What holiday foods do you dislike? (intensely)

[Thipu1]

I used to love stuffing/dressing.  But in recent years I can’t stand it.  I say “No, thanks, I’ll just have potatoes (or whatever)”.

btw, I'm sure fruitcake is on most people's list.   

I've never understood the US aversion to fruitcake, which appears to crop up a lot on this board.  Real English fruitcake is wonderful stuff, the staple for wedding and Christmas cakes.  My Christmas cake has been 'fed' with marsala for the last six weeks and would knock your socks off.

If you really want something to dislike, try mince pies.  Sweet mincemeat really is disgusting stuff.

American fruitcake can be very different from the traditional version.  When not made correctly, American fruitcake is literally 'thick as a brick'. 

In parts of the US, fruitcake tossing and fruitcake catapulting are holiday events loved by young and
old. There are lots of jokes about fruitcakes being used as doorstops.

However, a home-made fruitcake that has been properly 'marinated' or a good bakery version can be delicious. 

I agree with dessert mince pies.  They're vile.  The only sort of 'mince' pie I enjoy is the savory Australian version with cheese.      

[Marisol]

There are good American fruitcakes out there that you can buy from the store. Some are very moist. Not soft, but not hard either.  I think a lot of people just don't try a variety of them so the first bad one they get sours the image.

[Firecat]

I don't like fruitcake because I can't stand candied fruit. To me, the citron in particular just makes it bitter and nasty-tasting.

[DollyPond]

I agree with many of the items posted previously and will add:

Pitzelle cookies with anise - but fortunately I have a friend who makes them without

I detest anise flavor probably because my grandmother made us drink anisette as kids to calm an upset stomach (or so she claimed).  So not only do I not like licorice flavor I associate it with being nauseous to this day.

[White Dragon]

I have tried many times over the years to try and appreciate sweet potatoes.
I've tried many recipes and textures.
Not going to happen.

Pumpkin pie. My mom has a theory that I dislike the spice combination, but I enjoy those spices in other dishes.
She doesn't seem to have figured out that my dislike of pumpkin may be related to my ledendary dislike of all things squash.

Egg nog. No. Just...no.

Jellied salads. My grandma used to make these and just the memory of the texture makes me go ick.

On the up side, add me to the 'loves mince' club.

[violinp]

I used to love stuffing/dressing.  But in recent years I can’t stand it.  I say “No, thanks, I’ll just have potatoes (or whatever)”.

btw, I'm sure fruitcake is on most people's list.   

I've never understood the US aversion to fruitcake, which appears to crop up a lot on this board.  Real English fruitcake is wonderful stuff, the staple for wedding and Christmas cakes.  My Christmas cake has been 'fed' with marsala for the last six weeks and would knock your socks off.

If you really want something to dislike, try mince pies.  Sweet mincemeat really is disgusting stuff.

American fruitcake can be very different from the traditional version.  When not made correctly, American fruitcake is literally 'thick as a brick'. 

In parts of the US, fruitcake tossing and fruitcake catapulting are holiday events loved by young and
old. There are lots of jokes about fruitcakes being used as doorstops.

However, a home-made fruitcake that has been properly 'marinated' or a good bakery version can be delicious. 

I agree with dessert mince pies.  They're vile.  The only sort of 'mince' pie I enjoy is the savory Australian version with cheese.   

One of my dad's uncles was famous in the family for his fruitcake. He would spend 2 weeks adding rum to the thing, and that thing would knock your socks off. However, the director of a choir I was in gave my family some of her homemade fruitcake. You could break your teeth on it. So, it really depends on the person who makes it.

[oz diva]

I wonder what is being done to these fruitcakes? Mine is loads of fruit and a little bit of cake mix to bind it, slowly cooked for 4 hours. It's so moist and delicious. Lasts for months if necessary, though I'm never organized enough. And please stop maligning my beloved mince pies. I adore them, the crumbly pastry mixes so beautifully with the filling. Yum, sadly I don't think we have any left, I better go shopping.

[magicdomino]

I don't like fruitcake because I can't stand candied fruit. To me, the citron in particular just makes it bitter and nasty-tasting.

Same here.  The problem with fruitcake is that it has fruit in it.  Candied fruit is completely inedible in my opinion, but I'm not big on cakes with a lot of dried fruit either.  One notable exception:  I have a recipe for a chocolate cherry fruitcake.  Dried cherries soaked in kirsch, walnuts and chocolate chips in a chocolate batter.  There's plenty of batter to soak up more kirsch, and keep it from having the texture of an alcohol-soaked granola bar.

[Cyradis]

I used to love stuffing/dressing.  But in recent years I can’t stand it.  I say “No, thanks, I’ll just have potatoes (or whatever)”.

btw, I'm sure fruitcake is on most people's list.   

I've never understood the US aversion to fruitcake, which appears to crop up a lot on this board.  Real English fruitcake is wonderful stuff, the staple for wedding and Christmas cakes.  My Christmas cake has been 'fed' with marsala for the last six weeks and would knock your socks off.

If you really want something to dislike, try mince pies.  Sweet mincemeat really is disgusting stuff.

Caribbean fruit cake is similar. It's made with fruit that has been luxuriating in rum and brandy for months. Then you pour more alcohol on the finished cake. We also have a Christmas liquer made with condensed milk, evaporated milk, eggs and rum that's similar to eggnog.

I'm not a fan of ginger beer which is a Christmas tradition here. It's also tradtional to import things like Danish Butter cookies and those cherry cordial filled chocolates at this time of year. I don't like either those much.

[Piratelvr1121]

My mother's fruitcake?  I loved it and miss it dearly, since she passed away.  I've never found another fruitcake recipe that I can choke down, so I guess that does go under the "dislike intensely" umbrella.

My best friend told me that the only fruitcake she really liked was her mothers, as her mom would soak it in brandy for a week prior to Christmas day. After her mom passed away, both she and her sister tried to make it but it didn't turn out as well as her mother's so it's one of those things that just died with her mom.  Having never met her mother since she passed several years before I met friend, I never got to taste it, but it sounds good.

[sempronialou]

Gravy- It should never go on mashed potatoes especially.  It's just wrong to put gravy on them.  I don't like it on anything else either.
Egg nog- I used to like it as a kid, but now I've lost the taste for it.
Ham
Sweet potatoes
Squash
Stuffing

[blue2000]

I wonder what is being done to these fruitcakes? Mine is loads of fruit and a little bit of cake mix to bind it, slowly cooked for 4 hours. It's so moist and delicious. Lasts for months if necessary, though I'm never organized enough. And please stop maligning my beloved mince pies. I adore them, the crumbly pastry mixes so beautifully with the filling. Yum, sadly I don't think we have any left, I better go shopping.

I'm with you! I love mincemeat pies and properly made fruitcake. Sadly, most fruitcakes here really are the taste and texture of a brick. Way too much cake, way too little fruit, and both are dry and hard as heck. Yuck!

I love holiday food, but some things have been mentioned that I could do without. I don't like jello salad or cranberry sauce. And I've never had green bean casserole made with canned beans (only fresh or frozen) but it sounds icky. Canned beans are mushy!

[sunnygirl]

You really have to roast or stir fry or sauté sprouts, they are admittedly pretty vile when cooked the 'traditional' British way (i.e. boiled to death).

[wx4caster]

You really have to roast or stir fry or sauté sprouts, they are admittedly pretty vile when cooked the 'traditional' British way (i.e. boiled to death).

Definitely try roasting them.  We had them that way recently at a restaurant (came on the plate with other roasted vegetables) and discovered I actually liked them.

[ladyknight1]

I make a gourmet version of green bean casserole with fresh beans, a mushroom veloute and a mixture of fresh toasted breadcrumbs and either packaged french-fried onions or lightly pan-fried shallots dredged in a bit of flour.

I now feel I have to make a jello salad for Christmas dinner.