trying to be a grown up...

...about Brussels Sprouts at least.
Here's the story: when I was little (like 9 or 10) my stepmom and dad used to serve up Brussels Sprouts (I actually thought they were called Brussel Sprouts - no "s" on "Brussels" until about 5 minutes ago). I thought they were disgusting. They smelled. They tasted funny. They were right up there with eggplant on the disgusting scale of this 9 year old. But I had to clean my plate if I wanted dessert; I always wanted dessert.
So, I would put them on Hunter's high chair tray (what are big sisters for if not for sharing their dinner? and what other 2 year-old likes Brussels Sprouts...go figure?!). Once I even tried to flush them down a toilet. Do not try that at home! All said and done, I didn't touch this food again until New Year's Eve of this year.
I think they were served because they are in the cabbage family and cabbage on New Year's is good luck or something like that. Anyway, some friends were talking about how much they liked Brussels Sprouts and when I told them I thought they were one of the foulest things around they said I must not have had them cooked properly. So I tried one. And I didn't gag. So I tried another one. And I thought, "Hmmm...I could start liking these."
So I bought some. And I boiled them. And this was a bad idea. Apparently, boiling them brings out all of the nasty sulfur-smelling stuff that lives in a Brussels Sprout and makes them taste really pungent, too. I threw that batch away after I tried to eat at least one - no luck. So I consulted my friends (especially the ones who claim to like Brussels Sprouts more than broccoli - are you kidding?!). And they set me straight on how to cook them.
Today I tried the new techniques and I ended up eating 8 Brussels Sprouts at lunch. I didn't fall in love. But I didn't head to flush them down the toilet either. I have about a dozen left and I'll finish them off. Not sure I'll be buying another stalk any time soon. I was trying to diversify my veggie intake...but it might be back to broccoli, spinach, squash, peas, green beans, potatoes, sweet potatoes, lettuce, peppers, carrots, asparagus, celery, artichokes, and the like for me.
There are so many other veggies out there that I love, I'm not sure I need to be that grown-up about Brussels Sprouts (or eggplant)!