s/o what foods have you never tried?

[Cinder]

Balut (A balut is a fertilized duck (or chicken) egg with a nearly-developed embryo inside that is boiled and eaten in the shell.)

 

 

I was trying to think of any *mainstream* food that I haven't tried but I couldn't think of any. Until I saw the above. Having grown up in Hawaii, balut was rather mainstream. Never tried it. Have no desire to.

 

I haven't tried chitterlings/chitlins but where I'm from this isn't so mainstream. I know it is here--I've seen it at Kroger. But an old supervisor told me all about them (back in my working days), and I think I'll be passing on that. Too many bad memories of mom serving us her tripe stew to make me want to eat those other "meats." She actually made a good tripe stew--if you like that sort of thing. :tongue_smilie:

 

Cinder

[Alphabetika]

Liver. My mom hated it so much as a kid but was forced to eat it, so she vowed she'd never serve it to us. I've never been interested in trying it as an adult.

[Alphabetika]

I commented on the other thread that I'd never tried brussel sprouts. In my case it's not a case of avoidance--I've just never been served them by anyone and haven't taken the initiative to cook them for myself yet. Maybe I'll try them this week. Anyone want to tell me how to prepare them?:bigear:

 

Eggplant is the only other "mainstream" thing I can think of that I haven't tried (for the same reasons as above).

 

 

Whoa! These are two of my favorite foods! :)

[Peela]

Witchety Grubs is about all I can think of. They are a native Australian delicacy.

[Laurie4b]

Beets taste like dirt. You aren't missing much!

 

That's exactly what I say! Only I say like "woody dirt." My kids think I'm crazy. My father serves them beets when they go to see him in the summer. they love them. I was forced to try them a couple times as a kid, but hey--once you turn 21 you get to make your own choices about some things! No more woody dirt for me!

 

Do you think there is a gene that causes a person to perceive beets as tasting like dirt and another that thinks they are sweet and delicious?

[Laurie4b]

Another vote for "have tried everything mainstream and many things that aren't."

[Laurie4b]

All you non-avocado tasters--can you send me your share of the world's avocados? I eat avocado every day! Love them!

[Jamee]

Liver. My mom hated it so much as a kid but was forced to eat it, so she vowed she'd never serve it to us. I've never been interested in trying it as an adult.

 

You're lucky. It's NASTY!!! I had to eat it as a kid too. Ewww. I have a thing against all digestive organs, won't do it.

 

I'll admit too that although I've had plenty of opportunities, I couldn't bring myself to try silk worms, I think they were fried. The serve them like popcorn in Korea and were always available at the street fairs.

[asta]

(didn't understand the question at first - I think I've eaten pretty much everything "mainstream?" except raccoon)

 

I refused to eat the eyeball of the sheep, even though it was supposed to be the "delicacy reserved for the guest". I did eat the entrails.

 

I draw the line at crispy crickets. I'm relatively certain I wouldn't like grubs, based on texture. I've had escargot in the past, but after having my porch, yard, and everything else invaded by slugs, I'm not sure I could do it again.

 

I've eaten some pretty nasty stuff of unknown origin in the name of "don't insult the host / don't cause an international incident", so who knows what I won't eat...

 

 

a

Edited November 2, 2010 by asta

[Rosie_0801]

I can't think of anything mainstream I haven't tried. I like food too much to rule anything out.:D I like to think of the world as being foods I have tried already, and foods I haven't tried yet.

 

Ah, my kinda gal :D

 

Well, before reading everyone else's replies, I thought I was a pretty adventutous eater: but after reading the rest of the replies, I came up with this list: (more that I deleted) and Kangaroo

 

If roasted in a pit, the tail is the best bit :)

 

Oh my gosh, try it (lobster). There will never be anything that looks better on the menu again. :001_smile:

 

Unless yabbies are on the menu. They are better!

 

 

I haven't had many types of tropical fruit. I don't like mango or paw paw and durian probably is the only food available in hell. I did like the yellow dragonfruit, they are so tasty! I tried a chocolate sapote or something like that, which has the texture of chocolate mousse but sadly doesn't taste like it. Pineapple is easily available as are coconuts, but I haven't had breadfruits or really anything they list in Caribbean cookbooks, lol.

 

I haven't had fresh tomatillos either, but I tried tinned ones for the first time the other week.

 

I've never had the opportunity for witchetty grubs either. If I did, I'd have to eat one for educational purposes, I guess. My desire to avoid the shame of confessing wussiness to my brother would override my desire not to eat a grub.

 

:)

Rosie

[nd293]

Browsing the first few pages, I've eaten most common things. Traveling and working overseas certainly expanded the range of "ordinary" things I've eaten - different fruits and veggies come up in different cultures' cuisines. Ten years ago there were many more things I hadn't eaten.

 

I haven't eaten snails, nor oysters and the through of those just puts me off, so I'm not likely to ever try. I'm not likely to ever try any sort of innards - tongue, brain etc. The thought of oxtail always made me queamish, but wow is it fantastic! I haven't tried quinoa. I'd like to, but when I started reading how-to-cook intructions I got confused and gave up.

 

On the unusual scale - ostrich, kangaroo, shark and crocodile. The first two I've cooked at home, the last two were eaten out of the house.

[Karen in CO]

I can't think of anything I haven't tried.

 

Me too. ANd deeping on where you live different things are mainstream. I grew up where squirrel and gopher (as in a large land turtle that is probably endangered) were things that normal people ate. I went to a college with lots of international students and had friends from all over. My hubby is Korean. I've tried everything I've encountered except things like brains and sheep eyes and other various sheepy parts.

 

I refuse to eat internal organs - anymore- okay except the turkey parts I put in my gravy. I've tried many and won't try anymore.

Edited November 2, 2010 by Karen in CO

[Karen in CO]

How did you like the snake? :tongue_smilie::eek: My hat is off to you!

 

 

snake goes into that tastes-like-chicken category. not something I'd eat on purpose, but if I were starving and there was a big, meaty one, it would be dinner.

[thescrappyhomeschooler]

I've never tried ostrich or buffalo, but I would if they were served to me. I'll try almost anything. So far, the only thing I really don't care for is melon- any kind. I can't palate watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew or any other kind of melon. Don't know why. I've tried them all, but I just don't like them.

[Rhonda in TX]

Shrimp and crawdads. Blech.

[sagira]

I guess I'm a fairly adventurous eater then. I can't think of anything mainstream I haven't tried.. It's most likely some kind of fruit, as I only had baby food fruit when I was little and that was it. I only eat bananas and grapes now, but I do put all kinds of fruit in my smoothies and have tried a few.

 

Oh, there you have it - I haven't tried oranges.. For years, I couldn't get past the smell. At 19 I burst into tears because a room full of people around me starting peeling oranges. I do like orange juice, though. And I don't mind the smell as much now. I just try to stay upwind :/ The curious thing is, I even like more artificial smelling orange stuff. Like Orange Clean. Go figure.

 

As for exotic stuff, I have tried and eaten ceviche, steak tartar, octopus, calamari, mussels, oysters, escargots, buffalo meat, Rabbit (not a fan), venison (to us it's exotic), alligator, and goat soup. But I still haven't tried iguana or ostrich. Or turtle. I happen to like turtles. I may have tried horse, as that meat in Belgium years ago was very mysterious and foreign tasting. Definitely not chicken, as advertised. The "chicken" in Venice may have been pigeon, as my folks joked, as it was tiny and funny tasting too. Iguana soup can be obtained in the Caribbean islands I grew up on, and my uncle swears it's what cured him from his cancer. I can't find anyone to make it for me, since iguanas are now protected where I live, and frankly, I haven't tried that hard

:tongue_smilie:

 

I haven't tried tripe soup either. Seems.. Unappetizing to me somehow.

Edited November 2, 2010 by sagira

[Jennifer in MI]

That's exactly what I say! Only I say like "woody dirt." My kids think I'm crazy. My father serves them beets when they go to see him in the summer. they love them. I was forced to try them a couple times as a kid, but hey--once you turn 21 you get to make your own choices about some things! No more woody dirt for me!

 

Do you think there is a gene that causes a person to perceive beets as tasting like dirt and another that thinks they are sweet and delicious?

 

I've wondered about that too! There are a few things that I absolutely cannot stand and others just love them - kiwi for example. It hurts my mouth!! I cannot imagine others actually enjoying it.

 

Oh and that fertilized egg thing - I want to throw up!!!! That's just gross!!!!

[lionfamily1999]

I commented on the other thread that I'd never tried brussel sprouts. In my case it's not a case of avoidance--I've just never been served them by anyone and haven't taken the initiative to cook them for myself yet. Maybe I'll try them this week. Anyone want to tell me how to prepare them?:bigear:

 

Eggplant is the only other "mainstream" thing I can think of that I haven't tried (for the same reasons as above).

You've probably gotten tons of great recipes this far in, but I thought I'd mention that we just boil/steam them like any other veggie. Topped with cheese they're more palatable for little (we use cheddar).

Shrimp and crawdads. Blech.

*Gasp!* That's a travesty. Someone needs to cook these correctly for you!

I've never tried ostrich or buffalo, but I would if they were served to me. I'll try almost anything. So far, the only thing I really don't care for is melon- any kind. I can't palate watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew or any other kind of melon. Don't know why. I've tried them all, but I just don't like them.

Not a melon fan either, although I can and will eat it to be sociable. People don't respond well when I say I don't like watermelon, or honey dew, or cantaloupe.

[TravelingChris]

I have tried many foods I won't eat again. This year, I finally tried a food I was avoiding for many years= Catfish. It was fine, tasted like other fish. I was put off by the catfish appearance when it is alive.

 

I have never had fertilized eggs and don't want to but I don't think I have seen them.

 

I haven't tried chitterlings and don't plan to. Also never tried pig feet and don't plan to try that either.

 

But I have eaten various types of antelope, buffalo, elk, deer, boar, etc. I also think that I have tried all the fruits and vegetables that I have been exposed to= when my kids were younger, we used to choose unknown types to try when we shopped.

 

There is a very common food that I have had the misfortune to taste and will not knowingly ever eat again=mayonnaise.

[C_l_e_0..Q_c]

Hey! I came up with something I *have* tried (under duress) and will never try again! Does it count?

 

Oatmeal!

 

I was forcefed oatmeal in hospital when I was 5yo. I threw it all up on the nurse. She tried again the following day, and got the same treatment from me. The third day, I had another nurse who didn't insist on the oatmeal. But on the last day of my hospitalisation, the dreaded nurse came back and forced me again. I threw it up again.

 

I will *never* ever try oatmeal for the rest of my life!

[AuntPol]

Never tried -kefir, kombucha, bratwurst, salmon, kale, leeks, sea vegetables, swiss chard, bok choy, rutabega, quinoa

[Hedgehog]

Venison and bear meat. Not readily available around here, but I'd LOVE to try them. Not sure why really.. probably someone told me they were really tasty..

[stripe]

I will try just about anything (except "survival" things like bugs and maggots and things like you see on "man vs. wild")...the only thing I refuse to even try is DURIAN. I can't get past the smell long enough to try it.

Trust me, it IS that bad. The texture of an avocado, with the taste of a rotten onion. BLECH!

[Paintedlady]

Advocados and guacomole. I have no idea why. For some reason, they are just so unappealing to me. Dh loves both but I just can't bring myself to try them...

 

Me too.:leaving:

[Tammyla]

Tripe and tongue to the best of my knowledge. I'll try a bite of almost anything once, but after that... I love it or leave it.

[lisabelle]

Hey! I came up with something I *have* tried (under duress) and will never try again! Does it count?

 

Oatmeal!

 

I was forcefed oatmeal in hospital when I was 5yo. I threw it all up on the nurse. She tried again the following day, and got the same treatment from me. The third day, I had another nurse who didn't insist on the oatmeal. But on the last day of my hospitalisation, the dreaded nurse came back and forced me again. I threw it up again.

 

I will *never* ever try oatmeal for the rest of my life!

 

That reminds me...when ds was old enough to eat solids, I spoon-fed him a fortified oatmeal for breakfast every morning. One morning, when he was old enough to tell me (maybe 15 months?), as I took the first spoonful from the bowl he clearly said, "I don't like that."

 

I felt so awful that I'd been feeding something that he hated! And up to that point he'd just eaten it with no complaint. No turning his head away, just this resigned (as I look back on it) eating of his breakfast. I never fed it to him again.

 

And today, at 11, there is still no way he will eat oatmeal.

[lisabelle]

I remembered something else:

 

When I was in high school my very best friend came from a very traditional Chinese family. I went to many celebration-type dinners with her family and extended family. They had their restaurants they went to, and they didn't order off the menu. They ordered very traditional celebration foods. I couldn't even tell you what most of them were; it's been so long ago.

 

There were a bunch of uncles at these dinners, and they always goaded me into trying the foods, thinking that I, as a white girl, would be grossed out by their foods. They didn't know what garbage I grew up eating though! Their dinners looked wonderful to me and I sampled *everything*.

 

But I drew the line at thousand-year-old eggs. The black yolks that look like they're surrounded by a congealed oil slick? No thank you!

 

Has anyone tried them? What are they like?

[Murphy101]

Escarcote (probably spelled wrong)

And testicles of any kind.

That's about it.

Because I have taste testing limits.

And those are it.

[Murphy101]

LOL went back to read a bit.

 

There's lots of things I have tasted and not liked. I call them foods first eaten on a dare.

 

Oysters. Aka slime on a shell.

 

Crawdads. Nope, it is NOT like mini lobsters.

 

Haggis. *shudder*

 

Asparagus. Yuck.

 

Anything cornmeal battered. Nasty. Like eating sand covered food.

[*********]

I commented on the other thread that I'd never tried brussel sprouts. In my case it's not a case of avoidance--I've just never been served them by anyone and haven't taken the initiative to cook them for myself yet. Maybe I'll try them this week. Anyone want to tell me how to prepare them?:bigear:

 

Eggplant is the only other "mainstream" thing I can think of that I haven't tried (for the same reasons as above).

 

Didn't read the whole thread, but I've got a GREAT way to fix brussel sprouts. I roast them just like potatoes. Cut the sprouts in half, toss them in olive oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary (or you can use a different herb, or none at all, just depends on what you like). Spread them out on a sheet pan, and roast them like potatoes. They're SO good this way!

[Parrothead]

Things I will not knowingly eat:

Any type of soup with fish in it.

Anything that has fish mixed up with something else, like a fish taco or paella.

Any gelatinous fish, like squid or oysters - sea or land. It is a texture thing. I've actually tried sea oysters.

Organ meat. I was forced to eat beef liver as a child.

Hog's head cheese

Chitterlings

Scrapple

Vienna sausages

 

Things I wouldn't mind trying at some point in life:

Rattlesnake

Bear

 

 

You'll notice all my food hang ups are about different types of meats. I've not met a fruit, veggie or grain I didn't like.

[secular_mom]

Gumbo, Chowder, Lobster, Crab, Clams, Oysters, I don't eat much seafood.

I've only ever had yellow and zucchini squash so I haven't tried the other kinds.

Lamb/mutton. Liver of any kind.

[Jean in Newcastle]

I've eaten some pretty nasty stuff of unknown origin in the name of "don't insult the host / don't cause an international incident", so who knows what I won't eat...

 

 

 

 

Me too. I've discovered that the trick is not to ask what it is until after I've eaten it.

[Cinder]

snake goes into that tastes-like-chicken category. not something I'd eat on purpose, but if I were starving and there was a big, meaty one, it would be dinner.

 

I've tasted snake and it did not taste like chicken. At least, not to me. It tasted like . . . snake. I can't describe it except to say that it had a gaminess to it. Maybe because it wasn't a big, meaty one. :tongue_smilie:

 

Cinder

[Ellie]

I've never had veal or lobster. There are actually quite a few meats I've never had. Like a poster above, I've never had catfish because it's a bottom-feeder. I've never had quail or pheasant.

 

I don't eat a whole lot of meat, and when I do it's pretty basic--beef, chicken, pork, fish.

I'm definitely a carnivore :D but the process of creating veal is offensive to me.:glare:

[Cinder]

Liver. My mom hated it so much as a kid but was forced to eat it, so she vowed she'd never serve it to us. I've never been interested in trying it as an adult.

 

This was my mom's take on food, also. So we also were never served liver (though I had tried it at one point) or lamb or mutton (also tried as an adult and didn't care for either). She hated those and said she'd never serve us something she hated. But she still served us that Tripe Stew because she loved it! Blech!!! :lol:

 

Cinder

[Beach Mom]

It is really interesting to read these posts. I wonder how many lists are influenced by where people live now or have lived in the past.

 

I can't think of a mainstream food I haven't tried. Some of them (liver for one) I only ate because my mother forced me to.:glare: The one I hope I am never forced to try is durian - blech!!!

 

My Dad did lots of hunting when we were growing up so we often had duck, quail, rabbit, and other game. I have tried snake, snail, cactus and a few other oddities. My midwest grandparents fed us fried catfish everytime we visited, and we often brought home a cooler full for our freezer.

 

The thing that surprised me most in reading the threads was how many people haven't or won't try oysters. Here on the East coast they are quite common, but maybe if I had stayed in the north or the midwest and never lived in the east I wouldn't have tried them either. In fact, I have a quart in my refrigerator for fried oysters or oyster stew later this week. Yum!

[Jenny in Atl]

Anything still alive... :lol:

[newbie]

organs other than liver I was forced to eat.

[Mejane]

Anything still alive... :lol:

 

ewwww... :D

 

I can't think of anything truly mainstream.

 

As far as more exotic stuff, I've eaten alligator, buffalo, and chocolate-covered insects, but for some reason snails makes me :tongue_smilie:

[Mejane]

Didn't read the whole thread, but I've got a GREAT way to fix brussel sprouts. I roast them just like potatoes. Cut the sprouts in half, toss them in olive oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary (or you can use a different herb, or none at all, just depends on what you like). Spread them out on a sheet pan, and roast them like potatoes. They're SO good this way!

 

Yes. They lose any bitterness and taste sweet when cooked this way - delish! (We sprinkle with parmesan cheese before eating.)

[Laura Corin]

Venison and bear meat. Not readily available around here, but I'd LOVE to try them. Not sure why really.. probably someone told me they were really tasty..

 

We have venison, if not bear. Come to think of it, Tesco online has diced venison at two packs for five pounds at present - if you have a shop nearby they might have it. I make it with a strong red wine sauce - husband finds venison a little gamy, but it's fine with red wine.

 

Laura

[Merry]

I've never had tomatilloes, pheasant, quail, or Vienna sausages. I see those tins of the sausages on the shelf but I've never been tempted to get any. The thought of slimy and overproccessed sausages, ugh.

[FaithManor]

Avocados - they just look disgusting to me....sinus infection green or something!

 

Faith

[Melinda S in TX]

I can't think of anything I haven't tried that is mainstream. There are a few things that I tried and didn't like (olives) but I will try anything (except brains) at least once.

 

A few other things I have eaten are chitlins, beef/pork tongue, beef/chicken liver, beef/chicken hearts, gizzards, ants, mealworms, grasshoppers, Rocky Mountain Oysters, regular oysters both raw and cooked, mussels, scallops, squid, frog legs, rattlesnake, squirrel, armadillo, duck, quail, crawdads, pickled eggs, pickled pigs feet, kimchee, rabbit, venison, buffalo, alligator, dove, pheasant, crow, goat, chicken feet, nori, scrapple, and hogs head cheese.

 

I have also eaten lots of weed type plants like sunflower buds and leaves, wild mustard, thistle, dandelion greens and buds, and cactus.

 

Our family will try most anything and when we raise it ourselves, we use all we can of it whether it's weeds or animals.

 

Blessings,

Melinda

[mcconnellboys]

Oooooooh, yeah, or gizzards, YUCK! Or any organ meats whatsoever. I grew up in a rural area where the poor always had eaten lots of organ meats. My first job in our store was in the meat department and I had to handle every kind of awful thing. Come to think of it, maybe that's why I'm not all that crazy about eating meat as an adult, LOL......

[Imprimis]

Sauerkraut---because it smells absolutely horrible to me.

[Cinder]

Sauerkraut---because it smells absolutely horrible to me.

 

Guess you wouldn't be liking kimchi either? :D

 

Cinder

[Imprimis]

Guess you wouldn't be liking kimchi either? :D

 

Cinder

 

No kimchi for me. I love all the vegetables and fruits traditionally used in kimchi, but the fermentation process makes it unappealing to me :)

[eternalknot]

I grew up eating ethnic foods, and wasn't introduced to standard "mainstream" American/Western foods until college. I don't really have a taste for most things still, so still have a lot of mainstream foods I've not tried and have no real desire to.

 

I was 25 when I first tried macaroni and cheese (blech!) I've never had cheesecake (that came up at a dinner party a few months ago). I've never eaten devil eggs, tuna salad, chicken salad, or marshmellows. I've never tried a hot dog or sausage or bacon, but I was raised vegetarian. I did taste hamburger once when my MIL snuck it into a lasagna ::rolls eyes:: and lied to me about it, but I don't remember the taste as there was so much sauce. I haven't tried sour cream, cream cheese, or most dairy products. I didn't try animal's milk until I was 18; ewww!! It tasted fine as ice cream, but as a beverage?? Disgusted me!

 

My kids have been more exposed to mainstream foods just because we don't live in the same enclave I grew up in. We're surrounded by caucasians, including my inlaws, but since I only prepare the foods I grew up with ... that's what my kids eat 95% of the time. My kids have tried macaroni and cheese, and also salmon and marshmellows; they've not tried hot dogs, chicken, bacon, sausage, sour cream, cream cheese, or broth soups. My daughter tried ranch dressing the other day at her dad's house; I've never had it. Smells icky.