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Luke wrote:They are one of the many things that people love but if you tell them it's in their meal, they object to it even if they were just making yummy noises (that's a Young Frankenstein ref).

I cooked for thousands of people, and truth be told, food allergies aside, if someone says "I don't like X" but "X" is in something that tastes amazing, add X anyway. I've never had someone say "I told you I don't like onions, but I think there are onions in this!".

I've discovered many things I didn't think I actually liked thanks to this.

Luke wrote:

prfsnl_gmr wrote:

Luke wrote:Anchovies are basically salt. They do have the flavor of fish when you eat them out of a can, but when cooked they lose almost all of that flavor and simply add a salty flavor to foods.

The things don't really cook, they melt.

I know...and I know that they add such a great, distinctive flavor to sauces and dressings. I am just shocked that you described them as "basically salt".

I try to ease people when it comes to new foods. If I said:

"Anchovies come out of a cheap can, will make your fingers stink if you touch them, and if eaten raw taste like an over salted old fish" I don't think people would be attracted to them.

Luke wrote:I cooked for thousands of people, and truth be told, food allergies aside, if someone says "I don't like X" but "X" is in something that tastes amazing, add X anyway. I've never had someone say "I told you I don't like onions, but I think there are onions in this!".

I actually have, specifically with onions in fact. A girl I dated hated onions, and even when I did my absolute damndest to hide them, she could detect them. It was an odd ability. Even if there was no way of knowing, and even if I couldn't taste them, she could.

Luke wrote:I try to ease people when it comes to new foods. If I said:

"Anchovies come out of a cheap can, will make your fingers stink if you touch them, and if eaten raw taste like an over salted old fish" I don't think people would be attracted to them.

I totally would...but then I already knew I liked anchovies. And yes, I have eaten them straight from the can on crackers before.

Luke wrote:There is also anchovie paste that comes in a tube and looks like a brown toothpaste, which looks disgusting, but is used by professional chefs everyday.

I learned that trick from a chef I use to work with, who ran the kitchen at a Ritz Carlton for over twenty years. Ever since then, I keep a tube in my kitchen at most times. I usually use Giovannis, since it seems to be the most consistent across the brands I have used. And Luke is right, it looks like brown toothpaste, but it taste like heaven:


Speaking of salted fish, my father introduced me to Sprats over the weekend. anyone who likes sardines should give them ago. Specifically, smoked sprats from Latvia:

For those in the Atlanta area, Buford Hwy Farmers Market - aisle 29
For those without an amazing international market - https://www.eurogrocer.com/2050-p-Canned-seafood.html
Eurogrocer is slightly more expensive than BHFM, but they ship to most anywhere in the world.

Ack wrote:

Luke wrote:I cooked for thousands of people, and truth be told, food allergies aside, if someone says "I don't like X" but "X" is in something that tastes amazing, add X anyway. I've never had someone say "I told you I don't like onions, but I think there are onions in this!".

I actually have, specifically with onions in fact. A girl I dated hated onions, and even when I did my absolute damndest to hide them, she could detect them. It was an odd ability. Even if there was no way of knowing, and even if I couldn't taste them, she could.

Some of us are just sensitive to certain things. I like onion flavor, but only if the crispness is cooked out and they aren't big pieces. Likewise with tomatoes, they must be cooked and in paste form. If you put a slice of tomato on my burger, realize and take it off, then bring it to me, I might be able to taste it. It depends on how juicy the tomato was, how spiced the burger is, and whether it left a seed behind, but I'll often know.

The other day the grilled cheese food truck was at my office, and I had the Crunch Time, which was cheese, fried mozzarella sticks, and Cheetos on sourdough. Utterly terrible for you and utterly delicious.

MrPopo wrote:The other day the grilled cheese food truck was at my office, and I had the Crunch Time, which was cheese, fried mozzarella sticks, and Cheetos on sourdough. Utterly terrible for you and utterly delicious.

Man that sounds good.

Ack wrote:I actually have, specifically with onions in fact. A girl I dated hated onions, and even when I did my absolute damndest to hide them, she could detect them.

Interesting.

Here's an example of my dealings: "I hate onions!"

Okay, noted.

Swedish meatballs for four has only 1TBSP of grated onion. When served the dish is covered in a gray, and the meatballs are so hearty that I haven't had one onion hater be able to detect any "onioness".

And I agree with Hobes that some people can take certain foods one way, hate them another. My Father in law HATES tomatoes, but puts ketchup on steaks *cringes*.

A friend of mine who is very particular put it this was when it comes to raw veggies:

"Lettuce is crunchy water. Hate it. Tomatoes from the store is just slimey water. Onions are repulsive. But on a burger I like lettuce, I like ketchup and pasta, and onion volcanoes rule".

So yeah. If you don't like it at first, doesn't mean you don't like it period.

Sure, but this lady could even tell if you added onion salt to something, such as in chili or as part of a rub for meat. It was uncanny. I once finely chopped and added a tablespoon of onions to a gallon of soup, and she took one bite and immediately said, "You put in onions."