In my work as a chef I’ve cooked liver, kidneys, and sheep’s brains 🧠 and made sausages from intestines. I’ve also cooked whole pigs heads, which is quite shocking. Nothing like looking into a huge boiling pot and seeing a meaty snout poking out 🐽
For me it really depends what offal we are talking about. Tripe and liver I could happily do without. Sweetbreads I love! First discovered them in Argentina and fell hard for them. Also, heart is fantastic - so much flavour and great texture. But my favourite bit of offal is probably diaphragm - like the most tender piece of marbled steak. It used to be quite a prized cut of meat but is now almost impossible to find at butchers. Which is a pity because it's delicious and perfect for grilling.
I wonder if Offal was presented to us without being called offal, or the name of what it actually was, would more people eat it? I might, if it were part of, say a meat pie. Steak and Kidney pie was a real treat in our house when we were kids. The gravy was delicious.
I can't stand calves liver. I do love chicken liver though. I grew up eating kidneys- my dad always cooked Sunday breakfast which included lamb kidneys. I loved them. I also loved ox kidneys in steak and kidney pie.
But other forms of offal? No thanks. I will admit a sheet of tripe looks beautiful though.
My mother used to love a dish called Dublin Coddle which included boiled sausages,rashers (bacon), potatoes and onions. It's a dish that uses up leftovers. The very smell turned my stomach! She wasn't a great cook so it's possible she mangled the dish. I have not been tempted to find out.
I can't think of any other food I can't stand. There are many dishes I've been served that I haven't liked but that's more down to quality, preparation and cooking rather than the actual food.
I think you are right. My mum grew up in Bavaria in the 1950s and 60s and their eating Offal was just part of the regular diet and most dishes had names in the local dialect which didn't immediately give away the ingredients which no doubt helped. So even as a child she happily ate dishes made with tripe, lungs, the lining of certain animals' stomachs, tongue etc.
But I think most of us are also simply not used to the different textures offal often entails (which is one of the things I struggle with when it comes to tripe).
My least favourite food is beetroot. It’s strange as I’m vegetarian and adore most vegetables but the sight of it makes me feel ill. I have memories of salad from when I was a child (many years ago!) that consisted of floppy lettuce, tasteless tomatoes, a hard boiled egg with a black ring around the yolk and worst of all beetroot in vinegar leaking over everything! Despite trying it as an adult it always makes me heave!!
I have tried beetroot risotto and roasted beetroot but find the colour so off-putting and the fact that it stains everything. Strangely I love red cabbage though! I suppose we all have our food dislikes and I have to accept that beetroot is mine!
Really vinegary beetroot is terrible, I agree. But I quite fancy beetroot when freshly cooked or roasted and mixed with lots of finely chopped parsley, some garlic or shallots, olive oil, a drizzle of red wine vinegar and lots of salt and pepper. Even better with some feta crumbled over the top.
I find beetroot also makes a delicious pesto with some hard goat's cheese and parsley.
But I also understand the sweet and earthy flavour is not for everyone!
I can't stand the smell, the flavour or the squidgy texture. My husband has to eat his mushrooms on toast in the garden because the smell makes me gag.
For me it depends on which kind of black pudding. The British stuff I don't like because I don't think it is seasoned enough. The Spanish morcilla I don't like for the texture - the rice makes it so weirdly grainy. But Boudin Antillais? Delicious - it's like the lovechild between a spicy sausage and gingerbread. That panfried with some apple slices and onion rings I love, even if a little pappy as you say.
I eat quite a lot of black pudding here in Ireland. But I'm mega fussy about the brands I buy- there's a huge difference between them. Same goes for sausages. Quality products and spicing are the keys. If you don't like a particular butcher or brand's spicing it doesn't matter how high the quality is. It's trial abd error to find out.
Tripe. I admit I've only tried it once, as a soup, in a cafe in Istanbul. We loaded it with vinegar as advised but still couldn't stomach it ( excuse the pun).
Meatloaf! I do know it can taste good when done right. But I only despise it because my mother did not make a good one & the smell was horrid. My inner subconscious can never let it go, so I just live life joyfully without it 😅😂
This is such an easy question for me. Cotechino. This is the traditional Italian New Year's Eve cenone -or big dinner- food, served with lentils. I love the lentils. But cotechino is a pork sausage made from the pig's foot. You amy or may not see the hoof. It's greasy. After 2 years of eating it in Italy, I finally said BASTA (enough!)
Not a huge fan of tripe like most people - for me it's not just about the flavour but also the texture. That being said, I have had tripe soup in Romania which was perfectly edible.
The two ingredients I struggle with are celery and lovage - thankfully both easily avoided. And I don't mind celery where it's chopped really small and used as part of a soffrito, but I could never understand people who willingly eat it raw, be it on its own or with peanut butter or other dips. I did discover that it's not too bad pickled or in a stirfry with beef and lots of oyster sauce.
Oh and any kind of blue cheese other than Gorgonzola is a pretty hard know for me as well (e.g. Rocquefort, Stilton etc). They are often weirdly acidic and the flavour reminds me of stomach acid.
I meant celery, not celeriac - just corrected my comment. Celeriac indeed is great - in fact I’m working in a celeriac cake recipe at the moment. But celery? No thanks
Yes agreed. And I figured if a carrot cake works well then why not a celeriac one? After all, you are more likely to have some leftover celeriac than carrots! Thinking of adding a little bit of nutmeg and some walnuts and maybe a maple coffee glaze on top.
Those are good flavour combinations. Grated courgette is also good in cakes. Although you need to squeeze out some of the liquid first, before you add it to the cake mix.
Thank you - in my head it works, now just need to test and perfect the recipe.
Yes, agreed re courgette. Especially with the often very watery big dark green ones. I find the smaller stripy or light green varieties tend to be less watery and sweeter in flavour too.
My least favourite food? 🤔
Probably offal 🤢
In my work as a chef I’ve cooked liver, kidneys, and sheep’s brains 🧠 and made sausages from intestines. I’ve also cooked whole pigs heads, which is quite shocking. Nothing like looking into a huge boiling pot and seeing a meaty snout poking out 🐽
I loved liver as a child. My mother seemed to cook it to perfection. I don't think I could cook or eat it now.
For me it really depends what offal we are talking about. Tripe and liver I could happily do without. Sweetbreads I love! First discovered them in Argentina and fell hard for them. Also, heart is fantastic - so much flavour and great texture. But my favourite bit of offal is probably diaphragm - like the most tender piece of marbled steak. It used to be quite a prized cut of meat but is now almost impossible to find at butchers. Which is a pity because it's delicious and perfect for grilling.
I wonder if Offal was presented to us without being called offal, or the name of what it actually was, would more people eat it? I might, if it were part of, say a meat pie. Steak and Kidney pie was a real treat in our house when we were kids. The gravy was delicious.
I can't stand calves liver. I do love chicken liver though. I grew up eating kidneys- my dad always cooked Sunday breakfast which included lamb kidneys. I loved them. I also loved ox kidneys in steak and kidney pie.
But other forms of offal? No thanks. I will admit a sheet of tripe looks beautiful though.
My mother used to love a dish called Dublin Coddle which included boiled sausages,rashers (bacon), potatoes and onions. It's a dish that uses up leftovers. The very smell turned my stomach! She wasn't a great cook so it's possible she mangled the dish. I have not been tempted to find out.
I can't think of any other food I can't stand. There are many dishes I've been served that I haven't liked but that's more down to quality, preparation and cooking rather than the actual food.
I think you are right. My mum grew up in Bavaria in the 1950s and 60s and their eating Offal was just part of the regular diet and most dishes had names in the local dialect which didn't immediately give away the ingredients which no doubt helped. So even as a child she happily ate dishes made with tripe, lungs, the lining of certain animals' stomachs, tongue etc.
But I think most of us are also simply not used to the different textures offal often entails (which is one of the things I struggle with when it comes to tripe).
There used to be a French restaurant in DC that offered sheep’s brains on the menu. It was delicious and I ordered it every time!
Have you ever cooked it yourself?
I haven’t cooked brains, but I have cooked kidneys, liver, and sweetbreads. My wife and I like them a lot.
I’m with you. That’s the first thing I thought of re least fave. No thank you!
Maggie, I'm going to second your issue with pig parts in my least favorite food. Posting it down below as a new comment. ;-)
My least favourite food is beetroot. It’s strange as I’m vegetarian and adore most vegetables but the sight of it makes me feel ill. I have memories of salad from when I was a child (many years ago!) that consisted of floppy lettuce, tasteless tomatoes, a hard boiled egg with a black ring around the yolk and worst of all beetroot in vinegar leaking over everything! Despite trying it as an adult it always makes me heave!!
Freshly cooked beetroot, peeled and chopped, no vinegar is lovely. Have your tried that?
I have tried beetroot risotto and roasted beetroot but find the colour so off-putting and the fact that it stains everything. Strangely I love red cabbage though! I suppose we all have our food dislikes and I have to accept that beetroot is mine!
Really vinegary beetroot is terrible, I agree. But I quite fancy beetroot when freshly cooked or roasted and mixed with lots of finely chopped parsley, some garlic or shallots, olive oil, a drizzle of red wine vinegar and lots of salt and pepper. Even better with some feta crumbled over the top.
I find beetroot also makes a delicious pesto with some hard goat's cheese and parsley.
But I also understand the sweet and earthy flavour is not for everyone!
I agree the earthy flavour in beetroot, can be a little strong sometimes. It's not pee friendly either, if you eat too much fresh beetroot. :-)
Beetroot pesto sounds nice though.
That is true - and I had to remember that the first time my now 2 year old had beetroot so I would not freak out at the next diaper change!
It took me at least two decades to recover from those childhood salads but now I love beetroot raw, roasted, in soup ... anything except in vinegar
I know a few people who won't touch raw beetroot because of childhood memories of it pickled in harsh vinegar. That salad though!
Some vinegars are too strong and over powering. They drown the taste and flavours of some foods.
Mushrooms. The Devils Food!!
I can't stand the smell, the flavour or the squidgy texture. My husband has to eat his mushrooms on toast in the garden because the smell makes me gag.
They do have an odd texture.
They really do!
Black pudding. It’s a textural thing, I find it very “pappy”.
For me it depends on which kind of black pudding. The British stuff I don't like because I don't think it is seasoned enough. The Spanish morcilla I don't like for the texture - the rice makes it so weirdly grainy. But Boudin Antillais? Delicious - it's like the lovechild between a spicy sausage and gingerbread. That panfried with some apple slices and onion rings I love, even if a little pappy as you say.
All this talk about Black pudding is making me want some for breakfast.
Haha, same here. My bowl of porridge just now somehow no longer feels that satisfying.
Hubby and I went out for coffee yesterday after our food shopping. He said the full english breakfast on the menu looked nice.
I do miss a full English breakfast! (Spent over a decade living in the UK)
It's one of those meals that will keep you going all day.
I quite like Black pudding. We ate it a lot as kids.
I eat quite a lot of black pudding here in Ireland. But I'm mega fussy about the brands I buy- there's a huge difference between them. Same goes for sausages. Quality products and spicing are the keys. If you don't like a particular butcher or brand's spicing it doesn't matter how high the quality is. It's trial abd error to find out.
Beets. Why not skip the middleman and just eat dirt.
I know just what you mean. It’s the earthy taste and smell. I still love it, though.
Tripe. I admit I've only tried it once, as a soup, in a cafe in Istanbul. We loaded it with vinegar as advised but still couldn't stomach it ( excuse the pun).
My mother often ate tripe, with lots of vinegar. I think I tried it once. Never touch it since. Don't really want to either.
Meatloaf! I do know it can taste good when done right. But I only despise it because my mother did not make a good one & the smell was horrid. My inner subconscious can never let it go, so I just live life joyfully without it 😅😂
This is such an easy question for me. Cotechino. This is the traditional Italian New Year's Eve cenone -or big dinner- food, served with lentils. I love the lentils. But cotechino is a pork sausage made from the pig's foot. You amy or may not see the hoof. It's greasy. After 2 years of eating it in Italy, I finally said BASTA (enough!)
Not a huge fan of tripe like most people - for me it's not just about the flavour but also the texture. That being said, I have had tripe soup in Romania which was perfectly edible.
The two ingredients I struggle with are celery and lovage - thankfully both easily avoided. And I don't mind celery where it's chopped really small and used as part of a soffrito, but I could never understand people who willingly eat it raw, be it on its own or with peanut butter or other dips. I did discover that it's not too bad pickled or in a stirfry with beef and lots of oyster sauce.
Oh and any kind of blue cheese other than Gorgonzola is a pretty hard know for me as well (e.g. Rocquefort, Stilton etc). They are often weirdly acidic and the flavour reminds me of stomach acid.
Being vegetarian I wouldn't go near meat , let alone offal. But I ADORE any type of blue cheese - the stronger and smellier the better in my opinion!
As for celeriac I adore it in soup, mashed, roasted.............
I meant celery, not celeriac - just corrected my comment. Celeriac indeed is great - in fact I’m working in a celeriac cake recipe at the moment. But celery? No thanks
A celeriac cake sounds nice. Celery can be a bit stringy.
Yes agreed. And I figured if a carrot cake works well then why not a celeriac one? After all, you are more likely to have some leftover celeriac than carrots! Thinking of adding a little bit of nutmeg and some walnuts and maybe a maple coffee glaze on top.
Those are good flavour combinations. Grated courgette is also good in cakes. Although you need to squeeze out some of the liquid first, before you add it to the cake mix.
Thank you - in my head it works, now just need to test and perfect the recipe.
Yes, agreed re courgette. Especially with the often very watery big dark green ones. I find the smaller stripy or light green varieties tend to be less watery and sweeter in flavour too.
I love a good blue cheese and a mature cheddar.
Strong and smelly isn’t the issue for me per se it’s when they start tasting acidic, like Stilton, that I’m out, haha.