wish I could enjoy beer and save money when going out. Instead I have to go for more expensive alternatives that don't make me gag.
Edit: Just so I don't have to respond to every single comment, no I have not tried most beers, mainly because I don't see any of them at the bars I frequent. Unlike the US, Europe doesn't have 50 different tabs of beer to choose from lol. It's either light (pilsner) or dark (stout) beer in 90% of places, that's it. And since I only drink socially I also usually don't go to stores to find more specific drinks (and if I do obviously beer isn't on my mind)
But I'll keep all your comments in mind if I ever want to try beer again. I'm not against beer existing or anything, it's just all the beer tasted in my life made me want to vomit so I never even wanted to venture further into it.
I love how often this comment provokes several people into responding "but how can you say that if you haven't tried all the beer?!" They all taste like beer. They are all bad.
I love how often this comment provokes several people into responding "but how can you say that if you haven't tried all the beer?!"
This is so reductionist that it's annoying to me. I'm not a "omg you have to try every beer ever" kinda guy but saying all beer is the same is basically saying, "Why would I go to multiple...
This is so reductionist that it's annoying to me. I'm not a "omg you have to try every beer ever" kinda guy but saying all beer is the same is basically saying, "Why would I go to multiple European countries, they're all the same."
Why is it reductionist to say that one doesn't like any beer? That's just their personal taste (and mine). I also wish I liked beer but I have tried dozens of different brands and types and even...
Why is it reductionist to say that one doesn't like any beer? That's just their personal taste (and mine). I also wish I liked beer but I have tried dozens of different brands and types and even expensive brewery stuff.. I feel like at that point, I've given it a fair shot and it's reasonable to conclude that beer simply doesn't taste good to me. It always makes me feel gross because of the aftertaste.
It's fine to not like beer, but saying "They all taste like beer" is objectively wrong, because different types of beer taste completely the same. People have preferences and it's fine to not like...
It's fine to not like beer, but saying "They all taste like beer" is objectively wrong, because different types of beer taste completely the same. People have preferences and it's fine to not like any type of beer, but I find it reductionist to imply every beer tastes the same. I have friends who hate stouts which I love, but they'll drink sours. I have friend who don't like drinking beer at all too lol.
I personally don't like coffee in general, but I can tell the difference between burnt Starbucks coffee and actual well made coffee. Doesn't mean they all taste the same.
While it's pretty easy to tell the difference in taste, to some people the taste is still somewhere on the spectrum of bad to awful no matter how cheap or expensive it is. Be it beer, wine, coffee...
While it's pretty easy to tell the difference in taste, to some people the taste is still somewhere on the spectrum of bad to awful no matter how cheap or expensive it is. Be it beer, wine, coffee - I still disagree with you because no matter the quality, there is always a very strong taste associated to these things that is basically unmistakable. ..in my opinion of course
I think I remember previous conversations we've had is that you're European, correct? I've been to Europe many times and there's definitely less variety here which might be where the disconnect...
I think I remember previous conversations we've had is that you're European, correct? I've been to Europe many times and there's definitely less variety here which might be where the disconnect is? At least, the places I saw in Europe have more relatively similar flavor profiles, especially to people who don't like beer (which isn't a bad thing!)
It's my mistake to use Starbucks quality as an example, since my main point is that I've had very highly rated beer that literally just tastes like juice, if you gave it to people they wouldn't even know it was beer. Very different than some of the flavors you might traditionally think about like bitter, hoppy flavors.
Oh, yes I am European! I'm from Denmark đ There's a pretty healthy beer culture here but I guess I don't know if they do similar things or not. But there are tons of small breweries all over the...
Oh, yes I am European! I'm from Denmark đ
There's a pretty healthy beer culture here but I guess I don't know if they do similar things or not. But there are tons of small breweries all over the place. Definitely never heard of juice-like beer though! Is it like mead?
I guess the discussion is rather semantic at this point lol, I mean I still just do not like any beer. No matter how big a difference there may be between German pilsners and Belgian sours, I...
I guess the discussion is rather semantic at this point lol, I mean I still just do not like any beer. No matter how big a difference there may be between German pilsners and Belgian sours, I dislike them equally
The juice-like beers are a style called "New England IPA" or "hazy IPA," they've been huge in popularity for the last 3-5 years or so. And, of course, they taste nothing like the traditional "West...
The juice-like beers are a style called "New England IPA" or "hazy IPA," they've been huge in popularity for the last 3-5 years or so. And, of course, they taste nothing like the traditional "West Coast IPA," which is the huge bitter bomb everyone tends to think of when they hear "IPA".
I had an interesting experience this last week, I lost my senses of smell and taste almost completely from a cold. I know lots of others have had this happen, usually from COVID, but I'd never...
I had an interesting experience this last week, I lost my senses of smell and taste almost completely from a cold. I know lots of others have had this happen, usually from COVID, but I'd never heard it described beyond that.
The moment I realized the extent of this was when I ate something spicy. Suddenly my mouth felt like it was burning. Not the pleasant rush of warmth I usually get, this was more like a small amount of scalding water. I got curious and tried a few different things. All of the spicy things I had were of different types and hotness levels, they all tasted exactly the same (like nothing) but with more or less burning. I normally love spicy food, that's why I was eating it.
My point is that I think we all experience flavor differently, just like how we all see color differently. This experience has given me more of a reference point to describe what I mean when I say all x taste the same. Most of the foods I don't like have a specific texture in common or are bitter. I get zero enjoyment from eating bitter food, the bitterness overrides everything else and is all I can taste. That happens to be true of almost every beer and sugar substitute I've ever had, they taste like bitterness and I am not able to get past that so I can taste anything else.
The physical/mechanical spice burn isn't something I'd ever noticed before, even when eating things that were way too hot for me. I have to believe it still happened, but was overridden by something else in my brain. So now I understand why my SO won't even try something that's only a little spicy - he knows he's not going to get any enjoyment or nuance from it.
So I think the miscommunication here is that, they don't literally taste identical, but that they all have a "base" taste that comes through too strongly, no matter what other tastes are there as...
So I think the miscommunication here is that, they don't literally taste identical, but that they all have a "base" taste that comes through too strongly, no matter what other tastes are there as well.
Let me ask you this, if I lined up a random beer, with a random 10 other drinks, any drinks, could you pick out the beer? If yes, the taste that lets you pick out the beer is what we're talking about.
I dunno, again it really depends on what kind of beer. I've linked a Berlinner Weise (Sour) here that might be hard to pick out from a lineup tbh. Then again though apparently people have...
I dunno, again it really depends on what kind of beer. I've linked a Berlinner Weise (Sour) here that might be hard to pick out from a lineup tbh. Then again though apparently people have difficulty tasting differences between Pepsi and Coke, might be a taste buds thing.
I think outliers prove the rule. I'm a "dislikes beer" person and a sour left me without that "beer" flavor that literally every other beer has had. I am not sure I liked it but I kept sipping at...
I think outliers prove the rule. I'm a "dislikes beer" person and a sour left me without that "beer" flavor that literally every other beer has had. I am not sure I liked it but I kept sipping at it. I've only had the one so I have minimal data. Beer in general has a beer taste.
Do they really taste completely different, though? Every beer I know of has two major characteristics in common: it tastes/smells like alcohol, and it is carbonated. Both of these are so...
Do they really taste completely different, though? Every beer I know of has two major characteristics in common: it tastes/smells like alcohol, and it is carbonated. Both of these are so overwhelming to my palate that I can't taste any other difference. I can't even taste the difference between beer, champagne, and hard cider because the combination of alcohol and carbonation is so intensely unbearable to me; it tastes like caustic poison to me and I gag involuntarily.
If there is a beer that has no alcohol smell or flavor, and is also not at all fizzy, maybe I would like it. But it's hard to imagine where I could find such a beer, if it even exists.
That's really surprising to me because beer, champagne, and hard cider are completely different flavors to me! I think it does come down to to how different everyone's taste buds. Hazy IPA is...
That's really surprising to me because beer, champagne, and hard cider are completely different flavors to me! I think it does come down to to how different everyone's taste buds. Hazy IPA is probably what you want to look out for, might be more up your speed.
For real :D Beer is beer. I live in Belgium, we have a strong "beer culture", and not liking beer gets you weird looks. Yes I've tasted several, yes they all have a different taste, and yes they...
For real :D
Beer is beer. I live in Belgium, we have a strong "beer culture", and not liking beer gets you weird looks. Yes I've tasted several, yes they all have a different taste, and yes they all taste like beer.
For another analogy, I hate celery; if I eat a dish â any dish â that contains celery, I will instantly dislike it because its taste goes over everything else. That's not a hard concept to understand.
I've made my living selling beer for about 15 years now and "beer guys" just can't see that both of these things can be true without causing a rift in the universe. The number of people suggesting...
yes they all have a different taste, and yes they all taste like beer
I've made my living selling beer for about 15 years now and "beer guys" just can't see that both of these things can be true without causing a rift in the universe. The number of people suggesting fruited beers but not just a cider is almost a telling giveaway. I'm sure it's something we all suffer from about things we are passionate about and beer just happens to be a distinctly social and popular topic.
I'm not really a beer guy, but the range of flavors is pretty enormous. Like you wouldn't even realize a lot of beers are even in the same category of drink without context.
I'm not really a beer guy, but the range of flavors is pretty enormous. Like you wouldn't even realize a lot of beers are even in the same category of drink without context.
Can you give an example? I've lived in different countries famous for their beer and ale cultures, and while I can definitely see and taste a difference between those drinks, they're all very...
Can you give an example? I've lived in different countries famous for their beer and ale cultures, and while I can definitely see and taste a difference between those drinks, they're all very definitely still varieties of the same concept.
Sure, compare the Avery Liliko'i with the New Belgium 1554. The Liliko'i is a passion fruit beer that has a very fruity flavor and the 1554 has a rich, slightly chocolatey flavor. Expanding out of...
Sure, compare the Avery Liliko'i with the New Belgium 1554. The Liliko'i is a passion fruit beer that has a very fruity flavor and the 1554 has a rich, slightly chocolatey flavor. Expanding out of Colorado, you could look at the New Holland Dragon's Milk Stout, which I really don't like, largely because it's stored in bourbon barrels, as well as their Dragon's Milk White, which I believe I really did like quite a bit. Going outside the US, Guinness seems to me to be kind of just its own thing that's velvety smooth, and I recall Steinlager in New Zealand being one of the most disgusting things I've ever drank.
When you look at them all together, it's clear that they're all beer, but when comparing certain individuals alone the comparison starts to fall apart.
A fruited sour is going to taste vastly different than an IPA, but theyâre both âbeerâ. Even within IPAs there are pretty big differences you can get between something like a hazy IPA and the...
A fruited sour is going to taste vastly different than an IPA, but theyâre both âbeerâ.
Even within IPAs there are pretty big differences you can get between something like a hazy IPA and the incredibly hoppy double or triple IPAs some places make.
But those depend on a craft beer scene that I can only speak about as someone in the US, where the fruited sour was from a local brewery.
I'm another "dislikes beer" person and something to remember is that many people who don't like beer don't keep trying different types. And we don't study beer to figure out what the flavor we...
I'm another "dislikes beer" person and something to remember is that many people who don't like beer don't keep trying different types. And we don't study beer to figure out what the flavor we don't like is, we just stop drinking it.
I'd say a sour is the only one to me that didn't have the distinct "beer" taste but I haven't had a hazy IPA (which is a bad name of it's nothing like an IPA in my opinion). I love hard cider, I hated Redds Apple Ale. They all taste like beer.
Oh, no, a hazy IPA is still definitely an IPA and would have the bitterness and hoppiness that you likely donât like. Just as someone who likes IPAs, if I asked for an IPA and got a hazy IPA Iâd...
Oh, no, a hazy IPA is still definitely an IPA and would have the bitterness and hoppiness that you likely donât like. Just as someone who likes IPAs, if I asked for an IPA and got a hazy IPA Iâd be mildly surprised and it would have unexpected flavors.
And there definitely is some âdogpilingâ on for beer when people say they donât like it, even more so than other foods or drinks that people say they donât like, which isnât really fair. If you donât like something, I certainly wouldnât expect you to go out of your way and spend money trying to find a version that you might like (when you could instead be spending money on something you do enjoy).
Funny that we both chose fruity beers as our first examples but I chose not to mention IPAs because I felt like they were similar. I certainly would not say that different IPAs would ever be...
Funny that we both chose fruity beers as our first examples but I chose not to mention IPAs because I felt like they were similar. I certainly would not say that different IPAs would ever be thought to be entirely different kinds of drinks, though.
As someone who likes beer and has tried probably thousands at this point and has pretty much tapped out the different styles of beer available to try; I agree. If you've tried a couple and all...
As someone who likes beer and has tried probably thousands at this point and has pretty much tapped out the different styles of beer available to try; I agree.
If you've tried a couple and all taste awful to you, I don't think you're suddenly going to find one you like. (Caveat: sours can often be much more like wine than beer ymmv)
Yes, I was going to make the same observation! It's also how people react when I tell them I don't like coffee. "Well you haven't had [insert their favorite way to drink coffee]!" I tried to like...
Yes, I was going to make the same observation! It's also how people react when I tell them I don't like coffee. "Well you haven't had [insert their favorite way to drink coffee]!" I tried to like coffee (even the frappuccino creations people order at coffee places) but it's just not for me.
May I ask why you tried to develop a taste for it? I know people do this, but I've never understood why. There are lots of other hot drinks out there, caffeinated and not. The closest I ever got...
May I ask why you tried to develop a taste for it? I know people do this, but I've never understood why. There are lots of other hot drinks out there, caffeinated and not.
The closest I ever got was dumping way too much sugar into the only non-watee drink available during an overnight crunch time. It still tasted almost exactly the same to me. I just can't see forcing that on myself for a long period of time when it's to easy to get something I'll enjoy.
Because sometimes it was the only easily accessible caffeine mechanism. At a hotel for example. I learned to drink coffee starting by making a "hotel mocha" using a hot cocoa packet and replacing...
Because sometimes it was the only easily accessible caffeine mechanism. At a hotel for example. I learned to drink coffee starting by making a "hotel mocha" using a hot cocoa packet and replacing the water with coffee in increasing amounts.
Similar to beer there's a coffee taste that I didn't used to enjoy at all, even in coffee flavored things. Now I enjoy it (and cold brew my own at home)
I thought I replied to this yesterday, oops! I tried to acquire it when I was a teen and young adult because all of my friends loved to go meet "for coffee" and I wanted to fit in. They all said...
I thought I replied to this yesterday, oops! I tried to acquire it when I was a teen and young adult because all of my friends loved to go meet "for coffee" and I wanted to fit in. They all said it was an acquired taste. I sure did not acquire it! Then I realized (as many young adults do) that no one cares, so I started ordering hot chocolate instead.
The last time I tried it was a few years ago when my boyfriend and I had first started dating. He thought I might like his cold brew so I humored him. I did not like it, it tasted the same as all other coffee I've ever had.
Sounds like the answer is per pressure, haha. Can't blame you in that environment. One office I worked in has nitro cold brew and chai on tap. The cold brew at least wasn't bitter, but that chai...
Sounds like the answer is per pressure, haha. Can't blame you in that environment.
One office I worked in has nitro cold brew and chai on tap. The cold brew at least wasn't bitter, but that chai was amazing.
Have you tried different beers like pilsners, sours or radlers? A good pilsner should be super easy drinking and not bitter. A sour arguably doesn't even resemble more traditional beer and is...
Have you tried different beers like pilsners, sours or radlers?
A good pilsner should be super easy drinking and not bitter.
A sour arguably doesn't even resemble more traditional beer and is basically a fruit drink.
I (not OP but also hate beer) can stomach a Radler, but it's because I like soda, so I would have a better time just drinking the soda that I actually like without beer mixed in. I live in Germany...
I (not OP but also hate beer) can stomach a Radler, but it's because I like soda, so I would have a better time just drinking the soda that I actually like without beer mixed in.
I live in Germany so I don't think I've ever seen a sour as an option. I'll admit I've never tried one. I'm a cider drinker so if they're similar to that I can see it working, but I don't think it'd be a common find here -- there's a strong culture of "only 4 ingredients in beer" here.
Pilsners absolutely still taste like beer and are a very silly suggestion for someone who says they dislike the taste of beer.
I guess you could say a sour is as beer flavored as a cider so you may enjoy them. Definitely popular in North America. I guess I don't know how much sours have moved to Europe. I disagree on...
I guess you could say a sour is as beer flavored as a cider so you may enjoy them. Definitely popular in North America. I guess I don't know how much sours have moved to Europe.
I disagree on pilsners. They are not bitter, which is most people's complaints about beer. It's fine that you don't like them though.
I like beer, except for super strong IPAs. There is definitely a beer signature taste that some people dislike that is not simply bitterness. Its similar to how some people despise mushrooms in...
I like beer, except for super strong IPAs. There is definitely a beer signature taste that some people dislike that is not simply bitterness. Its similar to how some people despise mushrooms in any form or combination. Flavor preferences are wierd.
Ciders technically aren't beer, it's fermented apples. Sours are beer (water, yeast, malt, and hops), but the wort has either been naturally innoculated or artificially introduced with souring...
Ciders technically aren't beer, it's fermented apples. Sours are beer (water, yeast, malt, and hops), but the wort has either been naturally innoculated or artificially introduced with souring bacteria (different ones will give different flavors and mouth feel - for example, lactobacillus will give a creamier texture). Beer styles like IPAs or lagers that have these bacterial strains would be considered ruined because the flavors those bacteria produced are not particularly of that style's flavor profile.
Brewers can also add other things beyond the standard beer ingredients (called "adjuncts") to give the beer a specific flavor. Chocolate, marshmallow, fresh fruit like raspberries, etc. Adjuncts can be added to any style of beer, but it's more common in some than others.
The main difference is that sour beer is made from ingredients of beer (grains, hops) and cider is apple juice, etc. Personally, I still find a sour to taste like beer, albeit a super fruity...
The main difference is that sour beer is made from ingredients of beer (grains, hops) and cider is apple juice, etc.
Personally, I still find a sour to taste like beer, albeit a super fruity flavored one while cider tastes like boozy apple juice.
i think about this a lot. i don't ever crave a beer like i might crave, say, donuts, but i enjoy beer. drinking beer for me is an experience because i only drink beer when i'm out with friends or...
i think about this a lot. i don't ever crave a beer like i might crave, say, donuts, but i enjoy beer. drinking beer for me is an experience because i only drink beer when i'm out with friends or just out in general. but do i love the taste? depends on the beer but mostly no. i don't dislike it for the most part but again that depends on the beer.
I can relate to this. The only beer that I've tasted that I didn't hate was some acai berry bear. So I figured if that's what it takes, I'll just drink something else. Thanks to...
I can relate to this. The only beer that I've tasted that I didn't hate was some acai berry bear. So I figured if that's what it takes, I'll just drink something else. Thanks to gluten-sensitivity, most breweries at least carry a cider on tap.
I don't understand this comparison, I've been to a lot of countries in Europe and all of them had very diverse types of beer, while most beers in America are pretty similar in taste.
Unlike the US, Europe doesn't have 50 different tabs of beer to choose from lol. It's either light (pilsner) or dark (stout) beer in 90% of places, that's it
I don't understand this comparison, I've been to a lot of countries in Europe and all of them had very diverse types of beer, while most beers in America are pretty similar in taste.
Dunno, all the bars I've been to in Europe had very limited beer choices. Meanwhile when I see bars in America they always have tons of tabs with all sorts of beers (no idea if they taste the same...
Dunno, all the bars I've been to in Europe had very limited beer choices. Meanwhile when I see bars in America they always have tons of tabs with all sorts of beers (no idea if they taste the same or not). Maybe I just went to the wrong places.
Mass market beers in the US have similar flavor profiles, but the craft brewery scene has exploded in popularity. Now most places you would buy beer carry a wide variety. I can go to my grocery...
Mass market beers in the US have similar flavor profiles, but the craft brewery scene has exploded in popularity. Now most places you would buy beer carry a wide variety. I can go to my grocery store and find stouts and ipas and pilsners and more without trying.
If you happen to live in any of the states listed here on their shipping, I'd highly recommend: Trillium Brewing in Boston lol. Their Daily Servings is like drinking juice but it's beer! Beer in...
If you happen to live in any of the states listed here on their shipping, I'd highly recommend: Trillium Brewing in Boston lol. Their Daily Servings is like drinking juice but it's beer!
Beer in general is so different. Most of my friends that don't like beer like sours, I'd recommend something like that.
People insist this about coffee, which I have strong memories of my first experiences with. I was given individual sips as a treat by my family, and I loved it from the first moment. As a result,...
People insist this about coffee, which I have strong memories of my first experiences with. I was given individual sips as a treat by my family, and I loved it from the first moment. As a result, I find this logic hard to take seriously. Sure, most people might be acclimating themselves slowly with the stick of social judgment and the carrot of a drug. That seems reasonable. But it's for some reason especially tiresome for me to see my kind of experience excluded from reality.
It comes across as bitter to hear others devising the ways you had to trick yourself into "liking" the things they know better than to waste time on. Dislike beer all you want, but let people like things.
That's interesting, because the non-alcoholic trend has been picking up and the "beers" can be quite delicious. For example, Athletic brewing is fully NA and are pretty widely distributed. Their...
That's interesting, because the non-alcoholic trend has been picking up and the "beers" can be quite delicious. For example, Athletic brewing is fully NA and are pretty widely distributed. Their Octoberfest was one of my favorite things to drink for the last couple months.
I also largely dislike the taste of beer. But then I largely dislike the taste of alcohol without sugar. I've drunk one beer I enjoyed, which was a cherry beer a Belgian friend picked out for me....
I also largely dislike the taste of beer. But then I largely dislike the taste of alcohol without sugar. I've drunk one beer I enjoyed, which was a cherry beer a Belgian friend picked out for me. And even that was more of a compromise than anything -- I'd prefer a cidar all things considered!
It's bizarre that beer people are like this online bc I live in Germany, where you'd think people would care, but my friends here are luckily normal about it
Meta(?) unpopular opinion: saying X is trash or amazing without explaining why you feel that way doesnât evoke discussion, nor does it help with understanding why someone might/might not like...
Meta(?) unpopular opinion: saying X is trash or amazing without explaining why you feel that way doesnât evoke discussion, nor does it help with understanding why someone might/might not like something.
âI donât like pizzaâ, (I saw one comment about pizza and it wasnât saying this for the record, I just needed an example, no hate intended towards any pizza specific comments,) ultimately means nothing more than âI donât like popular thingâ. Explain why! I want to know what about pizza you hate! Is it the cheese? Is it the idea of toppings? Is the mixture of cheese + sauce + crust just too basic? Or is it more cultural where you hate what pizza represents?
If donât like something that many/most/majority of people enjoy, can you guys explain why? A portion of these responses are very âI donât like X. Itâs all the same and gross.â Thatâs okay to start off with, but what about that thing makes you hate it?
My unpopular opinion
I think onions are often over used. They over power the flavor of everything else, take too long to cook if youâre looking for a more refined flavor, and are only ever used properly by more skilled chefs/cooks. I donât hate onion, but many times when a recipe or dish mentions onion as a major ingredient, I order or make something else. I use onion sparingly in a stew I make regularly and a couple of pasta sauces in very reserved amounts.
In my opinion, onion should be used to enhance other flavors like salt does. It should not be tasted directly without another flavor accompanying it.
I think onions are like salt: A properly salted dish does not taste like it has any salt at all, but if you take the salt away, it suddenly tastes flat. Onions work the same way for me. If I can...
I think onions are like salt: A properly salted dish does not taste like it has any salt at all, but if you take the salt away, it suddenly tastes flat.
Onions work the same way for me. If I can taste any onion at all, there are too many onions â but in some recipes, there is also such a thing as too few onions.
This is possibly a better way of putting what I meant! Onion can enhance a dish, but too many dishes put its flavor in the forefront. Onion in my stew is used to pull out the flavors of the other...
This is possibly a better way of putting what I meant! Onion can enhance a dish, but too many dishes put its flavor in the forefront. Onion in my stew is used to pull out the flavors of the other ingredients. My stew does not have the faintest taste of onion, but without it the stew would be lesser.
I used to think that I hated meatloaf because my mother would add chunks of onion along with onion powder. One time she forgot she was out of onions, and she was low on onion powder as well. That meatloaf continues to be the best one sheâs ever made.
There are different types of onions and some are fine raw. I don't normally eat yellow onions raw, but red onions go well raw in salads or on hot dogs or burgers. Especially if I'm feeling too...
There are different types of onions and some are fine raw. I don't normally eat yellow onions raw, but red onions go well raw in salads or on hot dogs or burgers. Especially if I'm feeling too lazy to fry up yellow onions for fast food.
For me it's definitely about that onion texture, cooked, raw, fried, it doesn't matter, I can't stand that texture. Any food with with a focus on onions is immediately off putting so I also avoid...
For me it's definitely about that onion texture, cooked, raw, fried, it doesn't matter, I can't stand that texture. Any food with with a focus on onions is immediately off putting so I also avoid any dish that lists onions as a main ingredient.
If I can't taste the onions though, it's not a problem and I can eat them. So in short, I absolutely agree with you.
If the point is to have a discussion, then I agree this isn't terribly helpful! But if somebody just doesn't like something, then I don't think they have to justify it and people (myself included,...
âI donât like pizzaâ, (I saw one comment about pizza and it wasnât saying this for the record, I just needed an example, no hate intended towards any pizza specific comments,) ultimately means nothing more than âI donât like popular thingâ. Explain why! I want to know what about pizza you hate! Is it the cheese? Is it the idea of toppings? Is the mixture of cheese + sauce + crust just too basic? Or is it more cultural where you hate what pizza represents?
If the point is to have a discussion, then I agree this isn't terribly helpful! But if somebody just doesn't like something, then I don't think they have to justify it and people (myself included, admittedly) are often kind of rude by acting aghast when somebody doesn't like pizza or something.
Re: your unpopular opinion, I'm actually totally with you on that, but I also think that some people just don't have the vocabulary and/or a palate developed enough to explain their dislike of...
Re: your unpopular opinion, I'm actually totally with you on that, but I also think that some people just don't have the vocabulary and/or a palate developed enough to explain their dislike of particular foods. From what I've seen with my husband (and my dad to a lesser extent), texture is easier to explain than flavor. My husband can't really tell you what he doesn't like about a food's flavor beyond its salt level. He's slowly improving, but it's a slog. My dad once gave me this super helpful feedback on a marinara sauce I made: "I don't know, it just tastes too vegetarian."
...it's literally a meatless sauce. It's inherently vegetarian. It's not like I made a bolognese with Quorn. He's had marinara before!
Oh, that one is wild! Oregano is vastly overused in cheap vegetarian meals, in my experience, and I'd wonder if he'd had similar experiences that was a sort of anchor point he had unconsciously...
Oh, that one is wild! Oregano is vastly overused in cheap vegetarian meals, in my experience, and I'd wonder if he'd had similar experiences that was a sort of anchor point he had unconsciously developed.
I have a friend who typifies that sort of limited vocabulary limiting his gustatory curiosity, and so we have an agreement that he'll trust me to gently introduce him to new flavors. As we are fairly young and single, that means a lot of those opportunities come in bottles.
I proffered him to smell blue curacao, his first reaction was "floor cleaner". I tried to be respectful and stifle a laugh , but the moment I brought the bottle over, that was all I could smell, too. And then I doubled over laughing because of how spot on he was. Before he said that, I'd have thought "orange peel, acetone, lemon zest", all that dumb shit, but he nailed it. I love an untrained palate sometimes.
Personally not a fan of raw onion at all. The texture is pretty unappealing and the flavor still has the âeasy to overpowerâ everything issue. Maybe I need to try other varieties of onion and see...
Personally not a fan of raw onion at all. The texture is pretty unappealing and the flavor still has the âeasy to overpowerâ everything issue. Maybe I need to try other varieties of onion and see if itâs just the types Iâve been using.
Cooked onion can be made appetizing by caramelizing or otherwise reducing and refining the onion flavor and texture. It can still easily overpower the flavor of a dish, but I can at least see what benefit it would have if added in small quantities.
Lol, seconded. Anything straight gives my body the reaction of poison. I know folks love martinis or manhattans or well any "complex" boozy drink. I just taste a cup of death I'd rather not...
Lol, seconded. Anything straight gives my body the reaction of poison. I know folks love martinis or manhattans or well any "complex" boozy drink. I just taste a cup of death I'd rather not finish. Martinis in particular.
I used to the feel the same way until my best friend became a bar tender followed quickly by bar manager. Over the course of 8 years he managed several different bars where I had the privy to...
I used to the feel the same way until my best friend became a bar tender followed quickly by bar manager. Over the course of 8 years he managed several different bars where I had the privy to partake in topself of a variety of spirits. My palate is much more developed. I would say, I avoid drinking anything in the well unless I know its name. Anything with a skull or name I canât pronounce is a no no. And the bartender can drink it cause they drink nasty shit all the time to get Thur their shift. The well is normally the cheapest alcohol they have in their establishment.
Fully agreed, the hard liquors are all unappealing to me due to the strong alcohol taste. Whiskey in particular since it adds some foul tasting ingredients like peat or whatever on top of the alcohol.
Fully agreed, the hard liquors are all unappealing to me due to the strong alcohol taste. Whiskey in particular since it adds some foul tasting ingredients like peat or whatever on top of the alcohol.
It's pretty socially expected in America too. Not so much as a family thing necessarily, but in adult gatherings alcohol is often considered a prerequisite for any kind of event to be "fun". There...
It's pretty socially expected in America too. Not so much as a family thing necessarily, but in adult gatherings alcohol is often considered a prerequisite for any kind of event to be "fun". There is sometimes an out if you say you are an alcoholic or something, but its fairly common for people to immediately try and change your mind if you say you aren't interested in drinking.
We have "ranch" dressing here in Canada too. And when I lived in the UK they had it there as well, although it typically tasted a bit different than the kind you can find in NA. And I'm pretty...
We have "ranch" dressing here in Canada too. And when I lived in the UK they had it there as well, although it typically tasted a bit different than the kind you can find in NA. And I'm pretty sure you can get it in Australia as well, so it might just be an anglosphere Commonwealth thing?
But for those who haven't ever had it, it's typically made using buttermilk, combined with mayonnaise, and/or sour cream, and/or yogurt (so it has quite a bit of fermented dairy tang / tartness to it), along with garlic powder, onion powder, dill, parsley, chives, salt, and pepper. Sometimes it also has mustard and/or paprika in it as well, depending on the recipe.
So if you can imagine all that combined then you can imagine how it tastes. :P Or you can look up a recipe if you want to give it a try yourself. It's not hard to make... so long as you can find buttermilk in your country, that is. I have no idea how common buttermilk is outside NA though. It's commonly used for making pancakes/waffles, various baked goods, and also fried chicken here in NA, so you can get it at pretty much every grocery store here.
They started selling it in a supermarket here in Spain a while back. Initially called "salsa ranchera", now it just says "ranch" on the bottle. It's the best with fries or potato wedges.
They started selling it in a supermarket here in Spain a while back. Initially called "salsa ranchera", now it just says "ranch" on the bottle. It's the best with fries or potato wedges.
Another question, what on earth is "buttermilk"? It really isn't a thing outside of North America. I think there is an analog over here though called "Piimä", which is a similar fermented milk...
Another question, what on earth is "buttermilk"? It really isn't a thing outside of North America.
I think there is an analog over here though called "Piimä", which is a similar fermented milk drink. But it's not something I'd put in a dressing or a dip as i's quite sour/tangy.
But I really do need to try to make it myself, the components in themselves sound pretty good. It's just the ubiquity of "Ranch" everywhere in the US that's baffling combined with the fact that it's pretty much unknown everywhere else. ...or we have stuff called "Ranch", but according to Actual Americans the only similarity is the name =)
Buttermilk was traditionally just the liquid left over after making cultured butter, hence its name. So basically fermented/cultured cream with a lot of the fat and milk solids removed. But...
Buttermilk was traditionally just the liquid left over after making cultured butter, hence its name. So basically fermented/cultured cream with a lot of the fat and milk solids removed. But cultured butter isn't really a thing here anymore, so now most buttermilk sold in stores isn't a butter byproduct, but its own fermented dairy product designed to taste and behave (high lactic acid = low Ph, which is why its so good for baking and marinating) like the traditional product. But you can also make a faux-buttermilk at home by simply adding white vinegar or lemon juice to milk, and waiting for it to curdle.
But according to Wikipedia buttermilk is not just a NA thing, even though its not called "buttermilk" elsewhere:
Traditional buttermilk is still common in many Berbers, Arabic, Indian, Nepalese, Pakistani, Finnish, Polish, Dutch and German households, but rarely found in other Western countries. It is a common drink in many Indian and Nepalese homes, and often served with roasted maize. In the Arab and Berber world, buttermilk is a common beverage to be sold ice cold with other dairy products. It is popular during Ramadan, where it is consumed during iftar and suhur.
And Finnish Piimä may be what that article is referring to, so is probably similar enough that it would likely work fine when making ranch dressing, since the sourness/tang/tartness of buttermilk is what gives ranch much of its distinct flavor. :)
It came from the left behind milk from churned butter that would ferment as it separated. Nowadays it's probably less cultured than a more fermented dairy drink (but is apparently still a thing in...
It came from the left behind milk from churned butter that would ferment as it separated. Nowadays it's probably less cultured than a more fermented dairy drink (but is apparently still a thing in many other countries if Wikipedia is to be believed.)
A ranch seasoning packet would be how to make it locally. Its all the bits pre-mixed.
Piimä might be similar, buttermilk is pretty tangy as well, both fall under the category of âsoured milksâ according to Wikipedia: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermented_milk_products#SourMilk...
Well but unless you let it sit out and ferment (which it might not if it's pasteurized) or culture it yourself it won't be what Americans call "buttermilk".
Well but unless you let it sit out and ferment (which it might not if it's pasteurized) or culture it yourself it won't be what Americans call "buttermilk".
I never understood ones fascination with dipping pizza or fries in ranch. I remember being in high school when everyone started doing this type of dip, it kinda grossed me out. Now Iâm older, I...
I never understood ones fascination with dipping pizza or fries in ranch. I remember being in high school when everyone started doing this type of dip, it kinda grossed me out. Now Iâm older, I didnât start liking it until I made homemade ranch dressing. OMG talk about stepping it up a notch. Homemade ranch has a flavor that burst through your mouth making u want more and more.
Wow. Fresh tomatoes, especially cherry tomatoes picked and eaten immediately in the garden are heaven to me. I had cooked tomatoes in an English breakfast once and I despise the taste, texture,...
Wow. Fresh tomatoes, especially cherry tomatoes picked and eaten immediately in the garden are heaven to me.
I had cooked tomatoes in an English breakfast once and I despise the taste, texture, experience.
Yep I'm in this camp. I hate tomatoes. Closest I can get are "whole" tomatoes in a red sauce or something like that which I am fine with. Last time I tried to eat a cherry tomato I gagged as soon...
Yep I'm in this camp. I hate tomatoes. Closest I can get are "whole" tomatoes in a red sauce or something like that which I am fine with. Last time I tried to eat a cherry tomato I gagged as soon as I bit into it. Might have to give it another try soon if I'm going to keep bringing it up.
If you have tried fresh from the garden or farmers market in a location where they grow easily, I don't think you need to. It has a strong flavor profile, but there are also better and...
If you have tried fresh from the garden or farmers market in a location where they grow easily, I don't think you need to. It has a strong flavor profile, but there are also better and significantly worse tomatoes.
For me, raw tomatoes can be gross or they can be absolutely delicious. It's all in the variety. Where I live, store-bought tomatoes are only edible cooked or very heavily seasoned. They are...
For me, raw tomatoes can be gross or they can be absolutely delicious. It's all in the variety.
Where I live, store-bought tomatoes are only edible cooked or very heavily seasoned. They are otherwise watery, mealy, and even bitter. Even cherry and grape tomatoes, which are bred specifically for snacking on raw, are only a little better.
But some heirloom tomato varieties are quite nice raw. I still don't like a lot of homegrown tomatoes, but Amish Paste is my hands-down favorite tomato of all time. They are so good, I could eat them like apples. (They also make the absolutely tastiest sauce I have ever had, by a long shot. However, I end up cooking very few of them because I can't stop myself from eating them as soon as they ripen.)
It's mostly the taste, and in some cases like grape or cherry tomatoes, the texture. I like sundried tomatoes, salsa, sauces, etc not not sliced tomatoes on a sandwich or anything in a salad.
It's mostly the taste, and in some cases like grape or cherry tomatoes, the texture. I like sundried tomatoes, salsa, sauces, etc not not sliced tomatoes on a sandwich or anything in a salad.
Sundried tomatoes are the one form I donât particularly like, though I havenât tried them in a few years. Will give them a go next time they are an option. I give olives a retry every so many...
Sundried tomatoes are the one form I donât particularly like, though I havenât tried them in a few years. Will give them a go next time they are an option. I give olives a retry every so many years just in case I start liking them.
Completely respect your position. Mine is that what people commonly consider tomatoes, are those pink, translucent things they sell at grocery stores, that are varieties bred to maximize physical...
Completely respect your position.
Mine is that what people commonly consider tomatoes, are those pink, translucent things they sell at grocery stores, that are varieties bred to maximize physical durability and transportability, with flavor considered not at all. Slightly better are the redder, hydroponically grown ones, but they're still lacking.
In an entirely different realm are tomatoes from one's own garden, preferably old varieties bred for flavorfulness, that wouldn't stand the industry transport system. That tomato, warm from the sun, picked and taken inside, sliced and given a light sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper, (but no salt, never any salt), and eaten immediately, is one of the best taste experiences possible. Heavenly.
I've heard this from multiple people, and have to admit that I haven't tried tomatoes under these circumstances. My wife's aunt raves about this as well. She grows some, so I might have to branch...
I've heard this from multiple people, and have to admit that I haven't tried tomatoes under these circumstances. My wife's aunt raves about this as well. She grows some, so I might have to branch out and try this.
Sushi kinda sucks. I've tried it a handful of times, it was always good but the price and bang for my buck just isn't what I would want, even if bang for my buck isn't the concern. EDIT: this...
Sushi kinda sucks. I've tried it a handful of times, it was always good but the price and bang for my buck just isn't what I would want, even if bang for my buck isn't the concern. EDIT: this isn't a quantity or quality thing, good ramen is more exciting to me, for example. I feel I'd get more mileage out of any other dish in terms of flavor, texture, and overall enjoyment of it. I love the hell out of any Japanese food I've had, but it's raw fish dipped in soy sauce and wasabi.
Either I overestimate how highly people think of sushi or it's always just kinda underwhelming.
I think it depends on your desired experience. I absolutely can get full on sushi, and it can taste amazing - I've not had gourmet sushi but good restaurant quality. But if it isn't emotionally...
I think it depends on your desired experience. I absolutely can get full on sushi, and it can taste amazing - I've not had gourmet sushi but good restaurant quality. But if it isn't emotionally satisfying in the same way for a person, it may never hit the "worth my food experience" buttons for them. Especially for the cost.
Based on this I'm going to assume you mean sashimi and not sushi. Sashimi is often lumped in with sushi, especially in USA/Canada but sushi usually refers to the vinegared rice accompanied with...
I love the hell out of any Japanese food I've had, but it's raw fish dipped in soy sauce and wasabi.
Based on this I'm going to assume you mean sashimi and not sushi. Sashimi is often lumped in with sushi, especially in USA/Canada but sushi usually refers to the vinegared rice accompanied with other ingredients. Sushi is kind of like Mexican food in that it's generally a bunch of different configurations of similar ingredients but substitute rice tortillas with seaweed.
The most common stuff you see in Western countries are:
Nigiri - typically Sashimi (but not always) on top of rice
Maki rolls - seaweed wrapped rice and ingredients
Uramaki rolls - similar to Maki but rice on the outside seaweed on the inside. often a little bigger
Temaki - cone shaped rolls with rice and ingredients
But there are also dozens of others that we don't typically see over here.
I personally have developed a taste for sashimi because I was on a keto diet for a while and it was the easiest meal I could share with people out in a group setting. I've come to appreciate the variety of textures and flavours different dishes have, even the different cuts of the same fish can have a wide range of experiences.
My man! As I've gotten older I've come around to a lot of foods I used to hate, but one that has stayed constant is my disgust for cheesecake. I just can't understand why anyone would put that in...
My man! As I've gotten older I've come around to a lot of foods I used to hate, but one that has stayed constant is my disgust for cheesecake. I just can't understand why anyone would put that in their mouth.
Food should have the inedible parts (bones, shells, etc.) removed before serving. You'd probably have a negative reaction if someone served you a pastry with a rock inside, but for some reason...
Food should have the inedible parts (bones, shells, etc.) removed before serving. You'd probably have a negative reaction if someone served you a pastry with a rock inside, but for some reason people like bone-in meat.
Lean meat tastes just as good as fatty meat, and usually has better texture.
It's okay, and often desirable, to put more than just salt and pepper on beef.
I think I just have a thing against Meat Culture.
Edit to add a non-meat one: tomato sauce should be run through a blender until it's a sauce. Chunks of squishy tomato are gross.
The barrier to entry is kinda massive because the texture is a massive turn-off for most people. I had 3 of them last night with horseradish and Lousiana-stlye hot sauce. It was the first time I...
The barrier to entry is kinda massive because the texture is a massive turn-off for most people. I had 3 of them last night with horseradish and Lousiana-stlye hot sauce. It was the first time I didn't gag. Once I learned about the health benefits I became a believer.
Edit: I just noticed that I said 'massive' twice and now I feel weird about it.
As to your first point I think I am your opposite. I enjoy having to work to eat my food, either by removing shells, biting meat off the bone, removing pits. I just really get some kind of...
As to your first point I think I am your opposite. I enjoy having to work to eat my food, either by removing shells, biting meat off the bone, removing pits. I just really get some kind of satisfaction out of the effort and I think by being slowed down I savor the experience more.
I've been buying peanuts roasted the shell lately. I really enjoy the kinesthetic and auditory aspects of shelling them, plus it rate limits my snacking. Messy as hell though.
I've been buying peanuts roasted the shell lately. I really enjoy the kinesthetic and auditory aspects of shelling them, plus it rate limits my snacking. Messy as hell though.
Something about ripping meat off a bone just feels right. One of my favorite meals ever was the last meal at a summer camp where they set up a long table from the main building to the circle drive...
Something about ripping meat off a bone just feels right. One of my favorite meals ever was the last meal at a summer camp where they set up a long table from the main building to the circle drive where the buses would pick us up and we got ribs and curly fries just straight onto the table (plastic picnic tables with paper tablecloths). I remember my cabin for some reason took our shirts off and went to town ripping the meat off those ribs. I felt like a caveman devouring my kill and it was awesome. And then we got ice cream sandwiches and life was good.
My ironic idiosyncrasy is that as a Brit who doesn't actually eat, like or cook British foods; I am always deeply offended when people online say that British food is bland and disgusting. Nearly...
My ironic idiosyncrasy is that as a Brit who doesn't actually eat, like or cook British foods; I am always deeply offended when people online say that British food is bland and disgusting.
Nearly all my other unpopular food opinions are about British foods. For example, the two British food I actually like, are christmas pudding and marmite on heavily (plant) buttered toast/crumpets.
I was in London 3 times this year and I agree. The fact that we can't easily get black pudding in America should be a crime. Also allll the meat pies and a good full english, ugh i miss it so...
I was in London 3 times this year and I agree. The fact that we can't easily get black pudding in America should be a crime. Also allll the meat pies and a good full english, ugh i miss it so much. Not to mention some of the best Indian food outside of India (besides Central Jersey). I'm probably gonna try to do a full UK tour next year or so to get all the experiences of course but "british food is bland" is such a bland thought lol
The Indian food I do like, same with all the Caribbean, Mediterranean, African, European, East Asian and Middle Eastern food here. There are so many cultures here, I'd say every high street in...
The Indian food I do like, same with all the Caribbean, Mediterranean, African, European, East Asian and Middle Eastern food here. There are so many cultures here, I'd say every high street in London has at least two shops where you can buy authentic, staple foods and some fancy ingredients from at least one of these places. That's the sort of foods I grew up here eating too.
I have to disagree with everything else though as I do not eat animals or their byproducts and traditional British foods are very meat and dairy focussed and that is disgusting to me.
Outside of the very well known vegan cafes and restaurants in London what do you recommend? It's very expensive but I really enjoyed the vegan seven course tasting menu at Galvin La Chapelle.
Outside of the very well known vegan cafes and restaurants in London what do you recommend? It's very expensive but I really enjoyed the vegan seven course tasting menu at Galvin La Chapelle.
Tbh I mainly home cook and order in the occasional meal these days as I'm a bit too 'on benefits' to be going to fancy restaurants (and I'm a better cook than most). There's some good vegan pizza...
Tbh I mainly home cook and order in the occasional meal these days as I'm a bit too 'on benefits' to be going to fancy restaurants (and I'm a better cook than most). There's some good vegan pizza delivery options in north London lately though!
Many, many years ago a friend and I came up with what we considered the most quintessentially English dish imaginable: boiled fat, two inches thick. We laughed our asses off. Disclaimer: my mother...
Many, many years ago a friend and I came up with what we considered the most quintessentially English dish imaginable: boiled fat, two inches thick. We laughed our asses off.
Disclaimer: my mother is an English lass who married an American serviceman in 1954, so I'm a bit laughing at myself.
Have you ever been to the uk and eaten British food here? 2 inches of boiled fat doesn't sound like any sort of British food I've ever encountered, and I'm from here and have lived here for over...
Have you ever been to the uk and eaten British food here?
2 inches of boiled fat doesn't sound like any sort of British food I've ever encountered, and I'm from here and have lived here for over 30 years now.
The only acceptable cheese is cream cheese and even then itâs only on a bagel. Ideally toasted. No I do not like pizza. Yes I know you can get it without cheese. This ensures no one is happy
The only acceptable cheese is cream cheese and even then itâs only on a bagel. Ideally toasted.
No I do not like pizza.
Yes I know you can get it without cheese. This ensures no one is happy
My wife ordered a Pizza marinara once, thinking that the "marine" part meant it would come with seafood on it. Imagine her disappointment when she discovered that it only had tomato sauce, a bit...
My wife ordered a Pizza marinara once, thinking that the "marine" part meant it would come with seafood on it. Imagine her disappointment when she discovered that it only had tomato sauce, a bit of dried oregano and couple of halves of garlic chucked on it instead.
This led to me looking up why it's called "marinara" and if it's a false cognate which I'd never done before. The answer for others is that marinara sauce is "sailors sauce" either because...
This led to me looking up why it's called "marinara" and if it's a false cognate which I'd never done before.
The answer for others is that marinara sauce is "sailors sauce" either because Napoleon's sailors brought it back, or because wives made it for sailors returning from sea or whatever lost to time origin it came from. There's nothing definitive and while my Nonna might have an opinion she's still spinning in her grave from many of my and my mom's life choices so she's unavailable for comment.
I think my most controversial would be: I find most dishes to be delicious unsalted. I home cook a lot, and mostly use salt-free ingredients (like broth, canned tomatoes, butter), since I find the...
I think my most controversial would be: I find most dishes to be delicious unsalted.
I home cook a lot, and mostly use salt-free ingredients (like broth, canned tomatoes, butter), since I find the salted versions too salty, so no, I'm not unknowingly cooking with salt when I don't want to. That said, I'm not a complete monster, and do find certain dishes are absolutely elevated with a little salt; I also do cook with some salty condiments like soy sauce (but usually prefer lower-salt versions).
Interesting, Ive never even heard of salted coffee, but it would make sense to cut bitterness. I think salt is just one of those things we build personal tolerances to. I believe people when they...
Interesting, Ive never even heard of salted coffee, but it would make sense to cut bitterness.
I think salt is just one of those things we build personal tolerances to. I believe people when they say that salt enhances a food's natural flavour from their taste perspective, but I'm so sensitive to its taste that when I do add salt, it easily overtakes other flavours to me (in most dishes).
People, even friends, all look at me weird when I say I enjoy unsalted fries. Like I've never enjoyed a proper meal in my life (it's not that I dislike salted fries, they're fine, I just don't see...
People, even friends, all look at me weird when I say I enjoy unsalted fries. Like I've never enjoyed a proper meal in my life (it's not that I dislike salted fries, they're fine, I just don't see them as inherently better). But that's just how my mom always cooked them for me when I was young, she said salt was unhealthy and never added it unless strictly necessary, and I was okay with it. Glad I'm not alone.
Im not a huge french fries fan overall, but I imagine my preference for unsalted potatoes (mashed, baked, whatever) is similar, most people think it's bizarre. Oddly, potato chips I do prefer...
Im not a huge french fries fan overall, but I imagine my preference for unsalted potatoes (mashed, baked, whatever) is similar, most people think it's bizarre. Oddly, potato chips I do prefer salted.
My reason is the same: Growing up, one of my family members who I absorbed a lot of cooking knowledge from didn't add salt, so I became used to the (lack of its) flavour, and instead notice the other inherant flavours of foods. :)
I have two opinions that nobody I know agrees with me on, but I nonetheless feel them very strongly: Eggs I don't like eggs to have a creamy consistency. I'll still eat them â I don't hate them â...
I have two opinions that nobody I know agrees with me on, but I nonetheless feel them very strongly:
Eggs
I don't like eggs to have a creamy consistency. I'll still eat them â I don't hate them â but it is a disappointment. Eggs have so much more texture potential, and I hate to squander it.
I like my eggs to have a meaty, filling texture that I can really bite into. A proper egg, in my opinion, should be a bit like a jelly donut: satisfyingly chewy on the outside and deliciously gooey on the inside. This is best achieved by cooking fast on high heat, which is apparently the "wrong" way to cook eggs, but it is what I absolutely love the most.
Also, if I'm going to eat a fried egg, I want some crispiness, dammit! If there is no crispiness, why even fry it at all? Just poach it. (I do, at least, know a small handful of people who agree with me on this one!)
Salad
I hate slimy leaves. The quickest way to turn a salad from delightful to unpalatable is to add dressing, oil, vinegar, etc. Leaves are not absorbent enough for this and just acquire a snot-like texture, and their flavor does not synergize with it at all.
This one, in particular, was my bane growing up. So many adults would criticize me for always skipping the salads, thinking I was trying to avoid eating vegetables. When I tried to explain that it was only the dressing I was balking at, they simply did not believe me. If they had been willing to give me a bowl of plain greens, I would have happily chowed down, but this was unthinkable for some reason. (I was accused of not liking greens, but I think it was them who disliked greens since they seemingly couldn't imagine eating them without completely disguising the taste and texture.)
wait what? this is not the usual way to do it? how do "normal" people cook an egg then?
I like my eggs to have a meaty, filling texture that I can really bite into. A proper egg, in my opinion, should be a bit like a jelly donut: satisfyingly chewy on the outside and deliciously gooey on the inside. This is best achieved by cooking fast on high heat, which is apparently the "wrong" way to cook eggs, but it is what I absolutely love the most.
wait what? this is not the usual way to do it? how do "normal" people cook an egg then?
People generally prefer quite soft eggs, which is achieved by cooking slowly on low heat and stopping the cooking process shortly before it feels like the eggs are done (they will continue to cook...
People generally prefer quite soft eggs, which is achieved by cooking slowly on low heat and stopping the cooking process shortly before it feels like the eggs are done (they will continue to cook for a little while after). I'm not sure if this is the "normal" way to cook them, but it is definitely considered the "better" way to cook them.
I meant: do you cook the rice separately and stir it in after or put the uncooked rice in to boil with the potatos? I'm not a monster. Or three birds in a trench coat :)
I meant: do you cook the rice separately and stir it in after or put the uncooked rice in to boil with the potatos?
I'm not a monster. Or three birds in a trench coat :)
Cook separately, add on the plate to taste! Usually in a somewhat 2:1 mash to rice ratio đ after all it's mashed potatoes with rice, not rice with mashed potatoes :P
Cook separately, add on the plate to taste! Usually in a somewhat 2:1 mash to rice ratio đ after all it's mashed potatoes with rice, not rice with mashed potatoes :P
People who donât get more extra with burger patties than salt and pepper. The local cafe at work does them like this and itâs basically inedible as far as Iâm concerned. Breadcrumbs, paprika,...
People who donât get more extra with burger patties than salt and pepper. The local cafe at work does them like this and itâs basically inedible as far as Iâm concerned. Breadcrumbs, paprika, cayenne and onion at least!
Hear hear! Vegi burgers too, fuck those Impossible patties. I want vegi burgers to go back to being those delicious random ass combinations like beans, greens, walnuts and mushrooms all coarsly...
Hear hear! Vegi burgers too, fuck those Impossible patties. I want vegi burgers to go back to being those delicious random ass combinations like beans, greens, walnuts and mushrooms all coarsly blended together and smushed into fried disks. I miss that.
Super specific unpopular opinion: I prefer stale cheetos (crunchy or puffy) to regular/fresh ones. Something about the texture, being almost like packing peanuts, is just really satisfying. Kind...
Super specific unpopular opinion: I prefer stale cheetos (crunchy or puffy) to regular/fresh ones.
Something about the texture, being almost like packing peanuts, is just really satisfying. Kind of like the physical feeling of a squeaky sound. There isn't a whole lot here to defend other than I just like it. Regular ones are good too, but we rarely ever get them and finding an old bag feels like hitting a goldmine!
Wow, look at us, there must be dozens of us who enjoy it! I'm actually very pleasantly surprised to hear others enjoy it too, I didn't expect that to be the response on the thread.
Wow, look at us, there must be dozens of us who enjoy it! I'm actually very pleasantly surprised to hear others enjoy it too, I didn't expect that to be the response on the thread.
I feel this way about Trader Joe's version of Oreos. When they are a little stale they get slightly soft like an ice cream sandwich. Can't stand stale regular Oreos.
I feel this way about Trader Joe's version of Oreos. When they are a little stale they get slightly soft like an ice cream sandwich.
Excited to go back to Taiwan soon so mine is: I LOVE stinky tofu and weird chicken entrails. Chicken heart is delicious. Durian isn't as bad as people say it is.
Excited to go back to Taiwan soon so mine is: I LOVE stinky tofu and weird chicken entrails. Chicken heart is delicious. Durian isn't as bad as people say it is.
I have had a lot of weird dishes in a number of countries, but Taiwan takes the cake for more unexpected yet palatable dishes. I'm not sure what these are called as the work collaborator I went...
I have had a lot of weird dishes in a number of countries, but Taiwan takes the cake for more unexpected yet palatable dishes. I'm not sure what these are called as the work collaborator I went with didn't speak english but I'll say we got all of them at night markets in Taipei if that helps.
Ice soup: Ok so you ate this one with a spoon and it had a ton of ice floating in a bowl of a milky liquid (maybe some kind of nut milk) with little fruit bits floating around. It was kind of like eating cereal with fruit in it if the cereal had be exchanged for ice cubes. All in all, weird but pretty good. Very refreshing on the warm evening.
Spiced mushroom pie: Ok so this had the visual look and texture of an uncooked chicken breast but when cut into seemed like a thick light brown gelatin that had little mushrooms underneath and a thick brown sauce that all tasted like apple pie. I had a hard time getting my brain to eat it as a dessert (I think it was anyway for how sweet and winter spice it was) but it was actually pretty tasty.
Ice soup as in tsua bing? (jesus the Wikipedia phonetics are just so ugly lol) It's the best for hot summer days! I have no idea what mushroom pie is though, I'll have to remember to look at that lol.
Ice soup as in tsua bing? (jesus the Wikipedia phonetics are just so ugly lol) It's the best for hot summer days!
I have no idea what mushroom pie is though, I'll have to remember to look at that lol.
So you know, those aren't technically phonetics on Wikipedia; they're different systems of romanizing (transcribing) Chinese. They're not necessarily supposed to be the way you or I would...
So you know, those aren't technically phonetics on Wikipedia; they're different systems of romanizing (transcribing) Chinese. They're not necessarily supposed to be the way you or I would transcribe the sounds; the point is to have a standardized system where you can understand from the spelling exactly how something is pronounced (e.g. which "ch" sound is supposed to be used).
I know, I'm curious on what kind of romanization they're using. I learned pinyin growing up and the wiki page even has it, just not as the main title of the page.
I know, I'm curious on what kind of romanization they're using. I learned pinyin growing up and the wiki page even has it, just not as the main title of the page.
Man, tsua bing looks amazing but that wasn't it. Or maybe it was in different format? The one I had was in a little white bowl and looked almost exactly like a bunch of ice in skim milk with like...
Man, tsua bing looks amazing but that wasn't it. Or maybe it was in different format? The one I had was in a little white bowl and looked almost exactly like a bunch of ice in skim milk with like 6 small pieces of fruit in it. Sorry I can't be more helpful and I appreciate you keeping your eye out for mushroom pie!
I'll have to look when I'm there! It's been a couple of years since I've gone back and my sister and I are compiling lists of things we need to eat before coming back lol.
I'll have to look when I'm there! It's been a couple of years since I've gone back and my sister and I are compiling lists of things we need to eat before coming back lol.
Never visited Taiwan but people absolutely sleep on chicken entrails/heart and it's a big shame. They're super cheap, easy to prepare (depending on the dish but I usually stew them so it's mostly...
Never visited Taiwan but people absolutely sleep on chicken entrails/heart and it's a big shame. They're super cheap, easy to prepare (depending on the dish but I usually stew them so it's mostly set it and forget it) and have such rich flavor compared to something like a chicken breast.
I always make a big batch and freeze a bunch for later. 10/10 would recommend.
I think it's a thing about eating offal in general, most people aren't super used the stronger taste. I personally generally don't eat intestines because I can't get the thoughts out of my head...
I think it's a thing about eating offal in general, most people aren't super used the stronger taste. I personally generally don't eat intestines because I can't get the thoughts out of my head (even though I know they clean it well) but in Taiwan there's a dish called pork intestine noodles that I make an exception for lol.
Another one is blood sausage, but I think there's a lot in Europe too.
One of my favorite ways for chicken heart, if you can get it, is barbeque chicken hearts, the more I think about it the hungrier i get and it's almost midnight here.
The correct way to eat a chicken nugget is to dunk it in all three sauces. For mcdonald's, that used to mean hot mustard, barbecue, and sweet and sour. Now they don't have hot mustard any more,...
The correct way to eat a chicken nugget is to dunk it in all three sauces. For mcdonald's, that used to mean hot mustard, barbecue, and sweet and sour. Now they don't have hot mustard any more, and their nuggets are pretty gross.
For Chikfila (a far superior nugget, for sure), honey mustard, barbecue, and Polynesian is the closest you can come. Substituting Polynesian for Sweeit and Spicy (sriracha) is acceptable, but too hot for many people.
Ketchup is the second line of defense for finishing your fries when you run out of dipping sauces, but the nuggets never go in ketchup.
I spent most of my life believing I hated onions until I realised it was just the texture I hated and the flavour is actually good! Turns out this is the case with most food I hated growing up. I...
I spent most of my life believing I hated onions until I realised it was just the texture I hated and the flavour is actually good! Turns out this is the case with most food I hated growing up.
I have no problems with onions if they're diced up incredibly fine. If a recipe has onion in it, I always insist on cutting them, because my definition of fine is apparently different from what most people consider fine. Plus, it does take a lot longer to dice them that finely, so it's only fair I do it since it's for my benefit.
You may appreciate this method then, assuming it isn't already the way you are cutting them. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBj9H6z6Uxw As a side not, I'm always disappointed that we never got to...
Burger patties have no business containing anything other than meat inside the mixture. If you want a burger with egg, spices, salt, onion, pepper, etc. in the patty, you should eat a stew with a...
Burger patties have no business containing anything other than meat inside the mixture.
If you want a burger with egg, spices, salt, onion, pepper, etc. in the patty, you should eat a stew with a bun on the side instead.
is it common to have things in the patty? The only one I can think of is a Juicy Lucy. Why not salt though? Even something like a classic smash burger or any diner burger salts their meat after...
is it common to have things in the patty? The only one I can think of is a Juicy Lucy.
Why not salt though? Even something like a classic smash burger or any diner burger salts their meat after cooking.
So, my pet peeve is mixing the meat with these things, not having them as toppings. I also salt my burger patties, on the outside. I don't like the idea of putting salt in the mixture because it...
So, my pet peeve is mixing the meat with these things, not having them as toppings. I also salt my burger patties, on the outside.
I don't like the idea of putting salt in the mixture because it dehydrates the meat, and the patty doesn't turn out as juicy as it can be.
Edit: and yes, it is pretty common. I had acquaintances cook them like that, also ate them at several "good" burger places. Even I was putting a bunch of crap in the patties when I first started cooking.
ah, yeah then we're in agreement there haha. it's funny though everything you mentioned on your list is basically ingredients to a meatloaf, and a meatloaf sandwich sounds delicious.
ah, yeah then we're in agreement there haha. it's funny though everything you mentioned on your list is basically ingredients to a meatloaf, and a meatloaf sandwich sounds delicious.
Cornbread should not, and does not if properly made, contain sugar. It's terrible and an insult. If you're putting sugar in cornbread you're making corncake not cornbread.
Cornbread should not, and does not if properly made, contain sugar. It's terrible and an insult.
If you're putting sugar in cornbread you're making corncake not cornbread.
I would rather have fried gator than fried chicken. the taste and texture are better. It probably doesn't help that I worked on a turkey farm for beer money in college...
I would rather have fried gator than fried chicken. the taste and texture are better. It probably doesn't help that I worked on a turkey farm for beer money in college...
Liver has a flavor that I just can't tolerate. It makes me gag. On the other hand I quite like lamb, goat, meat with rich flavor. Heart and tongue are fine but liver and kidneys just don't appeal.
Liver has a flavor that I just can't tolerate. It makes me gag.
On the other hand I quite like lamb, goat, meat with rich flavor. Heart and tongue are fine but liver and kidneys just don't appeal.
Agreed its flavor can be pretty strong but I do like sustainably harvested foie gras on a beef Wellington or atop a steak. It melts like butter and taste wonderful.
Agreed its flavor can be pretty strong but I do like sustainably harvested foie gras on a beef Wellington or atop a steak. It melts like butter and taste wonderful.
Fun thread! Sour cream and onion chips are the absolute worst tasting chips in the world. I'm not picky in general but when it comes to chips I'm damn conservative. SO many people seem to love...
Fun thread!
Sour cream and onion chips are the absolute worst tasting chips in the world. I'm not picky in general but when it comes to chips I'm damn conservative. SO many people seem to love this flavor and honestly it pisses me off because they're wrong!
I refuse to eat pizza with a knife and fork no matter how hot and greasy it is, and I convinced myself there's a placebo effect that makes it taste better from eating it with my hands. I fold the...
I refuse to eat pizza with a knife and fork no matter how hot and greasy it is, and I convinced myself there's a placebo effect that makes it taste better from eating it with my hands. I fold the piece in half if it's too hot to maintain its structural integrity on its own.
I probably have that gene (because it tastes kinda soapy), but for some reason I like it anyway. My partner was very confused when I described it as a kinda bitter parsley.
I probably have that gene (because it tastes kinda soapy), but for some reason I like it anyway. My partner was very confused when I described it as a kinda bitter parsley.
Store bought eggs are at the top of my list. They have this egg smell and off taste that just makes it unbearable to eat. The eggs I buy from a local farm have no egg smell, their light and fluffy...
Store bought eggs are at the top of my list. They have this egg smell and off taste that just makes it unbearable to eat. The eggs I buy from a local farm have no egg smell, their light and fluffy and it puts the store bought egg to shame.
As someone who raised chickens several times when I was doing the hippie back to the land thing, and had eggs from whatevertheycouldfind-fed chickens, I approve this comment.
As someone who raised chickens several times when I was doing the hippie back to the land thing, and had eggs from whatevertheycouldfind-fed chickens, I approve this comment.
Still hate garlic. Still live in a country where people put garlic in everything. The taste of garlic overpowers anything you put it in, as well as everything in the next two meals. You can remove...
Still hate garlic. Still live in a country where people put garlic in everything.
The taste of garlic overpowers anything you put it in, as well as everything in the next two meals. You can remove garlic from any recipe or redesign it to not use garlic, and it will still be just as tasty.
I don't like any of the standard north American condiments....ketchup, mayo, mustard, relish all seem gross and un-foodlike to me. Dunno how the rest of you eat that stuff on a perfectly nice burger
I don't like any of the standard north American condiments....ketchup, mayo, mustard, relish all seem gross and un-foodlike to me. Dunno how the rest of you eat that stuff on a perfectly nice burger
I think anyone who enjoys beer has something wrong with their taste buds. It's such a foul drink (the smell, the taste/aftertaste, the texture, eugh). But I also envy anyone who does, because I wish I could enjoy beer and save money when going out. Instead I have to go for more expensive alternatives that don't make me gag.
Edit: Just so I don't have to respond to every single comment, no I have not tried most beers, mainly because I don't see any of them at the bars I frequent. Unlike the US, Europe doesn't have 50 different tabs of beer to choose from lol. It's either light (pilsner) or dark (stout) beer in 90% of places, that's it. And since I only drink socially I also usually don't go to stores to find more specific drinks (and if I do obviously beer isn't on my mind)
But I'll keep all your comments in mind if I ever want to try beer again. I'm not against beer existing or anything, it's just all the beer tasted in my life made me want to vomit so I never even wanted to venture further into it.
I love how often this comment provokes several people into responding "but how can you say that if you haven't tried all the beer?!"
They all taste like beer. They are all bad.
This is so reductionist that it's annoying to me. I'm not a "omg you have to try every beer ever" kinda guy but saying all beer is the same is basically saying, "Why would I go to multiple European countries, they're all the same."
Why is it reductionist to say that one doesn't like any beer? That's just their personal taste (and mine). I also wish I liked beer but I have tried dozens of different brands and types and even expensive brewery stuff.. I feel like at that point, I've given it a fair shot and it's reasonable to conclude that beer simply doesn't taste good to me. It always makes me feel gross because of the aftertaste.
And don't even get me started on wine!
It's fine to not like beer, but saying "They all taste like beer" is objectively wrong, because different types of beer taste completely the same. People have preferences and it's fine to not like any type of beer, but I find it reductionist to imply every beer tastes the same. I have friends who hate stouts which I love, but they'll drink sours. I have friend who don't like drinking beer at all too lol.
I personally don't like coffee in general, but I can tell the difference between burnt Starbucks coffee and actual well made coffee. Doesn't mean they all taste the same.
While it's pretty easy to tell the difference in taste, to some people the taste is still somewhere on the spectrum of bad to awful no matter how cheap or expensive it is. Be it beer, wine, coffee - I still disagree with you because no matter the quality, there is always a very strong taste associated to these things that is basically unmistakable. ..in my opinion of course
I think I remember previous conversations we've had is that you're European, correct? I've been to Europe many times and there's definitely less variety here which might be where the disconnect is? At least, the places I saw in Europe have more relatively similar flavor profiles, especially to people who don't like beer (which isn't a bad thing!)
It's my mistake to use Starbucks quality as an example, since my main point is that I've had very highly rated beer that literally just tastes like juice, if you gave it to people they wouldn't even know it was beer. Very different than some of the flavors you might traditionally think about like bitter, hoppy flavors.
Oh, yes I am European! I'm from Denmark đ
There's a pretty healthy beer culture here but I guess I don't know if they do similar things or not. But there are tons of small breweries all over the place. Definitely never heard of juice-like beer though! Is it like mead?
Yeah, but you can't say a Belgian sour is anything like a German pilsner. My partner hates beer but can drink those types.
I guess the discussion is rather semantic at this point lol, I mean I still just do not like any beer. No matter how big a difference there may be between German pilsners and Belgian sours, I dislike them equally
The juice-like beers are a style called "New England IPA" or "hazy IPA," they've been huge in popularity for the last 3-5 years or so. And, of course, they taste nothing like the traditional "West Coast IPA," which is the huge bitter bomb everyone tends to think of when they hear "IPA".
I think bitwyze said it already! I think it's kinda similar to the idea of mead, but honestly I haven't drank enough mead to know.
I had an interesting experience this last week, I lost my senses of smell and taste almost completely from a cold. I know lots of others have had this happen, usually from COVID, but I'd never heard it described beyond that.
The moment I realized the extent of this was when I ate something spicy. Suddenly my mouth felt like it was burning. Not the pleasant rush of warmth I usually get, this was more like a small amount of scalding water. I got curious and tried a few different things. All of the spicy things I had were of different types and hotness levels, they all tasted exactly the same (like nothing) but with more or less burning. I normally love spicy food, that's why I was eating it.
My point is that I think we all experience flavor differently, just like how we all see color differently. This experience has given me more of a reference point to describe what I mean when I say all x taste the same. Most of the foods I don't like have a specific texture in common or are bitter. I get zero enjoyment from eating bitter food, the bitterness overrides everything else and is all I can taste. That happens to be true of almost every beer and sugar substitute I've ever had, they taste like bitterness and I am not able to get past that so I can taste anything else.
The physical/mechanical spice burn isn't something I'd ever noticed before, even when eating things that were way too hot for me. I have to believe it still happened, but was overridden by something else in my brain. So now I understand why my SO won't even try something that's only a little spicy - he knows he's not going to get any enjoyment or nuance from it.
So I think the miscommunication here is that, they don't literally taste identical, but that they all have a "base" taste that comes through too strongly, no matter what other tastes are there as well.
Let me ask you this, if I lined up a random beer, with a random 10 other drinks, any drinks, could you pick out the beer? If yes, the taste that lets you pick out the beer is what we're talking about.
I dunno, again it really depends on what kind of beer. I've linked a Berlinner Weise (Sour) here that might be hard to pick out from a lineup tbh. Then again though apparently people have difficulty tasting differences between Pepsi and Coke, might be a taste buds thing.
I think outliers prove the rule. I'm a "dislikes beer" person and a sour left me without that "beer" flavor that literally every other beer has had. I am not sure I liked it but I kept sipping at it. I've only had the one so I have minimal data. Beer in general has a beer taste.
I had pretty much the same experience. I'd still rather have a cider.
Do they really taste completely different, though? Every beer I know of has two major characteristics in common: it tastes/smells like alcohol, and it is carbonated. Both of these are so overwhelming to my palate that I can't taste any other difference. I can't even taste the difference between beer, champagne, and hard cider because the combination of alcohol and carbonation is so intensely unbearable to me; it tastes like caustic poison to me and I gag involuntarily.
If there is a beer that has no alcohol smell or flavor, and is also not at all fizzy, maybe I would like it. But it's hard to imagine where I could find such a beer, if it even exists.
That's really surprising to me because beer, champagne, and hard cider are completely different flavors to me! I think it does come down to to how different everyone's taste buds. Hazy IPA is probably what you want to look out for, might be more up your speed.
For real :D
Beer is beer. I live in Belgium, we have a strong "beer culture", and not liking beer gets you weird looks. Yes I've tasted several, yes they all have a different taste, and yes they all taste like beer.
For another analogy, I hate celery; if I eat a dish â any dish â that contains celery, I will instantly dislike it because its taste goes over everything else. That's not a hard concept to understand.
I've made my living selling beer for about 15 years now and "beer guys" just can't see that both of these things can be true without causing a rift in the universe. The number of people suggesting fruited beers but not just a cider is almost a telling giveaway. I'm sure it's something we all suffer from about things we are passionate about and beer just happens to be a distinctly social and popular topic.
Coffee is, too.
Haha! Indeed, probably why the two most engaged with topics in the thread are beer and coffee.
I'm not really a beer guy, but the range of flavors is pretty enormous. Like you wouldn't even realize a lot of beers are even in the same category of drink without context.
Can you give an example? I've lived in different countries famous for their beer and ale cultures, and while I can definitely see and taste a difference between those drinks, they're all very definitely still varieties of the same concept.
Sure, compare the Avery Liliko'i with the New Belgium 1554. The Liliko'i is a passion fruit beer that has a very fruity flavor and the 1554 has a rich, slightly chocolatey flavor. Expanding out of Colorado, you could look at the New Holland Dragon's Milk Stout, which I really don't like, largely because it's stored in bourbon barrels, as well as their Dragon's Milk White, which I believe I really did like quite a bit. Going outside the US, Guinness seems to me to be kind of just its own thing that's velvety smooth, and I recall Steinlager in New Zealand being one of the most disgusting things I've ever drank.
When you look at them all together, it's clear that they're all beer, but when comparing certain individuals alone the comparison starts to fall apart.
A fruited sour is going to taste vastly different than an IPA, but theyâre both âbeerâ.
Even within IPAs there are pretty big differences you can get between something like a hazy IPA and the incredibly hoppy double or triple IPAs some places make.
But those depend on a craft beer scene that I can only speak about as someone in the US, where the fruited sour was from a local brewery.
I'm another "dislikes beer" person and something to remember is that many people who don't like beer don't keep trying different types. And we don't study beer to figure out what the flavor we don't like is, we just stop drinking it.
I'd say a sour is the only one to me that didn't have the distinct "beer" taste but I haven't had a hazy IPA (which is a bad name of it's nothing like an IPA in my opinion). I love hard cider, I hated Redds Apple Ale. They all taste like beer.
Oh, no, a hazy IPA is still definitely an IPA and would have the bitterness and hoppiness that you likely donât like. Just as someone who likes IPAs, if I asked for an IPA and got a hazy IPA Iâd be mildly surprised and it would have unexpected flavors.
And there definitely is some âdogpilingâ on for beer when people say they donât like it, even more so than other foods or drinks that people say they donât like, which isnât really fair. If you donât like something, I certainly wouldnât expect you to go out of your way and spend money trying to find a version that you might like (when you could instead be spending money on something you do enjoy).
Ah someone else said hazy IPA just tastes like juice. Which again probably means they like beer and the "beer taste" isn't what bugs them.
Funny that we both chose fruity beers as our first examples but I chose not to mention IPAs because I felt like they were similar. I certainly would not say that different IPAs would ever be thought to be entirely different kinds of drinks, though.
As someone who likes beer and has tried probably thousands at this point and has pretty much tapped out the different styles of beer available to try; I agree.
If you've tried a couple and all taste awful to you, I don't think you're suddenly going to find one you like. (Caveat: sours can often be much more like wine than beer ymmv)
Yes, I was going to make the same observation! It's also how people react when I tell them I don't like coffee. "Well you haven't had [insert their favorite way to drink coffee]!" I tried to like coffee (even the frappuccino creations people order at coffee places) but it's just not for me.
May I ask why you tried to develop a taste for it? I know people do this, but I've never understood why. There are lots of other hot drinks out there, caffeinated and not.
The closest I ever got was dumping way too much sugar into the only non-watee drink available during an overnight crunch time. It still tasted almost exactly the same to me. I just can't see forcing that on myself for a long period of time when it's to easy to get something I'll enjoy.
Because sometimes it was the only easily accessible caffeine mechanism. At a hotel for example. I learned to drink coffee starting by making a "hotel mocha" using a hot cocoa packet and replacing the water with coffee in increasing amounts.
Similar to beer there's a coffee taste that I didn't used to enjoy at all, even in coffee flavored things. Now I enjoy it (and cold brew my own at home)
That makes sense, thanks for clarifying!
I thought I replied to this yesterday, oops! I tried to acquire it when I was a teen and young adult because all of my friends loved to go meet "for coffee" and I wanted to fit in. They all said it was an acquired taste. I sure did not acquire it! Then I realized (as many young adults do) that no one cares, so I started ordering hot chocolate instead.
The last time I tried it was a few years ago when my boyfriend and I had first started dating. He thought I might like his cold brew so I humored him. I did not like it, it tasted the same as all other coffee I've ever had.
Sounds like the answer is per pressure, haha. Can't blame you in that environment.
One office I worked in has nitro cold brew and chai on tap. The cold brew at least wasn't bitter, but that chai was amazing.
Have you tried different beers like pilsners, sours or radlers?
A good pilsner should be super easy drinking and not bitter.
A sour arguably doesn't even resemble more traditional beer and is basically a fruit drink.
Radlers are just beer mixed with juice.
My wife also hates beer but enjoys these.
Second this - My wife hates anything fermented; beer, wine, etc
However, she loves radlers! I'll have to have her try a sour some time
I (not OP but also hate beer) can stomach a Radler, but it's because I like soda, so I would have a better time just drinking the soda that I actually like without beer mixed in.
I live in Germany so I don't think I've ever seen a sour as an option. I'll admit I've never tried one. I'm a cider drinker so if they're similar to that I can see it working, but I don't think it'd be a common find here -- there's a strong culture of "only 4 ingredients in beer" here.
Pilsners absolutely still taste like beer and are a very silly suggestion for someone who says they dislike the taste of beer.
I guess you could say a sour is as beer flavored as a cider so you may enjoy them. Definitely popular in North America. I guess I don't know how much sours have moved to Europe.
I disagree on pilsners. They are not bitter, which is most people's complaints about beer. It's fine that you don't like them though.
I like beer, except for super strong IPAs. There is definitely a beer signature taste that some people dislike that is not simply bitterness. Its similar to how some people despise mushrooms in any form or combination. Flavor preferences are wierd.
I don't disagree. It is just in my experience that is not what keeps people from enjoying beer.
Where is the line between a sour and a cider?
Ciders technically aren't beer, it's fermented apples. Sours are beer (water, yeast, malt, and hops), but the wort has either been naturally innoculated or artificially introduced with souring bacteria (different ones will give different flavors and mouth feel - for example, lactobacillus will give a creamier texture). Beer styles like IPAs or lagers that have these bacterial strains would be considered ruined because the flavors those bacteria produced are not particularly of that style's flavor profile.
Brewers can also add other things beyond the standard beer ingredients (called "adjuncts") to give the beer a specific flavor. Chocolate, marshmallow, fresh fruit like raspberries, etc. Adjuncts can be added to any style of beer, but it's more common in some than others.
The main difference is that sour beer is made from ingredients of beer (grains, hops) and cider is apple juice, etc.
Personally, I still find a sour to taste like beer, albeit a super fruity flavored one while cider tastes like boozy apple juice.
i think about this a lot. i don't ever crave a beer like i might crave, say, donuts, but i enjoy beer. drinking beer for me is an experience because i only drink beer when i'm out with friends or just out in general. but do i love the taste? depends on the beer but mostly no. i don't dislike it for the most part but again that depends on the beer.
I can relate to this. The only beer that I've tasted that I didn't hate was some acai berry bear. So I figured if that's what it takes, I'll just drink something else. Thanks to gluten-sensitivity, most breweries at least carry a cider on tap.
I dislike how seltzer around here has taken over the gluten free market. It's cut into the cider options significantly.
Agree. Not a huge seltzer fan, but I'll still suffer through it over beer if there are no other options.
I'll just not drink alcohol. I'm not really drinking to get drunk and I'd rather have a soda or water than a drink I dislike
I don't understand this comparison, I've been to a lot of countries in Europe and all of them had very diverse types of beer, while most beers in America are pretty similar in taste.
Dunno, all the bars I've been to in Europe had very limited beer choices. Meanwhile when I see bars in America they always have tons of tabs with all sorts of beers (no idea if they taste the same or not). Maybe I just went to the wrong places.
Mass market beers in the US have similar flavor profiles, but the craft brewery scene has exploded in popularity. Now most places you would buy beer carry a wide variety. I can go to my grocery store and find stouts and ipas and pilsners and more without trying.
If you happen to live in any of the states listed here on their shipping, I'd highly recommend: Trillium Brewing in Boston lol. Their Daily Servings is like drinking juice but it's beer!
Beer in general is so different. Most of my friends that don't like beer like sours, I'd recommend something like that.
People insist this about coffee, which I have strong memories of my first experiences with. I was given individual sips as a treat by my family, and I loved it from the first moment. As a result, I find this logic hard to take seriously. Sure, most people might be acclimating themselves slowly with the stick of social judgment and the carrot of a drug. That seems reasonable. But it's for some reason especially tiresome for me to see my kind of experience excluded from reality.
It comes across as bitter to hear others devising the ways you had to trick yourself into "liking" the things they know better than to waste time on. Dislike beer all you want, but let people like things.
Alright man, sorry for fucking up your morning then.
That's interesting, because the non-alcoholic trend has been picking up and the "beers" can be quite delicious. For example, Athletic brewing is fully NA and are pretty widely distributed. Their Octoberfest was one of my favorite things to drink for the last couple months.
I also largely dislike the taste of beer. But then I largely dislike the taste of alcohol without sugar. I've drunk one beer I enjoyed, which was a cherry beer a Belgian friend picked out for me. And even that was more of a compromise than anything -- I'd prefer a cidar all things considered!
It's bizarre that beer people are like this online bc I live in Germany, where you'd think people would care, but my friends here are luckily normal about it
Meta(?) unpopular opinion: saying X is trash or amazing without explaining why you feel that way doesnât evoke discussion, nor does it help with understanding why someone might/might not like something.
âI donât like pizzaâ, (I saw one comment about pizza and it wasnât saying this for the record, I just needed an example, no hate intended towards any pizza specific comments,) ultimately means nothing more than âI donât like popular thingâ. Explain why! I want to know what about pizza you hate! Is it the cheese? Is it the idea of toppings? Is the mixture of cheese + sauce + crust just too basic? Or is it more cultural where you hate what pizza represents?
If donât like something that many/most/majority of people enjoy, can you guys explain why? A portion of these responses are very âI donât like X. Itâs all the same and gross.â Thatâs okay to start off with, but what about that thing makes you hate it?
My unpopular opinion
I think onions are often over used. They over power the flavor of everything else, take too long to cook if youâre looking for a more refined flavor, and are only ever used properly by more skilled chefs/cooks. I donât hate onion, but many times when a recipe or dish mentions onion as a major ingredient, I order or make something else. I use onion sparingly in a stew I make regularly and a couple of pasta sauces in very reserved amounts.
In my opinion, onion should be used to enhance other flavors like salt does. It should not be tasted directly without another flavor accompanying it.
I think onions are like salt: A properly salted dish does not taste like it has any salt at all, but if you take the salt away, it suddenly tastes flat.
Onions work the same way for me. If I can taste any onion at all, there are too many onions â but in some recipes, there is also such a thing as too few onions.
This is possibly a better way of putting what I meant! Onion can enhance a dish, but too many dishes put its flavor in the forefront. Onion in my stew is used to pull out the flavors of the other ingredients. My stew does not have the faintest taste of onion, but without it the stew would be lesser.
I used to think that I hated meatloaf because my mother would add chunks of onion along with onion powder. One time she forgot she was out of onions, and she was low on onion powder as well. That meatloaf continues to be the best one sheâs ever made.
There are different types of onions and some are fine raw. I don't normally eat yellow onions raw, but red onions go well raw in salads or on hot dogs or burgers. Especially if I'm feeling too lazy to fry up yellow onions for fast food.
For me it's definitely about that onion texture, cooked, raw, fried, it doesn't matter, I can't stand that texture. Any food with with a focus on onions is immediately off putting so I also avoid any dish that lists onions as a main ingredient.
If I can't taste the onions though, it's not a problem and I can eat them. So in short, I absolutely agree with you.
If the point is to have a discussion, then I agree this isn't terribly helpful! But if somebody just doesn't like something, then I don't think they have to justify it and people (myself included, admittedly) are often kind of rude by acting aghast when somebody doesn't like pizza or something.
Re: your unpopular opinion, I'm actually totally with you on that, but I also think that some people just don't have the vocabulary and/or a palate developed enough to explain their dislike of particular foods. From what I've seen with my husband (and my dad to a lesser extent), texture is easier to explain than flavor. My husband can't really tell you what he doesn't like about a food's flavor beyond its salt level. He's slowly improving, but it's a slog. My dad once gave me this super helpful feedback on a marinara sauce I made: "I don't know, it just tastes too vegetarian."
...it's literally a meatless sauce. It's inherently vegetarian. It's not like I made a bolognese with Quorn. He's had marinara before!
Oh, that one is wild! Oregano is vastly overused in cheap vegetarian meals, in my experience, and I'd wonder if he'd had similar experiences that was a sort of anchor point he had unconsciously developed.
I have a friend who typifies that sort of limited vocabulary limiting his gustatory curiosity, and so we have an agreement that he'll trust me to gently introduce him to new flavors. As we are fairly young and single, that means a lot of those opportunities come in bottles.
I proffered him to smell blue curacao, his first reaction was "floor cleaner". I tried to be respectful and stifle a laugh , but the moment I brought the bottle over, that was all I could smell, too. And then I doubled over laughing because of how spot on he was. Before he said that, I'd have thought "orange peel, acetone, lemon zest", all that dumb shit, but he nailed it. I love an untrained palate sometimes.
Do you feel that way about both cooked and raw onion?
Personally not a fan of raw onion at all. The texture is pretty unappealing and the flavor still has the âeasy to overpowerâ everything issue. Maybe I need to try other varieties of onion and see if itâs just the types Iâve been using.
Cooked onion can be made appetizing by caramelizing or otherwise reducing and refining the onion flavor and texture. It can still easily overpower the flavor of a dish, but I can at least see what benefit it would have if added in small quantities.
Alcohol tastes like dying. I dont want to try your specific cocktail that you're sure I'll love.
Lol, seconded. Anything straight gives my body the reaction of poison. I know folks love martinis or manhattans or well any "complex" boozy drink. I just taste a cup of death I'd rather not finish. Martinis in particular.
I used to the feel the same way until my best friend became a bar tender followed quickly by bar manager. Over the course of 8 years he managed several different bars where I had the privy to partake in topself of a variety of spirits. My palate is much more developed. I would say, I avoid drinking anything in the well unless I know its name. Anything with a skull or name I canât pronounce is a no no. And the bartender can drink it cause they drink nasty shit all the time to get Thur their shift. The well is normally the cheapest alcohol they have in their establishment.
Fully agreed, the hard liquors are all unappealing to me due to the strong alcohol taste. Whiskey in particular since it adds some foul tasting ingredients like peat or whatever on top of the alcohol.
It's pretty socially expected in America too. Not so much as a family thing necessarily, but in adult gatherings alcohol is often considered a prerequisite for any kind of event to be "fun". There is sometimes an out if you say you are an alcoholic or something, but its fairly common for people to immediately try and change your mind if you say you aren't interested in drinking.
Which is why some people go to the bartender and order a selzer water with lime or other mocktail
Do Americans understand that no-one outside of the US knows what âranchâ tastes like?
Manure? Cows? What are the ingredients? đ
We have "ranch" dressing here in Canada too. And when I lived in the UK they had it there as well, although it typically tasted a bit different than the kind you can find in NA. And I'm pretty sure you can get it in Australia as well, so it might just be an anglosphere Commonwealth thing?
But for those who haven't ever had it, it's typically made using buttermilk, combined with mayonnaise, and/or sour cream, and/or yogurt (so it has quite a bit of fermented dairy tang / tartness to it), along with garlic powder, onion powder, dill, parsley, chives, salt, and pepper. Sometimes it also has mustard and/or paprika in it as well, depending on the recipe.
So if you can imagine all that combined then you can imagine how it tastes. :P Or you can look up a recipe if you want to give it a try yourself. It's not hard to make... so long as you can find buttermilk in your country, that is. I have no idea how common buttermilk is outside NA though. It's commonly used for making pancakes/waffles, various baked goods, and also fried chicken here in NA, so you can get it at pretty much every grocery store here.
They started selling it in a supermarket here in Spain a while back. Initially called "salsa ranchera", now it just says "ranch" on the bottle. It's the best with fries or potato wedges.
Another question, what on earth is "buttermilk"? It really isn't a thing outside of North America.
I think there is an analog over here though called "Piimä", which is a similar fermented milk drink. But it's not something I'd put in a dressing or a dip as i's quite sour/tangy.
But I really do need to try to make it myself, the components in themselves sound pretty good. It's just the ubiquity of "Ranch" everywhere in the US that's baffling combined with the fact that it's pretty much unknown everywhere else. ...or we have stuff called "Ranch", but according to Actual Americans the only similarity is the name =)
Buttermilk was traditionally just the liquid left over after making cultured butter, hence its name. So basically fermented/cultured cream with a lot of the fat and milk solids removed. But cultured butter isn't really a thing here anymore, so now most buttermilk sold in stores isn't a butter byproduct, but its own fermented dairy product designed to taste and behave (high lactic acid = low Ph, which is why its so good for baking and marinating) like the traditional product. But you can also make a faux-buttermilk at home by simply adding white vinegar or lemon juice to milk, and waiting for it to curdle.
But according to Wikipedia buttermilk is not just a NA thing, even though its not called "buttermilk" elsewhere:
And Finnish Piimä may be what that article is referring to, so is probably similar enough that it would likely work fine when making ranch dressing, since the sourness/tang/tartness of buttermilk is what gives ranch much of its distinct flavor. :)
It came from the left behind milk from churned butter that would ferment as it separated. Nowadays it's probably less cultured than a more fermented dairy drink (but is apparently still a thing in many other countries if Wikipedia is to be believed.)
A ranch seasoning packet would be how to make it locally. Its all the bits pre-mixed.
Piimä might be similar, buttermilk is pretty tangy as well, both fall under the category of âsoured milksâ according to Wikipedia: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermented_milk_products#SourMilk
I think that this is the equivalent of heavy cream in the US: https://www.k-ruoka.fi/haku?q=kerma&tuote=pirkka-kuohukerma-2dl-6410405142597
If you take this and shake it until the solids clump into butter, the remaining liquid is buttermilk. https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/blog/2022/04/08/how-to-make-butter-at-home
Well but unless you let it sit out and ferment (which it might not if it's pasteurized) or culture it yourself it won't be what Americans call "buttermilk".
Is it similar to garlic sauce, the kind you get with kebab?
Not really no. Though that's delicious.
Love it. Sprinkling some Thai spice on your slice then dipping in ranch is also amazing imo.
I never understood ones fascination with dipping pizza or fries in ranch. I remember being in high school when everyone started doing this type of dip, it kinda grossed me out. Now Iâm older, I didnât start liking it until I made homemade ranch dressing. OMG talk about stepping it up a notch. Homemade ranch has a flavor that burst through your mouth making u want more and more.
Try thousand island sometime. Heaven.
Raw tomatoes are gross
Wow. Fresh tomatoes, especially cherry tomatoes picked and eaten immediately in the garden are heaven to me.
I had cooked tomatoes in an English breakfast once and I despise the taste, texture, experience.
Yep I'm in this camp. I hate tomatoes. Closest I can get are "whole" tomatoes in a red sauce or something like that which I am fine with. Last time I tried to eat a cherry tomato I gagged as soon as I bit into it. Might have to give it another try soon if I'm going to keep bringing it up.
If you have tried fresh from the garden or farmers market in a location where they grow easily, I don't think you need to. It has a strong flavor profile, but there are also better and significantly worse tomatoes.
For me, raw tomatoes can be gross or they can be absolutely delicious. It's all in the variety.
Where I live, store-bought tomatoes are only edible cooked or very heavily seasoned. They are otherwise watery, mealy, and even bitter. Even cherry and grape tomatoes, which are bred specifically for snacking on raw, are only a little better.
But some heirloom tomato varieties are quite nice raw. I still don't like a lot of homegrown tomatoes, but Amish Paste is my hands-down favorite tomato of all time. They are so good, I could eat them like apples. (They also make the absolutely tastiest sauce I have ever had, by a long shot. However, I end up cooking very few of them because I can't stop myself from eating them as soon as they ripen.)
But why? What you don't like about raw tomatoes? Taste, texture, or something else? What about dry tomatoes, marinated tomatoes, do you like it?
It's mostly the taste, and in some cases like grape or cherry tomatoes, the texture. I like sundried tomatoes, salsa, sauces, etc not not sliced tomatoes on a sandwich or anything in a salad.
Sundried tomatoes are the one form I donât particularly like, though I havenât tried them in a few years. Will give them a go next time they are an option. I give olives a retry every so many years just in case I start liking them.
Completely respect your position.
Mine is that what people commonly consider tomatoes, are those pink, translucent things they sell at grocery stores, that are varieties bred to maximize physical durability and transportability, with flavor considered not at all. Slightly better are the redder, hydroponically grown ones, but they're still lacking.
In an entirely different realm are tomatoes from one's own garden, preferably old varieties bred for flavorfulness, that wouldn't stand the industry transport system. That tomato, warm from the sun, picked and taken inside, sliced and given a light sprinkle of freshly ground black pepper, (but no salt, never any salt), and eaten immediately, is one of the best taste experiences possible. Heavenly.
I've heard this from multiple people, and have to admit that I haven't tried tomatoes under these circumstances. My wife's aunt raves about this as well. She grows some, so I might have to branch out and try this.
I'd be interested in hearing your experience. Of course, even then it might not be palatable for you. Different strokes, as they say. Cheers!
Sushi kinda sucks. I've tried it a handful of times, it was always good but the price and bang for my buck just isn't what I would want, even if bang for my buck isn't the concern. EDIT: this isn't a quantity or quality thing, good ramen is more exciting to me, for example. I feel I'd get more mileage out of any other dish in terms of flavor, texture, and overall enjoyment of it. I love the hell out of any Japanese food I've had, but it's raw fish dipped in soy sauce and wasabi.
Either I overestimate how highly people think of sushi or it's always just kinda underwhelming.
I think it depends on your desired experience. I absolutely can get full on sushi, and it can taste amazing - I've not had gourmet sushi but good restaurant quality. But if it isn't emotionally satisfying in the same way for a person, it may never hit the "worth my food experience" buttons for them. Especially for the cost.
Based on this I'm going to assume you mean sashimi and not sushi. Sashimi is often lumped in with sushi, especially in USA/Canada but sushi usually refers to the vinegared rice accompanied with other ingredients. Sushi is kind of like Mexican food in that it's generally a bunch of different configurations of similar ingredients but substitute rice tortillas with seaweed.
The most common stuff you see in Western countries are:
But there are also dozens of others that we don't typically see over here.
I personally have developed a taste for sashimi because I was on a keto diet for a while and it was the easiest meal I could share with people out in a group setting. I've come to appreciate the variety of textures and flavours different dishes have, even the different cuts of the same fish can have a wide range of experiences.
Cheesecake is trash.
My man! As I've gotten older I've come around to a lot of foods I used to hate, but one that has stayed constant is my disgust for cheesecake. I just can't understand why anyone would put that in their mouth.
Also eggnog.
I have also come around on a lot of foods as I've gotten older but my hatred of cheesecake withstands the test of time.
Assuming you mean plain cheesecake, I completely agree. It's not sweet enough and the texture is off-putting.
Any and all cheesecake.
Have you tried baked cheesecake?
Aren't they all baked? I honestly cannot stand the texture so I just stay away.
Food should have the inedible parts (bones, shells, etc.) removed before serving. You'd probably have a negative reaction if someone served you a pastry with a rock inside, but for some reason people like bone-in meat.
Lean meat tastes just as good as fatty meat, and usually has better texture.
It's okay, and often desirable, to put more than just salt and pepper on beef.
I think I just have a thing against Meat Culture.
Edit to add a non-meat one: tomato sauce should be run through a blender until it's a sauce. Chunks of squishy tomato are gross.
TIL that oysters are alive when eaten. I grew up believing I was allergic to shellfish, so I've never had one. Now I have no reason to start.
The barrier to entry is kinda massive because the texture is a massive turn-off for most people. I had 3 of them last night with horseradish and Lousiana-stlye hot sauce. It was the first time I didn't gag. Once I learned about the health benefits I became a believer.
Edit: I just noticed that I said 'massive' twice and now I feel weird about it.
As to your first point I think I am your opposite. I enjoy having to work to eat my food, either by removing shells, biting meat off the bone, removing pits. I just really get some kind of satisfaction out of the effort and I think by being slowed down I savor the experience more.
I've been buying peanuts roasted the shell lately. I really enjoy the kinesthetic and auditory aspects of shelling them, plus it rate limits my snacking. Messy as hell though.
Something about ripping meat off a bone just feels right. One of my favorite meals ever was the last meal at a summer camp where they set up a long table from the main building to the circle drive where the buses would pick us up and we got ribs and curly fries just straight onto the table (plastic picnic tables with paper tablecloths). I remember my cabin for some reason took our shirts off and went to town ripping the meat off those ribs. I felt like a caveman devouring my kill and it was awesome. And then we got ice cream sandwiches and life was good.
My ironic idiosyncrasy is that as a Brit who doesn't actually eat, like or cook British foods; I am always deeply offended when people online say that British food is bland and disgusting.
Nearly all my other unpopular food opinions are about British foods. For example, the two British food I actually like, are christmas pudding and marmite on heavily (plant) buttered toast/crumpets.
I was in London 3 times this year and I agree. The fact that we can't easily get black pudding in America should be a crime. Also allll the meat pies and a good full english, ugh i miss it so much. Not to mention some of the best Indian food outside of India (besides Central Jersey). I'm probably gonna try to do a full UK tour next year or so to get all the experiences of course but "british food is bland" is such a bland thought lol
York was a favorite, last time I went. This time I am going to venture into Wales and see Powis castle and its collection.
The Indian food I do like, same with all the Caribbean, Mediterranean, African, European, East Asian and Middle Eastern food here. There are so many cultures here, I'd say every high street in London has at least two shops where you can buy authentic, staple foods and some fancy ingredients from at least one of these places. That's the sort of foods I grew up here eating too.
I have to disagree with everything else though as I do not eat animals or their byproducts and traditional British foods are very meat and dairy focussed and that is disgusting to me.
Outside of the very well known vegan cafes and restaurants in London what do you recommend? It's very expensive but I really enjoyed the vegan seven course tasting menu at Galvin La Chapelle.
Tbh I mainly home cook and order in the occasional meal these days as I'm a bit too 'on benefits' to be going to fancy restaurants (and I'm a better cook than most). There's some good vegan pizza delivery options in north London lately though!
I looooooove black pudding.
Many, many years ago a friend and I came up with what we considered the most quintessentially English dish imaginable: boiled fat, two inches thick. We laughed our asses off.
Disclaimer: my mother is an English lass who married an American serviceman in 1954, so I'm a bit laughing at myself.
Have you ever been to the uk and eaten British food here?
2 inches of boiled fat doesn't sound like any sort of British food I've ever encountered, and I'm from here and have lived here for over 30 years now.
It's just a joke made by guys at age 20. Yes, I've been to England, and eaten British food, and it was fine.
The only acceptable cheese is cream cheese and even then itâs only on a bagel. Ideally toasted.
No I do not like pizza.
Yes I know you can get it without cheese. This ensures no one is happy
At least you understand that pizza without cheese is just sad.
I really appreciate your pizza conclusion.
My wife ordered a Pizza marinara once, thinking that the "marine" part meant it would come with seafood on it. Imagine her disappointment when she discovered that it only had tomato sauce, a bit of dried oregano and couple of halves of garlic chucked on it instead.
This led to me looking up why it's called "marinara" and if it's a false cognate which I'd never done before.
The answer for others is that marinara sauce is "sailors sauce" either because Napoleon's sailors brought it back, or because wives made it for sailors returning from sea or whatever lost to time origin it came from. There's nothing definitive and while my Nonna might have an opinion she's still spinning in her grave from many of my and my mom's life choices so she's unavailable for comment.
I think my most controversial would be: I find most dishes to be delicious unsalted.
I home cook a lot, and mostly use salt-free ingredients (like broth, canned tomatoes, butter), since I find the salted versions too salty, so no, I'm not unknowingly cooking with salt when I don't want to. That said, I'm not a complete monster, and do find certain dishes are absolutely elevated with a little salt; I also do cook with some salty condiments like soy sauce (but usually prefer lower-salt versions).
Interesting, Ive never even heard of salted coffee, but it would make sense to cut bitterness.
I think salt is just one of those things we build personal tolerances to. I believe people when they say that salt enhances a food's natural flavour from their taste perspective, but I'm so sensitive to its taste that when I do add salt, it easily overtakes other flavours to me (in most dishes).
People, even friends, all look at me weird when I say I enjoy unsalted fries. Like I've never enjoyed a proper meal in my life (it's not that I dislike salted fries, they're fine, I just don't see them as inherently better). But that's just how my mom always cooked them for me when I was young, she said salt was unhealthy and never added it unless strictly necessary, and I was okay with it. Glad I'm not alone.
Im not a huge french fries fan overall, but I imagine my preference for unsalted potatoes (mashed, baked, whatever) is similar, most people think it's bizarre. Oddly, potato chips I do prefer salted.
My reason is the same: Growing up, one of my family members who I absorbed a lot of cooking knowledge from didn't add salt, so I became used to the (lack of its) flavour, and instead notice the other inherant flavours of foods. :)
I have two opinions that nobody I know agrees with me on, but I nonetheless feel them very strongly:
Eggs
I don't like eggs to have a creamy consistency. I'll still eat them â I don't hate them â but it is a disappointment. Eggs have so much more texture potential, and I hate to squander it.
I like my eggs to have a meaty, filling texture that I can really bite into. A proper egg, in my opinion, should be a bit like a jelly donut: satisfyingly chewy on the outside and deliciously gooey on the inside. This is best achieved by cooking fast on high heat, which is apparently the "wrong" way to cook eggs, but it is what I absolutely love the most.
Also, if I'm going to eat a fried egg, I want some crispiness, dammit! If there is no crispiness, why even fry it at all? Just poach it. (I do, at least, know a small handful of people who agree with me on this one!)
Salad
I hate slimy leaves. The quickest way to turn a salad from delightful to unpalatable is to add dressing, oil, vinegar, etc. Leaves are not absorbent enough for this and just acquire a snot-like texture, and their flavor does not synergize with it at all.
This one, in particular, was my bane growing up. So many adults would criticize me for always skipping the salads, thinking I was trying to avoid eating vegetables. When I tried to explain that it was only the dressing I was balking at, they simply did not believe me. If they had been willing to give me a bowl of plain greens, I would have happily chowed down, but this was unthinkable for some reason. (I was accused of not liking greens, but I think it was them who disliked greens since they seemingly couldn't imagine eating them without completely disguising the taste and texture.)
wait what? this is not the usual way to do it? how do "normal" people cook an egg then?
People generally prefer quite soft eggs, which is achieved by cooking slowly on low heat and stopping the cooking process shortly before it feels like the eggs are done (they will continue to cook for a little while after). I'm not sure if this is the "normal" way to cook them, but it is definitely considered the "better" way to cook them.
I like a little bit of blue cheese in my Alfredo sauce.
I am mildly disgusted yet intrigued. Guess I'm making alfredo this week
Just add a little bit.. it makes it richer
Mixing plain rice into mashed potatoes elevates the texture đ
For some reason I'm imagining someone now mixing plain RAW rice into their mashed potatoes. Mmm...the texture!
Oh god you made it worse đ
this has never once crossed my mind but now i think it will never leave. i have to try it.
Yes... Ha ha ha... Yes!
If you remember this post when you do come tell me what you thought about it đ¤Ł
Details needed! Do you cook the rice? When do you add it to the mash? How much?
Why would you not cook the rice????
I meant: do you cook the rice separately and stir it in after or put the uncooked rice in to boil with the potatos?
I'm not a monster. Or three birds in a trench coat :)
Cook separately, add on the plate to taste! Usually in a somewhat 2:1 mash to rice ratio đ after all it's mashed potatoes with rice, not rice with mashed potatoes :P
Thank you!
People who donât get more extra with burger patties than salt and pepper. The local cafe at work does them like this and itâs basically inedible as far as Iâm concerned. Breadcrumbs, paprika, cayenne and onion at least!
Hear hear! Vegi burgers too, fuck those Impossible patties. I want vegi burgers to go back to being those delicious random ass combinations like beans, greens, walnuts and mushrooms all coarsly blended together and smushed into fried disks. I miss that.
I get so disappointed when a restaurant's only vegetarian sandwich/burger involves fake meat. I like the random-ass veggie burger too.
Super specific unpopular opinion: I prefer stale cheetos (crunchy or puffy) to regular/fresh ones.
Something about the texture, being almost like packing peanuts, is just really satisfying. Kind of like the physical feeling of a squeaky sound. There isn't a whole lot here to defend other than I just like it. Regular ones are good too, but we rarely ever get them and finding an old bag feels like hitting a goldmine!
I actually do the same!! I don't deliberately forget to eat cheetoes anymore but I know exactly what you mean.
Wow, look at us, there must be dozens of us who enjoy it! I'm actually very pleasantly surprised to hear others enjoy it too, I didn't expect that to be the response on the thread.
I feel this way about Trader Joe's version of Oreos. When they are a little stale they get slightly soft like an ice cream sandwich.
Can't stand stale regular Oreos.
Excited to go back to Taiwan soon so mine is: I LOVE stinky tofu and weird chicken entrails. Chicken heart is delicious. Durian isn't as bad as people say it is.
I have had a lot of weird dishes in a number of countries, but Taiwan takes the cake for more unexpected yet palatable dishes. I'm not sure what these are called as the work collaborator I went with didn't speak english but I'll say we got all of them at night markets in Taipei if that helps.
Ice soup: Ok so you ate this one with a spoon and it had a ton of ice floating in a bowl of a milky liquid (maybe some kind of nut milk) with little fruit bits floating around. It was kind of like eating cereal with fruit in it if the cereal had be exchanged for ice cubes. All in all, weird but pretty good. Very refreshing on the warm evening.
Spiced mushroom pie: Ok so this had the visual look and texture of an uncooked chicken breast but when cut into seemed like a thick light brown gelatin that had little mushrooms underneath and a thick brown sauce that all tasted like apple pie. I had a hard time getting my brain to eat it as a dessert (I think it was anyway for how sweet and winter spice it was) but it was actually pretty tasty.
Ice soup as in tsua bing? (jesus the Wikipedia phonetics are just so ugly lol) It's the best for hot summer days!
I have no idea what mushroom pie is though, I'll have to remember to look at that lol.
So you know, those aren't technically phonetics on Wikipedia; they're different systems of romanizing (transcribing) Chinese. They're not necessarily supposed to be the way you or I would transcribe the sounds; the point is to have a standardized system where you can understand from the spelling exactly how something is pronounced (e.g. which "ch" sound is supposed to be used).
I know, I'm curious on what kind of romanization they're using. I learned pinyin growing up and the wiki page even has it, just not as the main title of the page.
Man, tsua bing looks amazing but that wasn't it. Or maybe it was in different format? The one I had was in a little white bowl and looked almost exactly like a bunch of ice in skim milk with like 6 small pieces of fruit in it. Sorry I can't be more helpful and I appreciate you keeping your eye out for mushroom pie!
I'll have to look when I'm there! It's been a couple of years since I've gone back and my sister and I are compiling lists of things we need to eat before coming back lol.
Maybe hwachae or a Taiwanese variant?
This feels more right.
Never visited Taiwan but people absolutely sleep on chicken entrails/heart and it's a big shame. They're super cheap, easy to prepare (depending on the dish but I usually stew them so it's mostly set it and forget it) and have such rich flavor compared to something like a chicken breast.
I always make a big batch and freeze a bunch for later. 10/10 would recommend.
I think it's a thing about eating offal in general, most people aren't super used the stronger taste. I personally generally don't eat intestines because I can't get the thoughts out of my head (even though I know they clean it well) but in Taiwan there's a dish called pork intestine noodles that I make an exception for lol.
Another one is blood sausage, but I think there's a lot in Europe too.
One of my favorite ways for chicken heart, if you can get it, is barbeque chicken hearts, the more I think about it the hungrier i get and it's almost midnight here.
The correct way to eat a chicken nugget is to dunk it in all three sauces. For mcdonald's, that used to mean hot mustard, barbecue, and sweet and sour. Now they don't have hot mustard any more, and their nuggets are pretty gross.
For Chikfila (a far superior nugget, for sure), honey mustard, barbecue, and Polynesian is the closest you can come. Substituting Polynesian for Sweeit and Spicy (sriracha) is acceptable, but too hot for many people.
Ketchup is the second line of defense for finishing your fries when you run out of dipping sauces, but the nuggets never go in ketchup.
Ketchup + honey is my nugget/tendy dipping comfort food.
Hot Mustard at McDonald's does still exist. At least around my area (NC, USA).
Chick fil a nuggets I like to double dunk in Chick fil a sauce and buffalo. I will try your trifecta next time I get some though.
I hate onions. I canât stand the texture. I donât mind the flavor, but eating onions is the worst.
I spent most of my life believing I hated onions until I realised it was just the texture I hated and the flavour is actually good! Turns out this is the case with most food I hated growing up.
I have no problems with onions if they're diced up incredibly fine. If a recipe has onion in it, I always insist on cutting them, because my definition of fine is apparently different from what most people consider fine. Plus, it does take a lot longer to dice them that finely, so it's only fair I do it since it's for my benefit.
You may appreciate this method then, assuming it isn't already the way you are cutting them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UBj9H6z6Uxw
As a side not, I'm always disappointed that we never got to see how the center core is cut.
seconded. Onion powder/salt in cooking is fine for me but cooked (or worse fresh) whole onion slices make my stomach hurt and skin crawl.
Burger patties have no business containing anything other than meat inside the mixture.
If you want a burger with egg, spices, salt, onion, pepper, etc. in the patty, you should eat a stew with a bun on the side instead.
Edit: or a meatloaf
is it common to have things in the patty? The only one I can think of is a Juicy Lucy.
Why not salt though? Even something like a classic smash burger or any diner burger salts their meat after cooking.
So, my pet peeve is mixing the meat with these things, not having them as toppings. I also salt my burger patties, on the outside.
I don't like the idea of putting salt in the mixture because it dehydrates the meat, and the patty doesn't turn out as juicy as it can be.
Edit: and yes, it is pretty common. I had acquaintances cook them like that, also ate them at several "good" burger places. Even I was putting a bunch of crap in the patties when I first started cooking.
ah, yeah then we're in agreement there haha. it's funny though everything you mentioned on your list is basically ingredients to a meatloaf, and a meatloaf sandwich sounds delicious.
Cornbread should not, and does not if properly made, contain sugar. It's terrible and an insult.
If you're putting sugar in cornbread you're making corncake not cornbread.
It should also never contain wheat flour. Whornbread is disgusting.
I would rather have fried gator than fried chicken. the taste and texture are better. It probably doesn't help that I worked on a turkey farm for beer money in college...
Liver has a flavor that I just can't tolerate. It makes me gag.
On the other hand I quite like lamb, goat, meat with rich flavor. Heart and tongue are fine but liver and kidneys just don't appeal.
Agreed its flavor can be pretty strong but I do like sustainably harvested foie gras on a beef Wellington or atop a steak. It melts like butter and taste wonderful.
Fun thread!
Sour cream and onion chips are the absolute worst tasting chips in the world. I'm not picky in general but when it comes to chips I'm damn conservative. SO many people seem to love this flavor and honestly it pisses me off because they're wrong!
Cheddar and sour cream chips are the superior chip in this space, nostalgia be damned.
turkey is overrated and stuffing (in all forms) is disgusting. However, we should continue to eat turkeys because they're assholes.
I refuse to eat pizza with a knife and fork no matter how hot and greasy it is, and I convinced myself there's a placebo effect that makes it taste better from eating it with my hands. I fold the piece in half if it's too hot to maintain its structural integrity on its own.
umami flavored foods
In case you want to experiment. When I think umami, I think mushrooms, which don't taste salty to me unless they have salt added.
But soy beans and tofu are also umami, just without salt.
Cilantro tastes like gross burnt carrots, and it ruins most salsas for me.
That's new. I've heard tons of times about the famous OR6A2 mutation that causes it to taste like soap, but never burnt carrots.
I probably have that gene (because it tastes kinda soapy), but for some reason I like it anyway. My partner was very confused when I described it as a kinda bitter parsley.
Store bought eggs are at the top of my list. They have this egg smell and off taste that just makes it unbearable to eat. The eggs I buy from a local farm have no egg smell, their light and fluffy and it puts the store bought egg to shame.
While I'm not turned off by store bought eggs, I can attest that farm fresh eggs are far superior. They even somehow behave better in cooking. Wild.
As someone who raised chickens several times when I was doing the hippie back to the land thing, and had eggs from whatevertheycouldfind-fed chickens, I approve this comment.
Still hate garlic. Still live in a country where people put garlic in everything.
The taste of garlic overpowers anything you put it in, as well as everything in the next two meals. You can remove garlic from any recipe or redesign it to not use garlic, and it will still be just as tasty.
I don't like any of the standard north American condiments....ketchup, mayo, mustard, relish all seem gross and un-foodlike to me. Dunno how the rest of you eat that stuff on a perfectly nice burger
Haven't tried any, so I'm not sure! Is there much difference?