Top 5 – Hated Vegetables

I was listening to Red Symons on ABC breakfast radio the other day and he was discussing how some foods, which were once considered ‘peasant’ food, are becoming trendy ‘superfoods’.  The discussion went from there to Kale and from there to a discussion of pointless vegetables and foods.  All in all the segment made me think about taste and how there are very few people that I know that like every vegetable available.  Basically we all have our pet hates and these are perhaps the most hated.

Brussel Sprouts – What else could I start off with really?  The vegetable that everyone loves to hate.  Personally though I quite like them.  They aren’t my favourite but I reserve my disdain for other veg, for things like mushrooms and asparagus that other people seek out but I tend to avoid.

Kale – I think the backlash against Kale has begun.   Ever since Mitchell on Modern Family declared Kale the new spinach there have been people railing against it.  And lets face it compared with Spinach is kale really that great?  Even Mitch himself didn’t really think ” it was ready to anchor a meal”.  Perhaps Kale is just too healthy, perhaps it suffers from being the sort of thing people eat simply because its good for them, or perhaps people just don’t know how to cook it.  Whichever it is the anti Kale brigade is growing if breakfast radio is anything to go by.

Swede – Instead of swede I could have just as easily included zucchini or summer squashes.  You know, the sort of thing that people hide in food rather than “anchor a meal” around.  I have to say that personally I tend to agree with Red Symons opinion that if you have to hide it it probably aint worth eating and be honest; when did you last get excited about a bowlful of swede?

Eggplant – If the rest of my family is united on one thing it is their dislike of eggplant, and judging by the comments people have left on my eggplant posts they aren’t alone.  Eggplant is the sort of food that if cooked badly is bloody awful, but that doesn’t account for all the eggplant hatred out their.  I suspect its a texture thing as I’m not sure eggplant has a strong enough flavour to account for all the people trying to avoid it.

Asparagus – Now I know its supposed to be a delicacy.  I know I have probably lost all foodie credibility (assuming I had some in the first place…) by including it.  I know all about the excitement of it heralding Spring and all that.  But, and its a big but I really don’t like its flavour that much.  Its OK and only just when smothered in lemon juice, salt, pepper and olive oil or with feta crumbled all over it but in both cases its the other flavours I’m really enjoying not the asparagus.  So tell me I’m not the only one.  Do you really enjoy eating asparagus?

Or if not asparagus which vegetables don’t you like?