# Foods that strike fear...



## Chief Longwind Of The North (May 4, 2012)

Foods that strike fear into the hearts of strong men (and women):

Was walking through Wal Mart last night, to purchase some ingredients (fresh peppers) to make Carne Asada this weekend.  While walking past the frozen fish and chicken case, I saw bags of frozen carne asada, pre-made.  I quickly stepped away from the case, repelled as if I was the south pole of a strong magnet coming too close to another magnetic south pole.  The same reaction occurs whenever I pas pre-made guacamole in the produce aisle.

What pre-packaged/pre-made foods repel you, though you've never tried them, or given them a chance, simply because of the reputation of the store, or from past experience with similar items?

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## PrincessFiona60 (May 4, 2012)

Pre-marinated anything.  Pre-packaged fixings, like seeing a roast packaged with the potatoes, carrots and celery in the meat case or pre-stuffed pork chops.


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## CWS4322 (May 4, 2012)

Packaged "crock pot" ingredients in the freezer section.


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## justplainbill (May 4, 2012)

Canned asparagus, jarred herring, jarred pickles, jarred spaghetti sauce, most canned fruits, canned corned beef, most Cross & Blackwell products, canned octopus...


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## Steve Kroll (May 4, 2012)

Most supermarkets have an aisle I'll call "side dishes". It consists of various envelopes or boxes of starches and seasoning powders that, when reconstituted, allegedly make things somewhat reminiscent of pasta, rice, or stuffing. Most of these things bear little resemblance to the real foods they are modeled after.

If you plan a meal, it takes such little time to create most of these dishes from scratch, so I've never understood the reasoning behind buying this boxed/packaged crap. They aren't really all that convenient. I won't even go into the chemicals they contain.

Let's take boxed hash browns, for example. You mix this with water and cook in a frying pan for 20 minutes..








In that same amount of time, you can grate three potatoes and fry up a batch of crispy fresh hash browns that taste a thousand times better. Why would you go for the box?

I navigate a wide berth around this aisle.


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## Bolas De Fraile (May 4, 2012)

Goodweed mate.Tins of Harry Ramsdens Mushy Peas strike fear into my wife heart and nose.


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## Aunt Bea (May 4, 2012)

Smucker's Uncrustables make me sad!

  Smucker's makes some fine products but that is taking the venerable PB&J to a shameful low!


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## kadesma (May 4, 2012)

Aunt Bea said:


> Smucker's Uncrustables make me sad!
> 
> Smucker's makes some fine products but that is taking the venerable PB&J to a shameful low!


I don't care for them either but boy do my grandkids love them YUK
kades


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## kadesma (May 4, 2012)

I don't care much for pre-made and cooked sausage, premade hamburgers, same thing for chicken  already breaded and cooked, boxed and frozen Mexican foods,Pickles are fine, same with olives, mayo ketchup but I don't care for potted meats,IE deviled ham,liverwurst.
kades


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## bakechef (May 4, 2012)

My store carries cilantro sauce in a jar.  To me cilantro is vile, and I can't imagine creating a whole sauce out of it.  It would taste like a jar of soap to me.  I even hate the smell of it.


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## Rocklobster (May 4, 2012)

Canned whole chicken


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## Whiskadoodle (May 4, 2012)

Grocery shopping got a lot faster since I stopped looking at Everything and just buy the stuff on my grocery list.   I do like to look in the deli, but usually for ideas on what to make at home.   

Injected or brined meats including most grocery stores rotisserie chicken.   I once bought some spare ribs that were pre treated, and didn't realize it.  Learn to read the meat labels now too. And No, I do not buy pre-sauced heat and serve foods.  I make better sauces (and so do you).  

I have an aversion to ground chicken, but buy ground turkey.  

Those box things Steve pictures are wa-ay too salty.  A relative uses them when we come to dinner. I take the Polite size portion.  

Pre package mixes -  I do buy Lipton's french onion soup mix.  I know, it's just as salty,  and those boxes of Knorr vegetable soup mix? for spinach dip.   I pretty much quit buying canned soups, like chix noodle, veg beef etc.   I think they taste too salty and tomato soup is too sweet.  I also Can't find a decent ketchup and now think Heinz is too sweet too.  I think my flavor tastes have altered. 

I Run the other way when I see Cool Whip. Not sure which of the 4 food groups it goes in.  It's not beer, bacon, ice cream or chocolate.


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## Merlot (May 4, 2012)

I won't buy deli/ pre- packaged pasta/ macaroni/ potato salads or cole slaw. Treet, vienna sausages, spaghetti O's spam


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## Addie (May 4, 2012)

Well, that does it for me. "Everything I avoid has already been mentioned. Packaged sides? Way too salty. Marinated meats? No thanks. Too much sugar in the marinade and I have yet to taste any pre marinated meat that I like. Packaged onion soup mixes. Used for dips only. And  only if I am going to mix a pint or more of sour cream with one envelope. For parties only. Cool Whip comes under the food heading of Chemicals. Bet you didn't know it was a food group. 

And yes. My taste buds have certainly changed over the years. Prefer low sodium. No sweets except sugar in my coffee. One small bag of chips about once a month, Very rarely drink soda, And then only ginger ale. I prefer scratch foods. Very rarely eat frozen veggies and only canned LeSeur tiny petite peas. I even find myself cutting off the fat from my foods. I now find that it leaves a greasy coating in my mouth. I have cut WAAAY back on my use of butter. Raising a family you buy what you can afford. But in the past ten-fifteen years, my diet has done a complete turn around.


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## PrincessFiona60 (May 4, 2012)

I have a Hamburger Helper Cheesy Skillet Dinner that is 20 years old.  Bought it as a joke for my Mom when she came to visit. It's been shipped back and forth between us for all those years.  I usually tuck it into any package I happen to be sending to her and she has often sent it back to me in return post.


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## Addie (May 4, 2012)

PrincessFiona60 said:


> I have a Hamburger Helper Cheesy Skillet Dinner that is 20 years old. Bought it as a joke for my Mom when she came to visit. It's been shipped back and forth between us for all those years. I usually tuck it into any package I happen to be sending to her and she has often sent it back to me in return post.


 
   When can I come to dinner?


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## Cerise (May 4, 2012)

Chief Longwind Of The North said:


> Foods that strike fear into the hearts of strong men (and women):
> 
> *Was walking through Wal Mart last night, to purchase some ingredients (fresh peppers) to make Carne Asada this weekend. While walking past the frozen fish and chicken case*, I saw bags of frozen carne asada, pre-made. I quickly stepped away from the case, repelled as if I was the south pole of a strong magnet coming too close to another magnetic south pole. The same reaction occurs whenever I pas pre-made guacamole in the produce aisle.
> 
> ...


 
Maybe I'm a tad off topic, but... the closest Wal-Mart is miles from home, in a bad neighborhood, & only has a minimal frozen food section.  The front of the store was piled up with junk food, chips & soda. I've seen recent ads for steaks, but I doubt the store I've been to would carry them.  It's more like a K-mart.  

Herring in a jar.  Never tried it, but don't have any desire to.


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## taxlady (May 4, 2012)

I liked herring in a jar in Denmark. Once every year or two, I find some pickled herring that looks like it should be good. The one from Finland that I bought about 10 years ago was delightful. The rest have run from meh to oh yuck. The stuff at Ikea is full of weird chemicals. The locally produced stuff is sweet. gah!


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## PrincessFiona60 (May 4, 2012)

I love pickled herring and have only ever seen it in a jar...


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## purple.alien.giraffe (May 4, 2012)

Rocklobster said:
			
		

> Canned whole chicken



I feel nausious looking at that.


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## sweetlanamarie (May 4, 2012)

purple.alien.giraffe said:


> I feel nausious looking at that.


 +1 eewwwwwww


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## Margi Cintrano (May 5, 2012)

*Packaging & Foods That Are A Turn Off*

Good Morning. 

Interesting and controversial post, of importance. Thank you for posting.

From my viewpoint, layers of horrid thick plastic packaging is far more a turn off than anything else. 

I do have to say, that the word "Fear" is a bit strong of a word, considering terrorist attacks run rampant in EU countries that are members of NATO & THE UN, with hits on innocent citizens in train stations, public bldgs, hotels and bus stations, which I fear, far worse than, the private selection of intelligent purchasing power of products; I do avoid like the plague anyway ...

I have two grown daughters ( 29 and 30 ) who are Moms too, would be most difficult considering my I was only born in 1962. 

TURN OFFS for me in general are products with Wilted Greens or Herbs garnishing a Grey off colored Cement Looking Block of horrid, 
Unsustainable Soy krap called Tofu or its equivalents. This is Gross. 

I am far more concerned with Additives in packaged foods, and thus, here in the Mediterranean, I infrequently buy at the mass market supermarkets. I prefer to pay a bit more, and go to the Central Markets - sort of similar to a Farmer´s Market with Butchers, Fish Mongers and Farmers, and where everything is fresh, just caught and locally grown or raised. 

Have nice weekend.
Margaux Cintrano.


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## sparrowgrass (May 5, 2012)

Microwave popcorn--or anything with 'artificial butter flavor'--that stuff smells awful and tastes worse.  Any cello-wrapped pastry.


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## taxlady (May 5, 2012)

I agree with Margi that fear is not the right word.

There are lots of things at the supermarket that I just don't consider food. I tend to just skip over them. Once in a while I will pick one up and read the ingredients and think "ew!".


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## Cerise (May 5, 2012)

justplainbill said:


> Canned asparagus, *jarred herring*, jarred pickles, jarred spaghetti sauce, most canned fruits, canned corned beef, most Cross & Blackwell products, canned octopus...


 
I see we agree on most canned and jarred foods.

A good rule of thumb when shopping at the market, is to shop the outer parameters of same - fresh produce, seafood, dairy, bakery, etc. The center aisles, for the most part, are stocked with packaged, canned foods. I do buy certain items from the center of the market, staples, pasta & sundries, etc. The big markets here have a fresh bakery, deli etc. Personally, I would not buy food from Wal-mart - or packaged sandwich lunchmeat. Slimy & disgusting.


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## taxlady (May 5, 2012)

Canned peas. I once picked an entire can of petit pois out of a salad at a restaurant. The owner thought it was for the person I was with, a friend of the owner, and added them to be nice. Yuck. I did give one a try.


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## Rocklobster (May 5, 2012)

taxlady said:


> Canned peas. I once picked an entire can of petit pois out of a salad at a restaurant. The owner thought it was for the person I was with, a friend of the owner, and added them to be nice. Yuck. I did give one a try.


I grew up on those. My overworked, underpaid, mom fed us those and green(grey) beans from a can.  Love my mom more than anything. Hated those veggies more than anything.


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## PrincessFiona60 (May 5, 2012)

Rocklobster said:


> I grew up on those. My overworked, underpaid, mom fed us those and green(grey) beans from a can.  Love my mom more than anything. Hated those veggies more than anything.



I feel the same way about my parents, they did the best they could with what they had.  Years later I found out my Mom and Dad often went to bed hungry and their children...never.


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## Barbara L (May 5, 2012)

Steve Kroll said:


> Most supermarkets have an aisle I'll call "side dishes". It consists of various envelopes or boxes of starches and seasoning powders that, when reconstituted, allegedly make things somewhat reminiscent of pasta, rice, or stuffing. Most of these things bear little resemblance to the real foods they are modeled after.
> 
> If you plan a meal, it takes such little time to create most of these dishes from scratch, so I've never understood the reasoning behind buying this boxed/packaged crap. They aren't really all that convenient. I won't even go into the chemicals they contain.
> 
> ...


I know what you mean! Someone gave me a box of Hamburger Helper several years ago. Not only was it so salty it was pretty much inedible, but it would have been much simpler to make from scratch!


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## Addie (May 5, 2012)

I have a 1.5 quart baking dish. Just the right size for scalloped potatoes for one. I haven't had them for ages.


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## Addie (May 5, 2012)

Oddly enough, the one aisle I thought I was done with after all the kids left home was the cereal aisle. But I find myself there trying to find cereal that kids will eat for the food bank. And while I am there, I pick up a box of Chex or Cheerios or myself. Two of my favorite snack foods. Just plain right out of the box. No milk or sugar. 

When I buy for the food bank, I have to get sugary cereal. Some families don't have sugar. And kids won't eat cereal without sugar. I would like to know that they don't go to school hungry.


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## taxlady (May 5, 2012)

Addie said:


> Oddly enough, the one aisle I thought I was done with after all the kids left home was the cereal aisle. But I find myself there trying to find cereal that kids will eat for the food bank. And while I am there, I pick up a box of Chex or Cheerios or myself. Two of my favorite snack foods. Just plain right out of the box. No milk or sugar. I liked Wheaties and Cheerios.
> 
> When I buy for the food bank, I have to get sugary cereal. Some families don't have sugar. And kids won't eat cereal without sugar. I would like to know that they don't go to school hungry.


The only cereal I wanted sugar on as a kid was oatmeal. I don't know why my mother told me that Rice Krispies only go "snap, crackle, pop" if you put sugar on them. I'm sure I would have eaten them more often without sugar.

I like Spoon Size Shredded Wheat straight out of the box. I remember watching an episode of _Mike Hammer_. Someone asked him how he knew he was tough. He replied, "I eat Shredded Wheat with no milk." I said to myself, "I must be tough." 'cause I had my hand in a box of Shredded Wheat.  Too bad I can't find the spoon sized ones anymore. Now it's all that Kelloggs c**p with sugar on it. Don't like those.


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## bakechef (May 5, 2012)

Cool Whip.

I grew up eating it, my mom always had some in the fridge, and we had plenty of Cool Whip to-go containers, so mom didn't have to try to get her Tupperware back.

MY tastes have changed, and I just don't like the stuff, to me the flavor, in no way resembles whipped cream.  The ingredient list is pretty awful to boot.

At work I have to decorate cakes with Rich's Bettercream, it tastes pretty much the same as Cool Whip and has a similarly creepy ingredient list.  It has gotten to the point where I don't even like the smell of it.


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## Addie (May 5, 2012)

taxlady said:


> The only cereal I wanted sugar on as a kid was oatmeal. I don't know why my mother told me that Rice Krispies only go "snap, crackle, pop" if you put sugar on them. I'm sure I would have eaten them more often without sugar.
> 
> I like Spoon Size Shredded Wheat straight out of the box. I remember watching an episode of _Mike Hammer_. Someone asked him how he knew he was tough. He replied, "I eat Shredded Wheat with no milk." I said to myself, "I must be tough." 'cause I had my hand in a box of Shredded Wheat.  Too bad I can't find the spoon sized ones anymore. Now it's all that Kelloggs c**p with sugar on it. Don't like those.


 
As a kid, my mother would take two large SW biscuits, pour very hot water over them, drain and  press out as much water as possible, and then pour milk over them with a sprinkle of sugar. I think it was her version of a hot cereal?


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## Barbara L (May 5, 2012)

Addie said:


> As a kid, my mother would take two large SW biscuits, pour very hot water over them, drain and  press out as much water as possible, and then pour milk over them with a sprinkle of sugar. I think it was her version of a hot cereal?


A lot of people skip the first step and just put sugar and hot milk on them. They advertised that as a way to turn it into hot cereal, but it never sounded good to me (and I love some hot cereals).


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## taxlady (May 5, 2012)

My mum ate the big Shredded Wheat with butter.


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## Vanilla Bean (May 5, 2012)

bakechef said:


> My store carries cilantro sauce in a jar. *To me cilantro is vile*, and I can't imagine creating a whole sauce out of it. It would taste like a jar of soap to me. I even hate the smell of it.


 Me too!  There is a great mexican restaurant we go to, sometimes.  I have to say no cilantro, in order to eat it.


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## Vanilla Bean (May 5, 2012)

I have to admit I'm not a food snob. I love homemade things and have to bend the rules, sometimes. Money is an issue on occasion, as well as time.

I can think of a couple things... sugar or fat-free ice cream and sodium-free V8 juice.... bleh.


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## Skittle68 (May 10, 2012)

I hate commercials for junk food.  I am so good about avoiding crap food, because I don't generally keep it around the house, but ice cream commercials make me want to go out and buy it!! Hm.


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## CharlieD (May 10, 2012)

I hate anything pre-made. Thank G-d we keep kosher in Minnesota. In Minnesota there is nothing pre-made. I have to “pre-made” everything myself. 
But I do have to admit. The pre-made guacamole is really good. It has no taste and no flavor; I think they are lying when they say they add anything to avocado. It comes out cheaper to buy that stuff, than fresh avocado and because I usually need like 2 dozens avocadoes to make guacamole I simply buy this “readymade” stuff and then make it into real guacamole my elf.


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## Merlot (May 10, 2012)

Addie said:


> Oddly enough, the one aisle I thought I was done with after all the kids left home was the cereal aisle. But I find myself there trying to find cereal that kids will eat for the food bank. And while I am there, I pick up a box of Chex or Cheerios or myself. Two of my favorite snack foods. Just plain right out of the box. No milk or sugar.
> 
> When I buy for the food bank, I have to get sugary cereal. Some families don't have sugar. And kids won't eat cereal without sugar. I would like to know that they don't go to school hungry.


 
As a child I preferred Kix and Life cereal without added sugar.  They might not be the best cereal you can get but I think my choices were a bit better then the Lucky Charms/ Fruit Loops etc.  that my brother loved. 

I love rice or corn chex Addie, right out of the box.


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## Skittle68 (May 11, 2012)

I like to eat a little cereal instead of having cake or cookies or brownies or something... I find portion control is easier with cereal


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## Addie (May 11, 2012)

Merlot said:


> As a child I preferred Kix and Life cereal without added sugar. They might not be the best cereal you can get but I think my choices were a bit better then the Lucky Charms/ Fruit Loops etc. that my brother loved.
> 
> I love rice or corn chex Addie, right out of the box.


 
The Chex cereals have a lot of flavor just out of the box. And a great snack for the high chair tray.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (May 11, 2012)

As a child, the snacks that I liked were nuts, and Slim Jim's sausage, cold hot dogs, Big chunks of cheese, and the worst one, potato chips.  I also like Brach's Chocolate Stars, and chocolate covered raisins/peanuts.

Thisgs I ran from as a kid are still things I run from today, aka candy mints of all kinds, except for basil and oregano.  As far as foods go, the only ones I ran from as a child were deviled ham, and okra.

Now, I stay away from all boxed meals, such as boxed pizza kits, foil-packed pizza kits, hamburger helper and its various clones, boxed scalloped spuds, caned pasta products, and thinks like that.  I also stay away from things like salmon, as I purchased what I thought was good Atlantic Salmon from a local grocer, with a beautiful orange-pink color, that bled out when it was cooked.  The fish was dyed.  I can catch beautiful salmon and all kinds of fish where I live.  Won't purchase it from a grocer again.

And now, I have made a promise to myself to stay away from high glycemic index/load foods as well as cereal bars and such as they do the body much more harm than good.  I will opt for healthy snacks such as fresh fruit, and veggies, and include squashes instead of spuds in my meals.  I love them anyway, and they are so much healthier, as are veggies such as broccoli, cauliflower, and many kinds of beans.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## CraigC (May 11, 2012)

Anything my father cooked!


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## CWS4322 (May 11, 2012)

When I think of cereal and kids, I think Cheerios. A big treat for me was that my grandma would buy little box cereals when I visited--my favorite was Frosted Flakes. That is the only time I got "pre-sugared" cereal. And, because she got her milk from a farm, the cream on top of the cereal...At home, we ate shredded wheat or oatmeal topped with bananas. Is it any wonder I hate bananas? I was "over bananaed" as a child.


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## Skittle68 (May 11, 2012)

Chief Longwind Of The North said:
			
		

> As a child, the snacks that I liked were nuts, and Slim Jim's sausage, cold hot dogs, Big chunks of cheese, and the worst one, potato chips.  I also like Brach's Chocolate Stars, and chocolate covered raisins/peanuts.
> 
> Thisgs I ran from as a kid are still things I run from today, aka candy mints of all kinds, except for basil and oregano.  As far as foods go, the only ones I ran from as a child were deviled ham, and okra.
> 
> ...



Unfortunately farmed salmon are fed fish meal, so they don't get to eat the shrimp and krill that turns wild salmon pink. I don't think it necessarily affects the quality, it just isn't what we are used to. Lobsters that have a lot of shrimp in their diet have a pinkish color too. I always explain that to guests when they get a pink lobster so they don't complain about it.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (May 11, 2012)

Skittle68 said:


> Unfortunately farmed salmon are fed fish meal, so they don't get to eat the shrimp and krill that turns wild salmon pink. I don't think it necessarily affects the quality, it just isn't what we are used to. Lobsters that have a lot of shrimp in their diet have a pinkish color too. I always explain that to guests when they get a pink lobster so they don't complain about it.



So what gives wild Brook Trout, and land-locked rainbows their orange flesh?  Again, I know that the planted brookies, rainbows and browns have white flesh, and less flavor.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## Skittle68 (May 11, 2012)

Chief Longwind Of The North said:
			
		

> So what gives wild Brook Trout, and land-locked rainbows their orange flesh?  Again, I know that the planted brookies, rainbows and browns have white flesh, and less flavor.
> 
> Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North



From the crustaceans they eat. Wild caught trout can vary in color from white, pink, red, to orange. All types of trout will eat just about anything. Steelhead trout are the darkest, most salmon-like because they live in the ocean and go upstream to breed.


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## Chief Longwind Of The North (May 11, 2012)

Skittle68 said:


> From the crustaceans they eat. Wild caught trout can vary in color from white, pink, red, to orange. All types of trout will eat just about anything. Steelhead trout are the darkest, most salmon-like because they live in the ocean and go upstream to breed.



Yep, steelheads are rainbows that have gone to sea and come back again.

I do so enjoy good trout from the streams that feed Lake Superior.  I definitely don't run from them.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North


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## Skittle68 (May 11, 2012)

Chief Longwind Of The North said:
			
		

> Yep, steelheads are rainbows that have gone to sea and come back again.
> 
> I do so enjoy good trout from the streams that feed Lake Superior.  I definitely don't run from them.
> 
> Seeeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North



I did not know that! I thought steelhead was in its own category


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## Steve Kroll (May 12, 2012)

Anyone remember this?







I thought they still made it, but evidently the company went out of business due to poor sales. Hmm... I wonder why?


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## purple.alien.giraffe (May 12, 2012)

Those were gross! Little slimey bits in sugar water.


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## Skittle68 (May 12, 2012)

Steve Kroll said:
			
		

> Anyone remember this?
> 
> I thought they still made it, but evidently the company went out of business due to poor sales. Hmm... I wonder why?



Ha ha I liked these- reminds me of boba. I don't like to drink my calories tho, so I certainly wasn't helping them stay in business.


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