A friend of mine and I were discussing his diet (the Atkins Diet/Carb Addicts Diet) and how when he eats a salad he can only use vinegar and oil. That isn’t the gross part. I don’t think I have an incredibly refined pallate but several of my friends do and when he started talking of another friend who uses Wesson Oil and Apple Cider vinegar I gagged. How wrong is that? It should be olive oil, preferrably extra virgin and red wine vinegar at the minimum. Better oil and vinegar are available and are cheap. Balsamic vinegar tastes so much better on salads. Granted those both have their place with appropriate recipes (I would never make taffy with red wine or balsamic vinegar nor fry chicken in olive oil) but salads are not the place?
The person he was speaking of I know likes it. Speaking of ruined food, I like making baked chicken for myself very dry. I don’t like it burned or dessicated to nothing but I like to be able to pull it apart and see the individual muscle fibers. I know most people would think that is gross. Is there some type of food out there that you guys like that isn’t quite in the norm like the Wesson and Apple Cider Vinegar story above? Please share.
It reminds me of the scene in “All in the Family” where Archie brings home a couple of hot/soft pretzels for Meathead and himself. He’s all excited, and seems for once actually enthusiastic about hanging out with his son-in-law, until Meathead starts slathering mustard on the pretzel.
“What the hell are ya doin’ dere, Meathead. You’re ruinin’ dat dere pretzel!” … or something like that.
I don’t know if this counts Sqrl but I know people who will ruin perfectly good chocolate chip cookie dough by baking it!
I tend to ruin my own food by overcooking. Sometimes my rotelli, broccoli and chicken dish becomes a homogenous green much but that’s when it’s best. Sometimes my baked potatoes have a charred layer on one side. Mmmm-mm.
little*bit you have given me the courage to confess. I like french fries very crispy and well done…with splashings of either malt vinegar or lemon juice, and plenty of kosher salt.
Oh, and one totally weird salad dressing: either corn or safflower oil (almost tasteless), lots of fresh lemon juice, salt and chopped tarragon. Like it over romaine with scads of fresh parmesan. Yeah, funky but I like it.
Buttered popcorn with lots of chili powder, and if I have it some parmesian from a can. The fresh grated stuff just goes to the bottom.
Slices of french bread browned. Rub half a clove of garlic on the hard surface. Spread butter on top. Put slices in still warm oven, just long enough to finish melting the butter. This will overload your taste buds.
I eat peanut butter and honey sandwiches sometimes
I make Ramen noodles in kind of a weird way…I make the noodles per the directions, but then I dump out the water and sprinkle the flavoring over the noodles instead of making soup.
I sometimes make a weird mixture of instant lemonade and instant iced tea. I actually served this at a party and no one complained.
My dad sometimes likes to put Old Bay seasoning on weird stuff.