Fickle Pickle

When I was growing up, I hated certain foods. I thought that meant I was "allergic" to them. Once, in 4th grade, I was getting served hot lunch by the lunch lady and I told her I could not have the spinach because I was allergic to it. Later I found out that I really wasn't "allergic", since that didn't mean the same thing as "dislike".
I remember from my childhood my Grandma Rose's cellar as always being full of homemade canned peaches and pears. Those peaches were divine. But I never liked the pears. The texture was strange to me. That's the same reason I disliked tomatoes, although I love ketchup. And, well...I can't remember why I didn't like cucumbers, I just didn't--although I do love pickles.
This summer, we tried to grow corn, pumpkins, onions, and cucumbers in the garden. Only five corn plants even grew, and the corn growing on them didn't mature enough to eat. None of the onions even sprouted, period. And as for the pumpkins, the deer have taken big bites out of all of them that were big enough to do something with. That leaves the cucumbers. Remember, I said I didn't like them? Well, we've had dozens and dozens of cucumbers. Our only successful crop this year. We started pulling them in August, and I finally got the last bit out of the garden last weekend. Guess what? I like cucumbers now. They are so delicious. Josh likes them with sprinkled salt and pepper on them. That's yummy too.
Josh's aunt gave us a whole bunch of home-grown corn and some cherry tomatoes. The corn was delicious, we had it for 3 whole meals. And remember how I didn't like tomatoes? Well, they were so ripe and delicious, that I ate several.
Our apple trees didn't produce any apples this year due to the late spring frost after the blossoms bloomed. I was looking forward to those apples, too. Our cherry tree produced its fruit in July, and I enjoyed partaking of them. But guess what had a TON of fruit on it? The PEAR tree. Remember I disliked pears? Well, I started eating them and they are so delicious!
I've been thinking that maybe I'm a fickle pickle. Maybe I really don't know what I like or dislike. Maybe I was a prejudiced youth who had stubborn thoughts toward certain foods. Or maybe my taste buds have changed. Who knows? I've changed my mind about spinach, too (remember I used to be "allergic"). So I'm thinking I'm going to try all of the foods that I was "allergic" to as a youth and see how they taste now. Starting with Brussel Sprouts.
NOT!