It all started when one Twitter user invited ‘controversial food opinions’ from the tweeple. There were many responses that decried walnuts, lauded boring veggies, and opined that vegetables had no place in desserts. Then someone went and really put the cat among the pigeons by offering their opinion on Indian cuisine - “Indian Food Is Terrible,” said this twitter response. Predictably, the tweet received many, far from complimentary responses.
This was the tweet that started it all off.
Some have to be persuaded to eat their veggies. Others love them and consume them voluntarily.
Valid question, this.
Everyone knows that pineapple on pizza is an unspeakable culinary violation.
People voiced their opinions against avocados, guacamole, tater tots, peanut butter, and various other beloved food items. People were offended to various degrees.
Someone called Tom Nichols, described as an expert in international affairs then said this and all hell broke loose.
People were amazed at the effrontery; the sheer ignorance (or courage) that would permit someone to make a statement such as this.
Speak for yourself, advises this Twitter user.
One commentator presented two pictures to demonstrate why Nichols is terribly wrong.
Some thought that this was the reaction of ‘white’ person.
Some simply came out with it that called the man an idiot for his opinion.
This commentator points out the irony of that someone used to bland food is offering opinions on the rich and varied culinary traditions of India.
“When I'm president, you go to jail,” said this highly offended netizen.
This commentator feels that stupid opinions should not be aired.
There is no ‘Indian food’. There is a rich culinary diversity; a veritable smorgasbord for the senses to choose from when it comes to ‘Indian’ food. Nichols is probably quite ignorant about the staggering regional variety available in India for the food connoisseur.
For him to have made a blanket statement such as this, he would have had to have tasted Malvani cuisine, Gujarati food, Punjabi grub, Bombay’s street food, Calcutta's proud traditions, Kashmiri Wazwan and literally a hundred other food varieties. He clearly has not done so and is hence unqualified to offer any kind of opinion at all about Indian food.
So if I were to respond to the man and his abysmal ignorance of India's culinary traditions, I would only say, forgive him, for he knows not what he does (or tweets).
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