You are what you eat (or don't eat).

Friday night dinner for the two of us - no effort, no tablecloth, healthy, self celebrating.

Food dislikes, allergies, cultural differences and fads
​It's very important to let people know what you can't or won't eat.  Cooks have a pathological desire to please.  If you're invited, either speak up ("By the way, I can't eat peanuts."  "By the way, I don't eat pork.") or be prepared to eat  what you're given.

Reasons for not eating food (real, fresh and local).
Moral  - vegetarian (pescatarians eat fish) - I will probably become vegetarian eventually, on ethical not health grounds however. ( I'm cautious of vegans.  I've known too many with hang ups that hint at body issues and food phobia.)
Cultural - Often against pork.  Not logical but understandable. I would not eat dog.
Allergies -Seafood allergies are dire and I've seen the ravages from true gluten intolerance and it's not pretty.
Fads - Where do we start? Fake health (like fake news.) Nutritionism, denial, ritual play a large part. 
Just common dislike -   A true gastronome enjoys good food, simple or complex, and can feast on a potato as lusciously as on a white truffle.
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Common Food Dislikes

• Oysters – Common dislike. Never got used to them. Perhaps should have started out with tinned smoked oysters on Jatz, moved on to cooked oysters, then fresh.
• Anchovies – Common.  Introduced to the over-salty, hairy ones full of bones.  Perhaps should try the better quality anchovies (e.g. Ortiz) and see them as a condiment.
• Offal – Common.  Grew up in Australia that was rich enough in meat to never have to develop an offal culture (e.g. brain & mushroom pithiviers, lamb liver with morels & cream sauce, devilled kidneys, sweetbreads with black butter & capers, English-style faggots with peas pudding, terrine of pork brawn).
• Mushrooms – Mad. Keep trying, keep looking for their earthy flavour.  You might one day have a truffle.
• Brussel sprouts – Mad. Didn’t play “house” when a child with these baby cabbages.
• Peas – Very mad. How can anyone not like peas?
• Marzipan – Total non-foodie.  Totally mad.
• Dark chocolate – ditto
• Your body is a site of pleasure, not denial​.

I don’t eat endangered species or human beings and I’m not wild about mucilaginous things like okra, in case you’re asking.
 
Oysters, just opened, old, French, slightly pearlised oyster plate,  no markings.
Orrefors champagne coupe c. 1960.  Not "politically correct" but I love the way the coupe allows the bubbles to dance on your face.
​Rug on table - half kilim, half pile.