Serious Eats - seriouseats.com

This is a great question, and as long as I still have studies to avoid, one that I'm sure is going to stick with me for a while.

My first response is fennel/anise. I'm still not sure I'm there yet. I hated Pizza Hut sausage as a child, and I realize now that it's loaded with fennel seed. Seems quite an American thing to hate fennel/licorice flavoring, though. But I tried a few recipes that used it (first was Nigella's mock porchetta), and then I met and married a dude from Marseille. Needless to say, on my first visit, I encountered a lot of pastis, which I really had problems with: first few sips were nice, then downhill from there. I haven't tried it since.

But I like fresh fennel bulb now, thinly sliced and raw (not cooked). And fennel seeds, I am happy to have them around.

My efforts with fresh ginger are failing miserably, though. Likewise, lemongrass. And I'm sure there are others, because my family didn't really push for variety. Like dill: I don't think my mom ever used it, but I'm crazy for it now.

Spinach. I don't know what the heck has come over me, but for the last six months or so, I can't get enough of the stuff. We didn't really have it that often as kids but lately, I'm putting it in everything!

Beets and brussels sprouts--both roasted. Just in the last couple of years...

Coffee. Didn't used to drink much, if any, coffee but since I work 'til 3 AM on some nights, it became a little inevitable. And I'm glad it did, because now I'm in love with it!

Mussels. I actually used to love them for a short period about 10 years ago, but then had a serving of really bad ones and could not even think of them after that. Last year, I saw mussels on the menu of a restaurant we were having dinner at and all of a sudden really felt like having a plate - and I enjoyed them! It's kind of cheating, I guess, because it's not entirely an acquired taste. All right then - aubergines (or eggplants). Used to hate them until a couple of years ago, however, I quite enjoy them now. I probably started eating them because my husband loves them - he'd buy aubergines, I'd cook them (usually, I'd make 2-3 different dishes with them), but since I can't stand not knowing how something tastes when I cook it, I was trying them. Eventually, I got to love them:-).

Cottage cheese - I wouldn't even look at it, but a few years ago I tried it again, don't remember where and what made me do it, but I loved it! Now I buy it regularly and really enjoy it.

Another one is hummus. While I had plenty of exposure to aubergines and cottage cheese growing up, my first encounter with hummus happened when I first came to Israel 10 years ago. It certainly wasn't love at first bite, but once I found myself in a situation when I was extremely hungry, and the only food available was a pita and a small container of hummus. I gave it a try, and to my surprise, it was not only tolerable, as I expected it to be under the circumstances, but also quite tasty. After that experience, I started asking for hummus in my shawarma pita sandwiches (prior to that, I had probably been the only person in the entire Middle East who would ask NOT to put any hummus there:-))... now hubby and I have "Middle Eastern nights" several times a month - pita bread, kebabs, a plateful of fresh vegetables dressed lightly with olive oil and lemon juice, and home made hummus with tahini sauce!

It doesn't work with bananas though - once a year or so, I try a bite to see if I maybe like them now. Nope, still don't.

Hot chile peppers. I used to be such a wimp, but now I use both fresh and dried in many dishes and am enjoying the bit of fire that they impart.

Coffee--not in its pure form, but I love Cafe au Lait's. I started college this fall and I HAVE to stop at our student union or convenience stores to buy almost every day. Definitely not the cheapest habit to start up!

Fresh Thyme -- I never really used it much -- I now love it and have incorporated it into a number of dishes.

Zucchini. I never liked it until my parents had a bumper crop in their garden one year, and we started eating it in everything. Now I love it just lightly sauteed in olive oil with garlic, mixed with rice and maybe some other veggies and shrimp.
I'm still having a hard time with fennel. I got a bagel with fennel on it, and even after I took the fennel off, the flavor was still intense. I couldn't stand it. I don't like it in sausage or pasta sauce either. Nor do I like anise in things like biscotti.
I'm starting to like champagne and red wine. I've heard if you try something enough times, you start to like it. I've politely had a glass of wine or champagne when I go to dinner parties.

INDIAN! I could eat Indian food every day for the rest of my life and I would be a happy woman. I have yet to try something that I don't like. I think I sense a craving coming on.

Sushi. I'm a fish HATER...but discovered the delightfully different world of raw fish... Holy crap. Gotta have it at least once a week.

I think it's my mid-30s body craving those Omegas....

Perky, I'm with you on the Brussels sprouts. I never had them until a few weeks ago. Both Mom and husband hate them, so I never ate them. Tried roasting like you describe and discovered another vegetable I like!

Barley
and Lipton Tuscan Lemon tea in the cute pyramid bags!

ChristineB
Your meals sounds absolutely delicious - my mouth is watering just imagining the flavors.....YUM..

Believe it or not, bread.

I'm not a baker, and ever since I moved out of Mom's house over twenty years ago, I just haven't bought bread. But recently I bought a French loaf at the local store on impulse and tried a slice or two with butter, and WOW did I love it.

I'm now seriously thinking of trying to bake my own bread (something that's always been a bit intimidating to me).

Guinness.

Also, fish sauce. I am not asian, but my husband is (Vietnamese) and it has taken me awhile to actually *like* the stuff - but I do now!