Chief's Lament and an Open Invitation

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Ok, so this is the new, and open to everyone, lament page. This isn't for serious lamentation, just the mild annoyances in life.

Here's my first one:

I am a man with a desire for strong and adventurous flavors, surrounded by people with over-sensitive tongues, so that I have to make what are to me, bland, and sometimes uninteresting meals.

The reason this is a mild annoyance is that I love those people, and it's worth the annoyance to account for their needs. Besides, I can often season my portion to my own tastes. I simply wish they could enjoy the flavor bonanza that could be available to them. I would like them to be able to enjoy such variety as I enjoy.

Oh, and everyone should love liverwurst, and ultra-sharp cheddar cheese. It should be a universal constant.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[Andy M.]

I'm in a similar situation where my loved ones don't share my favorite foods. No one will eat duck. No one other than SO will eat dishes with heat. Some won't eat mushrooms or onions. etc., etc.

You can have my share of sharp cheeses.

 

[Hoot]

Much the same here. I do see some evidence that Mrs Hoot is a little more adventurous than formerly. Still, I mostly enjoy such items as liverwurst, menudo, brains and eggs, and so on and so forth....alone.

 

[LPBeier]

I will take Andy's sharp cheeses!

Mine is a little different. TB loves flavours and a certain amount of spice. But my big lament is he can't have eggs, wheat, gluten, dairy, casein or soy in any shape or form. I am a chef by trade and baker by heart and while we have a deal that I can make any amount of cake or other items when he isn't around, the fact is like the Chief says, I want to share it with him. But I don't want to make him sick. So I usually just don't make anything. It is not so much I want to eat it, I will give it away (and have). I just love making all sorts of sweets!

EDIT: I do make some baking he can eat, but not as often. He does really enjoy it though!

 

[kadesma]

Much the same here. I do see some evidence that Mrs Hoot is a little more adventurous than formerly. Still, I mostly enjoy such items as liverwurst, menudo, brains and eggs, and so on and so forth....alone.

Can I come eat at your house? I love everything you mentioned. Yum I love brains in my ravioli along with herbs,spinach and cheese.

kades

 

[Whiskadoodle]

I like spicy stuff, and I assess my tastes really are pretty much middle of the road kind of hot. This is generally too hot for anyone else in my family. Since I am single this is usually not an issue, but it sure makes a challenge if you want to invite any of them for dinner. I have a small immediate but very large extended family. The Immediates I have to deal with are No Pork, only organic, different degrees of Veg and vegan as well. With the extended family, it's actually a blessing to participate and or serve "traditional" family holiday meals and Carefully decide who to invite when planning a picnic or barbecue as much as to scratch my head regarding a menu the rest of the year.

I am excited because DxW and I are going out for lunch downtown later this week. To a new India restaurant. It's food is apparently well rounded spicy but not hot. I have no idea about Southern vs Northern Indian regional foods. We seldom go downtown, so that is a trip in itself, and 2ndly I hope she likes this choice as an adventure. I am just surprised she said Yes.

PS. The only liver I like is liverwurst and chicken livers. Smelly cheese, as long as I can tell the difference between it and my dirty sox, it's ok.

 

[chopper]

I love sharp cheddar and Hubby does too!

My issue is that Hubby doesn't eat any veggies (well, he will eat corn on the cob if it is roasted on the grill and he will eat sweet potato fries). I like casseroles, and I just love soup, but making these things without veggies isn't as exciting. Hubby also doesn't like fruit, so if I make a pie it is lemon or chocolate. Once in a blue moon I can make apple mini pies and he will eat one.

 

[PrincessFiona60]

I am a natural foods person surrounded by people who are happy with Hamburger Helper.

 

[Claire]

Chief, when I first moved to the upper Midwest, this was a constant problem for me. It took the better part of a decade, but I have made friends who like food (for the first five years, I couldn't cook for anyone, really). I agree it's a mild annoyance, because if you care for people (as you obviously do) you adjust. But it does suck the fun out of cooking to have friends who actually think that fresh ground tellicherry pepper is too hot, if it isn't the black pepper from the shaker, it's too much. I have some friends I've babied into accepting better food, and eventually found well-traveled friends who love to cook and eat great food. But there were a few years when I was wondering about our decision to move here.

One thing, though, is the cheese thing. I live in cheese-land, and can quite literally put out cheese that is to strong for me and have it gobbled up. The same with liverwurst and various permutations. Several times a year we hop in the car and go through Wisconsin and NW Illinois and stop at cheese factories and pick up very, very aged cheeses from the source.

Many local friends won't eat a Thai curry, but all pretty much love the great cheese, and we fully enjoy it. Within a few hours' drive there are decade-aged cheddar and Swiss, some marvelous blues, and I know it is sacreligious, but some wonderful variations on Parm, Asiago, and Romano.

One acquaintance jumps for joy and says, "here's Claire! I hope she brought some stinky cheese again!"

 

[Siegal]

I know your pain. My husband is fine with strong spices and flavors but doesn't eat most veggies, nearly no dairy, no seafood at all, I can go on....sigh

I just wish I cold make a grilled cheese sandwich or nachos or fried fish or something once in a while.

I'll trade with you! You eat my curry chicken and ill eat your bland casserole

 

[Snip 13]

My hubby won't eat liver in any form, brawn, marrow, game, duck, sweet potatoes, arugula, basil, sushi, fish that tastes like fish.......
I could go on forever. He pretty much doesn't like any of my favourite foods "roll eyes"
When ever he goes away for business the kids and I eat all of the things he doesn't like.
At least he likes spicy food so most of our meals are spicy. Chillies and curry is something we all enjoy!

 

[qmax]

My lament is the heat. I love exploring cuisines from everywhere, but my wife, while willing to try anything, and usually liking anything, simply is a weenie when it comes to heat. Very frustrating to me because i want to cook authentic as possible. And there are so many cuisines that have a heavy reliance on chilis of one type or another North African, Middle Eastern, Korean, Southeast Asian, Caribbean, etc, etc ad nauseum. Sheesh, even Italian. Seems like half the worlds foods are off limits to cook because of her fear of the chili.

 

[LPBeier]

I am a natural foods person surrounded by people who are happy with Hamburger Helper.

I get that! We were supposed to go to our friend and ex-business partner's co-ed baby shower last weekend. We explained that we couldn't make the shower because TB worked until 5 pm. So our friend said we should come after and have dinner with them. When I explained all the things TB can't have (wheat being a big one), our friend said "well that's okay, I was thinking of getting KFC!"

 

[Kylie1969]

We are lucky, as Steve and I have a very similar palate and we both seem to love the same foods

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

I was spoiled while growing up. My Dad was a petty good cook, as was my Mom. And in both houses, we like just about everything that could be cooked. All of my kids like just about everything as well. It's just the adults who are my age that are picky, or have unique conditions that limit what they can eat. Fortunately for me, I have but two or three things that I've ever tasted that I don't like, alcohol, mint, horehound, and okra. That's about it. I like everything else that I've tried, no matter where I've been. And believe me, I've tried more foods than most. Oh, and the birds can keep the nightcrawlers. Yuk.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[GotGarlic]

I'm feeling pretty lucky, too, Kylie DH has a few firm dislikes - broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms - but I can't have cruciferous veg anyway and he likes pretty much everything I make

 

[Steve Kroll]

I'll eat almost anything, with few exceptions. Liverwurst and sharp cheese included. And although I love most sweetbreads, I'm not particularly keen on brains, due to a bad experience while traveling in Turkey many years ago. My wife is a bit pickier. She won't touch mushrooms, liver, cooked cabbage of any kind, avocado, spinach or beets. Fortunately, she's a good sport and encourages me to cook meals with these foods. She just dances around them.

She has gotten much more adventurous, though. Since I've known her, there are many foods she now likes that she wouldn't have eaten when she was younger.

In three weeks DW is headed off to England for work. I've been putting together a list of all the things I'll be making while she's gone that are on her hate list.

 

[Merlot]

My husband is allergic to shellfish, my Dad can't tolerate fresh onions or anything with onion spice in it, my mother is a vegetarian, my brother only eats meat and potatoes, and my child eats really plain foods. I love sharp cheddar cheese! The worst thing I can think of for myself is taking a bite of something with either blue cheese or licorice in it.

 

[Kylie1969]

I'm feeling pretty lucky, too, Kylie DH has a few firm dislikes - broccoli, cauliflower, mushrooms - but I can't have cruciferous veg anyway and he likes pretty much everything I make

That is excellent GG...it is nice when you can both eat the same things most of the time, makes life easier