Contest - What Food Could You NEVER Give Up?

It started as a fun question to ask my interview subjects last year when I was finishing off our sessions.  Now that I put together some of the answers for this week's Food For Thought segment, I want to hear more.

Yes, I know lots of you are starting 'diets'.  But is there just one food that you would never give up?  The answers in the column ranged from cheese, to beef, to potatoes, to pork, to something as specific as bacon.  My vote goes to chocolate, in all of its exquisite variations.

What's your must-have food?  Click on the 'Comments' link at the bottom of this post and type in your answer and why.  I'll choose one entry at random to receive a great cookbook by James Chatto and Lucy Waverman called, A Matter of Taste.  It's a $50 value, and even if you don't win, I recommend it as a valuable addition to any cookbook shelf.  I made the veal tenderloin wrapped in sage and prosciutto for New Year's, and I'm still swooning.  Contest deadline is Wednesday, January 12th at 6pm Pacific Time.

Comments

[Maryse Cardin]

I could never give up lemon. I grew up in Greece where lemon juice gives all dishes that winning finishing touch from wild greens to fresh fish.

[rena mitchell]

We Dont teach our kids this saying for nothing.

I SCREAM, YOU SCREAM . WE ALL SCREAM FOR ICECREAM !!!!!!!!!! ha ha.......oh my gosh i could not even dream about taking that away from me as i am so addicted to icecream........... even on a minus 12 day we had yesterday i curled into my pjs/housecoat and fireplace and relaxed in a bowl of icecream......ha ha......thanks for the fun contest !! Rena

[Angela Seury]

I totally agree. Who could live without chocolate????

[Nancy White]

I would find it impossible to give up bread. With all it's flavors, textures and versatility... it is truly my comfort food.

[Roberta Cenedese]

I can't believe that nobody has mentioned pasta! Pasta is truly the one staple I could never give up. Pasta in the summer, with fresh garden vegetables, pasta in the winter with rich cheese or meat sauces, pasta in all of it permutations. Pasta as a first plate! Pasta as a main dish! Pasta as dessert! Pasta anytime and anywhere. I simply could never, ever, give up pasta.

[Muriel Gillis]

I could never give up chocolate

[Vicki Kondovski]

I could never give up on chocolate. It's great and keeps me going.

[Sue Johnston]

I could never give up bread! or secondly, potatoes! So it must be the starch that I really love. But bread I could not give up.

[Judi Kjartansson]

This has to be one of the hardest questions in any foodies life: I iwould have to say bread.

[Leah Bain]

I was going to say french fries/potato chips but now I'll say POTATOES!!!!! Then I can have them mashed, baked and fried!

[Cara Abrahams]

I could not give up peanut butter. I have it everyday. It's convenient and a terrific source of protein and fat in my vegan diet. It goes well with all sorts of things - toast, pears and dates, and even carrots. Soon I'd like to try a peanut butter pumpkin soup recipe I think saw somewhere.

[Marcella Munro]

Garlic. Is it a food, or a flavouring? I know many will say the latter, but I must strenuously disagree. It seems to me I very rarley make or enjoy any prepared dish as much without garlic. And when I find a partially crushed clove in a rustic dish of stew or pasta, it is inevitably the most enjoyable morsel in the dish. Carmelized and sweetened by roasting or slow frying, slightly crispy and spicy in a quick fried vegetable, nestled into a pocket sliced into the side of a roast or chicken, sweated to perfection in some olive oil in a simple pasta sauce....garlic is all purpose, has a neverending range of tastes and textures, AND is good for you to boot! Quite simply, food would not be the same without it and I fear I would be forced to fast if it were denied me.

[pat]

the one food I couldn't do without was up until about a year ago icecream in any fornow I find its bread. Even though I love choc. and cheese and some wines bread is the one I look for at all times of the day

[Michelle]

I gave this a lot of thought, and even though life would be pretty empty without bread, potatoes, chocolate ... I would gladly give them all up to preserve the joys of GRAVY! Gravy is the perfect food - It tastes fantastic on everything - bread, potatoes, vegetables, even salad (okay, I haven't tried it on chocolate, but I am open to the experience). My mother is the QUEEN OF GRAVY MAKERS! When I travelled around Europe and my hosts would ask what I wanted for supper, I made sure I knew how to say gravy in every language. It's liquid gold.

[Kathleen]

As a vegetarian, rice comprises its own food group in my daily diet. A cheap, nutritious staple for the majority of the world, short or long-grain, I could never give any of it up (unless, of course, it's that insta-converted so-called rice in a box). Jasmine rice, brown rice, arborio rice, basmati rice, glutinous rice, plain jane white, or any of the estimated 140,000 cultivated varieties...I say an enthusiastic "Yum!"

[Karen Wanger]

Without a doubt I could not live without fruit. Fruit is the evidence of diversity around the world. Wherever you travel there are variations in the way the people prepare meat, fish, and vegetables but the fruits are different. Completely different, and a true novel taste adventure. Fruit is quenching, filling, and satisfying. Even within our own borders the diversity is stunning; just look at apples for an example. My own version of seasonal affective disorder is a mild winter seasonal fruit deprivation disorder. If only fruit had protein, I could truly live on it.

[Carmen Nadon]

One word -> PASTA!! Almost any color, size or shape, I can't imagine not having it at least twice a week. It makes my mouth water just thinking about it. With my husbands great homemade sauces (meat, cheeze or vegetable) it makes it a to-die- for dish, every time.

Thanks for having the contest!

Chow,
Carmen

[Leona Wall]

I could and never would give up potatoes and cheese and they marry up so well! I love growing potatoes - so many varieties. I think it is the Irish in me. What combinations of cheese and potatoes I can think of: scalloped potatoes, twice baked potatoes, garlic mashed potatoes with parmesan cheese. Its the texture of both that I would miss. I did give up potatoes and cheese once for 5 days and felt so deprived! My favourite cheese is Gargonzola; favorite potatoe - purple variety - wow!

[Ginny McClelland]

There'd be a lot of tough things to give up, but nothing even comes close to chocolate. I'm allergic to it and I still eat it!

[Nicole Bauche]

Rice, without a doubt, is the one food I could and would NEVER give up. You can eat it for any meal - I was recently is Asia were cold rice and fruit is popular for breakfast. It goes good in wraps, soups, as an side dish or all by itself. Oh don't forget rice cakes too! I eat it every day!

[Mary Danieli]

I could never give up cheese--and low-fat cheese doesn't really count as cheese. Parmigiano, Padano, Gorgonzola, Friulano, Roquefort, Apple-Smoked Cheddar, Montasio, Gruyere--these are great cheeses made with love and care for a true gourmet. Everything in moderation, right!

[Diana Inselberg]

Chocolate! It is in a food group of its own, and I could never give it up. Besides, it contains antioxidants, and therefore is actually good for you!

[Bruce Sand]

I have been a soldier since I was 17. I am still serving at 52! When I started soldering I spent a hugh amount of time (years) on Patrol in the african bush. Rations were delivered every 10 days, and because of the need for mobility and the very hot dry (sometimes very wet) conditions most of our grub was in the form of "hard rations". Tinned and dry for the most part. We would receive bread for the first two days and with the travel time to reach us it was already at least a week old and stale beyond belief. None the less it was bread and eaten with relish even with the occassional mold spots! Our patrols lasted never less than 10 weeks and often 16. We used to build menus as entertainment and they always included bread!

I honestly believe that there is no doubt that we all take bread totally for granted. Yet it is an ancient staple and there is nothing like the hot fresh smell and taste of bread in all its wonderful forms. I defy anybody in the world including chocoholics to turn down a slice of warm fresh white bread when they have been deprived of this wonderful food for any real length of time. The answer can only be bread, and for me personally hot fresh white baguette!

Bruce Sand
Old soldier and Champion of bread!

[Linda Page]

I would definitely have to say that oatmeal is the one food that I must have in my repertoire. I eat it every morning with a variety of seasonal additions. It has sustained me through miserable camping trips, flu bouts, visits to unmentionable relatives and any difficult situation you can name. The wonder of oatmeal is that it is completely storable and portable.

[Charles Frank]

I one food I could not give up is the ever versatile egg. There are so many ways to prepare them - devilled, baked, poached, fried in butter with a dash of pepper, scrambled, hard boiled, egg salad sandwiches, quiche, western sandwiches, omelettes... They are essential to so many dishes and desserts. So much perfection in a simple package.