Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Please don't make me eat THAT

One of my friends asked:   "Have you ever eaten something that you didn't like so you didn't hurt feelings? And have you ever made something that someone (besides family) told you they absolutely hated?"  I began to write a reply.  But, when the response became an essay I decided it would be fun to field the question on here.

When I was younger I liked hosting fancy dinner parties.  In college they were usually accompanied with a "How to Host a Murder" game.  I tried to match the meal to the setting of the game.  I often tried new recipes on my unsuspecting guests.  There were times that nobody ate one or more of the items.


My biggest disappointment occurred with family.  One Christmas I made a four course meal for family and some friends.  There were quite a few who flat out refused to eat some of the dishes.  The biggest objection was to the vichyssoise, a cold potato soup similar to gazpacho.  Plus, they wanted to have all of the courses at once.  I haven't tried serving an elegant meal to my family since that episode. 

Now eating food I don't like is a whole other kettle of fish... literally.  When I was a kid I was fed, by my 7 older siblings, many "delicacies."  I tried unsweetened cocoa, banana peel, and peanut butter and bologna sandwiches.  Perhaps that is where I gained my picky eating.  It's only been in the last decade that I have begun being adventurous in my food choices. 


I tried a lot of foods during my dating years.  I always wanted to be "cool."  I'm not a fan of peaches.  I went on a weekend excursion with a guy a really liked.  He stopped in a little town in Wyoming.  When I got back from the little girls room he presented me with a peach.  He declared that he had spent time picking the very best peach for me.  So I ate it.  I praised him for picking this delectable treasure for me.  I vowed, to myself, that if we got married I'd have to tell him I didn't like peaches.  It bit me again later that trip when he showed up with a peach shake from the local market.  He said he knew he had to get me one because I loved peaches so much.  Darn my acting ability!

My mission forced me to kick my eating strange food up another level.  I ate everything placed in front of me.  Virginia is not another country.  But, people can still come up with odd foods.  Luckily, I never had to try chitlins.

Now I try to keep an open mind.  There are foods I still don't eat on my own.  But, if you invite me to dinner I will try most of what is placed in front of me.

5 comments:

  1. I love your peach story! It really made me laugh. We love to do "How to Host a Murder Mystery" dinner parties. We'll have to plan one together. We own two of them, but it would be fun to try another.

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  2. I love hearing about your food adventures. I think that is so cool that you had exquisite dinner parties, I would have tried your food (except maybe seafood). :) I'm also sorry to hear that no one ate your food at your family dinner party.
    I also had no idea you went on a mission. Where have I been?

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  3. You r a champion! How did such a darling girl ever come to our ungrateful family???!! I was so proud of you that day! And I absolutely loved your meal! The next year you were gone at Thanksgiving, but the family all voted for the same meal (minus the cold soup however)!

    This year we found the perfect, & I mean Perfect! Pork crown roast! Only it was about $80!!! We had a chuck style roast beef.

    You are such a beautiful doll! An inspiration!!!
    I love you!
    Mom

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  4. Angie,
    I went through a phase and bought a bunch of "How to Host a Murder" games off of ebay. Most of them have not been played. We'd love to do one with you.

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  5. I suddenly feel very responsible for the picky eating :) Hmmm... I have no idea which sister would have fed you peanut butter and bologna sandwiches..... don't look at me..... really ...... ummm.......

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