Foodie Faux Pas

As I am sure I have mentioned before, I consider myself to be a foodie.  Some may say that I am not a real "foodie" because there are certain things I do not eat.  The foodie gods and goddesses frown upon me because my palate has a disdain for one pretty major source of protein and omega 3: seafood.  I hate it.  If it's from the sea, it's not for me. 

Does my hatred for all things underwater deny my right to call myself a foodie??? I think not.

While my taste buds dislike anything that swims in, or inhabits our world's beautiful bodies of water, I always make an attempt to try such creatures. I have tried salmon*, cod, trout, halibut, tilapia and I am sure MANY other forms of fish, some of which were somewhat palatable. I have tried lobster and crab and actually didn't find them to be all that offensive.  I mean, anything that is a vessel for butter is fine in my books.

*Salmon is the worst of them all.  It smells and it's fishy and gross.  Anyone who has ever told me that it's a mild fish and shouldn't smell if it's fresh, is a liar. Even at it's
 freshest, it smells.

My most recent attempt to like seafood (I really want to like it) involved my brave foodie self trying mussels at a lovely French bistro. Mussels!  You know, those slimy things inside a clam-like shell...I ate them.  I actually ate three of them. And, to my delight, I kind of liked them! It was likely the creamy white wine sauce that smothered the little critters, but nonetheless, I ate one and went back in for more.

As weird as my dislike of seafood may seem, it gets even weirder. I really like tuna salad.  You know, that flaked tuna that comes in a can...I love the stuff. I will make a clarification here: I like it when combined with heaping spoonfuls of mayonnaise and crunchy pieces of celery.  It's the best.

While I will try anything once and sometimes twice, I will never order fish or seafood off a menu at a restaurant, nor would I eat it if it was served to me at a dinner party. I know, I know, it's rude to not eat what I am served when I am invited over for dinner.  However, the alternative of me gagging on every bite is even more rude. Thus, I reserve my right to refuse fish- unless it's tuna salad.

My point is, do not criticize my foodie ways.  I may not like seafood, but I am always willing to try it. This makes me a very adventurous nemotarian*.

*Unfortunately I can't take credit for the word nemotarian.  I found the term on internet forums used to describe people who don't eat fish or seafood.