I am fighting this trend with my own children (and their numerous friends who dine with us) by serving a different meat each night, if I can. The stranger (to the kids) and the more the friends “ewwww” over it, the better as far as I am concerned.
Most of the time though, the kids like it until they hear what it is. Last week I served some unsuspecting teenagers: bison, ostrich, (farm raised) alligator, and wild salmon (okay that one isn’t exotic or anything, but still tasty!) not all on the same day or anything, but I was so sick of cooking beef, pork and chicken that I challenged myself to a week’s worth of dinners that involved none of them (and my family is too carnivorous to do without meat entirely).
Ham, pork tenderloin and beef of all cuts are staples here, sausage is served at least once a week and is very much a favorite of the kids’ and their friends, and salami is a must in my fridge lest my daughter disown me (it is her favorite snack and sandwich filler). My husband is complaining about a craving for lamb that he has been having, but I have never cooked lamb so I think he will have to take me out for that one. and the only meat that I refuse to prepare or eat is Deer, Veal, and a few others that I consider either too cute to eat (lamb used to be in that category but I ate some by accident once) or have ethical problems with.
I do hope that the “young people” will come around; I am doing my part to help at least.
No, it’s definitely prevalent. Before I cook lamb and invite people over, I find out whether they like lamb because it’s a common taste aversion. The flavor has basically been bred out of chicken and pork–just look at America’s preference for white meat over dark meat. Current mainstream tastes generally prefer gentler flavors of meat. When I was out in Owensboro, Kentucky, famous for its mutton barbecue, the old time barbecue guys were saying it was harder and harder maintaining business as the younger generation prefers milder flavored meats.
That said, I think the pendulum is slowly starting to swing the other way.
I like liver and onions. Chicken livers are my favourite, pigs liver is nice casseroled (the gravy it makes is fantastic). I don’t much care for lamb or ox liver
The trick to cooking delicious liver is to soak it in milk for a couple of hours before dredging in seasoned flour, then pan frying in bacon grease with sweet onions.
Not enough to order it at a restaraunt, but sure. Liver’s tasty, and onions in pretty much any form are absolutely delicious, fried being the most delicious.
I haven’t had it for years, but I loved it when I was a kid. My dad did too, so he and I would cajole my mom into cooking it about once a year. She loathed it, but tolerated it about that often.
I almost ordered it in a restaurant a couple of years ago, but the look on my husband’s face convinced me that it would have put him off his dinner just to have it at the same table. I’ve never tried cooking it, for the same reason, but I bet at least a couple of my kids would like it.
I have a friend who loves chicken livers, as do I. Every couple of months we would get together, fry a pound of bacon, then in a clean pan melt a stick of butter and cook two or three sliced onions, mushrooms, and a pound of chicken livers. Now there’s good eatin’!!! Although I prepared for it by eating nothing but veggies the day before and the day after. I’ve had thin sliced calves liver that was unbelievably good. Thicker beef liver needs soaking in milk first, too strong! Cooking liver is tricky. It has to be cooked so it’s cooked through (there’s something about underdone liver that turns my stomach) but cook it too much and it turns dry, pasty, grainy, and gray.
I LOVE the smell of liver and onions cooking, so much so that every couple of years I try making it. But…don’t like the texture, or something. And yes, now I’m hungry and want some but I guess I just haven’t found the kind I like yet. >.< wish it didn’t smell so good!
