I was never a "picky eater" -- my mom loved that about me. Of course, she and I were the only ones in the house like that, so we had to suffer through meals made from the few ingredients that the rest of them would eat: chicken fried steak, hamburger steak, rice and gravy, peas, and salad. And iced tea. Oh, and fried chicken once a week at my grandparents'.
Part of the whole "being picky" thing has to do with a dish's presentation. A whole lotta people won't eat something just because it looks nasty. I think that's just crazy. Now, I won't eat -- or so far haven't had to eat -- bugs, but it's not because of how they look. It's because the idea of crunching into a spiny critter's exoskeleton just wreaks havoc on my nervous system straight through to my intestines. But I ate snails a few times. Liked 'em for a bit, too. Lately not so much.
One of the things I love about The Editor -- he has experience with some pretty darn impressive, even snooty foods, but he'll eat what I make. He doesn't go overboard and rave about it, because I wouldn't believe him anyway and then I'd call him a liar, he'd get mad and go back to his computer... but he'd eat every bit of what I made.
You MUST love a person who eats the food you make, even if it's ugly. You also gotta love him for being honest.
And here's a perfect example: Some of the ugliest stuff I've ever made. Granted, completely unadulterated oatmeal is pretty disgusting to the eye, resembling something that your dog shouldn't have eaten because there it is again on your floor in partially digested form.
But when you add a few things to oatmeal, you can make it not only tastier and more nutritious, but even uglier.
I can't wait to try this one on The Editor.
Damned Ugly Oatmeal for One
1/2 cup oatmeal
1 cup water
1/8 cup peanut butter
1 tsp honey
1/4 cup raisins
a dribble of half-n-half
Bring water to boil in small pot. Add oatmeal and simmer uncovered for about 2 to 5 minutes, until water is absorbed. Put the raisins in your bowl and scoop the oatmeal all over 'em. Plop the peanut butter on the oatmeal, then the honey. Now stir until peanut butter is melted and blended throughout. Dribble some half-n-half (or milk) to taste.
Looks disgusting. Tastes like a peanut butter-oatmeal-with-raisins cookie, and is much better for you.
Comments