Tuesday, May 3, 2011

Brussels sprouts???? Brussels sprouts!!!!!!!!

It will probably come as no surprise to most people that I don't like vegetables. But you probably don't understand the deep, searing, white-hot hate I have for vegetables. I hate them. Let me say it again: I hate them. I would rather eat my own face than most vegetables. True story. Bob and I were talking about it (he's in town! Yay!), and we think it probably has a lot to do with the vegetables I ate while I was growing up. The thing is, aside from White People Salad (iceberg lettuce with ranch dressing), I seem to remember them all coming from cans. Ugh. Canned, salty S&W string beans were the bane of my existence, and a big reason I am veggie-resistant to this day. Oh, and that corn, peas, and carrots frozen stuff. Yeck. Aside from less-than-savory childhood options, I also have to say that I am a texture eater. There are whole groups of food I can't (notice I didn't say won't! I mean CAN'T) eat-- eggs, guacamole, and bananas are soft foods I hate. Celery, carrots, and beets are crunchy things that gross me out. Combine all this with the year I spent in Ireland, where we ate hastily cooked veggies 6 days a week, and you will begin to understand my feelings toward all things green.

In our five years together, though, Bob has gotten me to accept some vegetables. I will eat asparagus without too much complaining. I throw hand fulls of spinach into my morning smoothie every day. I have slices of red bell pepper (but never green!) with turkey for lunch most days. I really liked the roasted cauliflower with sage salt and lemon brown butter we had two Thanksgivings ago. Brussels sprouts, however, were something I was getting nowhere near. I hate Brussels sprouts! I don't like how they taste or how they feel in my mouth. And, I'll be honest, I think they smell like farts. There, I said it.

But how things have changed. Why? Because of this recipe. Oh my sweet baby Jesus, guys. I love Brussels sprouts!!!!

They still kind of smell like farts, though.

2 comments:

Emily said...

ugh wrote a long comment and it didn't work. so i was saying, i had not had brussels sprouts ever until like three years ago when my friend zoe (also dan's gf) roasted them for a dinner once. just olive oil (evoo as rachel ray says) and salt, and a little pepper, and the leaves get crunchy (like kale chips, also delicious, only less shatter-y), and oh man. so good. now, i love brussels sprouts. one of my favorite dinners is roasted brussels sprouts and french fries (this is dependent on going to a restaurant that serves both, so luckily it is rare). i basically order them whenever i am in a restaurant, automatically. recently i had some at a burmese restaurant that were just roasted, with fish sauce, popped rice, some kind of japanese sauce and maybe a nut of some kind, I can't remember. anyway they were SO GOOD. i want THAT recipe.

finally, i almost went to boon food & drink about two weeks ago. clearly i need to actually go next time i'm up there.

Casey said...

Yes! And apparently, they fry theirs. Awesome.