Why is it that the so called exotic food seems worse than the standard dishes

Cafe Society
1

Got invited to a big presentation/seminar by a well known person. (Probably about 400+ in attendance)

There was some appetizers and food and it was stuff that was considered very exotic
(Specialty cheeses, fancy meats, mini sandwiches with some stuff in them that I had never heard of, etc)

Also weird stuff like some fried pickles, mini shrimp and other things that I had never heard of.
Most of the food served there was very unappetizing compared to some good Italian, BBQ, or good Chinese food. (Even McDonalds would have been better)

Not only that, the portions were absolutely tiny (more of a snack than anything else)
I realize that they were only appetizers but they just tasted awful (to me) compared to almost anything else
It was not only me as I didn’t see many other people having very much either.

Any reason for such unappealing appetizers?

2

I don’t know about the things and stuff that you never heard of was (Maybe caponata? Pesto? Chevre?), but all the rest of it sounds pretty standard and far from exotic to me – not to mention pretty tasty.

3

Confirmation bias would be my guess.

4

The idea of “standard” vs. “exotic” dishes is pretty much an artificial distinction that doesn’t really mean anything. You appear to be saying that you’re accustomed to certain foods and you’re not an adventurous eater so you don’t like new things that strike you as unusual or with unexpected taste or texture. Thus answering your own question.

I have no idea exactly what was being served and maybe it was awful, but I get the impression from the general tone of your post that you wouldn’t like anything that deviated too much from everyday mass American fare. There’s some really wonderful authentic food in the world and IMHO it might be worth your while to learn more about it and how to appreciate it.

For instance if you had asked me many years ago what I thought about eating raw fish, I’d say to hell with it, fish is supposed to be cooked. Today I am a huge fan of really good sushi, and the way it’s prepared and presented at the best sushi bars is nothing short of breathtaking. It’s become one of life’s pleasures for me.

5

There is no arguing taste (de gustibus non est disputandum if you are into Latin).

Just because you don’t like it doesn’t mean other people won’t. The small quantities were almost certainly to save $; the point of the presentation/seminar was unlikely to provide dinner for the attendees.

6

Could be confirmation bias, but none of these appetizers appealed to me at all.

It could be that it was different than what I am used to.

Thanks

7

And yes, I have tried some of these exotic foods that you have mentioned and I did go in there with an open mind and they just did not appeal to me. It could also be some food allergies as well.

Thanks

8

What foods are you allergic to?

9

It wasn’t awful, but I had higher expectations. Yes, I have tried Sushi and to me, it was okay but not outstanding.

10

Perhaps you are used to the very strong flavors that “standard” food have nowadays. More “exotic” food tend to be prepared to bring out the natural flavors of the ingredients, rather than overpowering it with spices and sauces. Sushi is a great example - just subtle flavoring in the rice, and a tiny dab of soy sauce.

11

Tomatoes, Onions, Liver that I know of. I do have allergies to most grasses and dog and cat hair so that may also apply to some of these appetizers. (The grasses, nit the dog and cat hair)

That is also why I usually stick to the foods I am familiar with.

Thanks

12

Could be. It seems like more and more foods overdo these spices. Yes, just adding a little subtle flavor to the rice does really help. (But there was nothing like that at this place)

Thanks

13

Personally, it takes awhile for my taste buds to get used to novel food (I think that’s the word you are looking for). Some people can eat a new dish and immediately form an opinion about it. But for me, I usually find myself in an uncomfortable zone where I don’t hate what I’m eating, but I am not really enjoying it either. It’s only until long after the meal is over where I start to appreciate all the flavors and textures.

The first time I had sushi, I was like “meh”. After the meal was over, I grabbed a pizza and tried to put the memory behind me. But what do you know, a couple of days later I started having cravings for it. I was warned this would happen, but I was still surprised.

14

It looks like some of those appetizers were there as well but I didn’t try them. Never heard of them previously

Thanks

15

Good point and I have had that experience previously (This was with some great Indian food I had a few times

However, not after these appetizers on this occasion

Thanks

16

Forget confirmation bias. What the OP ran in to was the realities of catering. Which means bland it down and serve only what will remain remotely edible for an extended period of time.

17

Thread relocated from IMHO to Cafe Society.

18

Thanks for the answers. Good input

19

Hmmmph. When I was the CEO of Ukulele Like’s Fine Exotic Catering, our dog and cat hair canapés were among our most popular appetizers.

Years ago in my square job in a mighty Manhattan skyscraper, the President of the publishing company was extremely fond of Pigs in Blankets (little tiny frankfurters in puff pastry) offered alongside a bowl of yellow mustard. They showed up at every office cocktail party and author reception.

All us callow sophisticates snickered at him, behind his back AND right in his face. But we ate the hell out of those little hot dogs. They WERE good.

20

Yeah, I was thinking maybe it was just a really shitty caterer, since the OP says that other people weren’t eating much either.