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Comment by bastawhiz | Hacker News Reader

I don't mind steamed sprouts today, but I remember how utterly repulsed I was by them as a kid. The preparation doesn't make a ton of difference, in my opinion.

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Also possible: your taste preferences changed over time. I know mine have.

Yes - mushrooms and olives on pizza used to be a crime against humanity. I don’t think Papa John’s invested in higher quality toppings.

I'm not so sure. I feel like the quality of fast food ingredients has gone up since the 90s.

I have a couple of theories: I think consumer preferences have pushed in that direction (e.g. I remember McDonalds chicken nuggets used to have chewy gristle in them), and JIT inventories mean that ingredients can be fresher, and food science (e.g. additives and preservatives) has improved, and improved flavor along with it, and there are also new preparation methods which improve quality of the final product.

> used to have chewy gristle in them

Chickens have gained significant breast mass in the last few decades (so much so it causes "woody breast") and, with increased supply, the price of breast meat (less gristle) has come down proportionally. Like the McRib, economics drives McDonald's decisions.

> I feel like the quality of fast food ingredients has gone up since the 90s.

Interesting. My impression has been the exact opposite of that. Ingredients seem more uniform, true, but they also are much less flavorful and seem to be higher in salt than ever.

My wife and I got some brussels sprouts recently that tasted exactly how I remember them as a kid. We both noticed it immediately and my daughter refused to eat them (when she normally loves them).

So while that may be true, it’s absolutely true that they’ve changed.

When I was a kid, brussels sprouts were prepared by boiling them in water for an hour, and serve with absolutely no seasonings.

I can go down the street to a restaurant called Left Bank and they have the most amazing brussels sprouts. I think they cook them in bacon grease. The outside is crispy and it has something like caramelized sugar on it. They are absolutely freaking delicious.

Overcooking will increase the bitterness, the preparation makes a ton of difference.

I don't really recall how my mom might have cooked broccoli and such, but I certainly identified things she did cooking that were not ideal as far as outcomes (and I would say she was a reasonably good cook).

My mom bought Green Giant broccoli and cauliflower in a gluey pseudo-cheese sauce. It was as disgusting as it sounds.

I didn't like broccoli and cauliflower until I had them raw.

Of course, YMMV :)

Cauliflower is probably the most versatile vegetable there is. Apart from boiling, there's no bad way to treat it. Even boiling works in soup!

Other than slow cooking, unless you want to smell sulphur farts for six hours.

And I even like it boiled and then stirred with butter, salt, and pepper. But nothing beats eating it roasted...

Completely agree about the prep. It's not a modern phenomenon either. Even 1960s mainstream influencers like Julia Child were showing people how to peel and incise the stems, pan fry with butter, salt and olive oil oven roast, serve with various sauces, etc.

What changed is the marketing around home cooking. Now everyone aspires to be their own private chef. It's understandable for people living in the mid-20th century western world to see all this as a bit pretentious.

The goal back then was just to get a decent healthy meal on the table. Any flourishes such as adding bacon, duck fat, or whatever else were likely seen as unhealthy, inaccessible, or just plain weird.

Similarly to overcooking, acids may break down bitters. There's useful science in why things like balsamic reductions and citrus fruit juices are commonly used in brussel sprout recipes today.

The spread of such information/science in recipes has increased from the slower era of cookbooks and newspaper columns.

cut them in quarters, sprinkle dash of salt, stir fried 'til brown over medium-high heat with olive oil, and sprinkle few drops of fish sauce (or oyster sauce depending on pref).

prep it makes a huge difference and it's one of best tasting/healthy vegetable imo.

tastes can change too

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