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Popular flavors that you don't care for

I know this has been done, but not in a while, plus the threads get so long and unwieldy. What flavors just plain turn you off? I think we can leave mayo/Miracle whip out of this one completely. Please don't snark others' choices and don't mention mouth feel or other aspects of eating. This is a flavor-only thread, although smell can factor into it since they're so interwined.

Hazelnuts- just don't like the taste
Dill- really don't like the taste, except in dill pickles, for some reason.
Most yellow curries- I like all the ingredients separately, just don't care for the alchemical combination that most people love

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  1. There is a flavor used in many storebought cookies (such as Pepperidge Farm) called "natural butter flavor." I have no idea how they derive it, but it's vile. When I see that on a label, I just don't buy the product. I usually bake everything from scratch anyway, but every once in a while, I'd like to pick up a packet of cookies without that stuff in it!

    I also dislike hazelnuts, but I think it's because most of the hazelnuts sold in the US are rancid and bitter, which wrecks the taste of everything they're in.

    And I hesitate to say that I hate white chocolate because I don't think that has a flavor other than bland sweet fat, and there's definitely an unpleasant mouthfeel component there as well.

    Acai and goji berries, two trendy foods, are also really nasty to me. I avoid the juice and tea fridge at WF because those two berries are in almost everything these days. Make them go away!

    6 Replies
    1. re: Isolda

      I also hate that fake butter flavor. So nasty.

      1. re: Isolda

        We live near a company that makes that "natural" butter flavor. It smells horrible on the days that they are making it.

        1. re: Isolda

          chocolate, except if it's really, really dark like 85%
          coffee with milk, though I'm a huge fan of black coffee

          1. re: Isolda

            "Butter flavor" is indeed vile. In Mexico I swear they even put it in butter. When we were living there, I used to buy imported butters to avoid it.

            But I think that any of the artificial butter flavors are disgusting - almond may top the list. Artificial vanilla flavor is also right up there. Also mint and strawberry. Feh!

            1. re: Isolda

              If you have a Turkish store in your area, or a Turkish restaurant, get hazelnuts from them. Apricots, too...

            2. Anything with chipotle
              Anything with liquid smoke
              Anything chevre/goat cheese-flavored

              3 Replies
              1. re: berkleybabe

                I'm totally there on the liquid smoke. Chipotle I used to abhor, but it saturated everything in the past few years that somehow my palate tolerates it now. Adore chevre!

                1. re: berkleybabe

                  +goat cheese
                  +chipotle (ugh ugh ugh)

                  1. re: berkleybabe

                    I had a bottle of mesquite smoke elixir that dove out of the cabinet and smashed on the floor,. It smelled like an apartment fire for several months. But I didn't hate it :-)

                  2. Anything melon flavored
                    Mint (stand alone--it's okay when mixed with other herbs)

                    12 Replies
                    1. re: nofunlatte

                      +1 with the mint. Don't like it much mixed, either.

                      1. re: nofunlatte

                        Totally agree about both melon and mint.

                        1. re: guilty

                          Funny, I like those better together than separately. They sort of cancel each other out.

                          1. re: nofunlatte

                            I hate mint in anything other than gum, toothpaste, or mouthwash. If I'm reading a menu description or a recipe and I see mint, I stop reading immediately. American Cheese, same thing. I would rather NOT have cheese on something than have American cheese. I agree with the posters below with papaya. Banana flavouring. Oh! I can't believe I forgot green bell peppers! Any color or type of pepper BUT green bell peppers!

                            1. re: kubasd23

                              melted American cheese makes me gag!!!

                              1. re: kubasd23

                                The *only* way I like green pepper is on pizza with onion.

                                1. re: kubasd23

                                  +1 on American Cheese! And when people get the animal style fries at In'n'Out...and the cheese isn't even melted all the way and you KNOW it's a kraft single...UGH UGH UGH.

                                  1. re: frannieface77

                                    How sad is it that that is the cheese we stuck our name on... American cheese, it's hardly even cheese. so gross.

                                    1. re: Firenzilla

                                      American cheese is a conundrum. In its genuine form, it is supposed to be a blend of swiss and cheddar cheeses. Seems harmless enough, if boring. But many pseudo-cheeses market themselves as "american" in large letters, with words like "processed cheese" and "cheese food" and "cheese product" in tiny letters. These frankenstein, plastic cheeses are allowed to call themselves american, but not to call themselves just "cheese". If you must eat american cheese, do the full-fat, unflavored, Kraft Deluxe American (NOT singles!). It is still sort of bland and smarmy, but last time I looked it was at least still cheese. It might actually have a role to play in our society: To help wean people off of Velveeta!!!!

                                  2. re: kubasd23

                                    Yeah, banana flavoring is disgusting. And also tastes absolutely nothing like banana. The fact that anyone can taste it and say "this is banana" is just a testament to brainwashing...

                                2. I sat for ten minutes thinking about this, and the only thing I came up with is papaya, I can't get excited about it, and banana extract, chemical smell and taste, just nasty. I don't know how popular banana extract is, but yeech.

                                  I used to work with a chef who hated dill, and talked about how he hated it all the time. It got to be a joke after a while.

                                  12 Replies
                                  1. re: bushwickgirl

                                    ditto on the papaya. How could I have forgotten that one? My daughter loves it, so I buy it quite a lot, but it smells and tastes a little like vomit to me.

                                    And any fruit extracts other than vanilla, citrus, or almond are generally not very good to me.

                                      1. re: bushwickgirl

                                        Ripe or green papaya? Or all? I've never been a fan of it ripe, but I love me some green papaya salad.

                                        1. re: Terrieltr

                                          Ripe, can't get excited, green, get very excited.

                                        2. re: bushwickgirl

                                          Papaya tastes like dirty feet to me. And oddly, mango, which is in the same family, is one of my favorite fruits.

                                          1. re: chicgail

                                            Mango: scientific name Mangifera indica L.
                                            Papaya: scientific name Carica Papaya
                                            They are both tropical fruits, but not related.

                                            1. re: chicgail

                                              I'm sorry, chicgail, but the question must be asked: How do you know what dirty feet taste like? :-}

                                                1. re: sandylc

                                                  Smell and taste go together closely, do they not?

                                                  1. re: sandylc

                                                    It may be that ome questions must be asked, but some questions must not be answered.

                                                  1. re: acgold7

                                                    Going back in time to ditto "fennel." I don't like it in any way, shape or form.

                                                    Also, that type of coffee roast that leaves a sour-ish/bitter taste in my mouth.