I once bought Limburger cheese as a joke. I was shocked to find that the flavor was delicious and it got totally eaten up at the party I brought it to, after people dared one another to try it and being similarly surprised at the deliciousness.

The first time I encountered gumbo was its smell wafting from a microwave in a shared office space. I’m still astonished that anyone could tolerate that smell and actually find it pleasing. It reminded me of when my mom would bring home kimchi from her Korean friends... she reveled in the entire house squirming as she popped open those little jars.