Food choices

I started thinking about food, food prejudices, and food customs this morning after seeing a thread entitled 'Snake recipes' on another site.

Personally, I think pizza is Nature's most perfect food, on a list along with Blue Bell ice cream, lasagna, chocolate, fresh French bread, Reese's peanut butter cups and cannoli. I hate tofu, dislike sushi. But those are all taste preferences.

Snakes? I don't want to eat them. I like snakes. Of course, in a survival situation and hungry children, there's no telling what might end up in the frying pan, but for now I was surprised to realize that after some thought, I have definite food prejudices.

I do not want to eat snakes, bugs, kitties, dogs, people, rodents, or worms.
What about you? Are there things you will not eat?

When we were kids my Mom allowed my sister and myself three things that we didn't have to eat. My sister had more than three but liver and lima beans are the ones that stick in my mind at the moment. Me on the other hand, I am like a billy goat (must explain the goatee) and eat everything. Even during the days of drinking when I was younger a few insects and goldfish made their way into my diet.

I think most food prejudices are a result of culture.

I've eaten snake, alligator, and shark.

Asian cultures eat things that would make me gag at the thought, although the nutritional content or taste would never even make it to my thought process. Puppies for supper? ACK!!!

And yet...

Canadians can buy horse meat in the grocery stores (at least in Quebec).

I have friends from India that can barely tolerate the sight or smell of beef being cooked.

My husband, while visiting many regions in Africa, ate insects and other things that he never would have considered had he not been touring that area.

So, I have restrictions that are a result of my culture. (No chocolate covered ants here) There are still many common foods that will never make it into my kitchen, but those are because I've actually *tried* them and not enjoyed the taste/texture, not because of a preconceived notion. (My guests won't be finding any calf liver, tofu, lima beans, etc.)

Stopped eating saltwater fish after researching the trawling methods that are devastating our world's reefs...

Ban Bottom Trawling !!!!!!

greg

What's so bad about lima beans?

Stopped eating saltwater fish after researching the trawling methods that are devastating our world's reefs...

Ban Bottom Trawling !!!!!!

OK, educate me...where do I go to find information about the practice?

I will try just about anything once.

I do not eat chick peas, avacado, lima beans, liver, pudding, jello, or eggplant that is overcooked. Texture.

I WILL eat, pate (liver paste), guacamole, humus, frozen pudding, finger jello, and fried eggplant however. Texture.

I eat any meat that is brought before me and I am curious about dog, cat, snake, rat, mouse, etc. I don't like pheasant. I do like rhea.

Tinned seafood is good. Steamed clams are out! Rubbery.

Anchovies are hairy little fish and I won't eat them unless in TINY pieces in antipasto.

Tomato horn worms are out. Fear factor shows me what not to eat for sure as far as bugs go. I have heard that toasted mealies or crix are ok.