Food Aversions

Do you have a food aversion?
Does cilantro taste like soap to you? Apparently, that is a genetic trait that thousands of people carry. I don’t have that issue, however I cannot be in the same area as cooked cabbage, or Brussels sprouts— the odor makes me nauseated and for some reason Ratatouille does the same. What about about you?

Creamy scrambled eggs.

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Kale

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:microphone:
:boom:

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I used to feel that way about cilantro (genetic or not), but got over it due to my love for cuisines that use the herb often and generously, like Thai, other Southeast Asian cuisines, or Mexican. In fact, I love the flavor now.

There are very few things that literally make me nauseous or gag, altho the ‘aroma’ of boiled tripe comes close. I’m not crazy about caraway seeds, never have been, but seem to be less annoyed by them if used sparingly and in a dish they belong in, like a pastrami or reuben sammich.

I’m more finicky about appearance or texture - as in, I cannot abide snotty egg whites, cartilage, or large pieces of fat, regardless of what they happen to be attached to. Things that are floppy when they should be crispy.

Overly sweet desserts, oatmeal, chard, raw spinach, plant “milks,” bananas, chickpeas aka flavorless flour balls, cashews… that’s about it.

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I’m the same - although I can’t deal with the smell of warm popcorn. I have, on occasions, found it very difficult in the cinema when someone is too close and I’ve been unable to move seats.

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Sweet or salty? Or does it not matter? I like salty popcorn & make it fresh at home, but the movie theatre stuff can be kinda gross. And don’t get me started on the garbage people make in the MW.

Mainly sweet. There’s a cart at the local mall which is simply awful and, unfortunately, it’s set up near my favourite coffee place so I’ve had to change venue.

Meat. And some meat-like fish, such as sturgeon and swordfish.

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Butter

I used to share this aversion, until I tasted them roasted to the point of caramelization. The bitterness vanishes, leaving a captivating mild sweetness. I roast them about 1x/month, but could eat them every couple days.

Blanched, halved, and 1/2 blackened face down, they make a hugely positive contribution as mirrepois to stocks.

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Not really food, but “foreign bodies”. Rubber bands, for example. I favored a local taqueria taco for years , found a rubber band or similar, and now, probably five years later I can’t think about it without retching.

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Just in it solid form or even when it is used in a dish, e.g. to sear some meat, vegetables

Or in a cake?

I’ve talked about my aversion to smoke-flavored foods on HO before. I went through extensive chemotherapy for advanced stage breast cancer almost 12 years ago and ever since that time I am unable to eat anything smoked - bacon, smoked fish, anything chipotle, smoked paprika, smoked sausages, smoked meat. Can’t even consider going to a BBQ restaurant. I haven’t been able to overcome it, but it wasn’t my choice.

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In everything.

But can you really taste it in something like a heavily spiced dish, like some Indian curry ?

Yes.

In some applications I will tolerate it, like pie crusts, but even then I would prefer lard or even margarine as my source of fat.

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Shredded coconut.

I love coconut cream, water, etc. But the texture of dessicated coconut it super unpleasant for me.

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I wouldnt call it as strong as an aversion but I just don’t like the flavour (unlike other members of the cabbage family which I do like). On the advice of someone here (or Chowhound), I tried roasting them but, as always when you roast a veg, the flavour intensifies.

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Cereal. Even as a child I found the idea of eating a bowl of sawdusty flakes or nuggets getting soggy and slimy in milk absolutely repulsive. I don’t even like walking through that aisle in the supermarket.

Also, cola (or anything cola flavored) and ketchup.

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