A New Favorite

Have any of you found that as you age, your tastes change?  Is it really due to loss of taste buds?

For years I thought brussel sprouts were horrid.  I kept trying them because they looked like cute little cabbages and I enjoyed cabbage.  Each time, though, I couldn't get them out of my mouth fast enough!  Yuck!

Then, one night Mike and I were invited to dinner at the home of an elderly English gentleman.  I was a vegetarian at the time but usually had plenty to eat anyway when someone had us over.  As it turned out that night, though, my choices were pretty slim.  He served several things but most with an element of meat mixed in.  Looking at the table as he placed the food down, I figured I'd eat bread and LOTS of vegetables.  As it turned out when he brought the vegetable dish, you guessed it, he brought brussel sprouts. 

Well, I did not want to hurt his feelings so I forced a bite into my mouth.  I was planning on cutting up those on my plate, spreading the bits around, eating as few bites as possible.  I was all set for my over active gag reflex to kick in.  Instead, I found I was enjoying the taste in my  mouth!  What a shock!  I ended up confiding in him that I thought I didn't like brussel sprouts but that I loved his.  I really did!  I ate many of them!  He told me that the trick was to cut a cross pattern on the bottom of them and to only cook them for a few minutes.  He claimed that over cooking them caused that bitter taste.  I don't know but I've cooked them quite a bit myself, following his advice, and I still love them.  Who knew?

I also used to detest cooked carrots.  For years I avoided them as best I could.  When I was dating Mike, though, his Mom served cooked carrots frequently.  I first ate them in an attempt to be polite and I admit I did not enjoy it.  Eventually I did not hate them and then, somewhere along the way, they become something I enjoyed.  Go figure!

I have decided that I LOVE peanut butter.  I've never hated peanut butter but it was not high on my list of favorite treats.  Things change.  Today I purchased  a bag of Peanut Butter Snickers and couldn't hardly stop eating them.  I suppose I'd better not buy a bag of those again.

My really yummy new favorite thing, though, is peanut butter and strawberry whole wheat toast.  Have you tried that?!

It's simple, nutritious and very easy.  It is so yummy, though, that I feel kind of guilty eating it.  I especially like it for breakfast but it does make me feel like I'm being naughty, like I am eating dessert for breakfast.  Oh well, I can live with the guilt.

Anyone else notice these kind of changes?

On another subject...

For all who are wondering, Bode is doing much better.  He managed to sleep until 5:30 a.m. - Yay!  He's suddenly quite WILD!  The movie, Marley, has been crossing my mind more and more as Bode tries to eat the couch, newspaper, my feet, the end table, you get the picture!  Luckily,  he still has only baby teeth and he doesn't get much traction with them.  It is nice to see him bounding around, all legs, exploring his new world.  He even got courageous enough to do the stairs.  OK, he only got the courage when I drug him down, but he'll do it on his own now.

And as long as I am wrapping up loose ends, remember the guessing game picture?

Anyway, I realized that I hadn't announced the answer.  The picture was baby porcupines.  Everyone first guessed baby hedgehogs, which seemed reasonable. 

Have a great Saturday!