Current Events > You know what gets a bad rap, but is actually delicious?

(+) Yeah! (+)

Fruitcake

The grocery store bought shit absolutely does not taste good. It's like a compressed sand brick.

Had it for the first time at my in-laws for Christmas a few years ago, and I genuinely liked it.

I think it just became an overused gift at some point that it turned into a joke.

Licorice

its got to be one that wasn't sitting on a shelf for 6+ months.

Anchovies

Tyranthraxus posted...

The grocery store bought shit absolutely does not taste good. It's like a compressed sand brick.

Probably why most don't like it then. Homemade stuff is usually great, assuming there isn't a terrible cook in the house, lol.

Hayame_Zero posted...

Had it for the first time at my in-laws for Christmas a few years ago, and I genuinely liked it.

I think it just became an overused gift at some point that it turned into a joke.

I think it's one of those sort-of outdated cartoon/pop culture shorthands.

Like Brussels sprouts.

Mushroom burgers.

I remember when I was little, my grandma's office had these prepackaged little slices of fruitcake that were delicious. Unfortunately, I've never been able to find those myself (if they even still make them anymore), and every fruitcake that I've tried since has been disappointing or downright gross.

When did the animosity towards fruitcake start? It's always been on the worst end of the wrath of the American people.

JadeBaby posted...

When did the animosity towards fruitcake start?

Google AI blames Johnny Carson

JadeBaby posted...

When did the animosity towards fruitcake start? It's always been on the worst end of the wrath of the American people.

It was like an early meme. Someone always brings a shitty fruitcake to these gatherings and everyone fuckin hates it.

They just ain't had that good fruitcake yet.

Also, Long John Silvers. Gets shit on online but imho is quite delicious. Wish there was one near me, where else do I get fish outside a sit-down? I just want a couple fuckin pieces of fried fish.

whitelytning posted...

Licorice

Twizzlers and black jellybeans were the bane of my childhood.
Boombam99 posted...

Anchovies

Had it on pizza once out of curiosity. A mistake. A little bit is tolerable, but very quickly overwhelmed my capacity for saltiness.
SomeLikeItHoth posted...

Mushroom burgers.

Had one from Five Guys, again, out of curiosity. Not bad... but I wouldn't call it good either.

Know what's freaking delicious that isn't a part of mainstream knowledge? The fuzzy little red berries of sumac trees. It's not that they get a bad rap, it's that they're completely ignored. Okay well, some people mistakenly believe that all sumac is poison sumac, but poison sumac has yellow berries and not in the same kind of structure, but anyway, there's not much flesh to them, but they have a powerful sweetened lemon taste to them. Among those that do know, it's common to grind into spice or steeped in water to make a drink similar to lemonade.
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BiggCoolDaddy posted...

Wish there was one near me, where else do I get fish outside a sit-down? I just want a couple fuckin pieces of fried fish.

McDonald's obviously.

I prefer the Arby's to both of them but it's only a seasonal thing and so you can't get it year round.

Tyranthraxus posted...

McDonald's obviously.

I prefer the Arby's to both of them but it's only a seasonal thing and so you can't get it year round.

Fair but I dislike McDonald's. I really enjoy that delicious LJS fried fish with the cocktail sauce. Maybe even some fried oysters if I'm feeling adventurous.

DrizztLink posted...

I think it's one of those sort-of outdated cartoon/pop culture shorthands.

Like Brussels sprouts.

There's actually a really interesting story that goes with Brussels sprouts. You didn't just develop a better palate with age.

See, in the 1990s, Brussels sprouts were terrible. Direct quotes from a guy who grows them for a living:

A lot of people of my generation hated them. Their moms boiled them and made them even stinkier.

We actually had a Brussels sprouts festival here for about 10 years. And we got a lot of free press out of the deal, because people couldn't believe that you'd have a festival for Brussels sprouts.

They were just very bitter; a very strong bitter taste.

The producers knew the horrible flavor of Brussels sprouts was problematic enough that some Dutch farmers decided in the 90's to fix it. Fix the bad taste. The foods some people (who are not me; I was scarred for life as a child by the foul things) enjoy today are the result of a buttload of genetic engineering to sell more by making them not terrible.

https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2019/10/30/773457637/from-culinary-dud-to-stud-how-dutch-plant-breeders-built-our-brussels-sprouts-bo

Haggis, from what I have heard, is quite good despite its reputation (which it gained mostly because of what it's made of).

Spam
American cheese

BiggCoolDaddy posted...

It was like an early meme. Someone always brings a shitty fruitcake to these gatherings and everyone fuckin hates it.

They just ain't had that good fruitcake yet.

Also, Long John Silvers. Gets shit on online but imho is quite delicious. Wish there was one near me, where else do I get fish outside a sit-down? I just want a couple fuckin pieces of fried fish.

The last one near me got all run down and then shut down, but thankfully it was just to remodel and now they're good as new. It's the only place in town that has hushpuppies.

The fruitcakes from Collin Street Bakery are good, but they have gotten so expensive

ReturnOfDevsman posted...

There's actually a really interesting story that goes with Brussels sprouts. You didn't just develop a better palate with age.

See, in the 1990s, Brussels sprouts were terrible. Direct quotes from a guy who grows them for a living:

The producers knew the horrible flavor of Brussels sprouts was problematic enough that some Dutch farmers decided in the 90's to fix it. Fix the bad taste. The foods some people (who are not me; I was scarred for life as a child by the foul things) enjoy today are the result of a buttload of genetic engineering to sell more by making them not terrible.

https://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2019/10/30/773457637/from-culinary-dud-to-stud-how-dutch-plant-breeders-built-our-brussels-sprouts-bo

Wow, that's amazing. Oh man, crispy fried Brussels sprouts are fucking great.

I haven't had one since I was a kid but never got the hate either.

My mom makes this cake with dates in it that's good as hell.

A good fruitcake needs to be soaked in booze.

I bet if you bought a crap store fruitcake then soaked it in brandy, it would be pretty dece.

Fried Chicken Liver

Gethsemani Farms in KY has great fruitcake, I try to get some every year. It's extremely boozey. It's really expensive though.

Grilled brie cheese sandwich with cream of mushroom soup

and clam juice with vodka

I never actually thought old Brussels Sprouts were that bad. I mean I feel like they tasted better than IPAs and people drink those all the time.

HexaTyphlosion posted...

The fruitcakes from Collin Street Bakery are good, but they have gotten so expensive

I tried one of those last year; after it was marked down from $30 to like $8. The thing is absolutely steeped in sugar, so be sure to eat it in small portions. It was, though, definitely above the usual "200 day old brick" fare you find in supermarkets in the US.

BiggCoolDaddy posted...

Wish there was one near me, where else do I get fish outside a sit-down? I just want a couple fuckin pieces of fried fish.

Posts like this and post number 20 about long john silvers being the only place to find hushpuppies is absolutely blowing my mind right now since where I live you cannot go like 2 blocks without running into some sort of local restaurant that specializes in selling seafood and/or fried chicken, and every single one of these places has hushpuppies as the standard side. (french fries, hushpuppies and coleslaw is the default).

Its more than likely just from living in more rural southeast US/south carolina where they are common, but seriously, restaurants like this or just fish markets are friggin' everywhere here. They all also blow away any kind of seafood you are getting in a place like captain d's, long john silvers, and especially like arby's or mcdonald's. Whiting, spot, flounder, cat fish, red snapper, tilapia, perch, oysters, scallops, and calamari. Either filet them for you or leave the bones.

But yeah anchovies the last time I had them actually were pretty good.

Accolon posted...

Fruitcake

Fruitcake is exactly like red velvet cake in that it has got to be homemade imo. My mom's and my aunties' were the only times that consistently made these crazy good.

Shawarma from a place with shitty flatbread.