People who are more open to newer experiences in the culinary world are likely to bring in new trends. (Source: Getty/Thinkstock)
Fries and ice-cream? Yes, it is a real combo. And so is Doritos and chocolate sauce. Actually, anything can be a food combination if you want it to be. All you need is a curious mind and the will to experiment. While many people around the world are utterly disgusted by some food combos, there are some that genuinely enjoy consuming strange foods. And thanks to social media, these trends are being discussed and debated. If you are someone who is a fan of odd-couple foods, here is what you need to know.
What are they?
You know those odd couples that society sniggers at? Two people so odd that others begin to think they won’t last? But last they do, and that, too, successfully. Too crazy an idea, but odd-couple foods are similar. No one thinks they are good together — like pineapple and pizza — but people are willing to try them out, anyway.
It is believed that new food trends always come to the fore when a neophile — person who loves the idea of trying anything novel — takes the risk and tries them. People who are more open to newer experiences, especially in the culinary world, are the first ones who would dip their fries in an Oreo shake, maybe.
It is believed that the urge to mix salt with sugar is a universal thing, which is what most people do when they try out these combinations. (Source: Getty/Thinkstock)
According to the American Psychological Association, there is a term for this: ‘benign masochism’, first introduced by professor Paul Rozin of the University of Pennsylvania. It is the tendency to willingly eat foods that stir disgust, or are so spicy they cause physical pain.
Now, with the advent of social media, more and more people are actually doing it for the clicks and the validation, as opposed to being genuinely interested in trying out something odd. While strange foods, and the interest in odd-couple foods, have existed for a long time, social media has delivered the concept to a wider audience now.
Essentially, all odd-couple food combos will contain salt, sugar and fat. In fact, it is believed that the urge to mix salt with sugar is a universal thing, which is what most people do when they try out these combinations.