Brussels Sprouts Epiphany- 3/16/09

I feel a bit guilty admitting there is a recipe I don't like without giving a good reason but it's true. I just don't like Brussels sprouts. I never have. Two things I read last night while reading my Bon Appetit magazine, the sister magazine to Gourmet, make me feel a little less guilty though. The first was a response to a question asked of the BA Foodlist. A reader stated that they hated cilantro, a thought I don't share but I know of others who do. The BA Foodlist guy responded that there is scientific evidence that some people actually have a negative genetic reaction to cilantro. It's in their genes, they can't help hating it. Now I don't think I have a genetic predisposition to hate Brussels sprouts but it raises the possibility that we could have certain foods we are less likely to enjoy because of our genes.
The second thing I read in Bon Appetit was the article "Sweet Memories" where the author, Molly Wizenberg, reminisces about her father. Her father loved rice pudding and through much of her childhood, Molly hated it. On a trip to France, she had a gateau de riz, or the French version of rice pudding. Since then, she has loved rice pudding. She lost her father several years ago and spoke of the bond she still felt every time she enjoyed rice pudding. Though rice pudding and Brussels sprouts don't share much in common, this article made me think that even the things we don't like should always be given another chance. There may be a dish or way of cooking that might makes Brussels sprouts something I enjoy. I won't go out of my way to order them but at some one's house as a guest, I will give them a try, always hoping for a Brussels sprouts epiphany.
Tonight's recipe from this month's Gourmet magazine was Linguine with Brussels Sprouts Barigoule on page 53. Obviously, the dish was not a huge hit given the aforementioned distaste for Brussels sprouts. It was an easy dish to make and it looked really pretty but even Richard, who really doesn't mind Brussels sprouts, said it was missing something. I served it as a main dish as the magazine recommended but it was not a filling, robust main dish. Even for a person who enjoys Brussels sprouts, I think the dish needed something more, another layer of complexity. I really can't tell you what, I was stuck on the Brussels sprouts part but the dish did not have much depth of flavor. Maybe I'll try it again with the more traditional artichokes.

Linguine with Brussels Sprouts Barigoule- D