"Mordechai Housman" > wrote:
> Some years ago I attended a convention, and I happened to have a head of
> garlic with me.
>
> At some point, I met a guy from iirc Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He saw me
> holding the garlic, and he asked me, "Is that garlic?"
>
> I said it was. He asked me if he could see it and hold it. He said he had
> never in his life (he was in his twenties) seen garlic before.
....
> But my point here is to wonder: have any of you ever discovered adults who
> were really unaware of some basic foods? Is this common?

I've had that happen quite a few times in recent years. Some of the things
were worcestershire sauce, leeks, salt pork, and celery root. I guess I
could somewhat see leeks and celery root being unknowns, but worcestershire
sauce and salt pork? I know there are a lot more than just these that I can
think of off the top of my head. It's really pretty sad.

I think it comes from eating processed or prepared foods all one's life.
Even if such a person knows of the basic food ingredient, and can perhaps
identify the flavor, they may never have seen it by itself... such as
garlic.

Speaking of rosemary... I have a neighbor that has quite a bush of it in
front of her house. I thought she grew it new every year, but found out this
year it's the same plant that survives the winter year after year. I was
surprised it could survive here through the winter (Washington, DC). We've
had snows well over a foot in the time she's had the rosemary. I guess it's
because of where it's planted and the huge amount of sun it gets.

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