Eating bland food

[Hrothbern]

You know what works? Seasoning as a preservation. For thousands upon thousands of years, the primary means of food preservation (other than simply cooking things) was through what we now think of as seasoning. People smoked and cured meats not because it made the meat taste better, but because it made it last longer. Same with salting food. Same with pickling food and fermenting food. The spicy food of South East Asia developed because the spices kept out things that made food go bad quick in hot, humid environs. People developed the taste for well-seasoned food because that food was safe to eat.

If you look at the historic consumption of food, it is a history of very bold flavors because the preservative processes used created those flavors. Your consumption of fresh food without the need to be seasoned is the novelty.

Yes
Also: I think during those thousands of years we did optimise between preservation, crop yield as first prio's and as second prio's health/healing/micronutrient benefits and taste

On those pickled foods.
I cannot find it back fast, but in the 17th century common Dutch people along the coast and sailors did consume so much pickled fish as protein source, that the average intake of salt was well above 20 grams a day !
Not really healthy, but it worked fine for the economy with indeed a very bold flavor

 

[W|M]

Disagree. Greasy/fatty/salty food is the best when you're hungover.

Scramble/hash/grilled cheese/melt/stir fried noodles are the best hangover foods and I will accept no alternatives.

Fries are better ime

 

[Takhisis]

You know what works? Seasoning as a preservation. For thousands upon thousands of years, the primary means of food preservation (other than simply cooking things) was through what we now think of as seasoning. People smoked and cured meats not because it made the meat taste better, but because it made it last longer. Same with salting food. Same with pickling food and fermenting food. The spicy food of South East Asia developed because the spices kept out things that made food go bad quick in hot, humid environs. People developed the taste for well-seasoned food because that food was safe to eat.

If you look at the historic consumption of food, it is a history of very bold flavors because the preservative processes used created those flavors. Your consumption of fresh food without the need to be seasoned is the novelty.

Indeed, the sense of taste developed as an ability that helped identify nutritional foods. (this is also the reason why coitus is pleasurable) If you want to eat bland food you're going against nature.

Eating takes up a lot of my time, I might as well enjoy it.

The same applies to cooking in my view.

 

[warpus]

The same applies to cooking in my view.

To a degree; you eat every day, but you don't necessarily cook every day. But yeah, something you do so often all the time, might as well maximize that experience if you can. So why eat a bland potato when you can eat one with salt, pepper, sour cream, and bacon on it?

 

[Takhisis]

Why the potato, salt, pepper, or sour cream?

Edit: the salt and pepper might help. The potato, if not fried, is an unnecessary distraction.

 

[Timsup2nothin]

I'll have a BLT please, hold the lettuce and tomato, and I don't need the bread.