Broadening Your Horizons

Are you one of those people who don't like the taste of things you've never tasted?

Perhaps we should all take a step back, here and talk about what's really going on. Maybe you don't like the look of the white stuff oozing out of the pasta. Or, maybe the texture is a little too slimy for your palate. Maybe it's been ingrained into your head by a picky grandmother, who would never eat the stuff. But have YOU actually tried these taboo foods?

The offending food might not be terrible. You may even...gasp....enjoy the dish. The perfect way to introduce these foods to your repertoire is by "dumbing them down." Trick your too-picky tastebuds into eating these foods, by pairing them with something enjoyable. Miso soup is a great example. You probably constantly spoon around the bouyant white cubes floating around in your soup. But, upon eating one, you may actually enjoy tofu! Quit singling them out, and enjoy them. Next thing you know, you will be making a nice, light tofu stir-fry.

Fish. Many people swear against it. Maybe they aren't a fan of the "fishy" taste. Maybe the consistancy is too tender. Perhaps they had a bony experience with a filet in the past. Let's try it again. Introduce fish into your menu, by masking it with other ingredients. Start by making a nice white-fish taco. Tilapia, or grouper is a perfect training-fish. By adding the guacamole, or jicama slaw on top of your taco, you will be delightfully surprised at how delicious your meal is.

International cuisine. Whether it's curry, pad thai, or greek fare, many people are less than enthusiastic to broaden their culinary horizons. Once upon a time, I was on the fence too. It was a dark time. I remember my first gyro, like one would remember their first kiss. It was messy, enlightening, and delicious.

Is it the lamb that scares you off? Well, let's substitute that for something more vanilla. A chicken gyro is a great way to test the greek waters. You won't be disappointed. We can even go a step further and make it a chicken finger gyro. It is a fast meal, that is easy on your wallet. You can make your tysons chicken fingers, and even buy the tzatziki sauce. If you'd prefer to be crafty- bake or boil some chicken, and make your own sauce by whipping together greek yogurt, cucumber, dill, garlic and a touch of lemon juice. Get a large pita, and place the chicken, lettuce, tomatoes, onions and tzatziki on top. If this doesn't leave you screaming "Opa!" I don't know what will.