mashed potato throwdown

i'm a card carrying member of the "try it! you'll like it!" club. i put all sorts of food in front of my kids and tell them "try it! you'll like it!" i'm not talking about anything exotic. i'm asking them to try blueberries, cantaloup, potatoes, baked ziti, grilled cheese sandwiches (why don't my children eat grilled cheese? what is wrong with them?). they thumb their noses at me every time.

the other day, we had dinner at our church. on the menu: virginia ham (something different for us), herbed mashed potatoes (yummy), red cabbage (so good) and mixed vegetables (only thing i thought the kids would eat; they wouldn't).

before dinner came the appetizer of pickled herring salad, something that is definitely classified under "acquired taste." i have not acquired this taste, (i've tried lots of fish, i just don't like it) so i politely refrained from eating it.

my (very smart) daughter noticed that i wasn't eating it. "try it, mom." said my daughter.
"no thanks. i'll wait."
"go ahead, mom. try it. you might like it."

wha? she was pulling that on me? me of all people!? me, who is trying to broaden her horizons beyond waffles and cold cereal in the morning and jelly sandwiches for lunch? me, who is single-handedly keeping annies mac and cheese co. in business? she's pulling that on me? i wasn't having it. sorry, kid. not today. you are dealing with the master of culinary negotiations.

"i'll make you a deal," i said. "i'll eat it if you eat the mashed potatoes."
"no way! i'm not eating mashed potatoes!"
"try it. you might like it!"
"no!" and then she ran from the table.

yeah, i didn't think so.