Can I be Gourmet if I do not eat ...

[Hopz]

I like to think of myself as a good, adventuresome, creative cook, maybe even gourmet/gourmand, at least my friends call me that.

But... I do not like Offal, Sweetbreads, Haggis, Organ Meat, Game, Small birds like pigeon and quail, Sushi, Sashimi, or even Caviar... does this disqualify me a a serious cook/gourmet?

It must derive from my familys background... down to earth first generation off the farm.

I watch the Food Network and cannot even imagine eating a lamb's bladder filled with who knows what... I cannot conceive of that being good. I might eat it if my plane crashed in the Andes and that was all there was, but if there is an alternative- why?

Thoughts?

[Robo410]

Hopz, the rational is waste not want not. No part of a living animal was allowed to go to waste ...some way was found to make it edible. Not only is that good stewardship, but it is also good economics. We in this land of plenty waste so much. But sausage is ground tough meat scraps with fat and spices inside intestine. Pate is liver and fat and broth and seasonings. Things like Haggis are just forms of those. Well made quite good. Poorly made, rather gross.

It's possible to change your way of thinking and tastes. There are more meats than just cow and pig. There are more fish than flounder and shrimp. No one broadens his or her perspective overnight, but start expanding your tastes little by little.

[urmaniac13]

Why not, Hopz? Many "gourmet" are specialized in particular fields, and I am sure there also are "vegetarian gourmets" and I have absolutely no objection. Even among food experts, it is not necessary for everyone to agree upon which are good food and which are not, if you like to be adventurous and enjoy experimenting with new possibilities within your comfort level, and explore the new boundary of your culinary repartoire, I would surely consider you a gourmet

[lulu]

I think one of the thinks that makes the gourmet is the willingness to try and appreciate things, so the fact that you have tried these things is good, and counts :) I too am a bit squeamish about offal, but I am prepared to be won around, and will taste most hings at leat once. For example, I would rarely choose to eat sushi, and definitely never sashimi, but I do eat it, and try new things often when I go, because I have learnt to appreciate it. And I want to like fennel so much I eat it a few times each year when I cook it/put it in a salad for DH/family/guests but however much my mind wants to love it my body will not.

Is it a grossed out factor with the small birds (I love both pigeon and quail so hard for me to seee where you are coming from)

I think gourmets do not like some things, but I think they are prepared to try. I am not a gourmet though, so what do I know ;)

[BreezyCooking]

Hopz - not in the very least!!! "Gourmet" has absolutely nothing to do with eating something you don't like. That would be idiotic.

In Webster's Dictionary, the word "gourmet" is stated as "a person who likes and is an excellent judge of fine foods and drinks". Nothing about having to like every edible on the planet.

[GB]

There is no one on this planet who likes everything they eat. Everyone has something they tried and do not like or will not even try to begin with. Everyone has their limits. that does not exclude you from being a gormet or a foodie or anything else like that.

I love food, but you will never catch me putting an insect in my mouth, even though I have no doubt that they can be delicious. I just won't do it. I like to think though that I have a pretty open mind and will at least try most things at least once, even if they sound gross to me. If I did not have that mindset then I never would have tried raw fish in sushi and I would have missed out on what is now my favorite food.

[BreezyCooking]

I fully agree with you GB.

Both my parents are excellent cooks, & I credit the way my brother & I were raised by them in relation to food to the way we both feel about it today. Back in the 50's/60's, my parents cooked things that were unheard of in a world when most other folks of our acquaintance were eating spaghetti, hot dogs, hamburgers, etc., etc.

My parents had just one rule for us kids - we didn't "have" to eat anything we didn't like, but we did HAVE to taste it. If after taking a bite or two we still didn't like something, we didn't have to eat it. Knowing that we had that kind of fairness behind us, my brother & I grew up trying lots of different things, & have never had food fears, like so very many of our little peers did.

Did we like everything we tried? Of course not. But at least we tried them.

[GB]

I grew up with the same rule Breezy. It was called a "No Thank You Portion". We had to at least have a no thank you portion (usually about a tablespoons worth) and then after we had that we were off the hook if we did not want anymore. Very often after that initial taste we were begging for more.

[mish]

Originally Posted by Hopz

I like to think of myself as a good, adventuresome, creative cook, maybe even gourmet/gourmand, at least my friends call me that.

But... I do not like Offal, Sweetbreads, Haggis, Organ Meat, Game, Small birds like pigeon and quail, Sushi, Sashimi, or even Caviar... does this disqualify me a a serious cook/gourmet?

It must derive from my familys background... down to earth first generation off the farm.

I watch the Food Network and cannot even imagine eating a lamb's bladder filled with who knows what... I cannot conceive of that being good. I might eat it if my plane crashed in the Andes and that was all there was, but if there is an alternative- why?

Thoughts?

Hoptz, I recall some time ago, Michael, brought up the term/topic re 'gourmet.' Gourmet, imho, does not depend on what one likes to eat, or 'disqualifies'? one as a gourmet. Here is a good description:

Gourmet - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Like yourself, there are many foods I would not put in my mouth, nor would I cook, because they simply don't appeal to my tastes/preferences.

Another interesting related topic that comes to mind - restaurant reviewers. Are they gourmands? NOT! LOL.

[ChefJune]

I do not like Offal, Sweetbreads, Haggis, Organ Meat, Game, Small birds like pigeon and quail, Sushi, Sashimi, or even Caviar...

I'm curious how many of these foods you say you don't like that you've tried.

So many folks say they don't like something before they've tried it, and then when they do, sometimes they are pleasantly surprised.

As I understand the meaning of the word "Gourmand," the fact that you don't eat (at least most) everything would disqualify you from that title, but certainly not from the appelation of "Gourmet!"