Thursday, January 22, 2009

Unsophisticated taste

I watch the Food Network sometimes.  I enjoy watching the recipes come together and imagining the  flavors.   Some of the personalities and foods prepared seem more to my liking than others, but I've decided that my tastes are not sophisticated.   I think having sophisticated tastes mean that I have to like everything.  Well, there are lots of foods prepared that I'd be very hesitant to taste: pancake cake with avocado frosting, seared frogs' legs casserole, or goat stew?  Ordinary foods are paired in such unusual ways that I can't envision how it would taste.  Sixteen ingredients for a tiny scallop, or a lovely piece of salmon buried under a crunchy sweet topping and a fancy sauce.  What exactly are they trying to taste?

Exactly how does one get "sophisticated tastes"?  Do you have to eat in expensive restaurants, trying new things each time?  Do you just put odd things together and see how it turns out?  Maybe one needs to buy a snazzy cookbook and try some of the recipes.  I have it feeling it would take quite a while to accumulate an adequate pantry--how often do you use sweet Hungarian paprika or pickled artichoke hearts?

I remind myself that the chefs on television have staffs who make sure everything is on hand and within reach.  There are always fresh herbs of all kinds, unshrivelled lemons and limes, and heavy cream that hasn't spoiled.  My kitchen is not like that.  I will still watch the Food Network, but I'm not pretending to want to enjoy (or even understand) all the recipes.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I love the Food Network and hate to cook..well..I hate the prep and cleanup..I agree with you about the complexity of the foods..I have simple wants....

Mare said...

Well, I understand and am a kindred spirit. If you remember my post 10 things about me, one of them is that I don't own a stove.
I don't have to have anything fancy. I do occasionally watch a cooking segment and think that it looks/sounds good. But it doesn't necessarily motivate me to include the dish in my future. Maybe in my next life!!

Great Grandma Lin said...

oh how i would love to have a chef to prepare simple but tasty dishes...but it's just me, myself and I that cooks in my home except when we go out to eat...

Kay said...

We don't have cable so the only cooking shows we watch are on PBS. I only like the one where they cook real simple meals real quickly with real simple ingredients.

dellgirl said...

Eeeeewwww..."pancake cake with avocado frosting, seared frogs' legs casserole, or goat stew?" I think not. Plain pancakes with a gobb of butter and a bottle of syrup, would please me very much. Frog legs? Ummm..no. I'll take a chicken with legs and eat the breast (my favorite piece), no catch up. I just want to taste the meat. AND, so on. Plain.

Caid and Alicia Evans said...

You made me smile, because I had just finished watching the food network and quickly shut it off she she started on her eggplant, goatcheese, and pinenut salad she was putting together--it quite frankly made my stomach turn. If she brought that to my dinner table, I am not sure I would partake. Who is to say it's a "bad" recipe right? Well, my tastebuds would have said otherwise! :)
Thanks for your thoughts! :)

Ms Opinionated said...

I agree with you about a few things but what caught my eye was Unsophisticated taste...seems you and I have some common thoughts...will be back to follow your blog

storyteller said...

I used to love to cook, but seem to have lost interest. Cooking for one isn't nearly as much fun ... and I don't like to eat the same thing all week either. I eat simply at home and sometimes go for something more complex or elegant when dining out.
Hugs and blessings,