Have It Your Way

To my mind Burger King came up with a fantastic marketing ploy when they announced their “have it your way” campaign. If, like me and Sally Albright, you are a high maintenance diner you’ve probably asked in various restaurants to “add some of this” or “leave out that” or “can I have the sauce on the side”? The simple truth is I am that pain in the butt diner who does want it her way. I’ve never eaten at BK where I didn’t ask for “no mayo/sauce” so letting me know it was ok to do that was just totally brilliant.

Let’s face it we all have our little food quirks. I’m happy to admit my aversion to “wobbly food”, simply put if it wobbles of its own accord I’m not putting it in my mouth (and yes I’m shuddering now just at the thought of it, bleurgh!). Think of jelly, cold custard, cooked egg white or mayo and you’re on the right track, mousse can be tricky if it is too fluffy and I don’t like whipped cream. “What???” I hear you cry, “this girl is bonkers” but to me those food stuffs, or palate abominations as I prefer to call them, are just plain wrong. 

Imagine if you will my utter devastation on ordering “Flan” for dessert in Guatemala. I was anticipating a delicious gooey caramel tart but what came out was a Crème Caramel (egg custard) – eeewww. I’d no idea it was pronounced “Flahn”, needless to say I didn’t eat it and promptly removed the offending article from my vicinity (well actually someone else removed it as I couldn’t bear to see it wobbling away) and don’t even get me started on the horrors of trifle! Why oh why would someone ruin a rum soaked cake with all that goop???
Mr E. will tell anyone, with sheer delight, the horror I went through when I ordered a chicken soup in the Philippines and it came with a raw egg cracked into it. And no, it wasn’t funny watching me attempt to scoop that ick out of the bowl!

Now I know I’m not alone in my little oddities, withholding names, there are at least 2 of my friends who can’t stand melon. To me that’s just weird, what did melon ever do to them? Its sweet and juicy with loads of flavour but yet they can’t abide it. Another one out there doesn’t like cheese – are you nuts? Cheese is manna from heaven! And then there’s the freak who doesn’t like chocolate- seriously I’m not making it up, I know someone who doesn’t like it in the slightest.

The good news is I’m fully aware of my affliction and even better, many food outlets have far better labeling and menu descriptions so I can avoid the once frequent pitfalls, like finding mayo in a ploughman's sandwich. Remember its your dining experience and your money so don’t be intimidated by the angry chef hovering behind the kitchen door – go ahead and order what you want, the way you want it!