/ck/, I have an intense hatred of ketchup that goes beyond disliking the flavor. For some reason, my brain does not regard it as food. The mere smell makes me want to vomit, and the thought of eating it is completely unimaginable. I find it completely repulsive, from the way it looks inside a half-full bottle to the way it looks on the corners of someone's mouth. I am afraid to go near people who are eating something with ketchup because I always imagine the microscopic flecks they're probably going to emit in my direction. I can't even resolve myself to touch ketchup bottles because there might be some on the outside.
Last night I was on a date with this girl, and we went to a mid-scale burger place (Bubby's in Manhattan). She put ketchup on her burger. I was able to sack up and ignore it during dinner, but the date went well enough that we went back to her apartment afterwards. Things were going to move forward, but she leaned in for a kiss and I smelled the ketchup on her breath and panicked, and instinctively pushed her away. She looked confused and hurt, and the only thing I could come up with was to bumble up a lie about being late for a TV show, and left her house. I don't plan on talking to her again after this embarrassment.
I now realize that I need to get over this ketchup phobia if I'm going to be a functional member of society. What are some strategies to force yourself to like foods?
>>7639804
Exposure therapy is the best way to get over phobias.
On the off chance this isn't pasta, how do you feel when you smell or taste vinegar? I don't think it would be too odd to just be averse to the vinegar aspect of ketchup, and it is the most common food item containing it.
How do you feel about tomatoes outside of ketchup?
>>7639823
That's the interesting part. I'm fine with both vinegar and tomatoes. I mean, I think vinegar is gross but I think everyone does right? I'll put a little on sandwiches and salads, and I like salt and vinegar chips.
Love tomatoes though. Eat them fresh and I also love tomato (pasta) sauces.
>>7639910
What if you tried making your own ketchup?
OP here, I should add that I'm not a picky eater at all. I actually can't think of any foods that I could say I don't like besides ketchup. Well, and I have never really enjoyed cantaloupe either. But I do eat almost everything and I am an ok cook by /ck/ standards.
>>7639928
That's an interesting idea. Maybe eating all the ingredients separately, then combining them and eating it, will rewire my brain to not think ketchup is some kind of poison. Though I might just find that the mixture becomes bad in the same way that ice cream on pizza would be disgusting. I'll do this tomorrow and post results
>>7639804
Have a shrimp cocktail..cocktail sauce is similar yet different. Then grow up and have a order of pomme frite from a better eatery that makes their own ketchup..you'll like it just add salt and pepper.
>>7639910
Vinegar is delicious but I hate ketchup because it's disgustingly sweet
I'm not really as neurotic as you, but I do hate ketchup. I just think it's not a very good combination of flavors. Kind of makes me gag. I like vinegar, I like sugar, and I like tomato sauce. But ketchup just makes me gag. There really aren't that many foods that affect me that way.
I remember really loving it as a kid. Maybe I just had a bad experience I don't remember? Either way, ketchup just ain't that great. Especially in the quantities I see lots of folks use it in.
