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Growing up I was an extremely picky eater.
Oh hell, who am I kidding? I was an extremely picky eater well into my 30s. I am the person who goes through the McDonald's drive thru (their spelling, not mine) and orders a plain cheeseburger and then has to pull up and wait. I mean, mustard and those little onions are gross, right?
I didn't really eat fish (except some shellfish), the only pork I ate was bacon and sausage and I was terrified of Indian food.
The problem, of course, is that as I grew up I fell in love with fancy food and wine. Of course, I wanted fancy food that only included ingredients that I already liked.
This got tricky.
I mean, how many times can a person eat beef bourguignon?
Then one time my husband and I went out with some friends to a very nice restaurant. After a few drinks we decided to just do the tasting menu with wine pairings.
Are you familiar with tasting menus? I wasn't, but tasting menus are where the chef picks what you eat and you usually have somewhere between 5 and 9 small plates.
This particular occasion was the first time I ever tried rare lamb. It was also the first time I ate black truffles.
Both were outstanding.
I made myself a promise. If I are at a chef driven restaurant I would try anything at least once.
This is a promise I have yet to regret. I am not saying that I have loved everything I have eaten, but I have tried some food that made my eyes roll back in my head.
In a good way.
If I hadn't let it go and tried new and different foods (IN MY 30s!) I would be a lesser person today. My entire world has opened up to new cuisines and now my whole family has more options.
Deconstructed Guacamole from Minibar - Photo By Me
Have I mentioned what a good example this sets for my children?
Trying something new can change your life. It isn't just food either. Did you read about when I experimented with making my bed for an entire month? I'm still doing that too.
What have you tried that has improved your life?
