How well do you remember the first time you ever ate ______?

Cafe Society
1

You pick the item and describe as best you can your first exposure to it.

I was trying to remember what it was that I had at a Gondola Pizza place, other than pizza of course, before the place burned down some time in the late 70’s. I think it was gyros, but I’m not sure. Had to be something a pizza joint would have served and something I hadn’t eaten before then. That’s about the right time for gyros for me, so I’ll go with that.

Also, I remember going to a lawn party when I was 6 or 7 and seeing a “hot dog” for the first time.

I think I had my first pizza in the early 50’s, but it may have been even later.

The only venison I ever had was a “deerburger” a buddy fixed for me. I was grown by then.

2

An apricot. I was maybe six years old, and we had gone to the little produce stand and bought a bunch of different fruit. We were standing in the kitchen, and my father was eating an apricot and suggested I try one. I didn’t want to, but he was very insistent. I took a bite and found it terribly bitter and told him I didn’t like it. He told me that sometimes it takes more than one bite, and that I should try a second bite. I reluctantly did, and this time I really liked it.

Over 40 years later, I can’t eat an apricot without remembering the first time I tried one.

3

I first had shrimp cocktail at 30,000 feet. I probably would have hated it under any other circumstance.

That was back when even coach passengers got good meals.

ETA: I was 10 or so at the time.

4

I can’t pin it down to a year, but it was when I was in grammar school when I learned the value of “vinegar pepper sauce” (the kind with banana peppers or other sweet/mild peppers floating in vinegar) for enhancing the taste of turnip greens and collards and the like. Before that time I was partial to spinach (cooked) and hated the other tart and bitter greens. After that pepper sauce discovery I lost my taste for spinach except when it’s fresh and in salads.

5

Definitely pizza, at Rocky’s Pizza in Webster City, Iowa, 1962 or 63. You smelled the yeast from outside, and when your pizza arrived, you couldn’t wait to take a bite. Ouch.

6

There was a progression of exposures to salad dressings for me. First was French, which my mother must have either liked a lot, or else it was all she knew about. That was it until I was in high school when I got introduced to Thousand Island. That was it for years until I tried Blue Cheese. After that (it’s still my favorite) I have experimented with Ranch, Honey Mustard, Vinaigrette, and other exotics with ginger and soy and such. But Blue Cheese is still #1.