# Foods You Prefer The "Plain" Version Of **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 30, 2010, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-you-prefer-the-plain-version-of/548612 "2010-07-30T18:35:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Lamar\_Mundane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lamar\_Mundane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamar_Mundane)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-you-prefer-the-plain-version-of/548612/41 "2010-07-31T05:39:12Z")
> [@Hades](#): > > > [@pulykamell](#): > > > > > [@Lamar\_Mundane](#): > > > > > > Cole slaw. [..] No cheese (?!) > > > > Cheese? In coleslaw? What kind of backwards people do this? All the other ingredients up to and including ketchup I could sort of see, but _cheese_? > > \*WHAT? I’ve been served diced cheddar in coleslaw in Wisconsin. [There are many variations of the recipe which include the addition of other ingredients, such as red cabbage, pepper, onion, **grated cheese** , pineapple, or apple](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coleslaw) ---
**Author:** ![kittenblue](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ba8739/32.png) [@kittenblue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kittenblue)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 5:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-you-prefer-the-plain-version-of/548612/42 "2010-07-31T05:39:43Z")
Plain bagel with plain cream cheese. Ice water without the gol-darned slice of lemon. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-you-prefer-the-plain-version-of/548612/43 "2010-07-31T06:29:06Z")
Yep, tomato-cheese, with a sprinkling of oregano. I hate the pies with crap on them like: -chicken (disgusting) -anchovies (taste like rotten fish) -pepperoni (grease parade) -artichokes! (who would eat an artichoke under any circumstances) There is even a guy in Boston who puts cubed potatos on pizaa-yecchh! ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-you-prefer-the-plain-version-of/548612/44 "2010-07-31T06:33:23Z")
For me a steak sandwich is two slices of bread and a medium rare steak. No spreads, no other contents. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-you-prefer-the-plain-version-of/548612/45 "2010-07-31T06:51:17Z")
Grits. Butter. Pepper. Salt. Nothing else. No sugar, for damned sure. Cheese? Pointless! Shrimp? What are you THINKING? ---
**Author:** ![Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Hazle\_Weatherfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hazle_Weatherfield)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 7:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-you-prefer-the-plain-version-of/548612/46 "2010-07-31T07:04:12Z")
Do not do ANYTHING to my shrimp, crab legs, scallops or lobster. No butter; no nothing! FFS! These things are effing amazing on their own! Mess NOT with them! Broiled or steamed, please! All fruit. Plain, please. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-you-prefer-the-plain-version-of/548612/47 "2010-07-31T07:16:50Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > I was wondering how many of you perfer the “plain” version of a type of food. > > For instance, if you look at potato chips in the grocers you see about 20 varities or more. In this case how many of you would perfer the plain version of chips. Not the barbeque version or the cheese version or the sour cream and chive version but the plain old kind of potato chips. I’m not a huge fan of chips, but when I do eat them, I like them plain. I don’t like the weird powdered chemical tasting (and yes, I know “everything” is a chemical) stuff they put on them. I especially dislike the bbq and cheese flavored types. The one that I do like that is “flavored” is salt and vinegar. ---
**Author:** ![Acantha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@Acantha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acantha)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-you-prefer-the-plain-version-of/548612/48 "2010-07-31T10:09:49Z")
coffee and tea. sugar is for babies. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-you-prefer-the-plain-version-of/548612/49 "2010-07-31T13:56:34Z")
> [@Hades](#): > > > [@Quimby](#): > > > > In fact my dream one day is to have chocolate chip cookies without the chips. Does anyone make those? > > Sugar cookies? Is that really all it is? It seems like a different cookie. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-you-prefer-the-plain-version-of/548612/50 "2010-07-31T15:07:39Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > > [@Hades](#): > > > > Sugar cookies? > > Is that really all it is? It seems like a different cookie. It is different. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-you-prefer-the-plain-version-of/548612/51 "2010-07-31T15:44:10Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > I was wondering how many of you perfer the “plain” version of a type of food. > > For instance, if you look at potato chips in the grocers you see about 20 varities or more. In this case how many of you would perfer the plain version of chips. Not the barbeque version or the cheese version or the sour cream and chive version but the plain old kind of potato chips. That’s exactly what I came in here to post about when I saw the thread title. I absolutely love potato chips, although I don’t eat them very often. But I absolutely hate any kind of flavored chips. Don’t mess with my chips, bro!! ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-you-prefer-the-plain-version-of/548612/52 "2010-07-31T15:51:36Z")
Lay’s reduced salt potato chips. Thin thin thin, just a touch of salt. These are my downfall, and so I usually buy some kind of Dorito for the household, because I have to be frickin’ starving before I’ll eat those. ---
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2010, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-you-prefer-the-plain-version-of/548612/53 "2010-07-31T16:15:03Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > Yep, tomato-cheese, with a sprinkling of oregano. I hate the pies with crap on them like: > -chicken (disgusting) > -anchovies (taste like rotten fish) > -pepperoni (grease parade) > -artichokes! (who would eat an artichoke under any circumstances) > There is even a guy in Boston who puts cubed potatos on pizaa-yecchh! This. A pizza margherita, much like a perfectly seasoned and cooked steak, is a Perfect Food™. You only, likely as not, screw it up when you start adding stuff to it. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2010, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-you-prefer-the-plain-version-of/548612/54 "2010-08-01T00:19:00Z")
> [@MTCicero](#): > > > [@ralph124c](#): > > > > Yep, tomato-cheese, with a sprinkling of oregano. I hate the pies with crap on them like: > > -chicken (disgusting) > > -anchovies (taste like rotten fish) > > -pepperoni (grease parade) > > -artichokes! (who would eat an artichoke under any circumstances) > > There is even a guy in Boston who puts cubed potatos on pizaa-yecchh! > > This. > > A pizza margherita, much like a perfectly seasoned and cooked steak, is a Perfect Food™. You only, likely as not, screw it up when you start adding stuff to it. Ah, but it “pizza margherita” plain pizza? Tomato sauce, mozzarella di bufala, basil. You can get plainer than that: the pizza bianca. At its simplest, just pizza dough and a drizzling of olive oil, with possibly garlic and/or rosemary sprigs. Done well, these are indeed very tasty. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2010, 12:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-you-prefer-the-plain-version-of/548612/55 "2010-08-01T00:43:23Z")
Hamburgers. No mustard, ketchup, picles, lettuce, etc. Hot dogs - the same. Plain oatmeal. Plain Coke - no cherry coke, no lemons or limes in it No flavored water ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2010, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-you-prefer-the-plain-version-of/548612/56 "2010-08-01T01:10:28Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > In fact my dream one day is to have chocolate chip cookies without the chips. Does anyone make those? Chocolate chip cookies resulted from someone trying to make a variant on an existing cookie recipe by adding chocolate, so I’d assume yes. Or at the very least, they used to. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2010, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-you-prefer-the-plain-version-of/548612/57 "2010-08-01T08:17:26Z")
Fritos, Pringles, Bugles, Cheetos, and Ruffles. Other chips are okay. And plain potato chips are so greasy and salty and, well generic that they suck. I prefer slightly aged blueberries (to the point where they are mushy) to the sugar added kind. I also tend to prefer toast and corn without butter. In fact, everyone used to think I was crazy for disliking butter. I also don’t put salt on tomatoes or watermelon. But surely that isn’t as unusual as my family makes it sound. Oh, and I agree that flavored mayo or ranch dressing sucks, but I’ve not tried the homemade mayo with different oils for the base. I can imagine them tasting good. ---
**Author:** ![Acantha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@Acantha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acantha)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2010, 8:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-you-prefer-the-plain-version-of/548612/58 "2010-08-01T08:37:25Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > For me the list of things I like that aren’t the plain version would probably be shorter. I am weird that way. > > In fact my dream one day is to have chocolate chip cookies without the chips. Does anyone make those? You could make them. I have been known to scoop all the dough left in the bowl up to make a single perfect chip-less cookie at the very end, \*just for me. \* I also think the dough tastes better than the cookies do, when it comes to chocolate chip. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2010, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-you-prefer-the-plain-version-of/548612/59 "2010-08-01T08:46:06Z")
You could xbstitute craisins and white chocolate chunks/chips for the chocolate chips. Thise flavorings are a set away… not at all what you would expect, but delicious nonetheless. ---
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2010, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-you-prefer-the-plain-version-of/548612/60 "2010-08-01T15:52:30Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > > [@MTCicero](#): > > > > > [@ralph124c](#): > > > > > > Yep, tomato-cheese, with a sprinkling of oregano. I hate the pies with crap on them like: > > > -chicken (disgusting) > > > -anchovies (taste like rotten fish) > > > -pepperoni (grease parade) > > > -artichokes! (who would eat an artichoke under any circumstances) > > > There is even a guy in Boston who puts cubed potatos on pizaa-yecchh! > > > > This. > > > > A pizza margherita, much like a perfectly seasoned and cooked steak, is a Perfect Food™. You only, likely as not, screw it up when you start adding stuff to it. > > Ah, but it “pizza margherita” plain pizza? Tomato sauce, mozzarella di bufala, basil. You can get plainer than that: the pizza bianca. At its simplest, just pizza dough and a drizzling of olive oil, with possibly garlic and/or rosemary sprigs. Done well, these are indeed very tasty. Granted, pizza bianca is a great food. But it does not achieve the gustatory heights that the margherita does. Also, IME, a _pizza_ consists of: crust, sauce, cheese. Each component (if, as should be, only the highest quality ingredients are used) both stands out and combines with the other two to fashion one of God’s culinary wonders. As you stated, a pizza margherita adds fresh basil to the mix, which to my mind doesn’t overpower any of the basic three components. Of course, a good plain cheese pizza can be (and often is) just as heavenly as the margherita. But, honestly (and this is certainly up for debate), is a pizza with just crust and cheese (and a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkling of minced garlic/rosemary) really a pizza at all? I’d consider that to basically be a focaccia with some cheese on. But YMMV. Also (and I’m gonna _keep_ pointing this out): Nested quoting _ **SUCKS** _. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-you-prefer-the-plain-version-of/548612.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/foods-you-prefer-the-plain-version-of/548612.md?page=4)