Dave Smith wrote in rec.food.cooking:

> On 2017-06-21 5:11 PM, jmcquown wrote:
>
> > > No offense to Mom but that comment right there explains why he
> > > didn't care to eat her food. No herbs or spices? Bland crappy
> > > food, imo.
> > >
> > No offense taken. She grew up eating pretty bland food. So did
> > Dad, for that matter. (He literally married the girl next door.)
> > She hated to cook. Doesn't negate the fact he really couldn't
> > taste much when he got older.
>
> My parents were born born in the 1920s and raised on bland Anglo
> food. We were usually careful not to spice things up when they came
> for dinner. One night when they came for dinner I cooked Tandoori
> chicken. My father had never been much of a meat eater, and it was
> the first time I ever saw him help himself to seconds. The next time
> was when I grilled pork chops that had been rubbed with salt, pepper,
> garlic powder, oregano and mint. He loved them.

My FIL was almost in the opposite side. His wife was actually a very
good cook, but tended to over spice. Not too badly, but just enough to
be less optimal. Never hot spices, just a little 'too much of a good
thing'. Clove was one of her favorites.

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