Before I attempt to tackle some of the more complicated breads, I've been working on perfecting my French Bread. And yes, I'm having a bit of difficulty as my breadmaker is a bit quirky.
Besides, I'm nosy too.
So, is anyone else working on expanding their food horizons?
That’s wonderful that some of your tastes have changed and you’ve gotten to like some foods you didn’t care for before!
I’ve never had major surgery (knock on wood!) ~ just 2 cysts removed from my wrist, so I can’t answer about that part.
As for me, I have never EVER liked meat, even as a very young child and I still don’t. Just never liked the taste or texture and can remember very young having disagreements with my parents over me not wanting to eat it.
I’m 49 and have to say my tastes have pretty much been stable. I do occasionally try something I don’t care for, kind of a “just in case” check, but I’ve had no changes. Might be something for me to still look forward to though!
I love tomatoes, chili’s, and don’t mind onion’s when they are cooked. I can even stand salmon and halibut. All of them used to gross me out.
The item most dis-tasteful to me is people posting frivolous things on a serious site.
Anchovies.
Jalapenos.
Okra.
There are numerous food/recipe forums on the net you may want to explore. On one particular forum I eagerly review...new and some time honored recipes are posted every day. On this forum, there are hundreds of reviewers, taking a chance on any given recipe, perhaps adding a few 'touches' of their own.
I review the basic recipe, peruse a few hundred 'reviews', mark down reoccurring 'additions/changes', evaluating what makes sense..what doesn't, then delve into my own creations. Sometimes my culinary talents evolve from just whats in the pantry. I evolved my cooking by the addition of various herbs/spices. I'm making lasagna/stuffed cabbage/marinated pork loins totally different from what I did years ago. Roasting, sautee vegetables a different way also. Am getting kudos for my new culinary efforts now.
My tastes have changed in that I desire to savor the sweet/spicy/sour/tangy within each presentation. Now holding dinner parties for an appreciative crowd.
My tastes started changing at a very young age. First was meat. I couldn’t stand meat until about age 10, then I couldn’t get enough of it. Started liking eggs about that time too. And tomato and onion.
Then came the harsh vegetables. All the stuff kids don’t like...cauliflower, broccoli, spinach, brussel sprouts, etc...couldn’t get enough of that stuff by age 18.
Later, like late 20s, I started to dislike things that were too sweet. Like canned corn with sweetener added. Or milk. Or white bread, or juice. Or breakfast cerial. or mayonaise. Fruit started being a rare thing. A little fruit goes a long long way for me now. If I eat more than a handful of grapes, i start to feel nauseated.
Now I find I crave stuff with vinegar and oil on it. Anything pickled. Spiced meat not so much. No sausage. Not too much battered stuff...upsets stomach. crisp leafy green stuff, crunchy stuff, lots of oil. Fish, and sometimes chicken. Soups with barley, noodles, and rice in them. I like watery soups with lots of oil and grease floating on top. Anything with lots of cheese on it...especially melted cheese when the oil runs out of the cheese.
Certain kinds of salads...cole slaw, and cucumber salad...unless they are too sweet. Pasta salads with lots of oil and vinegar, and with fresh olives. greek salads with lots of oil and feta cheese...and fresh olives. Really oily fried rice, with black pepper. Three bean salads with lots of oil and vinegar. Gotta be olive oil though. Corn oil will make me feel ill.
And beer(dark extra dark, like guiness or darker). And whiskey. Wine not so much. Vodka not so much.
I’ve noticed that, as I age, I’m loosing my sweet tooth. A tiny nibble of ice cream or chocolate and I feel like I’ve eaten a tub of ice cream or 10 pounds of chocolate. I have to brush my teeth. As far as soda goes, I only like Coke, Dr Pepper and rootbeer and that’s a rare thing.
Salads are very seasonal to me now. I *hate* winter veggies and fruits. I end up going carnivore until the new spring vegetation comes in.
Yup, it’s funny how our tastes can change! Had you told me that a “Score” candybar would gag me twenty years ago I’d have thought you were nuts!
About two years ago I found out I was a Celiac (no eating wheat, oats, barley or rye). After eating the prescribed diet for about six months, I cheated and ate a doughnut.
Honey, it was horrible. I couldn’t even finish the darn thing. Cloyingly sweet. Heavy. NOT good! lol!
I think that just by eating a certain way for a time, one can train their tastebuds to accept new flavors and reject others.
So, what kind of breadmaker do you have? I have a Zojirushi, and I love it! I make a loaf of Seven Grain Bread yesterday, and we had the other half of it this evening with chili. Mmmm.
I can do without the cauliflower.
But life wouldn’t be worth living without spinach!
SUPER versatile, a great addition to scrambled eggs, salads, fish dinners, you name it!
Being a cool weather crop, I try to grow as much as I can, and get to it before it bolts, but if it starts bolting, I just let it go and harvest the seeds.
I was under the mistaken impression that spinach was the best vegetable for you. Now many sites will tell you it’s broccoli. No doubt broccoli an all the cruciferous guys are good.
But the MOST nutritious comes up over and over in the top ten when you search for a particular nutrient.
Try it here!
http://www.nutritiondata.com/tools/nutrient-search
The number one most nutritious veggie turns out to be:
Red and green peppers