# In Defense of Plain Stuff **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 13, 2018, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-plain-stuff/817840 "2018-07-13T14:10:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2018, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-plain-stuff/817840/61 "2018-07-14T20:55:55Z")
I only buy plain white bath towels. No colors or trim. Does that count? ---
**Author:** ![Licentious\_Ectomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5e9695/32.png) [@Licentious\_Ectomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Licentious_Ectomorph)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2018, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-plain-stuff/817840/62 "2018-07-14T21:19:48Z")
> [@scabpicker](#): > > Hehe, knew I was gonna get the business for misspelling that one when I noticed after the edit window. > > It’s a fair cop, but I was talking about the steak. 😃 I still don’t understand what you were trying to say… ---
**Author:** ![Periwinkle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Periwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Periwinkle)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2018, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-plain-stuff/817840/63 "2018-07-14T21:35:56Z")
I like grapefruit plain. When I was a kid I thought it needed sugar. I really miss grapefruit juice, can’t have it due to medication. ---
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2018, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-plain-stuff/817840/64 "2018-07-14T21:50:02Z")
I run St Louis’s BEST NY Style Pizzeria… Plain Cheese and Pepperoni are our best selling two slices and Pies…cheese being #1 ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2018, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-plain-stuff/817840/65 "2018-07-14T22:14:03Z")
> [@Licentious\_Ectomorph](#): > > I still don’t understand what you were trying to say… I suspect he was trying to refer to the [Maillard reaction](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maillard_reaction), which is what happens when some foods (such as steaks) are browned, and which lends a certain flavor. ---
**Author:** ![Licentious\_Ectomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5e9695/32.png) [@Licentious\_Ectomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Licentious_Ectomorph)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2018, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-plain-stuff/817840/66 "2018-07-14T22:24:00Z")
> [@kenobi\_65](#): > > I suspect he was trying to refer to the [Maillard reaction](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maillard_reaction), which is what happens when some foods (such as steaks) are browned, and which lends a certain flavor. Gotcha, thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2018, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-plain-stuff/817840/67 "2018-07-14T22:29:18Z")
Sardines right out of the can at room temperature. ---
**Author:** ![Newtosite](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/newtosite/32/8623_2.png) [@Newtosite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Newtosite)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2018, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-plain-stuff/817840/68 "2018-07-14T23:48:49Z")
Ever since childhood, I’ve ordered my salads and bake potatoes dry. Never had gravy on anything. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![nightshadea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7ba0ec/32.png) [@nightshadea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nightshadea)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2018, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-plain-stuff/817840/69 "2018-07-15T01:14:58Z")
lucky you 80 percent of anything ive ever eaten needed something on it so you could choke it down …… If you’ve ever eaten any food from the the school districts around here youll understand why the cafeterias here spend a grand or two a year on Costco size drums of bbq sauce ---
**Author:** ![Fair\_Rarity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fair_rarity/32/153_2.png) [@Fair\_Rarity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fair_Rarity)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2018, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-plain-stuff/817840/70 "2018-07-15T01:51:31Z")
> [@Jeff\_Lichtman](#): > > My first thought is that she was getting kickbacks. She liked to sneak home and day drink. I doubt she was getting fancy pizza kickbacks. She liked her wine and pretending to be a big fish in a small pond and not caring we all hated her guts. Her guts, should we have eaten them, of course would have been served plain. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2018, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-plain-stuff/817840/71 "2018-07-15T15:05:35Z")
> [@nightshadea](#): > > lucky you 80 percent of anything ive ever eaten needed something on it so you could choke it down …… > > If you’ve ever eaten any food from the the school districts around here youll understand why the cafeterias here spend a grand or two a year on Costco size drums of bbq sauce Because it makes [Jimbo and Üter taste better](https://youtu.be/9S6Uacb0mR0?t=65)? ---
**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2018, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-plain-stuff/817840/72 "2018-07-15T15:40:00Z")
How about cheese? Some stores (notably Trader Joe’s) are selling cheese with stuff mixed into it, like chives or apricots. I love cheese, and prefer to have it by itself without its taste disguised by other flavors. I also don’t like the trend of making cheese from more than one kind of milk. Milk from cows, sheep and goats each has its own character, which is lost when they’re mixed together. I’ve tried cheese made from a mixture of all three, and it tasted like nothing in particular. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2018, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-plain-stuff/817840/73 "2018-07-15T17:29:31Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I only buy plain white bath towels. No colors or trim. Does that count? It does! Viva la plain! ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2018, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-plain-stuff/817840/74 "2018-07-15T21:44:01Z")
Have we covered tea yet? I like tea. Plain tea. _C. sinensis._ What’s with putting all the fruity stuff in it. [This thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=158089) from 15 years ago pretty much covers it. ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2018, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-plain-stuff/817840/75 "2018-07-16T00:30:10Z")
My thoughts: \*\* Hamburgers.\*\* I usually eat my hamburgers with cheese and ketchup; but occasionally I just eat them plain. **Potatoes.** I usually my baked and mashed potatoes with just butter and black peppers. I’m not big fan of seasoned french fries though I almost always eat them with ketchup. **Steak.** I usually eat my steak unseasoned though occasionally I use steak sauce for dipping. I prefer my steak medium rare. **Pizza** I hjaven’t ordered a plain cheese pizza in years. I always get toppings. ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2018, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-plain-stuff/817840/76 "2018-07-16T15:49:05Z")
YAY PLAIN STUFF!! I’m loving this thread. I’ve always felt like an outsider with my “plain” foods. Always the one that has to have a special order. And always being worried that my order will be screwed up. If I go to a fast food place, I always unwrap my burger before I leave to make sure it’s plain. It happens quite a bit. Also, having to be the person at a restaurant that has to sit and wait while everyone else is eating because I had to send my incorrect order back. I’m so sick of hearing, “how can you eat that plain, isn’t it dry?” I always wonder why when eating, say a turkey sandwich, you would want to overpower the turkey with mayo or mustard or some other yucky spread or PICKLES :eek:. You might as well just take the turkey off! -Cheeseburgers plain (once I ordered “a plain cheeseburger” and I got a hamburger with no cheese on it! Now I always say, "plain cheeseburger - cheese only) -Hot dogs - plain and no need for brats or polish - just a good old-fashioned hot dog -Steak, chicken, etc. - just salt -Pizza - only pepperoni -Salad - no dressing preferred. Most dressing is so strong that it’s all you can taste. I would rather just eat the raw veggies. Give me some cherry tomatoes, cukes, etc. on the side. -Ice cream - plain chocolate. I don’t need a bunch of toppings -Brownies, cakes, cookies - no nuts please. I’d rather eat nuts by themselves. -Sandwiches - NO MAYO!!! Just meat, cheese and bread. Preferably some form of a white bread or bun. -French fries - no ketchup or any other dipping sauce -Potato chips - plain old chips and NO DIP -I like the regular Doritos (red bag) but prefer plain tortilla chips. I also miss the plain Doritos -Eggs - just salt & pepper -Love plain chocolate cake, warm from the oven without frosting -Bagels - plain are good, but I do like cinnamon or blueberry. But butter only if toasted! No cream cheese! ---
**Author:** ![CelticKnot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/celticknot/32/3392_2.png) [@CelticKnot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CelticKnot)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2018, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-plain-stuff/817840/77 "2018-07-16T17:56:46Z")
I won’t use steak sauce. A good piece of meat, cooked to my taste (not well done) needs nothing. Even chicken is fine if it is broiled plain. No tartar sauce or cocktail sauce for seafood unless it’s been dried out in the cooking process. The only food I salt in a restaurant is sweet potato fries. Except I shouldn’t eat them. I wish I could have a plain cake donut. Or a plain Eggo waffle, toasted. Or any bread. The local Chinese buffet makes humongous yeast rolls that are dessert to me. Darn diet. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2018, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-plain-stuff/817840/78 "2018-07-16T19:37:21Z")
I eat absolutely nothing plain. Plain food is bland and boring to me. Give me a bacon cheeseburger (with ketchup, mustard, onions, and a slice of pickle), fries with ketchup, and some pie with ice cream, and you’ll make me a happy camper. Otherwise, there’s no reason for living. Oh yeah, and a vanilla Coke or some peach iced tea. ---
**Author:** ![Ellen\_Cherry](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellen_cherry/32/3600_2.png) [@Ellen\_Cherry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellen_Cherry)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2018, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-plain-stuff/817840/79 "2018-07-16T20:04:46Z")
> [@TRC4941](#): > > -Salad - no dressing preferred. Most dressing is so strong that it’s all you can taste. I would rather just eat the raw veggies. Give me some cherry tomatoes, cukes, etc. on the side. I wouldn’t presume to tell you how to eat, but on the off-chance you’d reconsider: Put your dressing on the side. Then, dip your fork into it, then spear your salad. You get a taste of the dressing and it doesn’t overwhelm the salad. I’ve been doing this for years, since I saw the tip in an article about dieting and eating out. ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2018, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-plain-stuff/817840/80 "2018-07-17T19:52:51Z")
> [@Ellen\_Cherry](#): > > I wouldn’t presume to tell you how to eat, but on the off-chance you’d reconsider: Put your dressing on the side. Then, dip your fork into it, then spear your salad. You get a taste of the dressing and it doesn’t overwhelm the salad. I’ve been doing this for years, since I saw the tip in an article about dieting and eating out. I’ve done that on occasion and it’s ok, but still prefer just some raw veggies. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-plain-stuff/817840.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-defense-of-plain-stuff/817840.md?page=5)