Monday, November 17, 2008

Pickavore's dilemma

In the spirit of acknowledging the Internet's role as one big support group for lunatics, allow me to point out how pleased I am that I'm not the only picky eater especially afraid of okra. Along with "mayo, sour cream, cream cheese, cottage cheese."

And, back to the paper...

4 comments:

J. Otto Pohl said...

I am finding it difficult to imagine traditional Jewish, i.e. Ashkenazi cuisine from the Pale of Settlement without sour cream, cottage cheese or cream cheese. What does a blintz without any of these items look like? Indeed any Russian influenced cuisine without smetana (sour cream) or mayo is I believe physically impossible. Even here in Central Asia mayo and smetana are pretty much staples.

Phoebe Maltz Bovy said...

Well, lucky for me, that civilization was demolished well before my birth, and I'm free to pick and choose among elements of that and all other cuisines.

Anonymous said...

"Along with "mayo, sour cream, cream cheese, cottage cheese"

I can sorta understand growing up around NYC delis who slather mystery white gooey dairy stuff on everything, and thus having an aversion to those kinds of products as a result. Some of the stuff NYC delis use really is kinda gross.

But growing into adulthood allows us to re-try those foods with a fresh mind.

I hated mayo growing up, but then I tried fresh-made mayo as an adult, and realized it was pretty damn good.

And how can anyone be averse to sour cream? Does it help if we call it crème fraîche instead?

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And for the sake of propriety, we shall not mention the conclusion Doctor Freud would reach about an aversion to those particular food items...

Phoebe Maltz Bovy said...

I do eat--even seek out--all kinds of cheese of similar texture to the foods I WILL NOT eat, so Freud would be of no use.