You say Toe-MAH-Toe, I say Yuck?
Similar to my removal of sweetener from my coffee (6 months and going, though I have still not dared to see what I think of it with sweet-n-low yet), I have recently been embarking on another tastebud altering experiment. This one is additive rather than subtractive. I am trying to learn to like tomatoes.
I have mentioned before my dislike of raw and cooked tomatoes or tomato pieces. I like everything made from them (sauce, ketchup, etc), just not in their natural or near natural state. However, in recent months, I have accidentally consumed a few for lunch in my sandwiches and found that they were not completely repulsive.
So I have been cautiously attempting to see if I can train myself to enjoy them. To date, I have stopped completely avoiding them or special ordering their removal at chain restaurants or chain eateries – Duane Reade Turkey Sandwiches, Cosi Bombay Chicken Salad, Olive Garden Shrimp and Tomato meal who’s name I forget, Pret-A-Manger soups, etc. So far the process hasn’t been bad. I have found the tomatoes in those products to be edible.
Admittedly, they are also rather bland mass processed tomatoes as well. Hardly packing a lot of punch and mostly cleaned of tomato inner ooze. My experiments at home, mostly consistenting of grape tomatoes in salads, have been less satisfactory. They don’t kill me, but I can’t say I enjoyed them either.
We shall see how it proceeds!
Posted on June 6, 2012, in Food, Personal and tagged changing tastebuds, tastes, tomatoes. Bookmark the permalink. 12 Comments.
52 Weeks, 52 Pounds 
I LOVE tomatoes – my favorite vegetable. My husband is not a fan, though. But I’ve slowly turned him on to them! I still can’t eat them certain ways, but one thing has really helped cure him – going to Italy. He’s got a new appreciation. (But who wouldn’t have a new appreciation for food in general in Italy!) Good luck and good for you for not giving up. I’ve all but given up on broccoli. I know… I know…
but how can you not like broccoli? 🙂 I’m generally pretty good, there are very few veggies i out and out dislike.
I hear you! I actually didn’t love a ton of veggies growing up. Then I realized why – they all came from a can! Mushrooms, green beans, etc. The ones I did like were the ones we’d pick and eat from my grandma’s garden: cucumbers, tomatoes, green peppers, green onions. That really matters. 😉
Growing up, I HATED tomatoes and I think it was a texture thing more than anything else (that ooey yucky viscous… you get the picture). Tried to eat them as an adult and found them non-impressive – no taste or like cardboard. Then I had someone make me try one they grew in a sandwich. I found that unlike hothouse garbage tomatoes from the grocery store, vine ripened meaty roma tomatoes (less yucky in the middle) actually taste VERY GOOD. So I only either grow them or buy them from a farmer’s market in the summer. There’s a huge difference. I only eat them a few months of the year…but it’s worth it!!
ha – so far the bland tasteless unripe ones are the only ones i like 🙂
I love tomatoes. I think its worth mentioning that they shouldn’t be kept in the fridge or they turn a bit cotton wooly and they taste much, much better at room temperature. If you get the bigger ones (plum tomatoes on the vine are good) it might be worth taking the seeds out and just eating the flesh as the texture of the seed part can take a bit of getting used to.
so far I’m still of the opinion is that they are best enjoyed as sauce. 🙂 still trying tho.
I feel the same way about strawberries. Love the flavor of them when processed and a part of something else, but don’t like the fruit all by itself in its natural state.
As for sweetener for your coffee, try Stevia. 100% natural sweetener and zero calories.
Cheers!
i feel similar on strawberries. I’ll eat them fresh, but not excited by them. As part of something, sure.
I’m good on the coffee. Actually closer to 8 months now. I don’t miss it anymore and coffee is fine without. I just haven’t dared to try putting it back in yet. People claim I won’t like it anymore, but not sure I want to test that theory yet.
Do you use cream? I alas can’t do coffee without cream and sugar — metaphorically speaking. I use Stevia and Silk Soymilk
skim milk. skim + no sugar makes coffee very calorie efficient/to fulfillment snack.
Oh, this makes me so excited for you! Tomatoes are a divine food, and they make up a massive part of my vegetable/fruit intake, and once you get a taste for them (which I hope you do), you’ll find that there’s an infinite variety of tastes and textures in the tomato world. I enjoy a campari tomato, sliced in half, with a dab of olive oil and some pepper. Mm. Tomato. (I hope I’m not grossing you out.) Good luck with this cautious new adventure!