Things I never thought I'd like

[Addie]

As a child, I hated green beans. Then when I started cooking in my own home, I discovered wax beans. Fell in love with them. Now I buy them by the small cans and keep them in the fridge. I use a dash of Ranch Dressing on a full bowl of them. But for the green beans, I use fresh ones. Then chill them and do the same as the wax beans.

I first tasted capers a couple of years ago. I thought I was not going to like them. Now I put them in potato and macaroni salad. I even add them to a baked potato.

Oddly enough, even growing up in this community, I am still not too fond of Italian food. I won't eat Lasagna if there is Ricotta cheese in it. I prefer to eat just a meatball and leave the pasta on the plate. But I love Italian sausages in the gravy.

[Andy M.]

I'm one who doesn't care for capers.

As a child, I hated butternut squash which was a staple at our home. It was so bad I'd gag. Now I love it as a favorite veggie.

[RPCookin]

Originally Posted by rodentraiser

What are capers, exactly? I used to think they were chick peas or garbanzo beans.

Originally Posted by Dawgluver

Not beans at all. They are little plant buds that kind of taste like olives. They're mostly pickled with salt and vinegar.

Originally Posted by rodentraiser

Thanks. Hmmm, I'm not sure if I'd like them. I only like olives baked on a pizza.

Capers are pickled, unopened flower buds. The flower looks like this (I took this while in Tuscany a few years ago) when in bloom. At the very bottom you can see an unopened bud that would be a caper if properly pickled. I've never thought that they tasted anything like olives. They are mostly just salty.

[CraigC]

Never thought I'd like Uni. Brussels sprouts are the bomb!

[rodentraiser]

Originally Posted by GotGarlic

They remind me of pickles more than olives; in fact, I replace olives with capers in recipes because DH doesn’t like olives, but we both love capers If you like pickles, give them a try.

I don't like pickles either, although I will put a small bit of sweet relish into a tuna melt.

TUNA MELT!

Now there's something I never thought I would eat. But I was hungry one day and someone offered me a half of their tuna melt and it looked like it might be good. I've been eating them ever since. However, I won't eat cold tuna in a salad.

Originally Posted by Addie

As a child, I hated green beans. Then when I started cooking in my own home, I discovered wax beans. Fell in love with them. Now I buy them by the small cans and keep them in the fridge. I use a dash of Ranch Dressing on a full bowl of them. But for the green beans, I use fresh ones. Then chill them and do the same as the wax beans.

I first tasted capers a couple of years ago. I thought I was not going to like them. Now I put them in potato and macaroni salad. I even add them to a baked potato.

I've always hated green beans. A neighbor of mine said I needed to try them fresh off the vine. So I planted them and naturally, they grew like Jack's beanstalk. I took one off the vine, bit into it and promptly spit it out again. It tasted like eating grass. So my neighbors got all those millions of green beans

Originally Posted by RPCookin

Capers are pickled, unopened flower buds. The flower looks like this (I took this while in Tuscany a few years ago) when in bloom. At the very bottom you can see an unopened bud that would be a caper if properly pickled. I've never thought that they tasted anything like olives. They are mostly just salty.

Well, you guys have me convinced. I may not like capers, but I'm going to try them at least once. Yes, trust me, that was an earthquake you all just felt. Because I think I must be the pickiest eater alive and I only say I'm going to try something new about once every 20 years.

[RPCookin]

Originally Posted by rodentraiser

I've always hated green beans. A neighbor of mine said I needed to try them fresh off the vine. So I planted them and naturally, they grew like Jack's beanstalk. I took one off the vine, bit into it and promptly spit it out again. It tasted like eating grass. So my neighbors got all those millions of green beans

You're supposed to cook them first.

I wouldn't like raw green beans either. Blanche them until tender, then they can be tossed with a flavored olive oil, a little hot bacon grease and crumbled bacon, sliced mushrooms... etc. Lots of ways to add some interest to plain old string beans.

[Addie]

Originally Posted by RPCookin

You're supposed to cook them first.

I wouldn't like raw green beans either. Blanche them until tender, then they can be tossed with a flavored olive oil, a little hot bacon grease and crumbled bacon, sliced mushrooms... etc. Lots of ways to add some interest to plain old string beans.

Gee as kids, we would pick them from the kitchen garden all the time and eat them raw while outside playing. It was the only way I would eat them. We sort of had a salad every day when playing outside and not doing chores. Raw beans, carrots, lettuce, right from the garden. Wash them off with the hose and we were good to go.

[GotGarlic]

Originally Posted by Addie

As a child, I hated green beans.

Originally Posted by RPCookin

You're supposed to cook them first.

I wouldn't like raw green beans either. Blanche them until tender, then they can be tossed with a flavored olive oil, a little hot bacon grease and crumbled bacon, sliced mushrooms... etc. Lots of ways to add some interest to plain old string beans.

Originally Posted by Addie

Gee as kids, we would pick them from the kitchen garden all the time and eat them raw while outside playing. It was the only way I would eat them.

So which is it? You hated green beans, or you ate them raw all the time?

You might think about having your memory checked next time you go to Winthrop.

[Cooking Goddess]

Originally Posted by RPCookin

You're supposed to cook them first. ...

Not according to our son. When he was in high school, he'd grab a handful off of my cutting board as he was on his way to his room. I always passed it off as a hungry teen coming home from sport's practice willing to eat the first thing he saw. One day when I yelled at him, he said "but I like them better raw". After that, I always set some aside so he could grab and go.

Now he doesn't even like the things. Go figure...

[tenspeed]

Originally Posted by RPCookin

You're supposed to cook them first.

I guess I didn't read the rule book. I like them both raw and cooked.