I have been doing a lot of serious thinking today...about brussel sprouts. (Ok, please don't laugh. I have been submerged up to my eyeballs in Algebra 1 preparation for next school year so I needed something a little less "brainy" to think about!) So if you care to know my deepest thoughts about brussel sprouts, then read on...
I can vividly remember my childhood exposure to those little round green things that my mom tried to convince me were little cabbages. All her prodding and coaxing never convinced me of that fact. Granted, I liked cabbage, but those little “look-a-likes”? Ugh, I just despised them. But none the less, my mom always insisted I had to eat at least one or two every time she served them. (She said they were good for me. Hmmm. Do all good things have to taste that bad?) No matter what I drowned them in—salt, salad dressing, etc.—I could never escape that unique brussel sprout flavor. It permeated through everything.
Well that was during my childhood. Thankfully now, mom doesn’t make me eat them. But they still frequent the dinner table. Especially in the last four months or so, my mom and sister have been having major cravings for brussel sprouts. (I know, I am still in shock and disbelief.) From what they have told me, they eat them at least once or more a week. But thankfully I haven’t been living at home to experience this latest craze at the Osterman house. But just in the nine days I have been home, they have already appeared on the table twice. Well, today, was one of those days. I decided to be brave and actually see if my childhood dislike has somehow morphed into at least a tolerance for the little “cabbages.” I had some leftover Italian dressing in my salad bowl, and thought that maybe it would help to at least drown out that brussel sprout flavor and make it somewhat tolerable. After making sure they were well drenched, I bravely faced the taste test. The result? Even after all that dressing, that pungent flavor still screamed at me—“I am a brussel sprout. You can’t get rid of me no matter how hard you try!” As I choked down the rest of the sprout in my bowl, the text came to mind, “Can a leopard change his spots or a brussel sprout its flavor.” (quoted from the Textus Autumnus)
My sister chided me and said that I should congratulate that sprout for maintaining its true identity and not letting anything change what it really is deep down inside. Well, I guess from that point of view, I will just have to concede that once a brussel sprout always a brussel sprout and I will just have to refrain from eating them.
7 comments:
LOL. You may be interested to know that brussels sprouts were one of my favorite veggies as a kid (right up there with cooked broccoli). But it makes a big difference which b. sprouts you eat. My opinion is that the smaller ones taste better; they seem to get more bitter as they grow. They way they were grown and where grown may also be factors. Personally I like them with a little salt and maybe a little margarin.
To this day I dislike okra and cilantro, and it was not until college that I learned to enjoy fresh tomatoes or bananas.
Michael, I am pleased to know there are other people out there who love brussel sprouts (otherwise, this planet may be so overrun by them that I will be chased down and forced to eat the surplus!...talk about a nightmare!) Well if you promise to never feed me brussel sprouts, I will try to never feed you okra and cilantro!
The Michael above knows what he is talking about...maybe a little off in the cilantro. The smallest of the "little cabbages" are delightful.
Regardless, I was reminded of the power of God's promises to do what we cannot.
Michael, I am feeling outnumbered by you brussel sprout lovers! And delightful?...hmmm... not quite the word I would use to describe them!
But I am thankful that even though a brussel sprout will never be able to change what it is, that God has the power to change us! That is a wonderful thought!
Autumn! How wonderful to find your site via Chester's as I had been harboring this deep and burning desire to know of your present thoughts on brussel sprouts!!!!
Oh, and also to see if my prayers had been answered for your discernment. YAAAAAAY.
I posted some pics from the wedding on my xanga.com/peanutluey. All the bridesmaidies look like angels. I look forward to keeping up with you. Be well dear, and be very blessed!
I tried to like brussels sprouts in Europe but alas I only ate half of the serving I was given. Anyways, Autumn, please come and visit before you go to Canada. God bless you tons, melanie
That is HILARIOUS. I didn't mind brussel sprouts as a kid. I still don't mind them, but I don't purposesly go out and buy them either.
What I hate is OKRA. Ever since my days at OHA. Can't stand the stuff.
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