I’ve attended parties where people try to break the ice by asking, What’s the grossest meat you’ve ever eaten? This book is not about that topic. For one thing, I’m a meat minimalist or a virtual vegetarian. I think that most people in the US, Europe, and other developed countries eat too much meat. It’s not good for us. It’s not good for the environment. And it’s certainly not good for the animals who get eaten. Did they have a choice in the matter? But I’m not here to shove my point of view down your throat; or anything else for that matter.

This book is also not about fancy parties where the host serves spaghetti without utensils. I don’t know about you, but I’ve got better things to waste my money on than replacing my clothes. I know, I know, Spoilsport! We’re not inviting you to our party if you’re going to be like that!

You might think that some of the foods which are mentioned in this book are gross. You may be correct in that assessment. However, you will never know unless you try them. I’ll be polite. You can go first. And you never know, you may find some of these foods to be quite delightful, as do I. I’m not Mikey. I don’t hate everything. On the other hand, there are quite a few things that I refuse to even try, believe it or not.Hopefully I’ve included enough humor in this book that you won’t be totally grossed out. And you won’t be saying, Gag me with a whole place setting, as one of my sister’s liked to say at a younger age.

When I told my other sister the title of this book – Tomato Shake and Other Foods You’re Hesitant to Try – she replied, More like: and Other Foods You’d Avoid!My wife probably said something like, It’s no wonder your stomach’s always upset. To which I probably replied, My stomach’s not always upset. To which my stomach replied, Rumble, rumble.

Enough introduction already. Just grab the barf bag and start listening! You are curious to find out what these um … delicacies … are? Aren’t you?