No, I’m not very adventurous. There are several common things that I have strong aversions to (mustard, pickles, bleu cheese, invertebrates), that I would be very nervous about being served something I had no control over.
I do try new things as long as they don’t have something in them that I know I’m averse to. But someone just putting a plate in front of me? Theres a good chance I’ll try it and a good chance I won’t.
Post by wanderingback on Jul 30, 2023 6:33:50 GMT -5
Yes, except I don’t eat pork or red meat. And yuck to raw tomatoes. Thankfully no allergies.
I went to a whole insect tasting at a science musuem once, it was so fun. Crickets, ants, worms, etc. I also lived overseas and traveled to a lot of countries in Africa so was always trying new things.
Well I thought I was adventurous until I thought about eating a cricket! Ha. My childhood was full of culturally different foods and adventurous eating and there are a lot of things I won’t try (or try again) as an adult. As an example my uncles who were also my neighbors would slaughter a lamb and cook everything from the brain in a pot on the stove to the intestines for soup that they would lay out and dry for days before. I actually ended up being a vegetarian for years.
Post by underwaterrhymes on Jul 30, 2023 7:10:43 GMT -5
I will try any cuisine and enjoy a variety of different cultural dishes, but I have limitations on what i will try. I do not eat beef or pork but would consider it while traveling in places that have ethically sourced meat. I’ve eaten small insects before including live termites, but draw the line at spiders or other large many legged creatures. I love oysters but won’t eat slimy creatures that require chewing.
This thread has made me realize that nope I am not at all. I do have issues with certain textures and yeah I think insects are just a bit too far for me. Tasting menus aren't my favorite either. If I am splurging on a good meal out I want to be in control of what I get.
I’m somewhere in the middle, but I don’t like surprises. I’d be willing to try most things if I know they’re coming. A chef’s menu that I can’t see in advance would be irrationally stressful for me.
Absolutely not. My friends and I joke that if I didn’t experience something by like 13, I’m not interested in it. This is true for movies, music, and food.
I'm 💯 adventurous. I do have to be mentally prepared for something that's considered very unique (like grasshoppers). If I'm just hungry and want to eat and I was served grasshoppers I wouldn't have been happy.
Post by basilosaurus on Jul 30, 2023 7:55:49 GMT -5
I'll admit I have no desire to eat a fish eyeball even though I know it's considered a delicacy. And, yes, I've been served while fish complete with eye many times, so it's not a hypothetical. I'm more than happy for the "honor" to go to anyone else.
I typically don't eat pork, beef, or lamb, but have thrown restrictions in the bin when traveling for work, especially when the dining is family style and often it's unclear what's in each dish.
I did turn down fish testicles, fish intestines, and some pork/spinach dish that was smothered in raw egg. It was at the end of a two week Asian trip and my adventurous eating desires were at an all time low.
I was going to say yes but after reading this thread clearly I am not. I am extremely adventurous from a flavor perspective but I am def not adventurous when it comes to meat. Insects, intestines, eyes, invertebrates etc.
I am way more adventurous than my parents-- I grew up on very traditional meat and potatoes meals and feel like I've expanded well beyond that.
But not far enough to eat a cricket tostada.
I am allergic to shellfish and duck, and have developed lactose intolerance as I aged, so as much as I would like to say I'm not picky, I'm not interested in a menu that I can't choose. I also frequently look at menus from super expensive restaurants and virtually nothing appeals to me (due to allergies or preference) so I guess I'm pickier than I'd like to think.
I would say I’m pretty adventurous! I’ve been to a lot of these types of meals, fancy food shows, natural food shows etc and it’s rare it is something I don’t want to at least try.
Compared to my ILs? Yes, very much so. However, I don't like most meat and I won't eat insects - I'm very much a mental/visual eater so if I think it looks weird I won't eat it 😅 I'd eat just about anything if it's vegetarian.
In a survival situation, I'm probably not surviving.
I have a reoccurring dream that there’s some sort of apocalypse that happens and I have to kill my whole family (dogs and cats) bc I have zero chance of surviving and I don’t want them to starve to death or be turned into zombies.
In a survival situation, I'm probably not surviving.
I have a reoccurring dream that there’s some sort of apocalypse that happens and I have to kill my whole family (dogs and cats) bc I have zero chance of surviving and I don’t want them to starve to death or be turned into zombies.
It’s a stressful dream lol
I hate stressful dreams. It feels like your rest got stolen.
I'd say no, but I grew up eating crickets (my dad's best friend would cook them regularly, we'd catch them as kids and bring them in). I have never made them myself but would see this as a nostalgia kick.
That being said I'm very squeamish with meat. I can't do meat on a bone or organ meats. I don't cook meat at home or eat a lot of meat so I'd usually skip a fancy restaurant tasting menu unless they had a vegetarian option.
I don't think being a foodie or an adventurous eater means only eating rich people food. I think there are tons of dishes from around the world that are eaten by typical people that lots of people won't touch.
I was being a bit tongue in cheek above but I also wouldn’t use those two words (adventurous and foodie) interchangeably.
Being adventurous means a willingness to try things beyond your comfort zone. Being a foodie means being discerning about the foods you eat (their presentation, quality of ingredients, how they were prepared, etc.). There’s some overlap (a foodie can be someone who’s interested in experiencing different kinds of foods from all over the world) but you don’t need to be one to be the other.
Post by starburst604 on Jul 30, 2023 10:20:52 GMT -5
I think I could do pairings in a vegan restaurant lol. There’s not much that’s fruit, veggie or grain based that I would flat out refuse to eat. My refusals are definitely in the form of things that were once alive.
Mushrooms are really my only hard no in vegan dining. I’ll never forget the time I ordered some kind of soup in at a Vietnamese takeout and when I opened it at home it had tripe in it. It was….not what I was expecting and I clearly didn’t know what I was ordering. I did take it out and eat the rest though.
I will add that I’m generally not a fan of mystery menus. Not because there are too many foods I wouldn’t like, but because I like to choose my menu and look forward to it. And it’s highly unlikely that I’d go to one without knowing the price.
We’ve eaten at Ad Hoc in Napa where there is (or was? not sure if it’s still open) one set menu that’s announced each morning, and you don’t know what it will be when you make your reservation. But you do know before the dish is placed in front of you. And I would go to French Laundry if the opportunity arose. Thomas Keller is one of the few people who I would trust in that regard.
Post by penguingrrl on Jul 30, 2023 10:53:42 GMT -5
I was ready to say I’m fairly adventurous, but after reading this thread maybe not. I don’t like meat on the bone or dark meat at all due to textures. I’ve never tried organ meats or insects and am not open to them either. I’ve also never tried game meat (venison, etc) and am not interested. As I get older I’m less interested in red meat and I’ve never been a big fan of pork or ham (the occasional sausage or bacon are okay).
Most vegetarian or vegan dishes I’m happy to try at least once and I usually enjoy them.
I haven’t yet been to an ethnic restaurant where I didn’t leave happy, so I’m not picky on that at all. I love trying spices and food traditions from all over the world.
I will try a bite something but I wouldn't order a whole meal based on something new. My H is more adventurous and has had grasshoppers, escargot, quail egg, etc.
It's adventurous to us since we are used to typical Americanized food but in reality these are just common foods from other cultures so probably not actually adventurous to anyone who grew up eating those foods.