Imagine you're out to dinner with your family or group of friends. Everything is going smoothly until someone orders that one thing you can't stand. Maybe it's a plate of raw oysters or a cheese plate that includes Gorgonzola cheese. Whatever the food may be, you absolutely despise it. How can anyone stand the taste or texture of that food?

This kind of reaction comes as a result of foods that are an acquired taste — but what exactly is that? First of all, if you don't have an acquired taste for something, you will be unable to eat it, smell it or possibly even look at it. However, developing an acquired taste for those foods is possible. You just need to learn to ignore the food's perceived negative qualities to enjoy it. This does not necessarily mean that you are dealing with a picky eater when dining out.

Foods That Are an Acquired Taste

Here are the top six foods that need an acquired taste to enjoy them:

• Raw Oysters: A finger food that is slurped right out of the shell. The obstacle that many explain they had to overcome is the slippery texture.
• Coffee: Coffee lovers will do anything for their morning cup of joe, but some people can't even stand the smell of coffee. It all depends on how desperate you are for that added caffeine kick throughout your day.
• Alcohol: Some people enjoy nothing more than a glass of wine or a beer at the end of a long day, and others feel repulsed by the idea of drinking. But there are also those who, no matter how hard they try to enjoy liquor, end up making that face whenever they take a sip from even the most gentle of cocktails.
• Anchovies: Ah, anchovies. The perfect blend of smoky, salty and fishy — for some, that is.
• Certain Cheeses: Blue cheeses such as Gorgonzola, Roquefort and Stilton are infused with cultures of the mold Penicillium. The cheese develops blue spots or veins as it matures and has a sharp, tangy and salty taste. For some taste buds, it's heaven.
• Cilantro: The acquired taste for cilantro is said to be genetic. Some individuals can eat it by the handful, while others think it tastes like soap.

Why Are Some Foods an Acquired Taste?

Foods that are an acquired taste arise for various reasons including:

• Preference: People who have an aversion to textures have trouble with slimy, scratchy and even creamy feeling foods.
• Familiarity: If you grow up without eating seafood, for example, there's a high chance you won't develop a taste for it, especially dishes that include raw fish, mussels or oysters.
• Experience: Sometimes we have traumatic experiences with food that result in permanent aversions.

At Forklift and Palate, our menu includes food options for everyone, whether you're a food risk taker or not.

Learn More About Trying New Foods