What was the worst food you have ever eaten? Mine is liver and onions. It was like eating the sole of a shoe. And you?

[Bayard]

72. Sounds like you guys have had a lot of badly cooked food...

My Mom was a terrible cook too, with everything cooked to mush or half burnt. My folks were originally from South Carolina. She did make good fried chicken in a deep fryer.

I learned how to cook after I left home. I don't eat much beef any more, but I love liver and onions that's cooked just till its tender, and not red. And not breaded! Same for chicken livers. Fresh okra is wonderful when its just lightly sauteed in real butter, and still a little bit crunchy. Again, not breaded, not slimey at all. I also put it in blackeyed peas. Yellow squash is excellent fried with onions, or made into squash fritters lightly browned. Salmon is only good if you remove the skin after cooking (cats love it!). Too fishy otherwise. Excellent baked, broiled, or sauteed with onions, peppers, and lemon juice. I also love grits, buttered, with lots of pepper, a side of sausage patties, and fresh, sliced tomatoes.

I guess this makes me sound like a mostly southern cook. At least I don't cook everything in lard!

Nasty stuff that won't get past my lips: My mom used to boil turnips and collard greens, and put vinegar on the greens. Holy crap it was awful! Catfish--even the smell makes me want to barf. I also can't drink black coffee either. I love the stuff when its heavily doctored.

Dinner tonight: Baked ham, egg noodles with broccoli, onions, and sharp Cheddar. Dessert is a pear cobbler--of course, with coffee!