Making Peace With Ingredients That Freak Me Out

I am an adventurous eater. I ate escargot when I was 7. The waiters in their crisp white aprons quietly surprised as I tucked into the garlic filled shells, mopping up as much butter as possible with my bread. As a child I ate artichokes and curries with abandon. Sushi? Sure, no problem.

There are a few ingredients that I have never warmed to though. Feta cheese is somewhere in the top five. Something about the funky smell, sharp taste and crumbly texture has always turned me off. I've sheepishly avoided homemade spanikopita at potlucks and sharing Greek salads as a starter when I'm dining out with friends. It's my not-so-secret shame - even I can be a picky eater. 

For the past few years I've been working on my Feta issue (and the related blue cheese issue) by trying to incorporate the stuff into recipes and sometimes submitting to a Mediterranean salad when I go out to a favorite Armenian-Persian restaurant in Glendale with my ever-patient friend, Bex. 

And you know what? It's working. I have modified my palate. By looking closely at the things I don't like about feta (crumbly, funky, sharp) I was able to source some different types of Feta that do appeal to me, specifically those that are partially or all goat milk based which tend to be creamier and more delicately flavored. Problem solved. 

Umami Tooth's Feta Salad

Creamy French Feta - crumbled

Persian cucumbers - roughly chopped

Scallions - chopped

Flat leaf parsley - washed and de-stemmed 

Tapenade -  to taste

Good olive oil - to taste

Mix the ingredients up in a big bowl and eat standing up in front of the window fan because it is hot as heck!