rw-Food

I tend to be fairly picky, especially when it comes to veggies.  I don't like tomatoes (but I will eat spaghetti sauce as long as there are no chunks of toms and ketchup), or peppers, or onions (although I will eat things cooked with onions as long as I don't eat the onion, it's a texture thing).  I don't not like mushrooms, I would just rather not eat them (I do like the texture of them.)  Most meats I will eat...except veal.  I also LOVE crab legs and shrimp (but only the shrimp made by my DH - I LOVE the sauce he makes).  The sauce is made from butter, mustard, and lemon juice - of which I don't like mustard EVER, except in this sauce.

As far as different nationality foods I don't like individual items.  When I eat Chinese, I will typically eat General Tso's chicken.   For Mexican, I prefer tacos.  And then there is Indian food.  We went to a restaurant once and I really didn't like it at all.  The spice was waaayyy too much for me even though I got something pretty mild and the taste wasn't all that great.  For xmas eve this year my BIL made an Indian dish and it would have been pretty good if it hadn't been so spicy, and again I had the milder version.

I am a "try anything once" kind of girl, except for sushi.  I cannot wrap my head around raw fish.

I have tasted lots of foods due to my travels in the service as well as being married to someone who loved to cook.

For the Indian food, the curry can be hot, but that can be varied.  Do try Tandoori (Indian); it is not hot and suprisingly unique.

I'm extremely adventurous when it comes to flavors, not as adventurous when it comes to meats and/or textures. As an example, I like clam chowder, but I do not like clams. I have yet to meet a "category" of food that I do not like - Indian, Mexican, Ethiopian, Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai... you name it, I like it. :) But I am distinctly American when it comes to my sensibilities about meat - give me something with eyes, or organ meats, or non-traditionally-eaten things (like bugs), or similar, and I am going to have a lot of trouble. I know I "shouldn't," but I can't help myself!

I tend not to like "sweet" meat -- i.e., no ketchup on burgers, don't care for sweet BBQ sauce, etc.  Nor do I care for "sweet and sour" (whether it's German food or Chinese). 

I tend to be pretty adventurous -- and I will *try* pretty much anything.  Am not at all fond of asparagus.  Really don't care for avocado either (too greasy I think).  Love raw carrots but don't like cooked "buttered" ones (that's a childhood thing and it's more a joke than anything).

since being married to David I've become much more adventurous (mostly because I don't have to get all wound up in the "OMG what IF I get it and don't like it I'll have to choke down a ton of it or get in TROUBLE" thing my parents gifted me with).

b/c of the arthritis and my own food allergies I have to be more cautious than anything.  I can't eat spinach (*sigh* it IS my favorite veggie) and I have to beware of fresh basil, chipotle, etc because they cause a HUGE allergic reaction -hives, itch, etc.

I love Greek/middle-Eastern, Italian (particularly seafood, not just spaghetti and the typical stuff), Chinese.  I too don't love the smell of curry but am not adverse to it.

Oh yeah -- my other weirdness -- I hate nutmeg.  Whether it's in apple pie or used as a mid-east spice in meat -- I can smell/taste it in a heartbeat and I just don't like it.

I would LOVE Scottis haggis **except** they put nutmeg in any I've ever had.  yuck.  I just plain hate nutmeg. 

Texture is much the key with me -- particularly meat/seafood.  I like a mid-rare steak but if it crosses that line into "rare" where the meat becomes mushy? Nope.  No raw meat/seafood at all -- sorry, but I'm gonna pass on sushi. 

Am not afraid of anything -- and will try most anything.  Have some defnite guidelines but part of the wonder of life is the wide variety of tastes in the world.

sharismom

I am a "try anything once" kind of girl, except for sushi.  I cannot wrap my head around raw fish.

They have some that has no seafood in it at all I am pretty sure. Seaweed yes...rice yes...veggies yes...I woud try those...and probably a sashimi (raw) one or two. But no I would not get into the raw too much simply because I don't need a large flatworm attached to my liver thanks!

I think I am one who tends to like the "peasant" side of food and cooking more than the "cordon bleu" side of things. I love casseroles, soups with substance, large cuts of meat, potatoes, root veggies...heavy sauces, large portions etc, more than I like tiny pretty things, subtly spiced, elegantly presented, with decorations on them.

That goes really for most cuisines. I am from good peasant stock...that's likely why!

I'm not very adventurous, at least when it comes to cooking.  I'm as happy with a Kraft mac than with a dinner it took 5 hours to prepare and cook.

I'm not super picky, but I like foods that are combinations.  Like, I'd rather have a pasta with shrimp, mushrooms, onions, etc than just a steak.  I will eat any kind of meat or seafood but don't really like it by itself.  I like soups, sandwiches, casseroles, enchiladas, etc.

I really like cheese and most of the types of food I have no taste for are because they have no cheese.  I also don't like sweet and sour, or teriyaki.

I can't handle super spicy stuff, it's not that I don't like it I just can't handle it!

rwbeagles

I think I am one who tends to like the "peasant" side of food and cooking more than the "cordon bleu" side of things. I love casseroles, soups with substance, large cuts of meat, potatoes, root veggies...heavy sauces, large portions etc, more than I like tiny pretty things, subtly spiced, elegantly presented, with decorations on them.

That describes me really well too. I am adventurous and love most food but some things not enough to eat more than one time. I've had raw oysters and I'm glad I tried them and the Bloody Mary to wash it down with helped, but I doubt I'd ever try them again. I had snails when I was on a cruise and thanks to all the butter and garlic in the sauce, they were quite yummy. I'm not one for sushi much but I love seared ahi and that's pretty close to raw, right? I'm not a huge fan of Indian food either but I can find enough on the menu to enjoy a meal.

DH is adventurous too and I'm so thankful. My BFF has gotten super picky and it drives me crazy. Her DH is even pickier than she is and it's hard for me to imagine having to work around all the aversions to this or that.

cakana

DH is adventurous too and I'm so thankful. My BFF has gotten super picky and it drives me crazy. Her DH is even pickier than she is and it's hard for me to imagine having to work around all the aversions to this or that.

It wasn't til we went to Nawlins that I sat back realized how much food is a part of our relationship LOL. It truly is...we both love to try new things, find new places to eat those new things in, the whole experience. Not really romantic for us as much as the thrill of discovery and the pure enjoyment of finding something delicious and eating it and sharing it together. I really think that I would have been a very disappointed lady if I'd married a more gastronomically repressed, man!

 LOL nope don't do bugs... that said I'm always looking for new recipes. DH was amaized when I mentioned how many different rices, vinegars, salt, and peppers I keep stocked in the kitchen. I tend to stick to one ethnic group at a time, at least until I've tried many of the different dishes. If I can't find an ingredient in the store, well I roll up the sleeves and try making it myself like Andouille sausage (Cajun). Some textures like tripe just fall out of my mouth... didn't even know it was in the soup, never had it before, just spit it out.   I don't like lemon grass at all. I'm open to new cuisines and foods. LOVED all the raw fish, oysters, octopus in Hawaii... tried Korean BBQ (the kimchi was awesome), Japanese, Thai, Chinese, and Polynesian foods while visiting.

I would say I am a fairly adventurous eater usually, although there are some things I just can't do.  I love strong flavors and will try lots of new foods.  It isn't so much the flavors and boldness of something that turn me away from trying it as what it might be sometimes.  Although, if it is cooked and something that is normally edible, I would probably give it a go.  Raw weird things I would be far more likely to avoid even though I do love things like sushi and oysters etc.  And no way on bugs or something else weird like you see on Survivor etc.  If someone ordered something I have never tried, I always want a bite just to see what it tastes like.  When I am pregnant though, I have no interest in trying anything that is too far out of the ordinary which always seems to be when I am given the opportunity the most for some reason.  I am not a picky eater at all, but sometimes the cleanliness of the place it came from or other factors can play into my gross out factor enough that I have a hard time trying it.  

I think it might be a completely different story if I were in another country, like China for example.  I might have a harder time trying some of the more normal cuisines there that aren't all that normal here...like duck feet, or 1000 year old eggs etc.  But who knows, I might really suprise myself actually. 

I do tease my stepdaughter all the time though because no matter where I go (especially in a potluck setting), there is always something I am happy to eat, and I usually want to try everything.  She on the other hand usually only ends up with a few bites of meat b/c she is such a picky eater.  I tease her about how hard it is to be a picky eater!!!     

 I'd give just about anything (with the exception of insects lol) a try once, unless it has mustard in it blech. I personally love trying out different ethnic foods. Indian being my absolutely favorite type of food, then again I LOVE curry - though there are dishes without it! Thai being my least favorite thus far (I don't like peanut oil at all). The significant other is very picky. When I cook, I tend to make simple meals because I'm really not that great of a cook. I would like to start trying my hand at cooking some Indian dishes though.  I love food, spice and trying out different flavors and textures.

the_gopher

I'd give just about anything (with the exception of insects lol)

I ate ANTS as a kid. I still remember the taste today, and it wasn't bad...actually quite good. I woudl try insects without a problem,...as long as they were of a crunchy texture or very small...no grubs or anything thick and "creamy" or gooey please.

 Many of my food dislikes come from childhood and same for foods I like. :)   Texture is a big thing for me too.  I like bananas but I can't stand a ripe banana.  Mushrooms have a texture that makes me gag and I think they taste like dirt.

I can't stand the smell of cabbage or brussels sprouts when they're cooking.  I do like cabbage cooked in some dishes and I like it raw but I never cook it myself because the smell makes me gag. lol  I've never tried brussel sprouts and don't have any plans to change that.  Beets and turnips are not on my favorite list but at least I tried them before I decided they weren't for me.

Our family was pretty broke when I was growing up and we ate mostly simple foods.  I was never fond of veggies as a kid but I love them now other than a few. ^ We ate a lot of mac and cheese and beans and rice.  Those are still the comfort foods I go for when I'm feeling in need of a food hug. lol   Potatoes are a favorite of mine in any form except scalloped.  I don't like sour cream, buttermilk or yogurt.  They all smell like spoiled milk to me and in fact that's what they are, sort of. lol  I cook with them in some recipes but only if the flavor of those foods covers up the soured milk flavor.  I love casseroles and pot roasts. 

My DH is much more adventurous about food and he's helped me learn to at least try some foods that I wouldn't have tasted without his prodding.  We like to find new restaraunts but I generally stick to something on the menu that isn't too different or unusual.   Yep, I am definitely not the adventurous type with foods but I have discovered foods I love once I got up the courage to try them.  Sushi I tried once in LA but I couldn't enjoy it because I couldn't get past the mental block of eating raw fish. 

 I am definitely on the adventurous side - I LOVE spice - can't be too hot and I love trying new cuisines

I can be fussy about meat - I hate fat its totally a texture thing and I hate the weird bits, like near the chicken bone sometimes.  I draw the line at organ meat, I've tasted liver, heart, kidney, rocky mountain oysters and sweetbreads.  All were putrid except heart.  If cooked nicely, beef heart is just a very rich beef flavor.

I have some issues with foods belonging to certain meals or times of the day.  In the Czech republic we went to breakfast at the little place we were staying and they had all sorts of deli meats, pickles, olives and a zillion types of fish.  Oh was like, 'Good Lord where is the granola' LOL Meanwhile DH was in heaven.  All the items would have been fine at lunch or dinner, but not for breakfast.

I wouldn't eat insects unless I was stranded and starving to death.

DH is from England and loves various organ meats (offal) and is an extremely adventurous eater.  While in England some good friends invited us over for a meal.  They were Greek Cypriots and the meal was traditional. They still owned a farm in Cyprus and we were having homemade olive oil from their groves, etc. The lamb shanks were wonderful but then she brought out a pasta dish that included whole de-feathered songbirds (finches or swallows I think) stirred into the pasta.  I thought I would pass out.  I did pass on trying it but they convinced DH to try it.

He did.

To this day I can hear him crunch the bird in his mouth - head and all - I have no idea how I didn't vomit or pass out or cry. He looked queasy afterward.   I feel confident he wouldn't go that far again in 'trying' something.

Tina I wasn't sure about sushi at first but love it now.