There are some things I haven’t tried, but mostly because they’re rarely if ever on offer in my world.
Examples: Spam, sardines, organ meats other than liver.
I’ve tried liver; the texture and mouthfeel are repulsive to me.
I’ve (inadvertently) tried anchovies; once was enough.
Someone mentioned crawfish. Reminds me that I’ve got to get back to New Orleans someday, because even restaurants up my way that claim to be authentic New Orleans can’t cook a plate of crawfish étouffée that’s more than just passable.
Speaking for myself only, I don’t think ketchup, mustard, relish and mayo improve the foods i enjoy. Quite the opposite. I don’t like their taste. Also, over time, it’s grown into a philosophical objection as well.
It’s one thing to decide that you don’t think ketchup, mustard and so forth improve the taste of food, or decide that you dislike the taste of them and another never to have eaten them. The latter seems unlikely in mainstream America. (Surely some of those condiments were included in school lunches.)
I was going to say tripe, but then I remember that one time I got Pho with “everything”, including tripe. I ate the tripe, but it wasn’t very appealing. Not much taste, and the taste it did have wasn’t good.
The trick is frying it. Fried Spam is yummy. Not-fried Spam is not.
I was going to say I couldn’t think of any mainstream food I haven’t eaten, but I saw someone mention Nutella. I have never eaten Nutella. Not because I don’t think I’d like it (I love both chocolate and hazelnuts), but I can’t think of a not gross way to eat it other than by spoon from the jar. And it just seems so unredeemable. At least peanut butter has protein … or that’s what I keep telling myself.
I’ve had sweetbreads at a French restaurant, and they were crispy and delicious, like the ones at your Argentine steak place. Braised does indeed sound “ooky.”
Interesting. Did you like it? By the way, I’m surprised you never tasted tomato soup.
Thanks for all the responses everyone, but some are including foods that they don’t like, or that’s how it’s reading. “That’s horrendous,” “That’s disgusting,” etc.
Not that I mind, but I was thinking of foods never tasted. In my case, it’s not that I’m convinced I would hate filet of sole, I just never got around to trying it. I didn’t try turnips until my mid-forties, and now I seem to be running out of “never had” foods.
I’ve never tasted Limburger cheese either. Or blood sausage. I can’t get past the smell of the one, and the residual religious objections to the other.
If there’s a mainstream food I haven’t tried, it’s certainly due to my just overlooking it, not out of avoidance. I spent ages 4-18 being a picky eater, when suddenly my issues with food texture and other former deal-breakers just seemed to dissolve away. Ever since then, I’m more than happy to try nearly everything.
Still, there are some regional staples I’ve just not gotten around to yet. Pimento cheese sandwich was one of them until this past spring. I can’t say I feel the need for another one yet, though.
I eat most anything, love seafood of all kinds especially.
But I notice things at the grocery store here (Aus) that I have never tried, including fennel and celeriac. Just never had reason to use them, yet I’m happy enough to try them one day I guess.
And I’ve never had pumpkin pie. They’re just not a thing here.
Was it made by somebody southren who learn the recipe from their grandma? Cuz that makes a difference. (It also helps it you are a bit of a heathen and add more than a couple of dashes of Crystal or Louisiana sauce.) The right mayo makes a difference, too. Gotta be Duke’s or Blue Plate.
As for Spam - love the stuff. Fried with breakfast eggs is a campfire staple.
Filet of sole? It’s a very mild, bland-tasting fish in my experience. It’s sort of like mahi mahi to my mind. Never found it very impressive. Although I should add that my mother was not particularly good at cooking fish
I have a life-threatening allergy to tomatoes. There are many foods with tomato in them I have never tried, and a few I have regretted encountering.
I never ate condiments as a kid. Always wanted burgers and hot dogs plain. So I’ve always been happy with my food like that. I will say that I’m sure over the years I’ve accidentally bit into a burger that had everything on it but immediately stopped. Just didn’t like the taste. If I want a turkey sandwich, I want to taste turkey and cheese not mayo. As for the hard boiled eggs, I think it was the smell that I didn’t like as a kid. Just never tried one later in my life.
