I like food!

I know I'm really late joining this whole blogosphere thing, but here I am.  Yes, yes, I know, *yawn* yet another blog about food.  They're a dime a dozen these days.  The thing is, food is something I have really developed a passion for, so I am someone who really should be blogging about it!  Food is something I could talk about for hours on end.  When I hear someone say they're going to cities where I've had great food, I suddenly feel an urge to give them a food itinerary.  I'm probably really annoying in that regard.

I hold a very strict (yet lenient) policy on food: I eat what tastes good! That's right, folks. If it tastes good, chances are, I'll eat it! Over the last few years, I have really expanded my food palate by trying out many different foods. I have been so pleasantly surprised to find so many wonderful recipes, restaurants, and cuisines that I thoroughly enjoy! You can't really diss something until you've tried it, right? I was a very finicky eater when I was a child, but I mostly blame that on my mother's bad cooking (sorry mom, love you!  I know you were still learning, and you did your best with what we had!). It took me years to get over my distaste for a lot of dishes.

The thing I enjoy the most is perfectly prepared food.  I'm talking about things done with perfect quality ingredients, fresh ingredients, ingredients that are in season, food that is prepared properly, food that is served at the proper temperature, and food that is paired well with other foods and beverages.  I actually spend a lot of time, money, and effort when I cook for others because I want to make sure they experience food the way it's supposed to be - no substitutions (unless they're absolutely necessary)!  I could easily spend $100-300 in groceries on one dinner alone, but I guarantee you it will be fine specimen of a dinner!  It should be for $100-$300, right? :)

Let me give you some examples of the foods I love and hate:

The good:
bacon (obviously)
steak and beef in general
chicken - when cooked properly
shrimp and practically every other seafood on the planet
French fries
fiddlehead ferns
Ethiopian food
Indian food
French food
Italian food
sushi
salami
coconut
berries of any kind

The bad:
McDonald's burgers
Dick's Drive-in burgers (I get that there's a certain level of nostalgia, but duuuuuude, they're just bad)
Taco Bell (I don't feel the need to defend this one)
menudo
practically any form of liver
overpowering amounts of bleu (or any marbled) cheeses

Now, there are plenty of other foods I could lump in the good and bad category based on my personal taste.  I think this is a good starting point.  I know a lot of "gross" foods people like are a result of us being introduced to them when we are young, and they can grow to be "comfort foods" for us.  I also have a few foods that I just cannot stomach due to past experiences.

Some of my comfort foods that many people find gross: (Hey!  Don't you judge me!)

cottage cheese
eating dry pasta
Long John Silver's fish, chicken, and fried clams
pizza Hut pan pizza
almond milk bubble tea (this one is odd when you see the next list)
fried pickles
fried okra
pan dulces

Foods I don't like due to bad experiences:

egg yolks (depending on the medium, if it has a strong "eggy" flavor, chances are it will gross me out.  There's a story here, I assure you)
mayo/Miracle Whip
Menudo (yes, it merits a double mention!)
things with a strong bell pepper flavor
breakfast sausages and most sausages with that heavy "Italian" flavor
milk
tea
coffee


Here's the thing though: we all like what we like.  That's just the way we humans operate in regards to food, love interests, qualities we see in other people, and every other interest in our lives.  I also really enjoy introducing other people to new foods they've never tried before.  I usually ask questions to find out what kind of foods they like.  I know there are a lot of "polarizing" foods out there - things people love or hate - like avocados, olives, onions, bell peppers, coconut, mustard vs. mayo, seafood, etc.  I usually will do a little query to find out what people like to eat - or can't eat due to allergies and sensitivities - and then I will make a recommendation based on my findings. 

In case you haven't figured it out, I like helping people find the food they like.  Sometimes that means we have to make it ourselves since there is no way we would be able to find it where we live.  I have learned that lesson the hard way! 

Part of helping people find the food they like means perfecting recipes and methods of food preparation.  So stay tuned to this blog for tips, recipes, and restaurant recommendations!  I hope each one of my (probably very few) readers will find something helpful on here.

If you have any questions or suggestions for future blog posts, feel free to add comments!

Thanks for reading :)