No Beer No Starbucks

I had an epiphany if you will over the weekend: I dislike beer because it tastes like vegetables to me. 

I grew up in a household where we had to eat what we were given and that was just that.

Somehow or other however I developed into a picky eater. What people enjoy eating is actually hardwired in our brains. That is a new concept I am coming to believe in. 

It started when I met parents who have children on the Aspergers spectrum. Those children resist eating certain foods based on texture. Then I met online a man who has no sense of taste or smell. 

He too said it was about texture and mouth feel what he was able to tolerate.  I was shocked and amazed.  Before this I would have believed it was all about flavor and smell. 

The idea that taste is so individual and hardwired into a persons DNA if you will helps explain why two children raised in the same home and fed the same things will so often enjoy different foods from each other.

These things being newly settled in my consciousness I read with interest new articles that come out about taste and what people like.

I started eating more healthy years ago. Normally that would include a bevy of new vegetables but I dislike the taste of many of them.

I have never tasted asparagus, brussel sprouts, or artichoke.

I have never bought or cooked cabbage or greens as an adult.

I dislike squash, okra, broccoli, onion, avocado, zucchini, eggplant, most beans & legumes, radish and parsnip. I can cook with onion but I pick them out and off of everything they are served with except I do like onion rings, with ketchup.

That leaves carrots, potatoes, yams, sweet potatoes, corn, cauliflower and tomato for me to dine on in the vegetable category.

I like pickles and will tolerate cucumber from time to time. I like the flavor of bell peppers. I will order combination pizza and pick off all the toppings to just eat the cheese, sauce and bread with the flavor of the meat and vegetables but not eating any of them.

I grew up eating pinto beans, greens, broccoli, black eye peas, beets and other things.

I dislike eggs and cheese as in Mac and Cheese, nacho cheese and cheese on a ham sandwich.

I share all this because I also hate Starbucks. It tastes burnt. A site and a test popped up saying some of us humans are SuperTasters. Prone to not liking coffee, broccoli  and other bitter things.

It might help explain why I can detect this nuance to Starbucks roasts when the world or at least the bulk of this nation seems to not notice it at all. 

Another thing I dislike ingesting is alcohol. I have never liked to drink, especially not beer. Over the weekend I had a sip of Pabst because it was free at the derby event I was volunteering at.

BLECK is all I can say about that it reminded me of the taste of vegetables, bitter and green tasting.