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Order a pizza topped with pineapples at any restaurant in Italy, and you will regret every little step that led you to making this decision. Because if there’s something Italians won’t tolerate, it’s pineapple pizza and cappuccino in the afternoon. But while some of the most controversial food preferences have to do with local culture and its quirks, the rest of it comes from our weird and wonderful personalities.

The same goes with our food opinions. Like, saying that mint choc chip ice cream is gross, tomatoes ruin a burger, or that Greek yogurt is sour cream in disguise. You may not be the most popular person in the room for stating this, but you’re surely not quite wrong either.

So let’s dig deep into the often silenced world of controversial food opinions shared in this viral Twitter thread that will heat up the room temperature and will surely bring out your inner Gordon Ramsay.

Bored Panda reached out to Stefan Balkenende, a spokesperson of Greenpan.co.uk, a cookware manufacturer that specializes in ceramic-coated pans for healthier cooking. Stefan shared some insights on food opinions and preferences, as well as of ways we talk about food so that it won’t become a sensitive topic.

“No matter where you’re from or what kind of food you eat, the topic of food brings people together, acting as an easy ice breaker when meeting new people. It’s universally appealing,” Stefan said and added: “In fact, last year Dr. Amber Spry, who is the Politics and African American Studies professor at Brandeis University, went viral as she had asked her class ‘how does your family cook rice’ instead of traditional ice breaker questions, which naturally got the class talking, sparking debate and conversation over something so trivial but relevant to everyone.”

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According to Stefan, even if a particular food preference seems unusual now, it could easily become more mainstream as time passes. “For example, the idea of drinking bone broth might have seemed odd a few years ago; in fact, in 2016, Google Trends identified an interest score of just 21. Fast forward to January 2020, and it hit a popularity score of 100.”

Moreover, unusual food preferences can be an exciting challenge for a cook. “Part of creating a great recipe is combining different flavors and textures in new ways, perhaps unimagined. What might seem like a bizarre preference could spark inspiration for an exciting new dish,” the spokesperson of Greenpan.co.uk explained.

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vogonpoet
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Took me years in the USA to find a bread that had no sugar. And then I moved back to NZ. I miss that sourdough so much.

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Friday
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2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It is if you are eating something rare, exotic or not humanly killed. There is no reason anyone needs to consume something like a beating snake heart.

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When asked whether a chef could refuse to cook a very unusual order made by a client, Stefan said that “unusual food preferences can be a tough pill to swallow as a chef, but it can be a positive challenge.” “That being said,” the spokesperson continued, “customers should be aware that professional kitchens will have prepped their menus and food orders in advance, so last-minute changes can be difficult to overcome. Likewise, some chefs may find it hard to deviate from what they’re used to, as their menu is an art and experience.”

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“Depending on how obscure the food order is, chefs can use it to their advantage and make use of existing ingredients they have and try and incorporate what they would have served in a slightly different way,” Stefan concluded.

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Jon Steensen
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Actually all the differnt pasta shapes each have their own specific purpose. They are each speciallised for a particular task, and cannot be interchanged if you are after the best result. E.g. if you cook lasagna with farfalle (butterflies) the result will be wierd (or actually a wrong interpretation of pasta bolognese), as the plates are what holds a lasagna toghether, so it can be cut into blocks. Some of them, like the shells and cannelloni (large tubes) are actually meant to be stuffed. Each type of pasta will interact with the sauce diffently, which will have an effect on the experience of eating the dish. So yes diffent pasta shapes makes the pasta(dish) taste differently, but the shells are not always the best.

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Sum Guy
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Love raisins... I even have some in my desk. Next thing you'll say biltong is a waste of meat

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Bored Panda also talked to Alex Gunz of "Gourmand Gunno," a London-based professional food reviewer and the winner of Square Meal's 'Critic of the Year' 2014 award.

When asked whether talking about food, especially if one has unusual opinions when it comes to eating, can sometimes turn sour, Alex Gunz told us that it should not and does not need to be a sensitive topic. “The more people are open and willing to discuss their opinions, the less sensitive the topic becomes,” he added.

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UncleRussian
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah... I asked a Mexican friend of mine who lives in USA if Taco Bell was authentic when it comes to tacos and he said no, because Tacos aren't supposed to be in a hard shell

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Moreover, “Everyone will have their own view on what constitutes 'unusual.' Always important to make a distinction between what preferences might be a function of either religion or health relative to just more personal reasons,” Alex explained.

When it comes to chefs preparing very unusual orders, Alex said that whether the chef would agree to make a special order or not “totally depends on the circumstances (type of restaurant, price point, and expectation of the consumer).” Having said that, he added that “menus exist for a reason, in most cases.”

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Pungent Sauce
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Love a deep dish, but I love pizza. Even those greasy crackers that are NY style slices are good if you put one on top of another like a calzone.

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Truth Monster
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You're eating it wrong. Change your bread to something like toasted ciabatta.

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UncleRussian
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes, I do love tea. But uuuuuh, I used to work as a baker and when you wake up at 4 in the morning tea isn't enough to wake you up

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Carmen Sandiego
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2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

On the fence. Maybe they are too sweet, but they are so soft! They are literally air and sugar.

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Eslamala
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Tomatos ruin sandwiches most of the time, not cause of the taste, but cause of the extra moisture

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Sum Guy
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Someone has horrible taste buds... I will say, sweet potato fries are horrible and seem like something the Americans invented...but sweet potatoes are awesome

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Vic
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have to disagree with this one.. we put coconut in almost every main course dish..

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Sum Guy
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Some people need better bean meals... Get some sugar beans, boil them for about 4 hours in a cast iron 3 legged pot outside... then stew

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Aunt Messy
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Where did you think your meat comes from? If you can't face that, don't eat it,

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Martha Meyer
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Does this dude realize that the rice in sushi is in fact COOKED?

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vogonpoet
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Dude. You're eating fish that swim in the wrong water if it tastes like that.

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vogonpoet
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Mine doesn't. But my mother (who has been a grandmother for nearly 18 years now) can absolutely ruin your gut with terrible indigestion with her chickpea "special". Ugh.

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James016
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Big fat chips are the best. You are wrong on all counts here, especially the crinkle cut.

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Sum Guy
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Look at that... someone who doesn't like flavour. Indian food is amazing, and they are the only people who know how to make amazing vegetarian meals... everyone else is trying to make vegetables taste like meat... Indian people say "here is a vegetable in all its glory"

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Martha Meyer
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That has got to be the most disgusting food idea I've ever seen.

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