Few things bring people together like food. Breaking bread with friends and family over a deliciously hearty meal after a long day creates memories that can last a lifetime.
Whether it be McDonald’s after winning a football game, a rambunctious Christmas dinner or a grill session with friends, cooking and enjoying the art that is a family meal with loved ones is the most irreplaceable of feelings.
Yet, I can’t help but notice that there are many people who have ill-will toward the idea of adventuring beyond their typical diet.
Yes, I too love a chicken cutlet sandwich from my local deli, not to mention my go-to order from my go-to pizzeria.
But there is so much more out there than just the staples from our own culture.
I know many foodies, but I know even more people who know nothing more than the classic American diet of pizza, burgers and wings.
This is on full display when I spend time in New York City; it pains me to see the sheer number of people lined up outside the TGI Friday’s in Times Square. The greatest thing about the Big Apple — and our country as a whole — is the incredible volume of cultures that grace it.
And the greatest experiences always come in the form of the least expecting options.
Ever since I was a middle schooler, I have been grateful for my mom’s adventurous love of food. Whether taking me to a hole-in-the-wall Ethiopian restaurant or proudly showing me the homemade preserved lemons she waited two weeks for to make her chicken Tajin — she always managed to craft a delicious and culturally expansive meal.
But still, even I once had foods that I cringed at the mere thought of.
And no item was a bigger culprit than mushrooms.
The bite of any variety made me gag, and until I was 18, I refused to enjoy it. That is until I got my first restaurant job.
The owner was a genius; he had the ability to take any ingredient (from dragonfruit to bone marrow) and use it in a way that would make even the pickiest of humans giddy.
At one particularly memorable pre-dinner service meal, the kitchen made one of their most popular dishes for the floor staff: the hen of the woods mushroom.
Everyone else seemed to enjoy it, but I just stared at it before finally saying f—k it.
I’m going in.
I closed my eyes, unsure of what to expect as I brought the fungi-covered fork to my mouth.
I still remember the shock I felt with that first bite, realizing I had just been exposed to an entirely new world of cuisine.
This combination of flavors, coupled with the fact that I finally had mushrooms cooked and presented in a way I enjoyed, not only opened me up to new foods, but also inspired me to go back and try cooking with my arch nemesis.
Now it’s one of my favorite ingredients.
Ever since then, I have done everything in my power to push my friends into this exciting new world. When we go to restaurants, I’ll order the most random appetizer — just so they can try it. If I cook something out of the ordinary, I will try to find someone in my house, so they can try it, too. I greatly enjoy witnessing their firsthand reactions to new cuisine.
Oysters are a prime example of something people are too close-minded about — they are one of nature’s greatest treats. Yet to my horror, I’ve seen friends spit the slimey center out faster than it first touches their lips.
I understand the hold-up on food with strange textures and strong flavors — it can all be intense to take in at once.
But I ask — no, implore — anyone reading this to open their minds the next time they see an opportunity to eat something different.
Do not expect anything, nor attempt to chase it with water. Experience the bite for all it was intended. Even if you cannot stand it, the ability to experience different flavors from across the world is a privilege, not a given. And trust me, you will thank yourself for trying it, regardless of if you enjoyed it.
At the end of the day, it’s up to you whether you choose to steer yourself in a new direction. It’s your life, and you can choose to stick with what you are accustomed to, or spice things up.
But with that in mind, food is like life: If one doesn’t choose to get out of their comfort zone and try new experiences, what’s the point?
Alex Falter is the senior arts editor and can be reached at alex.falter@ubspectrum.com
Alex Falter is a senior arts editor at The Spectrum.
