The Top Foods I Hate or That I Think Are Overrated

Scott Roberts June 13, 2012 at 8:40 pm food Digg this Article

Liver This one is pretty straightforward. Below are my picks for foods that I cannot stand or that I think are way overrated in standard Western cuisine. Unless stated as much, there may be exceptions to each one, so read my reasons carefully.

Chile Pepper Extract
With the advent of super-hot chile peppers like bhut jolokias (AKA ghost chile peppers), 7 Pots and Trinidad Scorpions, it's SO easy to get extract-level heat (as long as we're not talking about millions of Scoville Heat Units) in a hot sauce. Plus...those chile peppers can have an excellent flavor! Chile extracts are absolutely nasty, bitter, and chemical-like. Virtually all sauces that contain them are unsuitable for consumption. A note to hot sauce makers: don't add extract; that era is over!

Olive Oil
There's just the lightest touch of the bitter flavor of unripened olives that ruins this for me. Unless the EVOO is buried in certain recipes and dishes, this taste gets to me.

Horseradish and Wasabi
Now I can preemptively state that I like a little wasabi in my soy sauce when I'm chowing down some sushi rolls. And I like a bit of horseradish kick in a sweet n' spicy mustard. But anything more than just a smidge is way too much of a completely undesirable nasal-whipping sensation that neither approximates good taste on the tongue nor gives you the endorphins that proceed the lovely heat of chile peppers.

Milk Chocolate
It may be sacrilegious to admit that, but I don't care for milk chocolate. It's just too rich, and it falls into a weird "sweet zone" that's unappealing to me. There are a few exceptions and applications where I can easily tolerate milk chocolate, but most of the time you should keep this away from me. I would MUCH rather have the more awesome, bolder tones of dark chocolate or the lighter, creamier presence of white chocolate.

Liver
Those of you who have eaten this know what it tastes like. Precise words fail me, but to me it's gamey, metallic, and rich (and not in a good way).

Sour Cream and Mayonnaise
I just can't deal with these two white, creamy products. Sour cream by itself has simply too much spoiled dairy flavor for me to stomach; and putting a dollop of it on Mexican food ruins my appetite. Mayonnaise is like a thick, egg snot that someone whipped up with oil. Leave it off my burger, please. I can take these two if they're prepared the right way with the right ingredients to mask the consistency or taste.

Bacon
I have to start off by saying that Scott Roberts does indeed LIKE bacon. But it's not the food of the gods that numerous bozos on the internet make it out to be. Heck, it's not even my favorite type of pork meat; give me ribs, pork chops, pork steaks, pork shoulder, or ham over bacon. It's about time that the gas in this meme and hype machine ran out.

Sardines, Anchovies or Any Type of Smelly Fish
Never cared for any of these. Give me clean, light and flavorful fish any day over them.

Nuts
There's lots of exceptions to this dislike of mine. Yet for the most part for me the vast majority of the time, nuts are hard, anti-flavor, bitter-tasting pieces that are either unpleasant snacks, or terrible, texture-ruining additives to food. Eating walnuts and pecans like candy leaves a bad taste in the mouth, and adding peanuts to sweets like ice cream and brownies only increases the "blech" factor.

Coconut
A good way to ruin any dessert or sweet is to add shreds of this to it. No thanks, keep it away. Disclaimer: I can stomach Almond Joy bars; which, judging by the main ingredients (milk chocolate, coconut and almonds), one would figure I would hate 'em with a white-hot passion!

What Do YOU Hate?

Disagree with any of my choices above? Are there foods others love that personally get your goat or make you want to vomit? Let everyone know below!

Comments

Gregg
2012-06-13 19:50:22

I can see your point on many of these, but I DO love horseradish, and Olive Oil is a staple in our house. For dishes that would not tolerate Olive Oil flavor, there is Canola. However, even with baking, Olive Oil makes THE MOISTEST cake!

Sour Cream, I agree with. I can easily give it up. Just not enough of anything to merit the calories.

Kevin "bubbaStew" Stewart
2012-06-13 19:56:30

Im with you on the liver, and agree on the bacon... especially if it's UBER crunchy... I like a little chew to mine. I've got a real aversion to .....not much really... except kettle chips... stupid over crunchy kettle chips!

Chileman
2012-06-13 20:00:56

Broccoli. And Lima beans.

captain thom
2012-06-13 20:07:43

Scott, you and I could never like in the same house. Everything you don't like, I love, even liver.

Andy Allen
2012-06-13 20:10:57

sorry I'm a big fan of mayo and sour cream. But any seafood is a big turn off for me. also not a big fan of peas. Im a red meat and potatoes guy

michael bebber
2012-06-13 20:16:49

Scott, understand some people do not like many foods. Maybe give some of these a second chance. I like all but extract. hard to think of food I don't like. Love mushrooms but not portabella. Like sardines but no anchobees ha. Never bake chicken with ranch dressing. Nolans hot sauce

Butch Taylor
2012-06-13 20:27:55

Scott,I disagree with every choice except the extract, although I will admit that a lot of them was a acquired taste later in life. Along the way of growing older I met people
who had different techniques and different genres (I use the word in the artistic sense) of food preparation, I found myself eating and enjoying foods that I had before, that I thought were terrible and unpalatable! Technique makes a huge difference in how a food tastes and there is a big chasm between reading a recipe and making it and actually knowing the "how" it was originally made. After eating all this "new" wonderful food, I found that foods outside my comfort zone wasn't bad tasting, just not prepared in a method I was used to tasting. The types of foods I will eat has tripled the last 25 years, and is still growing. As far as your list, the only food I haven't conquered is anchovies, but I'm working on it! To quote one of my favorite TV shows, Bizarre Foods, "If it looks good, eat it!"

Ol' Benito
2012-06-13 20:30:29

I definitely agree with you about the milk chocolate thing, I think I grew out of it or something, I prefer Dark Chocolate any day....

One of the only foods I can't stand is Blue Cheese, to me it tastes like rotten bleach curd or something, it is straight up nasty! I like goat cheese and raw cow's milk cheese, but blue cheese just tastes toxic to me.....

Chilebrown
2012-06-13 20:31:44

I get a chuckle of you like or dislike of bacon.

John Rizzotti
2012-06-13 20:39:19

I absolutely adore Bacon and think it makes everything tast good!
Being Sicilian, anchovies, salted Sardines and Olive oil are a staple in my home and when I was growing up.
Love Dark semi sweet chocolate.
Liver and onions in gravy over bread is one of my childhood memories and takes me back! Love it!!
Horseradish is a must in Baltimore, especially if you are eating true Baltimore Pit Beef. Of course put beef was born in Baltimore!
The only time I eat wasabi is with sushi other than that can take it or leave it!
To each his own I guess!

Ted Barrus
2012-06-13 20:55:41

Wow that is shocking. Some of those are my favorites. Milk Chocolate,bacon and coconut.
Bad Scott no hot sauce for you lol

Scott Roberts
2012-06-13 21:03:19

Guys, reread what I wrote about bacon. I like it, but I think it's way overrated.;-)

Greg
2012-06-13 21:26:17

Blue Cheese!!! My wife loves it. She taunts me with it at all meals we eat out when it's available. I'm usually stupid enough to break and give it "one more chance" every time this happens. UGH! I just don't get it.

I reverse the misfortune every time I eat yogurt. I love it but she despises it. Seriiously? You'll eat something that tastes like moldy ass (not that I know what that tastes like) but despise yogurt disguised and wonderful things such as Boston Creme Pie, Cherry Cheesecake, etc? Bitches be trippin'!! :)

John
2012-06-13 21:57:43

I have seen bad posts on this web site, but this is the most best of your bad posts.

Johnny
2012-06-14 07:38:43

Scott, I can agree with you on some of these. And YES I am as guilty as the next guy as playing into the "glory of bacon craze" with a number of demos and recipes. But the reality is it is far from being a cure-all superfood. As you know I have a very "I like Everything" attitude, but if I had to name a few...
Black Licorice is something i can't handle, yet I like subtle anise flavors and love fennel.
Mint and chocolate combo: i.e Mint Chocolate Chip Ice Cream or Thin Mints...
Uni (sea urchin) probably the only piece of sushi I just can't do.
Celery Soda- You know that Dr. Browns one that looks interesting but is disgusting.
The Chowards Violet Hard Candies....why anyone would want to suck on dish soap is beyond me.
Soggy Cereal!!! If I'm having cereal I eat it even faster than I normally eat. Once it starts to get soggy I am outta there!

Chris
2012-06-14 11:48:35

Wow, I'm surprised at some of the ones on your list but I get where you're coming from. For me: - canned mussels, tuna, sardines, etc, Can't even stand to be in the same room as someone eating them. - Quinoa - American cheese

Gregg B.
2012-06-14 13:40:40

I grew up believeing that everything tasted better with bacon, and I'm still a believer. Looking forward to the new Burger King Bacon Sundae.

Liver - YUCK, and I'm such a good dad I never made my kids try it like my parents made me.
Mayo - YUCK, not even in moderation. Also goes for Miracle Whip.
Green Bean Casserole - Thanks, I'll pass.
Mango's - can't even tolerate the smell.

I'm sure I'll think of more as soon as I hit submit.

Brian Meagher
2012-06-14 13:47:31

Wow! Talk about a "link bait" article. Just come out and lambast apple pie and baseball why don't ya?

Top items I agree with you on - liver. Yea, words escape me too. I can't be in the house if it's being cooked. And THAT hasn't happened since childhood. Liver. Bad.

Pepper extract - 'nuff said. Nasty.

Sardines - can NOT bring myself to even TRY these little fishes. But I can eat a whole can of ANCHOVIES on SALTINES and be in heaven. Go figure.

Beyond that, you've never had good olive oil, mayonnaise is the spread of God's that I only appreciated when I grew up (35-ish?), prior to that it was only Miracle Whip for me.

And a good horseradish is essential to Maryland foods like pit beef and crab cakes. Love it. (For a unique and delicious "cocktail sauce" mix 1 part horseradish to 3 parts Heinz Chili Sauce.)

You left out mushy green things like asparagus and string beans.

Oh, and Sriracha and Tabasco sauces. But that's another post, isn't it? "The Top Hot Sauces I Hate or are Overrated". (For the record, I love them both).

aptdwler
2012-06-14 13:53:10

Agree on the extracts. No extract sauce's are so much better.

I HATE mashed potatoes. I won't eat them. Old fashion food in general is NOT my favorite. Give me pizza covered in hot sauce any day...

salsalady
2012-06-14 16:56:35

Well, this is a good "share your opinion and get it off your chest" thread. I'll make sure not to send any liver-flavored mayo-based sauces to Scott for review. lol. Good thing there are a million and one restaurants, recipes and sauces out there. Something for everyone. I have a lot of "don't care for"s including mushrooms and green peppers, even though I use green peppers in our fresh salsa. Anchovies...they are an ingredient in Caesar Salad Dressing, so even though they might be nasty by themselves, as an ingredient...yum. As alluded to, a lot of how an ingredient is enjoyed is in the preparation. The only ingredient i just can't overcome is eggplant. We were forced to eat some fried eggplant as kids (that whole "you must at least eat 2-bites thing") and I puked on my dinner plate.

Dean Swiatek
2012-06-14 17:52:37

I agree on some of these...

While I've had a few incredibly great tasting sauces with extract, most of them do not have good flavor. And I've had some sauces that probably would have been good if not great sauces without extract, and maybe would have still been good with less extract, but the battery acid flavor just wrecked them.

I completely disagree with the olive oil, horseradish and wasabi though, although I would much rather prefer chili peppers over horseradish without thinking about it, but most everything else I somewhat agree with. As I get older, I only like really good chocolate. The average quality chocolate does very little for me. I also find that mayonaise isn't what it used to be, and I used to really like sour cream on burritos or tacos, but lately I have started skipping the sour cream for health reasons, and now I prefer not using it.

I've never been a huge fan of nuts, and one thing I absolutely cannot stomach even a small amount of is coconut. I would rather drink a bottle of Blair's Beyond Death (which was probably the worst tasting hot sauce I have ever had) than eat a tiny piece of coconut...

Robert Crabtree
2012-06-14 20:55:59

Some things on that list I can agree with Ex: Liver, Coconut, and Olive oil. But seriously you don't think Bacon is the meat of the gods. I mean really how do you make a hamburger better, put bacon on it. There is a sandwich devoted to Bacon, BLT. Last but not least, you take one of the best cuts of steak a Filet and make it great by wrapping it in Bacon. Ow and Horseradish is the bomb.

midwestchilehead
2012-06-14 21:52:03

I always thought olive oil was overrated, until I had the caprisi salad at Pizzaria Bianco in Phoenix. Complex, fruity, delicious! If you are ever in the neighborhood, give it a try.

Buddah
2012-06-15 04:45:55

I did not like sour cream nor mayo growing up. Not until I was about 30 did I see the purpose for both products. Now I can say that I appreciate the use of them. As for nuts, I understand the bitter comment with some of them. If you have them plain and unsalted sure they can be that way, but would you ever have a plain burger or an unseasoned steak? I think the best nuts are from Blue Diamond with their almonds, Mauna Loa with their macadamia nuts, and my new favorite peanuts by Bertie County with their Weeping Mary Ghost Pepper flavor. It is all about the crunch and flavor with those. I love milk chocolate over dark because it is sweeter and less bitter for me. It is the bitterness in dark that turns me off. I hate cooked liver, but I grew up on chopped liver and would go out of my way for some good NY kosher deli version. I love wasabi in my soy sauce too and also really like Quizno's horseradish sauce to dip my sammich in. Coconut is best in pina coladas, but I do not like it raw. Lastly, Scott you will be going with on the trip to Santa Fe for the best slice of bacon I have ever tried at Pasquals. Also best food in New Mexico that I have experienced in my 5 years of going there. Then you will have to rethink this list after that. My personal dislikes come from anything coffee and licorice flavored, liverwurst, baby brain looking cauliflower, alien brain looking brussel sprouts, and bleu cheese. Extract is too easy to dislike so it doesn't even belong on a food list. Sardines & anchovies I so agree with though. Blech.

Rod Steel
2012-06-15 15:40:30

I hate Scott Roberts for being pretentious and complaining about food that aren't chile peppers.

Adoboloco
2012-06-18 16:44:27

Could most of the dislikes be due to the environment you grew up in or were exposed to at a young age?

For example wasabi if eaten correctly with sushi or sashimi clears your sinuses and allows you to taste more of the fresh seafood used in the preparation. Over time just like a chili pepper you build up a tolerance to it.

If you ever make it over to Maui, maybe we'll have to do a food tour and help change your mind on a few of these.

In regards to sour cream, I prefer using plain greek yogurt instead.

Aloha!

SteveM
2012-06-18 22:13:40

Can't stand Bean Sprouts or artificial meat & dairy products made of soy. I think it's just wrong to make "veggie" burgers. Either eat the real thing or don't. Quit Pretending! I also think slapping the words "organic" on anything is grossly overrated. I'm not against so-called health food, I just think you can eat healthy veggies and meat products without dressing it up. Also not a fan of glazed doughnuts, or that cheap cake that tends to show up at birthday and office parties.

Ryan Hogrefe
2012-06-19 21:11:37

I love this post and disagree with most of it. I come to your blog all the time and this is one of the reasons why. Great story and read. You stirred up comments and debate. Thanks!

JenB
2012-06-20 18:36:13

I agree with a lot of this. I don't really like chocolate, peanut butter cups are great though. I do like mocha. I hate liver. I love mayo, but not olive oil mayo. Olive Oil is fine to cook with, especially stir-fries or fried potatoes. I don't care for extract. I like Wasabi Powder mixed into mayo and horseradish is okay for a change now and then. I'm not all that excited about nuts, but I do like them in chinese and thai stir-fries. Sour cream, yogurt, and cream cheese can taste bad if it's a bad recipe, but I do like them in good recipes. I agree with you about anchovies, way too salty. I don't like anything too sweet, so I don't eat much dessert. I do like cheesecake and angel food cake, and white wedding cake with white frosting. I like bacon and fake bacon. I love Quorn, but hate a lot of soy veggies burgers. Oh, and I'm not that fond of ranch dressing. Great post!

JenB
2012-06-20 18:41:35

I agree with Kevin about the Kettle type chips, the ones I tried were so overly crunchy, I thought they were gonna bust my teeth. I do like baked Lays a lot though, just enough crunch.

Ady
2012-06-21 07:35:07

Chilli Seeds! Bitter and hard! Just take the things out and add more flesh if you want it hotter!

DiggingDogFarm
2012-06-21 13:20:48

I like all but the extract.

Bernie deBuhr
2012-07-20 20:24:03

Scott AMEN to your extract comments. As far as anchovies are concerned, we have a pizza place in Mattoon, IL that I promise has the best pizza ANYWHERE and if you get the Villa Special with anchovies you might change your mind!! Only 2 hours away!!

http://www.facebook.com/MattoonVillaPizza

Bernie deBuhr
2012-07-20 20:41:36

Scott One more thing on the Mayo. There is a product we sell in our store that is an Amish Mayonaise Mustard spread that I know you would like!! It comes in Habanero, Jalapeno, Horseradish and Garlic.. Great on deli meats but also good in deviled eggs or potato salad!! http://www.amishjam.com/images/mustard_mayo.jpg

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