I believe that if you have to, you can adapt to almost anything and even come to appreciate it. My in-laws, for example, were deported to Heilongjiang for a period of ten years. To stay alive, they had to eat potatoes, something they were not used to. After returning to his homeland of Shanghai, my father-in-law developed a liking for them and happily ate them. However, in my opinion (and others’ opinions may differ), certain high-end meals simply taste better. After being acclimated to Whitman’s Sampler chocolate, I believe most people would prefer the more costly chocolate (all things being equal that is, a milk chocolate lover might not like the luxury dark chocolate because it might be too bitter, but probably would prefer the luxury milk chocolate). Certain things, though, can be challenging. I didn’t eat a lot of fish as a kid, especially anything with a strong flavor. Anything that tastes “fishy” gives me the creeps. My wife, on the other hand, grew up eating a variety of strong-flavored seafood. Those are foods I have yet to try. Unless it’s for health reasons, I don’t think there’s much use in trying to cultivate a liking for anything. If you consume far too much salt or sugar and your doctor has advised you to reduce your intake, changing your taste is an excellent idea. But it seems pointless to try to develop a taste for really pricey meals. Take a bite of something new. Enjoy it if you like it and can afford it. If you don’t like it, you shouldn’t eat it again. My father had a coworker who liked meatloaf over steak. Why would he pay $10 to $20 more per pound for steak if meatloaf made him happy? Peanuts are my preferred nut over macadamia nuts. Why should I pay a lot more money if I like peanuts? It’s a waste of time to be concerned about what other people think of your dietary preferences. The flavor of liver is one of my favorites. Bananas, on the other hand, do not appeal to me. My family is aware of this, and it is beneficial to them. Why does it matter what I like or detest to anyone else? I don’t mind if you love your steak well-done with ketchup. It’s not what I’d choose, but if you like it, you eat it. My Chinese wife eats several dishes that I dislike, and she doesn’t like for cheese, which I do. She doesn’t make me eat smelly tofu, and I don’t make her eat cheese.
