# Surprisingly good, but unusual food combinations **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 26, 2007, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprisingly-good-but-unusual-food-combinations/424088 "2007-10-26T11:05:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprisingly-good-but-unusual-food-combinations/424088/21 "2007-10-26T16:03:07Z")
[QUOTE=Ellen Cherry] That sounds good, Sapo. It reminds me of one of my favorite soups, Black Bean and Pumpkin, which has ginger in it. (I’ll share the recipe if anyone wants it.) [/QUOTE] Please share! Sounds yummy! ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprisingly-good-but-unusual-food-combinations/424088/22 "2007-10-26T16:08:44Z")
Peanut butter and catsup is surprisingly good. Most peanut like it when they don’t know what it is. I’ve long been a fan of “Coffeescotch” (Coffee and butterscotch). ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprisingly-good-but-unusual-food-combinations/424088/23 "2007-10-26T16:08:47Z")
[QUOTE=Wile E] I’ve seen brie paired with sweet stuff a lot and I’ve seen chocolate paired with savory items a lot, it could work. Maybe. Who’s going to argue with Giada’s Orgasm Face? For me green olives stuffed with bleu cheese. I love them both separately but the idea of them together made my mouth pucker. I tried one and it did make my mouth pucker and at first I thought it was ick, but it was one of those things you have to try again to see if maybe you were wrong and it was actually kind of good. So you eat a few more. Thankfully, I only buy a large spoonsful worth at the olive bar or I’d eat a whole container trying to decide if I like them. Apparently, I do like them but every time I eat them it’s a new adventure in taste. [/QUOTE] If you fear the cheese is going to try to escape from the olive, try capping them with a roasted almond. Yummm. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprisingly-good-but-unusual-food-combinations/424088/24 "2007-10-26T16:12:14Z")
[QUOTE=Sapo] If you fear the cheese is going to try to escape from the olive, try capping them with a roasted almond. Yummm. [/QUOTE] Hmm, no I don’t fear the cheese escaping. It’s just that the flavors make the back of your throat tingle and it’s one of those flavors that you have to keep trying to decide if you really like it. ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprisingly-good-but-unusual-food-combinations/424088/25 "2007-10-26T16:23:55Z")
[QUOTE=Wile E] Hmm, no I don’t fear the cheese escaping. It’s just that the flavors make the back of your throat tingle and it’s one of those flavors that you have to keep trying to decide if you really like it. [/QUOTE] 🙂 I know. Still, try the roasted almond. It adds crunchiness and some more complex flavours to the mix. ---
**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:** [October 26, 2007, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprisingly-good-but-unusual-food-combinations/424088/26 "2007-10-26T16:26:17Z")
Cheese curds and dried apricots. Oatmeal with jalapenos and Laughing Cow Cheese. Salad topped with salsa. Olive or jalapeno juice and curry powder in a Bloody Mary. Vodka and diet root beer. Dill pickles in a salad. Bacon salt on cantaloupe (well, and everything else, naturally!) Toast spread with mustard and bacon salt. Wasabi paste on any sandwich. ---
**Author:** ![Elret](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Elret](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elret)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprisingly-good-but-unusual-food-combinations/424088/27 "2007-10-26T16:36:18Z")
[QUOTE=Kotick] I guess this has been mentioned before, but strawberries with a splash of balsamic vinegar and a crack of pepper - my tastebuds went berserk and it felt like my sense of taste had had a lick of heaven. [/QUOTE] This combo is extra good when you add some feta. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprisingly-good-but-unusual-food-combinations/424088/28 "2007-10-26T16:37:59Z")
Some think it’s weird to put sweetcorn on a pizza, but it’s delicious. ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprisingly-good-but-unusual-food-combinations/424088/29 "2007-10-26T16:38:02Z")
Peanut butter and bacon salt! Yummmmmmmmmmmmmmm! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![NailBunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecae2f/32.png) [@NailBunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NailBunny)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprisingly-good-but-unusual-food-combinations/424088/30 "2007-10-26T16:42:34Z")
[QUOTE=Shoeless] There’s a pizza place in town that has a combination called “Melvin” – canadian bacon, spinach, pineapple, jalapenos, and blue cheese. When I tell people about it I always get a :dubious: look but it’s amazing how all those various flavors work together. Mmmm… Melvin. [/QUOTE] Omigod, that sounds like heaven. There is a restaurant in Truckee that serves a wide variety of omlettes, some of which have some pretty wacky ingredients. I tried one with ham, cream cheese, jalepeno, pineapple and honey, and it was groin-grabbingly transcendent. Of course, this makes sense for me, as my favourite pizza topping is jalepeno and pineapple. The honey was an interesting touch, though. ---
**Author:** ![Silence\_of\_the\_clams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Silence\_of\_the\_clams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silence_of_the_clams)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprisingly-good-but-unusual-food-combinations/424088/31 "2007-10-26T16:50:04Z")
[QUOTE=Elret] This combo is extra good when you add some feta. [/QUOTE] There’s another level of heaven? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprisingly-good-but-unusual-food-combinations/424088/32 "2007-10-26T17:42:08Z")
An actual ice cream sandwich. Vanilla ice cream with chocolate syrup on a bun (bread.) ---
**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:** [October 26, 2007, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprisingly-good-but-unusual-food-combinations/424088/33 "2007-10-26T17:51:33Z")
Now, Sean, that’s just crazy talk! Here’s the pumpkin soup recipe for Jodi. I made it for an event at work and got rave reviews. I recommend chopping the leeks. Just slicing them produces long stringy pieces that are difficult to eat. I did steam the pumpkin, but several people have told me that it’s easier to bake a pumpkin than steam it. I don’t know; I haven’t tried. \*\*Pumpkin and Black Bean Soup \*\* 6 servings; vegan 1½ to 2 lbs. pumpkin or other winter squash 2 tbs. olive oil 2 medium leeks, (white and pale green parts) halved, well-washed and thinly sliced 3 cloves garlic 1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped 1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped 5 to 6 cups vegetable stock or canned broth 15-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained 1 tbs. tamari or soy sauce 1 tbs. grated peeled fresh gingerroot 1 tsp. ground cumin ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro Quarter and seed pumpkin. Steam until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Allow to cool. Meanwhile, in medium skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add leeks and garlic and cook, stirring often, until leeks are softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Scrape pumpkin from peel. In large pot, combine pumpkin flesh, sweet potato, bell pepper and 5 cups broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until sweet potato is tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly. In food processor or blender, puree soup, in batches if necessary. If soup is too thick, add additional broth. Return mixture to pot. Add leek mixture and remaining ingredients. Simmer until heated through. 10 to 15 minutes. Per 1-1/2 cup serving: 163 ca.; 6G prot.; 4G total fat (1G sat. fat); 29G carb.; 0 chol.; 467 MG sod.; 4G fiber. Recipe was honorable mention in a Vegetarian Times’ soup recipe contest. ---
**Author:** ![Jodi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7feea3/32.png) [@Jodi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jodi)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprisingly-good-but-unusual-food-combinations/424088/34 "2007-10-26T18:07:53Z")
Thank you!! I am so making this soup soon. Maybe Sunday, Sunday is a good soup day . . . . ---
**Author:** ![Sean\_Factotum](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/50afbb/32.png) [@Sean\_Factotum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sean_Factotum)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprisingly-good-but-unusual-food-combinations/424088/35 "2007-10-26T18:09:51Z")
No way, Ellen. It’s great! Especially with French Vanilla, but any variety will do. It seems to work best with white bread instead of wheat (and there’s no way I’m going to try it on rye.) ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprisingly-good-but-unusual-food-combinations/424088/36 "2007-10-26T18:13:19Z")
Pepperoni and pineapple on pizza. Pepper on buttered corn. Peanut butter on cheddar cheese. Jam on brownies. ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprisingly-good-but-unusual-food-combinations/424088/37 "2007-10-26T18:32:42Z")
[QUOTE=An Gadaí] Some think it’s weird to put sweetcorn on a pizza, but it’s delicious. [/QUOTE] With bacon. Oh yeah. That Pumpkin and black bean soup is totally getting done as soon as the pumpkin sitting on my counter gets fully ripe. ---
**Author:** ![Plynck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Plynck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plynck)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprisingly-good-but-unusual-food-combinations/424088/38 "2007-10-26T18:41:21Z")
A classic pairing, but if you’ve never had it: Fresh pears with Gorgonzola. Great as a salad, or as dessert. You can sprinkle a little raspberry vinaigrette, maybe scatter a few roasted almonds or walnuts… And a favorite of mine at the end of the summer: Toasted bagel and cream cheese, with a thick slice of homegrown tomater (you heard me, none of them pink tennis balls they have in the supermarket) on top. Maybe with a bit of basil if you like. ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprisingly-good-but-unusual-food-combinations/424088/39 "2007-10-26T18:56:14Z")
And my breakfast of choice during those Vermont winters: Bagels with cream cheese and bacon. Accompanied with apple juice. The juice matters. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2007, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/surprisingly-good-but-unusual-food-combinations/424088/40 "2007-10-26T19:03:40Z")
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