Brussel sprouts

I've discovered that the ability to like some foods like brussel sprouts is genetic. But there are ways to prepare them to cut back on the bitterness for those whom they're bitter (like me). And Charry's way of using honey with them, is one. Bitter gets tamed down with something sweet.
 

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Olivia said:
cut back on the bitterness for those whom they're bitter for.
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The bitterness my not be all genetic....much of the flavor of all veggies depends on where and how they are grown. We have found three sources that ALL of the veggies taste absolutely wonderful (we do nothing but gently steam or cook them: no butter, no sweetener, no salt, and they all taste great!). But if we buy them other places ...yuk, yuk, yuk!
 
toffee said:
only way I can eat them is to mash them :sick:
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There have been times in our lives where we had no choice but to do that... sooo instead we made fresh veggie smoothies with a blender (juicer machines remove the fiber/pulp which is also healthy to consume). Putting in small amounts of blueberries, carrot, beet, and/or bananas help the flavor and texture a lot. I also add small amount of Half n Half or Soymilk. It is a veggie milk shake! Yumm
 
I've eaten brussel sprouts only three or four times. Never liked them very much
But always thought they could be made to be more enjoyable with the right additives.
Would think xperimentation might be ncessary.
 
And here I thought I was weird because I LOVE brussel sprouts! You guys rock!

I just steam them al-dente, then put in a frypan with olive oil and garlic powder and some pepper and just saute them a minute or so. Mine are bitter but I don't mind it. The cabbage family is supposed to be good against cancer.
 
drifter said:
I've eaten brussel sprouts only three or four times. Never liked them very much
But always thought they could be made to be more enjoyable with the right additives.
Would think xperimentation might be ncessary.
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You could try adding some brown sugar or maple syrup to them after steaming them and they're still hot. Try and see if you like them then. I cut mine in half so that the interior can get some of the oil and stuff I add to them. See my post above.
 
PVC said:
And here I thought I was weird because I LOVE brussel sprouts! You guys rock!

I just steam them al-dente, then put in a frypan with olive oil and garlic powder and some pepper and just saute them a minute or so. Mine are bitter but I don't mind it. The cabbage family is supposed to be good against cancer.
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I tried them differently but prefer steaming as I can get just the right amount of tenderness. I never have encountered bitterness. Usually because they come in fresh.
Using sweetness works for young children.
 
I like them too, but didn't often admit it to others, fearing their horror. :LOL:

That dish looks delicious to me, Camper,
and the responses here, surprised me, and are all calm and gentle, and many even positive, which is a personal relief to me. :ROFLMAO:

Another reason they are sometimes bitter, might be if they are harvested too soon.
Not picking them till after a cold spell, in the Autumn, is best for the flavor.
 
This recipe just popped up on my FB page ( I KNOW they are watching us....)Anyway,I made it for Thanksgiving a couple of years ago-delicious and sooo pretty.....

Roasted Brussels Sprouts:
3 cups Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed, yellow leaves removed
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt, to taste

Roasted Butternut Squash:
1 and ½ pound butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed into 1-inch cubes (Yields about 4 cups of uncooked cubed butternut squash)
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons maple syrup
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Other Ingredients:
2 cups pecan halves
1 cup dried cranberries
2-4 tablespoons maple syrup (optional)

Instructions

Roasted Brussels sprouts:
Preheat oven to 400 F. Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly grease the foil-lined baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
Make sure Brussels sprouts have trimmed ends and yellow leaves are removed. Then, slice all Brussels sprouts in half. In a medium bowl, combine halved Brussels sprouts, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt (to taste), and toss to combine. Place onto a foil-lined baking sheet, cut side down, and roast in the oven at 400 F for about 20-25 minutes. During the last 5-10 minutes of roasting, turn them over for even browning, the cut sides should be nicely and partially charred but not blackened.
Roasted butternut squash:
Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly grease the foil-lined baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
In a medium bowl, combine cubed butternut squash (peeled and seeded),1 tablespoon of olive oil, maple syrup, and cinnamon, and toss to mix.
Place butternut squash in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning once half-way through baking, until softened.
_Note:_You can roast both Brussels sprouts and butternut squash on 2 separate baking sheets at the same time, on the same rack in the oven – that’s what I did.
Assembly:
In a large bowl, combine roasted Brussels sprouts, roasted butternut squash, pecans, and cranberries, and mix to combine. (OPTIONAL): For more sweetness, add 2 or 4 tablespoons of maple syrup, if desired – do not add all maple syrup at once, start with 2 tablespoons, then add more, if desired, and toss with the salad ingredients to combine.











sprouts.jpg
 
Kaila said:
I like them too, but didn't often admit it to others, fearing their horror. :LOL:

That dish looks delicious to me, Camper,
and the responses here, surprised me, and are all calm and gentle, and many even positive, which is a personal relief to me. :ROFLMAO:

Another reason they are sometimes bitter, might be if they are harvested too soon.
Not picking them till after a cold spell, in the Autumn, is best for the flavor.
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Like I said, I don't mind the bitterness. Now, I like to pick the smallest ones, I wonder if that's the reason mine are bitter? Should I get the bigger ones, since I cut them in half anyway? Hmmmm.
 
charry said:
i love them also,,,.but prefer to bubble and squeak them, or in honey ..
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Bubble and Squeak I know but not done with honey. Sound interesting. I love dark maple syrup - the real thing - and keep it on hand. Could that substitute for honey. If so, how do you do them?
 
gennie said:
Bubble and Squeak I know but not done with honey. Sound interesting. I love dark maple syrup - the real thing - and keep it on hand. Could that substitute for honey. If so, how do you do them?
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I had NO idea what a ''Bubble and Squeak'' was, so had to look it up. Found this great recipe below. I'm trying to eat more of the cabbage family.

@gennie - Maple syrup is good, it's used by vegans in place of honey. I'm not a vegan, just a vegetarian, but love maple syrup. I keep it in the ref to keep it fresher.

https://avirtualvegan.com/bubble-squeak-patties/
 
I enjoy brussel sprouts and have personally never found them to be bitter, but . . . it might well be in our genes!

This comes from Smithsonian.com:

The way we perceive some flavors is coded in our DNA.

One of the first discoveries of this phenomenon was in 1931, when a chemist named Arthur Fox was working with powdered PTC (phenylthiocarbamide) and some of it blew into the air. A colleague in the room commented that the powder tasted bitter, while Fox detected no flavor at all. They conducted an experiment among friends and family, and found wide variation in how (and whether) people perceived the flavor of the PTC.

Geneticists later discovered that the perception of PTC flavor (which, although it doesn't occur in nature, is similar to naturally occurring compounds) was based in a single gene, TAS2R38, that codes for a taste receptor on the tongue. There are multiple versions of this gene, accounting for the variation in how strongly bitter flavors are detected.

Did anyone else here get to play around with PTC paper in high school biology class?
 
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