# Tasteless or nearly tasteless foods **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 9, 2011, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705 "2011-09-09T07:49:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705/41 "2011-09-09T17:29:08Z")
> [@SciFiSam](#): > > Cucumber, unless you have a sensitivity to it; I know a few people who loathe it, while the rest of us wonder what there is about it to loathe. I don’t loathe it, but I usually eat around it if it’s in a salad. The other night, however, I grew a new appreciation for it when it’s cold. I ordered a dish at a Thai restaurant, and it had hot cucumbers in it. That’s just a sin against man and God. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705/42 "2011-09-09T17:55:19Z")
Snails: when cooked in garlic and btter, they taste like garlic and butter. Summer squash-you have to add salt, pepper and butter-then it tastes like salt, pepper and btter. I don’t know why people bother to eat it. Iceberg lettuce: tasteless withot salad dressing Abalone: despite its high cost, it really tastes like vulcanized rubber Cucumber: crunchy, but tasteless “Light” beers: tastes like carbonated water ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705/43 "2011-09-09T18:04:27Z")
The point of matzos isn’t for them to taste good. The point is that, while you eat them you should be thinking about what it must be like to be stuck in a desert for forty years. That being said, matzos are great if you spread a little butter on them. ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705/44 "2011-09-09T18:32:25Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > The point of matzos isn’t for them to taste good. The point is that, while you eat them you should be thinking about what it must be like to be stuck in a desert for forty years. Leave it to us Jews to perfect “guilt food!” ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705/45 "2011-09-09T18:44:38Z")
I’ve always found kiwifruit to be virtually taste-free… its primary purpose seems to be decorative. But maybe I haven’t had good kiwifruit. ---
**Author:** ![Teufelblitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@Teufelblitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teufelblitz)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705/46 "2011-09-09T18:52:04Z")
> [@cjepson](#): > > I’ve always found kiwifruit to be virtually taste-free… its primary purpose seems to be decorative. But maybe I haven’t had good kiwifruit. I think you got bad kiwis. They tend to range from tart to pretty sweet. Very similar in flavor to strawberries. ---
**Author:** ![KRC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/45deac/32.png) [@KRC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KRC)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705/47 "2011-09-09T18:57:53Z")
Styrafoam cups and rice cakes. Tried both, couldn’t tell the difference. ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705/48 "2011-09-09T19:04:59Z")
> [@cjepson](#): > > I’ve always found kiwifruit to be virtually taste-free… its primary purpose seems to be decorative. But maybe I haven’t had good kiwifruit. Some kiwi fruits are really good, some are blah. But speaking of decorative but tasteless fruits, I nominate [the dragon fruit](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pitaya). It has a teensy bit of sweet flavour, a teensy bit of radish-y flavour, and not much else. Looks great, though. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705/49 "2011-09-09T19:05:51Z")
> [@Imasquare](#): > > Tomatoes and strawberries here in Australia have no taste. They look great but are almost flavorless. > > By contrast when I was in South Korea a couple of years ago the tomatoes and strawberries tasted wonderful. I came here to say “out of season strawberries”, because they are all texture (bad, horrible, seedy texture) and no taste. Tomatoes, although very taste reduced, still have some tomato essence. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705/50 "2011-09-09T19:10:34Z")
> [@KRC](#): > > Styrafoam cups and rice cakes. Tried both, couldn’t tell the difference. Rice cakes are disks. Styrofoam cups are truncated hollow cones. That’s how you tell them apart. ---
**Author:** ![congodwarf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e36b37/32.png) [@congodwarf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/congodwarf)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705/51 "2011-09-09T19:13:55Z")
Wow. Tastes really do vary. I love the flavor of cucumber and matzoh and will eat both plain (cukes with or without skin). ---
**Author:** ![psychobunny](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/54ee81/32.png) [@psychobunny](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychobunny)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705/52 "2011-09-09T19:26:26Z")
I like matzoh. Also-I disagree about cucumbers. Try making gazpacho without them and you’ll realize how much flavor they have. ---
**Author:** ![purplehorseshoe](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/purplehorseshoe/32/2996_2.png) [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705/53 "2011-09-09T21:39:40Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > Some kiwi fruits are really good, some are blah. > > But speaking of decorative but tasteless fruits, I nominate [the dragon fruit](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pitaya). It has a teensy bit of sweet flavour, a teensy bit of radish-y flavour, and not much else. Looks great, though. My vote? Star fruit. Crisp texture, gorgeous to slice, but … no flavor. None. ---
**Author:** ![Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mean_mr.mustard/32/3865_2.png) [@Mean\_Mr.Mustard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mean_Mr.Mustard)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705/54 "2011-09-09T21:52:53Z")
I’ve always had a hankerin’ to try fresh mozzarella. I bought some recently - it came in a tub and each mozz was sphere-shaped - and was supremely disappointed. It tasted like nothing. (I suspect I should seek out another sample from a different source). As for tomatoes, if I lived somewhere that I could not get fresh 'maters, I would move. mmm ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705/55 "2011-09-09T22:00:04Z")
I disagree about lettuce, cucumber, oatmeal, and potatoes. They all have taste. It’s subtle but it’s there. Boiled white rice, pasta, and boiled noodles not so much. Since I started trying to lose weight four years ago, I almost never eat either rice, pasta, or noodles and I don’t miss them. I still eat spaghetti sauce (without spaghetti), beef Stroganoff (without noodles), and all sorts of Chinese food (without boiled rice or noodles). I find that I actually like them better that way, although it took some getting used to at first. I do still eat fried rice occasionally because it actually tastes like something. ---
**Author:** ![iantendo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@iantendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iantendo)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705/56 "2011-09-09T23:06:36Z")
The Indian cheese ‘paneer’ tastes completely flavourless until it’s been cooked to add flavour. ---
**Author:** ![papergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/aca169/32.png) [@papergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/papergirl)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705/57 "2011-09-10T00:20:14Z")
Definitely starfruit. So pretty and so tasteless. I have tiny Alpine strawberries all over my yard. According to all the literature I’ve read, they’re delicious and sweet and best-ever. But mine taste like pretty little bright red firm drops of water. It’s a bummer. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705/58 "2011-09-10T03:58:29Z")
Water chestnuts. But their texture more than compensates. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705/59 "2011-09-10T04:19:01Z")
> [@papergirl](#): > > Definitely starfruit. So pretty and so tasteless. > I have tiny Alpine strawberries all over my yard. According to all the literature I’ve read, they’re delicious and sweet and best-ever. But mine taste like pretty little bright red firm drops of water. It’s a bummer. Are the strawberries sweet at all? Is it possible they’re [mock strawberries](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mock_strawberry)? Also, I wonder whether things like dragon fruit and starfruit are better if you’re buying them in, say, Thailand instead of in the US. It may be that the ones picked for export are picked unripe, or are from varieties bred for shipping. It may be true that summer squash have no flavor until you salt and pepper and fry them, but last night I chopped one up and salted and peppered and fried it, and goddamn, it was tasty. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2011, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705/60 "2011-09-10T04:42:04Z")
Egg whites. Zucchini. And 3 out of the 4 cantaloupes I, Salinqmind, picked out of the herd this summer. There’s nothing more disappointing than that big Tupperware container, filled with tasteless orange wedges. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tasteless-or-nearly-tasteless-foods/595705.md?page=4)