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The most polarizing food: where do you stand?

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Replies

  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    edited September 2019
    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    Wait...are y'all eating cold Krispy Kremes?
    You're supposed to eat em hot or not at all, folks.

    So. Much. This.

    Signed, #reformedredlightaddict
  • SuzySunshine99
    SuzySunshine99 Posts: 2,983 Member
    edited September 2019
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    This is certainly going to drive up my reaction count in a certain category, but I have yet to find a doughnut that seems worth the calories to me. They look wonderful, so I keep hoping and trying them (now and then! ;) ), but they always disappoint me. I'm not sure why.

    Yes, I've tried all the normal national chains, the local-ish chains, specialty and "gourmet" purveyors in my area and various other places. So far, a pretty big calorie expenditure for meh.

    Don't get me wrong: There are lots of desserts/sweet treats that I put in the oh-so-worthwhile category, including some seriously non-fancy ones. I just haven't found the doughnut yet that goes there.

    I don't think the yeasty-airy doughnuts are worth it. They are okay, but you're right, they look better than they taste in my opinion.

    HOWEVER....cake-y doughnuts, like apple cider doughnuts, pumpkin doughnuts, or cherry doughnuts with a simple glaze or just sprinkled in sugar, are amazing. I mean, I guess they are just cake in a doughnut shape, though.
  • kimny72
    kimny72 Posts: 16,013 Member
    SuzySunshine99 wrote: »
    AnnPT77 wrote: »
    This is certainly going to drive up my reaction count in a certain category, but I have yet to find a doughnut that seems worth the calories to me. They look wonderful, so I keep hoping and trying them (now and then! ;) ), but they always disappoint me. I'm not sure why.

    Yes, I've tried all the normal national chains, the local-ish chains, specialty and "gourmet" purveyors in my area and various other places. So far, a pretty big calorie expenditure for meh.

    Don't get me wrong: There are lots of desserts/sweet treats that I put in the oh-so-worthwhile category, including some seriously non-fancy ones. I just haven't found the doughnut yet that goes there.

    I don't think the yeasty-airy doughnuts are worth it. They are okay, but you're right, they look better than they taste in my opinion.

    HOWEVER....cake-y doughnuts, like apple cider doughnuts, pumpkin doughnuts, or cherry doughnuts with a simple glaze or just sprinkled in sugar, are amazing. I mean, I guess they are just cake in a doughnut shape, though.

    ITA. A good doughnut has weight, and there should be a slight crispness when you bite through the outside to make it clear that it was fried. It shouldn't scream "greasy" but should leave a light ring on a napkin or paper bag.

    Having said that, a good bag of belly bombers from the fair should drip with oil and leave you feeling like someone slipped something illegal into your drink, but they are really in their own category, a sub-category of doughnuts.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,589 Member
    Another potentially polarizing dish. Eaten in Nong Khai, NE Thailand on the border with Laos. I ordered a crab salad at a riverside cafe and was served local raw blue crab in a spicy dressing. Was a little nervous about it as the Mekong is pretty polluted. But I didn't get sick and didn't pick up any parasites. It was actually pretty tasty too.

    vsqirgnub1ee.jpeg
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,589 Member
    In Nha Trang. Vietnamese food is often touted as being healthy and that is mostly true, despite copious amounts of sugar. However, in central Vietnam they are not afraid of lard. This is a serving of roll your own summer rolls. Rice papers in the background on the right. I think that was beef with peanuts in the foreground and veg and herbs on the left with pickled carrot just behind next to the peanut dipping sauce. That plate with the pork contains rolls of deep fried lard.
    oru9lvwq99yl.jpg


  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 31,953 Member
    edited September 2019
    acpgee wrote: »
    Would this be considered polarizing food?

    A bar snack in NE Thailand of sour fermented pork sausage. The polarizing bits are the garnishes meant to be nibbled on between bites of sausage. Those are raw chunks of ginger, raw slices of garlic, very hot slices of raw chilli, raw green onions, as well as roasted peanuts whose flavour was considerably less aggressive.

    ebrefdc05yrj.jpeg

    I would totally eat the parts you refer to as polarizing, and happily. I would not eat the sour fermented pork sausage (but only because I'm vegetarian . . . otherwise, I try everything.)

    ETA: I encourage you to keep posting these interesting international treats. So beautiful, thought-provoking, inspiring!
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 8,977 Member
    Carlos_421 wrote: »
    Wait...are y'all eating cold Krispy Kremes?
    You're supposed to eat em hot or not at all, folks.

    Nup, not me.

    the cold chocolate sprinkles or chocolate custard one for me.

  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,589 Member
    Not exactly polarizing but a nice vacation food memory from Bilbao. In Basqueland, walk into *any* bar and the width and breadth of stunning pintxos (=bar snacks) is astounding.
    (fj57eeodmtzw.jpeg
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    2zc7lm74da0c.jpeg


  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,589 Member
    More non polarizing bar food culture in southern Europe. In some towns in Sicily, every time you order a drink at a cafe they will bring an array of free food. This was in Noto.
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  • DiscipleOfChrist29
    DiscipleOfChrist29 Posts: 84 Member
    bb8cwldiu7dn.jpg

    Is any food more polarising than cheese!!!
  • magnusthenerd
    magnusthenerd Posts: 1,207 Member
    DiscipleOfChrist29 wrote: »
    bb8cwldiu7dn.jpg

    Is any food more polarising than cheese!!!

    Well it is supposed to be the heroin of foods to counter sugar being the cocaine of foods.
  • bmeadows380
    bmeadows380 Posts: 2,981 Member
    DiscipleOfChrist29 wrote: »
    bb8cwldiu7dn.jpg

    Is any food more polarising than cheese!!!

    depends on the cheese. I'll go for a good, basic, yellow cheddar mild or occasionally sharp, Monterrey-Jack, mozzarella, havarti, Munster, and even a good, deluxe American. Cottage cheese, too. But I'm not into most others, especially bleu or most goat cheeses.
  • acpgee
    acpgee Posts: 7,589 Member
    My hubby is into some pretty polarizing cheese. He insists that a properly ripe taleggio should smell of cow piss, for example. I remember once coming home, and judging from the smell in the living room, was convinced we had a dead mouse under a floorboard somewhere. I eventually traced the source of the smell to a wrapped up cheese on the kitchen counter.
  • MsGenXodus
    MsGenXodus Posts: 9 Member
    Fine if you are under 21, if you are an adult, it's time for grown-up food. I've literally never seen anyone over the age of 20 eat one of those in public.

    I think the adult palate can't really tolerate the intense sweetness of these cookies without a lot of practice first. Mostly, the cookies will make your throat burn and eyes water due to the intense amount of sugar. Kids can eat sugar straight and feel fine.

  • lemurcat2
    lemurcat2 Posts: 7,885 Member
    rmacdonaldpdx wrote: »
    Fine if you are under 21, if you are an adult, it's time for grown-up food. I've literally never seen anyone over the age of 20 eat one of those in public.

    I think the adult palate can't really tolerate the intense sweetness of these cookies without a lot of practice first. Mostly, the cookies will make your throat burn and eyes water due to the intense amount of sugar. Kids can eat sugar straight and feel fine.

    Initially I forgot what this thread was about and was confused that this was the response to taleggio.

    I love most cheeses. A favorite place because they have great cheese plates (and a great selection of cheeses which they will let you taste) is https://www.pastoralartisan.com/

    I had forgotten they had a cheese club, and really must look into it.
  • bmeadows380
    bmeadows380 Posts: 2,981 Member
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    rmacdonaldpdx wrote: »
    Fine if you are under 21, if you are an adult, it's time for grown-up food. I've literally never seen anyone over the age of 20 eat one of those in public.

    I think the adult palate can't really tolerate the intense sweetness of these cookies without a lot of practice first. Mostly, the cookies will make your throat burn and eyes water due to the intense amount of sugar. Kids can eat sugar straight and feel fine.

    I've eaten those in public over the age of 20. And nothing happened. So weird. :|

    As have I, and I'm nearly twice-twenty in age. And I've managed to digest Little Debbie cakes, including the brownies - all of which are rare treats for me, so I certainly have not "built up a tolerance" or "lots of practice" eating them. Strange.

  • very_californian
    very_californian Posts: 97 Member
    Animal products, generally speaking.

    Hello from this vegan in California.

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