* ON PALATE *

I love Italian food. Strawberry lemonade. Appetizers. Blueberries. Steaks, medium-rare to rare. Bread. Hummus. Thin-crust pizza. Pasta. Red, white, cream, wine SAUCES. Dips. Soups. Waffles. Steamed pork dumplings. Chocolate. I love canned olives, but one of my biggest pet peeves is canned mushrooms.

I can't tell you what's good; I can only tell you what is good to me. I think "refined taste" within gastronomy simply means you can distinguish how well something has been prepared - your judgment of a "good" or "bad" meal is based mainly on your own personal palate. That said, I think it's very important to go out of your comfort zone and try new things - maybe on the recommendation of a friend, maybe from a rave review online, maybe because you're starving and there are no other options around. One of the most important things I learned while I lived in Italy was this: when it comes to food, trust people. Make an effort to have an open mind and try new things or combinations of foods (so long as the person offering them doesn't look crazier than you...or maybe that's a good thing!) and your eyes will be opened. Don't miss an opportunity to discover something new and delicious just because it sounds unusual!

I hope at least one or two of my visitors here find they have a palate similar to mine. The only thing better than eating something INCREDIBLY delicious is sharing it with others - well, "sharing" the news, not the portions ;-)