Are you more picky about certain categories of foods?
For example, I am much more picky about desserts than I am about anything that's part of a regular meal. It's not that I dislike desserts, it's just that when it comes to saying "no thanks" to something, it's more likely to be dessert than salad or veggies.
For one thing, when I was growing up, dessert wasn't a regular part of the meal, so it's not like I expect it to be there. I consider dessert to be an indulgence. And if I'm going to be indulging (and adding up the calories of that indulgence) I want the dessert to be really good.
If the veggies are overdone and the steak is chewy, I'm fine with that (at someone else's house) because I figure there's some nutrition involved, and if I'm invited for a meal, I come hungry. I eat what's there.
But when it comes down to dessert, I've already slaked the hunger. Now I'm looking at a high-calorie, low-nutrient item that I'm going to have to burn off. If I'm going to eat those calories, taste is much more important to me than it is when I'm eating the main dish.
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9 Comments:
I would say that I am kind of like you when it comes to desserts. There are just desserts that I am not fond of at all. Like you said, why pack in those extra calories if it's not something that tastes yummy! I don't care for pies at all, usually don't care for cake (cupcakes i love if they have good frosting!), only like one kind of donut. Wow, I'm picky. But really if you have a plate of cookies, brownies, cheesecake, anything chocolate..I'm doomed! I also constantly bake...so the gym is my friend :P
The only other thing I can think of is I am very picky about sauces on my Italian food! I really don't care for red sauce at all..I KNOW. So usually don't eat spaghetti w/it, or lasagna, and would definitely never order anything w/it if we're out to dinner.
alyssazor at 12:05PM on 02/27/08
I agree with both of you!
Growing up, dessert was never a regular occurrence. It was not something that followed every meal; we had some ice cream or cookies on the weekends and that was it. So now, I don't really have a fondness for sweets, and when I do eat something sweet, it has to be really good because I have no desire to eat a crappy Hershey's chocolate bar or some subpar but overpriced cupcake. If it doesn't taste amazing, it's not going in my mouth. This is especially true now that I'm getting older - I can't really need those extra 300 calories so there's absolutely no point in my eating bad sweets. I know so many people who have a sweet tooth and will eat only old crappy dessert. So sad. That being said, I have no qualms with scarfing down an amazing piece of cake or some wonderful plated dessert!
I'm also REALLY picky about Indian food. I don't eat at most Indian restaurants (they're usually North Indian and not even authentic, at that), and I am ultra-critical of the places at which I do eat. This is what happens when you grow up eating some of the best South Indian food ever!
raspberry eggplant
charm city cupcake at 12:18PM on 02/27/08
I'm picky about how food is prepared for the most part, but I think I am pickier about how my meat is done. I only like rare steaks. If it's medium and beyond, I do send it back. If it's medium rare, I'll tolerate it (so not thaaat picky).
Another thing is how well pasta is cooked. I will send it back if it's not al dente. The worst was at Cheesecake Factory (yeah, yeah what do you expect..it IS a notch above fast food). Husband got some kind of pasta dish that I could tell when it was delivered that it was WAAAY overdone. He couldn't pick the ziti up with his fork because the pasta fell apart each time he tried. I pulled the plate away from him and told him he wasn't eating that sh!t. I have to say that of the 6-7 times we've been there (two diff locations), we've had 3-4 incidents where something had gone wrong, but they've always been great about taking care of mistakes that you never walk away spittin' mad like other restaurants.
As for major grouping of food, I am REALLY picky about Japanese food for obvious reasons (grew up on it).
Cassaendra at 2:02PM on 02/27/08
I'm extremely picky about fish. My mother was a supreme fish cook and if nothing else, she passed down a real scrutiny of fish. I have a very hard time ordering lobster in a restaurant because they rarely get it right.
Another thing I have a hard time ordering is cheesecake. I'm almost always disappointed because cheesecake is my specialty. The last thing any restaurant wants to serve me is a whipped up airy cheesecake. Yow. That would be bad. (So I don't order it.)
I usually am not happy when someone at an otherwise dependable Italian restaurant offers me grated cheese on a fish dish. But that's not being picky - it's the same as someone offering to put grated cheese on my hot fudge sundae.
chiff0nade at 3:49PM on 02/27/08
I'm really not picky at all when it comes to desserts, mostly because I don't really eat them. If I do eat sweets, it's usually something I've baked myself and it's usually as a snack if I didn't get a chance to eat breakfast or had a small lunch. The thing I'm really picky about is vegetables. I'm always grateful to be invited over to people's houses for dinner, but I can't bare the sight of vegetables that came out of a frozen bag or salads that include wilting iceburg lettuce. It may sound spoiled, but I think if you're going to splurge on anything, it should be fresh produce. I lived in Arizona a year and those people don't know how lucky they are! There was a produce market there that sold huge leeks in packs of five for like , a buck and there was always bell peppers that were five of any color for a dollar. That's unheard of here in Southern California where produce, especially bell peppers, are ridiculously expensive. Anyhow, yes, I'm very specific and picky when it comes to produce.
PumpkinBear at 5:01PM on 02/27/08
Seafood and pasta. The seafood has to be ridiculously fresh, especially when it comes to stuff like sushi. I can taste even the tiniest bit of aging on any sea product I put in my mouth. If there's the slightest hint, I can't eat it. My stomach roils. I've had 2 severe bouts with food poisoning. One from tuna and one from clams. The tuna put me in the hospital for a week. I think those experiences really ratcheted up my sensitivity.
With pasta - it's gotta be al dente. I have no problem, on the very rare occasion when I overcook it, dumping and starting from scratch.
chisai at 8:10PM on 02/27/08
Seafood. Has to be fresh, cooked properly and served as soon as it is done. Can't have been stored improperly, over cooked or sitting around waiting to be picked up (if at a restaurant)
Hard to find where I live now, which is why when I head "home" first thing I do is get a seafood dinner!
SayWhat at 8:24PM on 02/27/08
At the market (especially), I am really picky about cuts of meat (and seafood) , their quality, and freshness. In restaurants, I'm picky about vegetables. Most restaurants overcook them, use frozen (that same carrot-cauliflower-squash mix), or worse.
beth1 at 8:55PM on 02/27/08
I'm not picky about much. I even quite forgiving. But I do take note of, and appreciate, really good bread.
srhcb at 9:25PM on 02/27/08