Am I Alone In This?

The friendliest place on the web for anyone that enjoys cooking.
If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.

Andy M.

Certified Pretend Chef
Joined
Sep 1, 2004
Messages
51,261
Location
Massachusetts
Here's the problem. I have become very anti-fad (or very discerning) Whenever I see or hear of a new fad, food or otherwise, I'm immediately turned off by it because I know it will be overdone and become obnoxious.

I never/seldom have had: quiche, kale, cauliflower, pumpkin spice (only in pumpkin pies and rolls), coconut oil, lime in my beer, non-dairy "milks", quinoa, and a host of other things.

I suppose it's remotely possible I'd like some of these things if I just gave them a chance but I'm stubborn so that's not likely.

I ask you all, am I alone in this?
 
Quiche is no new fad, and I love it! I had it for the first time about thirty years ago, and it is still popular, so it's passed the "fad" stage.

I've been eating cauliflower since I was a child, so that would be about 50 years. It is rather bland by itself, but takes sauces very well.

I also like a lime wedge in my Tecate or Pacifico. I don't drink Corona (talk about trendy). Mexicans have been putting lime in their beers for who knows how long. A beer cocktail called a michelada consists of light beer with lime juice, salt, and sometimes chili powder.

I don't like kale, or non-dairy milks.

Try quiche! Quiche Lorraine is my favorite -- it has BACON!

CD
 
I have that reaction, too. I wouldn't put quiche or cauliflower - except cauliflower "rice" and "crust" - in that category, though. The first time I had quiche was when my high school French class went on a field trip to Toronto, Canada and we ate at a French restaurant. Quiche Lorraine is delicious. For many years, I've made quiche on the Saturday after Thanksgiving with turkey, Havarti and roasted red peppers :yum:

I don't have pumpkin spice, but I have Penzeys Pie Spice, which is similar. It's really good - it includes four kinds of cinnamon, anise seed and vanilla sugar in addition to the traditional pumpkin pie spices. I use it in oatmeal-raisin cookies as well as pumpkin pie. But the pumpkin pie spiced everything in the stores? Nah. I'll spice my own food.
 
I have no issue with pumpkin spice in pies, cakes, and maybe cookies. But the "fad" seems to be to see how many things you can put pumpkin spice in. Pumpkin Spice Potato Chips? Give me a break.

Now, I do love punkin' chunkin' competitions. I'd like to do this to some pumpkin spice products. :LOL:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmSyrGsqmg8

CD
 
Like others have said, quiche and cauliflower aren't new and trendy. I, too, have been eating an occasional slice of quiche since the 1970s. Cauliflower, as a food item and not as an ingredient, has been on my plate far longer than that. In my kitchen, rice is rice and pizza uses a flour dough.

I'm not one for "NEW!" or "TRENDY!", but if I think a food has merit, I will give it a chance. We tried kale. Once. I think Himself nailed it when he said it reminded him of the frilly plastic "lettuce" that some meat departments would use to divide the different meat products. Considering that collard greens, Swiss chard, et al have the same basic nutritional qualities, we stick with what we like.

Pumpkin spices belong in pumpkin pie. If you want to use them in another food item because you like it? Fine with me as long as you don't make me eat it. But forget things like Pumpkin Spice soap, hummus, and deodorant. :glare:
 
Several of those I don't really consider fads, with the exception of pumpkin spice everything :sick:, and maybe coconut oil.

I've been eating and enjoying cauliflower for decades and especially love it roasted. As GG said though, the pizza crusts and other variations of it are kind of 'faddy'. I love quiche and first had it at a wedding reception about 45 years ago - but I love most egg dishes. Quinoa takes on whatever flavor it's mixed with and I have a few fave summer salad dishes I use it in, but never eat it just plain.

On the rare occasion I drink beer, I really like a wedge of lime in a frosty mug of Modelo or Corona, usually it's with a Mexican feast.

I like kale in some soups, but I wouldn't just eat a bowlful of it plain. No non-dairy 'milks' for me.
 
Quiche, like quinoa, was a fad some years ago. I make frittatas instead-no crust.

With cauliflower, I just never cared for it except pickled. Lately, it's become trendy to make everything out of it-pizza crust, rice etc. I can't tell you how many times I've had people tell me how great it tastes with a certain sauce or with bacon sausage and cheese, etc. If you have to doctor it up with delicious toppings that would make anything taste good, why bother?

My issue with pumpkin spice is all the things it's put into these days. Starting next month, you won't be able to escape the pumpkin spice deluge.

Please don't get me wrong. I realize a lot of folks enjoy these things I've listed and that's great. My rant isn't a criticism of you our your tastes. It's a comment about my feelings.
 
Fads come and go as the generations go by and young people "discover" something new to them. Of course, the cauliflower thing is because of all the low-carb diets that are popular lately. Many people really miss the carbs, or the easy things you can do with them, like wraps and crusts, but gluten is tough to imitate.

My mom used to make steamed whole cauliflower and cover it with cheese sauce [emoji38] I always liked it as part of a relish tray, but I can't eat it now and DH doesn't like it.

I have the same issue with pumpkin spice. It's become a silly caricature.

Bone broth is the one that really amuses me. It's just stock! It doesn't become healthier if you cook it for three days! :ROFLMAO:
 
Here's the problem. I have become very anti-fad (or very discerning) Whenever I see or hear of a new fad, food or otherwise, I'm immediately turned off by it because I know it will be overdone and become obnoxious.

I never/seldom have had: quiche, kale, cauliflower, pumpkin spice (only in pumpkin pies and rolls), coconut oil, lime in my beer, non-dairy "milks", quinoa, and a host of other things.

I suppose it's remotely possible I'd like some of these things if I just gave them a chance but I'm stubborn so that's not likely.

I ask you all, am I alone in this?
Quiche is hardly "new". The French have been eating it for centuries. And I believe the Germans ate it before the French! Well made to a proper recipe, it's delicious but sadly, modern commercial varieties, at least in GB, are pretty disgusting. It needs cream, not skimmed milk and if you use cheese it needs to be good cheese not "mousetrap" - although there is some disagreement about the correctness of cheese in Quiche Lorraine

Kale is disgusting. You haven't missed much. It was formerly cattle feed in the UK but, given it's current fashion status, it's probably priced out of the range of most cows. I've tried it all sorts of ways and it's always vile (and I love all other varieties of the cabbage family).

Cauliflower - what's not to like? I serve it as my mum did - with cheese sauce, or in macaroni cheese, curry or soup. Cauliflower "rice" seems a bit odd but each to their own.

Lime in beer ????

None-dairy milks - if you are vegan or allergic to or simply dislike cow's milk you should eat your cornflakes dry? Take your tea black? (I have to say that I find soya milk pretty vile but the others aren't bad.)

Can't comment on coconut oil. I have a jar in my cupboard but haven't got round to using it yet.

As for quinoa, what's not to like or dislike? It's a change from rice or couscous as an accompaniment to other dishes.

I'm inclined to think that if one is not introduced to a variety of foods as a child you probably will be "faddy" about food and reluctant to try new things when you grow up. My mother never made a fuss at mealtimes but I was always expected to try things at least once. If I really didn't like a thing I didn't have to finish it but I had to try it. This method work especially well with brussells sprouts. I didn't like them as a child but there was always one sprout on my plate and I was expected to eat it - no fuss and palaver from Ma or me. Glad I did as they are one of my favourite veggies now.

Live dangerously - experiment with foods that are new to you. You never know, you might like them.
 
Last edited:
...Live dangerously - experiment with foods that are new to you. You never know, you might like them.
"Trendy" doesn't always mean new, MC. My biggest complaint is that many things that once used to be "food" are now trendy. They are trendy now because a food TV show or host has started to promote an item. Or a social "influencer" talks about something and all of a sudden all her/his followers just HAVE to have/do it. :rolleyes:

Just a few years ago I was able to buy beef shanks for soup cheap - $1.99 to $2.49 per pound. Then someone decides to refer to them as "beef osso bucco" and the price near me has shot up to $5.99! Cauliflower used to be a vegetable. Now, since it's being used in place of rice or pizza crusts, the $2 head of cauliflower is rarely below $3 in just a few years time. Meanwhile, its cousin the crown of broccoli, has not experienced the same jump in price. That might be because now the stems are lopped off the crown, shredded, and sold to be used a "broccoli slaw", in case you aren't friends with cabbage.

I could go on and on, but I don't want to bore anyone. :D


PS - For me, any beer that needs the addition of fruit to make it tasty isn't really beer. ;) Unless you're talking about a Lambic which, to my taste buds, more resembles a bubbly wine. I haven't tried it yet, but I bet I could pass it off as sparking wine to my best friend who swears she hates beer. :LOL:
 
Quiche is hardly "new". The French have been eating it for centuries....

...Cauliflower - what's not to like? I serve it as my mum did - with cheese sauce, or in macaroni cheese, curry or soup. Cauliflower "rice" seems a bit odd but each to their own...

...None-dairy milks - if you are vegan or allergic to or simply dislike cow's milk you should eat your cornflakes dry? Take your tea black? (I have to say that I find soya milk pretty vile but the others aren't bad.)

...As for quinoa, what's not to like or dislike? It's a change from rice or couscous as an accompaniment to other dishes.

I'm inclined to think that if one is not introduced to a variety of foods as a child you probably will be "faddy" about food and reluctant to try new things when you grow up.

...Live dangerously - experiment with foods that are new to you. You never know, you might like them.

-I didn't say quiche was new. It was a fad a number of years ago. That's when I formed my opinion.

-What's not to like? It has no taste. I mostly eat veggies steamed and plain. You, as most others only ever mention it in conjunction with cheese sauce, macaroni and cheese or curry or soup. Try broccoli instead.

-As I said before, I'm not suggesting this is for others. Do what you want. I'm talking about my preferences.

-What's not to like? I don't like or dislike it. I was put off by its 15 minutes of fame.

-Thanks for your gratuitous psychoanalysis. I enjoy a wide variety of foods from many cultures.

-I don't consider trying new foods to be living dangerously. Sorry you feel that way.
 
Another dish that seems to be making a comeback: Croque Monsieur or Madame. They seem to be popping up on restaurant menus and recipe pages. Don’t know how the Monte Cristo got lost in the fray.

Leave it to millenniums to glorify what’s basically a grilled ham and cheese sandwich. Some article I read said the Croque Madame is so named because the egg on top looks like a woman’s hat. HAT??? It doesn’t look like a hat to me! More like a nippleless breast!
 
I've usually tried many of the ongoing fads as they came about. Mostly from some friend or family member swearing it was the greatest thing, plus my wife having her own missions in life.

How you doin', Andy. Good? I hope so. You sound good.

I'm OK as well.
 
I generally won't try something while it is a fad. And as Andy said, it doesn't have to be new to be a fad. Many foods that become fads get weird. They get exaggerated. People make variations where some are good, but many are awful or just detract from the perfectly good original. Also, as CG mentioned, fads often make ordinary foods expensive.

I'll try a bit of some fad food, if I'm at a potluck or a buffet. Sometimes I manage to try something "new" before it becomes a fad, e.g., lime in beer. Sometimes that is nice, but usually, I prefer straight beer or a shandy. Wait, that's another example. I was drinking shandies before they became a fad.

For anyone who thinks cauliflower is bland, try it raw.
 
Here's the problem. I have become very anti-fad (or very discerning) Whenever I see or hear of a new fad, food or otherwise, I'm immediately turned off by it because I know it will be overdone and become obnoxious.

I never/seldom have had: quiche, kale, cauliflower, pumpkin spice (only in pumpkin pies and rolls), coconut oil, lime in my beer, non-dairy "milks", quinoa, and a host of other things.

I suppose it's remotely possible I'd like some of these things if I just gave them a chance but I'm stubborn so that's not likely.

I ask you all, am I alone in this?


Andy, I'm with you!

I do not like fad DIETS!!! REALLY!!
I understand that some folks can't digest certain foods
and that's a whole different bag of beans,
but
 
Andy, I get like that too. I will try some things, but will dig in my heels and avoid MOST fad items. I’m particularly annoyed with the kale, cauliflower, gluten free, keno etc everything...

Mostly, it annoys me because there are so many people who will then attempt to change how I eat. I’m happy to let others make their own choices and would appreciate the same consideration.
 
I've usually tried many of the ongoing fads as they came about. Mostly from some friend or family member swearing it was the greatest thing, plus my wife having her own missions in life.
l.


Hmm, having re-read that, I should say that I'd tasted each fad.

Next!
 
I tend to be drawn to these “fads,” perhaps I spend too much time on the pad.

Well, not cauliflower, riced or otherwise. It looks too much like some evil vegetable brain! But there’s no excuse for kale. And it’s not tolerated well by people with cardiac issues. This, from a person who likes nori, although I think that’s an acquired taste, not an innate one. And if no one has made a chia-peach pie in a very long time, you gotta wonder - maybe there’s a reason no one’s made it for thousands of years? Besides, trying to sneak healthy vegetables, legumes, and fruits into already delicious is an old old trick.

What was it Nora Ephron wrote? It was in her novel Heartburn. The main character, a chef, is payed to research new ways to use capers. She writes something like “After three months of putting capers in and on everything, I’ve discovered one thing. Anything good with capers is better without them. There’s a reason nobody has ever put capers in lime sorbet.” Or something like that. I love capers, btw.
 
Last edited:
I tend to be drawn to these “fads,” perhaps I spend too much time on the pad.

Well, not cauliflower, riced or otherwise. It looks too much like some evil vegetable brain! But there’s no excuse for kale. And it’s not tolerated well by people with cardiac issues. This, from a person who likes nori, although I think that’s an acquired taste, not an innate one. And if no one has made a chia-peach pie in a very long time, you gotta wonder - maybe there’s a reason no one’s made it for thousands of years? Besides, trying to sneak healthy vegetables, legumes, and fruits into already delicious is an old old trick.

What was it Nora Ephron wrote? It was in her novel Heartburn. The main character, a chef, is payed to research new ways to use capers. She writes something like “After three months of putting capers in and on everything, I’ve discovered one thing. Anything good with capers is better without them. There’s a reason nobody has ever put capers in lime sorbet.” Or something like that. I love capers, btw.

:LOL:

Okay now, let's stop this train-wreck of trashing Kale! :ROFLMAO:

Italians have been cooking with Kale for longer than probably any of us have been alive. That's one of their "go-to" greens.
Think Zuppa Toscana, or pretty much any Italian Soup, they use KALE!
I feel that any vegetable cooked to ones own liking can be delicious,
EVEN BRUSSELS SPROUTS!!
:LOL::ROFLMAO::LOL::ROFLMAO:
 
Back
Top Bottom