13 Controversial Food Opinions We Will Not Apologize For

What follows are our most controversial food opinions, and we hope you chime in with your agreement or dissent. In either case, we'll know ... 13ControversialFoodOpinionsWeWillNotApologizeForHomeLatestCookingSchoolRecipesReviewsFoodNewsFastFoodGroceryDrinksAboutTheTakeoutStoreExploreourothersitesFeaturesPineapplebelongsonapizza,andwewillnotsayotherwise.ByTheTakeout4/01/229:30AMComments(114)AlertsDoesmayobelongonhotdogs?Photo:BrentHofacker(Shutterstock)It’stimetogetdowntobrasstacks.WeatTheTakeoutspendaninordinateamountoftimethinkingaboutfood,andoncertaindivisivetopics—pizza,hotdogs,frenchfries,mayonnaise—wehavetakenastancefromwhichyouwillnotswayus.Sincenoamountoflivelydebatewillchangeourmindsontheseissues,wepresentthemhereproudlyandunapologetically,daringallofyoutochallengetheirwisdom.Whatfollowsareourmostcontroversialfoodopinions,andwehopeyouchimeinwithyouragreementordissent.Ineithercase,we’llknowinourheartswe’reright.Advertisement2/15MayobelongsonhotdogsListslidesMayobelongsonhotdogsMayodoesinfact,belongonhotdogsPhoto:PauloVilela(GettyImages)There’sonecondimentinthebackyardcookoutcanonthatincitesragelikenoother:mayonnaise.Whileit’snotsomethingeveryoneimmediatelyreachesforwhentoppingtheirfrankfurter,wefirmlybelievethatmayohasitsplaceonwieners.EvertryaSonorandog?Absolutelydivine.Mixingketchupandmayonnaisetogethertocreateanext-levelfrenchfrydippingsauceisalreadystandardpractice.Sowhyshouldn’tweapplythesameconcepttohotdogs?Whydopeoplestillkickandscreamwhenpresentedwiththisrich,fatty,beautifullysimpletopping?Mayonnaisebelongsonhotdogs.Fullstop.Advertisement3/15PineappleonpizzaisterrificListslidesPineappleonpizzaisterrificC’mon,doesn’tthatlookgoodtoyou?Photo:GANCINO(GettyImages)Wegetit.Someofyoureally,really,don’tlikepineappleonpizza.That’sokay.Youcansticktoyourboring,played-outpepperoni;we’llbeoverhereenjoyingoursweetandsavoryHawaiianpies.We’reheretosaythatpineappledoesindeedbelongonpizza,andthisisastatementoffact,nomatterhowloudlyyousayitisn’t.Ifyoufeellikethesearefightingwords,byallmeans,nameanothertoppingthatbalancessweet,tart,andjuicywhilemeldingperfectlywithmozzarellaandanherbedtomatosauce.Refusingtoseethemeritinpineappleonpizzaistowillfullyignorewhatweknowaboutthesciencebehindgreatflavorcombinations.EmbraceHawaiianpizza.Life’sbetteronthissideofthedivide.Advertisement4/15In-N-Out’sfriesareterribleListslidesIn-N-Out’sfriesareterribleNomatterhowyoushakeit,In-N-OutFriesreallyneedsomehelpGraphic:AllisonCorrIn-N-Outisaterrificfastfoodrestaurantformanyreasons,andhigh-qualityingredientsareahugepartofitswinningformulaforadamngoodfastfoodburger.Nowthatthat’soutoftheway,wecanstateclearlythattheirfriesjustplainsuck.They’relimp,pale,hardlysalted,don’thavealotofpersonality,andarebarelyredeemedwhenorderedAnimal-Style,whichaddsasliceofAmericancheese,grilledonions,andIn-N-Out’sThousandIsland–stylesauce.Ifthattreatmentcan’tsaveaspud,whatcan?SomedefenderswilltellyouthatorderingthefriesatIn-N-Out“welldone”willimprovethemsomewhatbygettingthemclosertoacrispygoldenbrown.Butcustomersshouldn’thavetouseasecretorderingsystemjusttogetacceptablefrenchfries.Theyshouldcomethatwaytobeginwith.In-N-Out,weloveyou,butthesepotatoesareunacceptable.Advertisement5/15Culver’sisbetterthanIn-N-Out,nocontestListslidesCulver’sisbetterthanIn-N-Out,nocontestLookatthatlacypattyPhoto:TaekwonweirdoLikewesaid,In-N-Outisgoodandeverything—great,even—butintheMidwest,wehavesomethingevenbetter:Culver’s.Thisfastfoodchainisn’tjustknownforitsburgers,butalsoservesdisheslikepotroastandfriedcheesecurdsandawidearrayofshakesandfrozencustards.Somehow,thegiantmenustillfeelscurated,cateringtoaMidwesternsensibility,andcareislenttoeveryorderinawaythatyou’dexpectmorefromasit-downrestaurantthanacounter-stylechain.Theburgerisatop-tierburger;thefishsandwichisatop-tierfishsandwich.Ineverycategoryofitsmenu,Culver’sisallhits,nomisses.Fortheseandforotherreasons,Culver’siswaybetterthanIn-N-Outineveryway.OrderyourselfaButterBurger(orCurderBurger)andtellusyoufeelanydifferent.Advertisement6/15SuckingoncandyisbetterthanchewingonitListslidesSuckingoncandyisbetterthanchewingonitForgetchewing,suckonyourcandyinsteadPhoto:Svetikd(GettyImages)Ifyouwanttocoaxthemostflavorfromanypieceofcandy,you’vegottosuckonitratherthanbiteintoit.That’sallthereistoit.Chewingdecimatesthecandytoofast,preventingyoufrommaximizingyourenjoymentofWhoppers,Skittles,andeverythinginbetween.Weknow,itsoundsgross—butsuckingonallthesethingsistheonlywaytoproperlysavorthem.Don’tjusttearrightintoanAndesMint,youanimal!Instead,letthecool,mintyflavorspermeateyourwholemouth,themeltychocolategoingsilkyonyourtongue.Afterall,isn’tflavorwhatyou’reherefor?Readmoreofourcandy-eatingtipshere. Advertisement7/15EggsandbeerareadeliciouscombinationListslidesEggsandbeerareadeliciouscombinationEggsandbeer,whoknew?Graphic:KarlGustafsonEverhearofabeerflip?No?Inthatcase,youneedtotryoneimmediately.Aflipisacocktailthatincludessomecombinationofbeer,aspirit,andanegg;thelattergivesthedrinksomebodyandrichnessthatacocktaildoesn’ttypicallyinclude,anddespitethefactthatsomeofyouareprobablymakingafacerightnow,we’llstandbythefactthattheresultingbeverageisdelicious.Eggsbelonginmorecocktailsingeneral,butabeerflipistheonewestandformostfirmly.Tryitforyourself—here’stherecipesoyoucanseehowrightweare.Advertisement8/15WatermelonburgersarespectacularListslidesWatermelonburgersarespectacularEverhavearefreshingburger?Graphic:AllisonCorrDespitewhatyoumaythink,watermelongrillsperfectlywell—anditmakesforaperfectlydeliciousandjuicyburger,especiallywhenpairedwiththeboldcomplementaryflavorsoffennelgremolataandgoatcheese.Letussaythatagain:watermelonburgersarereal,andthey’readamnmiracle.Youmightthinkthewholethingisliabletofallapartonceyouslapitonabun,butit’snot;thecharontheoutsideofthewatermelonsealsinjuicyflavorsandmaintainsstructuralintegrity.Butthenagain,wedon’tneedyoutobelieveuswhenwesaythiscombinationworks.Therecipeisempiricalproof.Advertisement9/15YoucanwashyourcastironpanwithsoapandwaterListslidesYoucanwashyourcastironpanwithsoapandwaterThinkwashingyourcastironpanshouldbeillegal?Guessagain!Photo:0shut0(iStockbyGettyImages)Listen,despitewhatpeoplemaysayontheinternet,youcanindeedwashyourcastironpanswithsoapandwater.Thenaturalnonstickcoatingonyourcastironpanispolymerizedoil(notjustplainoil),andit’stoughenoughtowithstandamildamountofdetergent.Sogoaheadandusesoapandwaterfortherealtoughmesses.Aslongasyou’renottooroughonit,thepanwillbefine.Westandfirmlyinoppositiontothekitchenscoldswhotellyouotherwise.Advertisement10/15Cow’smilkisawesomeListslidesCow’smilkisawesomeWe’lltakeanicetallglassofmilk,thankyouPhoto:baibaz(iStockbyGettyImages)Withallthedifferenttypesofalternativemilksonthemarketnow,itfeelslikedairyisbeingleftinthedust.WeatTheTakeoutthinkcow’smilkisperfectlydelicious,andthepersistenttrashtalkisunwarranted.Infact,alotofthepublic’scurrentobsessionwithoatmilk,almondmilk,andotheralternativesfeelsmoreinformedbymarketingcampaignsthanactualnutritionalinfo.You’vegottogettherightkindofmilk—youcan’tjustbuymass-producedskimmilkandexpectittotasteidenticaltoacartonofsugar-packedoatmilk.Butthecreaminessofthefarmfreshfull-fatstuffisunbeatable,andsciencehasn’tyetcomeupwithanythingthatremotelycomparestoit.Advertisement11/15SprinklessuckListslidesSprinklessuckPhoto:SherSor(Shutterstock)Sprinkles,wearenotafraidtosay,areuseless.Nobakedgoodshaveeverbeenmeasurablyenhancedbytheselittlepopsofcolor—andifit’scoloryou’reafter,whynotgowithamulticoloredicing,orminiM&M’s,orsometidyFunfetti?Whenyouaddsprinklestoadessert,you’restrippingthattreatofitson-the-gosnackingpotentialandturningitintosomethingaltogethermoreprecarious.It’saflavorlessmessofatoppingwithaburdensometexture,andwesuspectthatthetweeaestheticofBakingInstagramhasalottodowithsprinkles’ubiquity.Besides,manysprinklesdon’tevenqualifyasediblefromanFDAstandpoint.They’resimplynotworththetrouble.Ditchthesprinkles.Yourkitchenfloorwillthankyou.Advertisement12/15FrozenhashbrownsarebetterthanhomemadeListslidesFrozenhashbrownsarebetterthanhomemadePhoto:BrentHofacker(Shutterstock)Abagofstore-bought,frozen,pre-shreddedhashbrownsisn’tjustanacceptablesubstituteforhand-gratedpotatoes—it’spreferabletothem.Preparinghashbrownsathomefromscratchisalabor-intensivetaskthatfactoriesarealreadydoingwaybetterthanwecan.Aseriesofmachinesgrate,rinse,anddrythepotatoesforus,andthatlastpart,thedrying,iskeytoachievingcrispyhashbrownsonyourstovetop.Ifyourhand-gratedspudsareevenalittlebitdamp,youcansaygoodbyetodiner-qualityresults,andchancesare,thatgolden-browncrunchisthewholereasonyouchosetoundertaketheprojectinthefirstplace.Don’tcreateunnecessaryworkforyourself.Usewhatthefreezeraisleoffersyou.Advertisement13/15NutsbelongincookiesListslidesNutsbelongincookiesNutsincookies?Hellyes.Photo:arsenisspyros(iStockbyGettyImages)Unlessyou’reallergictothem,wethinknutsbelongincookies.Thereareplentyofpeoplewhothinktheactoffoldingnutsintocookiedoughispracticallytreasonous.We,however,thinktheyfillthegapinbiteswhereyou’dordinarilymunchrightintoabunchofblankdough,inbetweenchocolatechipsorraisins,andtheyprovidetextureandrichness.Whilewe’reatit,we’llalsoadvocatefornutsinbrownies,chocolatebars,salads,icecream,andjustaboutanyotherapplicationyoucanthinkof.Nutsareversatile,andrightathomeinanyclassicdropcookie.Advertisement14/15PopcornsaladisfineandyouallneedtocalmdownListslidesPopcornsaladisfineandyouallneedtocalmdownPhoto:MarinaNabatova(Shutterstock)Awhileback,theinternetdecidedtohaveacompleteandtotalmeltdown/dunk-festwhenitencounteredFoodNetworkstarMollyYeh’srecipeforpopcornsalad.FeaturedonanepisodeofGirlMeetsFarm,therecipeinquestionincludedshreddedcarrots,snappeas,popcorn,shallots,andadressingofmayo,sourcream,vinegar,anddijon,amongotheringredients.Commentersfarandwidevoicedtheirhorroranddisgust.ButyouknowwhatPopcornsaladisfine!Getoverit!Firstofall,corn,inallitsforms,isusedasatexturalelementinrecipesallthedamntime.Five-starchefspullthistrickoutforallsortsofdishesandwedon’tquestionit.Mostofthecriticismofpopcornsaladarerelatedtopotentialsogginess,andyetweneverlobthosecomplaintsatcroutonsinacaesarsaladortomato-soakedbreadinapanzanella.Maybewhatpeoplearereallyafraidofisexpandingtheirdefinitionofwhatasaladcanbe,andallowingsomethingsoquirky-casualtoenterthemodernrecipecanon.Ifthat’sthecase,well,enjoyyourdescentintoalifeofTwittersnark. Advertisement15/15Listslides