The Devil’s Testicles

I was talking with a friend in pre-covid days about food and what we like and dislike in our diets. I know, it seems a pretty boring conversation.

Vegetables

You might have a vision that we were standing, arms folded, chatting away like two old washerwomen. It honestly wasn’t like that. It all started with a quip about vegetables as around these parts a lot of people have the land to grow their own. They don’t mind sharing their spoils either, which we are always more than grateful for. However, it wasn’t long before we were comparing vegetables, which ones we like or dislike and so on.

Make Me Gag

I noticed the Brussells Sprouts and made my feelings known that I can’t abide the things. Ever since I went to nursery school, I only have to hear the mere mention of ‘sprouts’ and immediately I feel myself wanting to gag! At this point, my friend spurted out, “Oh, the Devils testicles!” What a wonderful description and for me it’s perfect. I thought he was being quite polite too as when you stop to think about it, there’s probably far coarser names he could have given them.

I Don’t Dislike All Vegetables

I don’t dislike vegetables, there are a few that I try to eat as often as possible. Cabbage, cauliflower, peas, green beans and I love a good homemade vegetable soup in the middle of winter. As for those testicle things, no chance, not even on Christmas day. They smell strange, taste awful (to me anyway) and I know I’ll never enjoy them. I’ve even seen people coat them in chocolate to make them a little more palatable, but it’s no good, they’re not my dish. That’s enough of my hates so it leaves me to wish that you have a nice day.

There’s even been a science-based report on why some of us hate sprouts. If you’d like to read it, you can find it here:

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66 Comments
  • caahli
    October 31, 2020

    So strange that you don’t love them! For me they are so delicious! yes, personal taste is personal! ???? ????

    • Trev
      October 31, 2020

      Thank you, Caahli. I just so dislike them. You’re right, it is a personal taste. 🙂

    • smarinucci1970
      November 1, 2020

      You silly old sod Trev I really love your work you are great you are funny great sense of humor your informative I’ve learned a lot it’s it’s wonderful it’s a great road trip with you of course I’m here in America with all the drug addicts and zombies and you find your own little normal place and you pray to God nobody bothers you so you could live but it never works that way but oh my God I love your stuff especially your trip to Mongolia thanks sincerely Sharon

      • Trev
        November 1, 2020

        Well, that’s very kind of you to say so, Sharon. Thank you and I am happy someone’s enjoying my posts. Stay safe. ????

  • Cheryl, Gulf Coast Poet
    October 31, 2020

    Trev, please pass the Brussels sprouts. You can have all of my radishes! Entertaining post! <3

    • Trev
      October 31, 2020

      You’re welcome, Cheryl and yes I love the radishes, thank you. 🙂

  • Yetismith
    October 31, 2020

    Last time I went out to dinner, which was a very rare occurrence, we were served sprouts prepared I think in garlic and I’m not sure what.They were very tiny, so tender and sweet and not sproutish at all! You might even enjoy them, but with so many other choices, why would you? Off hand I can’t think of a veg I don’t like. Plenty of other things!

    • Trev
      October 31, 2020

      Thank you, Yeti. I’m not sure why it is, I just go all strange at the mere mention of them. 🙂

    • Lolsy's Library
      November 1, 2020

      My mum made sprouts wrapped in bacon, and some kind of honey sauce. It’s quiet good.

      • Trev
        November 1, 2020

        Thank you, Lolsys. I quite like the sound of bacon and honey sauce, but definitely without the sprouts.

  • Roadtirement
    October 31, 2020

    Thank you, Thank you, and again I say Thank you! Finally after 69 years I feel vindicated for the years of telling parents that “Yes, Brussel Sprouts taste as bad as I’m saying!”. Now that I know that I have two of those pesky bitter-tasting PTC genes my gag reflex with sprouts is finally explained. And I now know that to my mom, sprouts tasted good. That article you found was a gem.

    • Trev
      October 31, 2020

      Yep, I was impressed with the article too. Thank you 🙂

  • Jacob
    October 31, 2020

    Sprouts – argh! I’m with you on this one. Coating them in chocolate sounds even worse, and you know things are bad if that’s the case!

    • Trev
      October 31, 2020

      Thank you, Jacob. It doesn’t matter how they’re dressed up. they’re still awful. 🙂

  • Herb
    October 31, 2020

    I’ve always said that Brussel Sprouts were of the devil. I never knew which part, though!

    • Trev
      October 31, 2020

      Now you know, Herb. Thank you. 🙂

  • Peter's pondering
    October 31, 2020

    For some strange reason it took eight attempts before I could read this post. WP wanted me to instal the software (which I already have, and use) Then it said it could not load the comments, and then wanted me to log on to post a comment. At times I hate WP – but I love sprouts!

    • Trev
      October 31, 2020

      It was my hosting company that was at fault. I got a huge spike in visitors that took the blog off. In some ways, I was pleased with the extra volume, but it’s no good if people can’t see it. Glad you like sprouts though, thank you, Peter. 🙂

  • bitaboutbritain
    October 31, 2020

    Am I alone in finding that people who like sprouts spend an awful lot of time trying to persuade the rest of us that they’re, really, very nice to eat? However, you can cook ’em with bacon, chestnuts, coat the things in cheese, or whatever: but they still taste like sprouts.

    • Trev
      October 31, 2020

      No, you’re not alone. I’ve been coaxed many times to eat them and every time I’ve had to refuse. I wish I could eat them, it would keep people off my back. Thank you 🙂

  • Jennifer L Bates
    November 1, 2020

    I must concur no devil’s testicles for me.

    If you have to cover something in chocolate to try to force yourself to eat it how healthy his it?

    • Trev
      November 1, 2020

      I agree. Just keep the chocolate as it is, I will be happy. Thank you, Jennifer ????

  • Pied Type
    November 1, 2020

    I do like sprouts now and then, although cooking them stinks up the whole house. But I’ll probably never fix them again without thinking of this post!

    • Trev
      November 1, 2020

      Thank you. They do stink the house out and that’s another reason I dislike them. ????

  • Anonymous
    November 1, 2020

    I’ve learned to like sprouts just recently, but only in small doses of 2 at a time, like a set of testicles.

  • jimflanigan
    November 1, 2020

    Not sure why my previous comment posted anonymously, but that’s me that likes the devil’s testes in sets of 2.

    • Trev
      November 1, 2020

      Thank you, Jim. I think it was my site playing up that showed you as anonymous. The Devil working in mysterious ways. ????

  • Tony
    November 1, 2020

    I fully agree with you the eating of Sprouts. Was always told that they are just ‘little cabbages’. Thankfully, because I’m on Warfarin, I can claim that they are “… full of vitamin K and dangerous for me …”. Seems to work!

    • Trev
      November 1, 2020

      Thank you, Tony. At least you have a good medical reason for not eating them. ????

  • Going Batty in Wales
    November 1, 2020

    I don’t know of any law which says eating brussel sprouts is compulsory even on Christmas Day and you obviously enjoy enough others to have a good diet so why worry? I hated them as a child – overcooked and soggy and bitter. Now I enjoy them so I eat them but I certainly wouldn’t if they still tasted horrible to me.

    • Trev
      November 1, 2020

      I just hate them, soggy or otherwise. They make me gag. Thank you ????

  • Brothers Campfire
    November 1, 2020

    I like them, but I like vegetables!????????

    • Trev
      November 1, 2020

      Thank you, I’m glad someone likes them ????

  • tallulahbass
    November 1, 2020

    I happen to like them – but its a 50/50 split amongst my friends, and yes they have been called ‘the Devils testicles’ by a few of them. In fact it is quite odd just how many foodstuffs we refer to as – ‘The Devils’ testicles/balls/eyballs and in one case ears! Oddly prawns in case you were wondering.

    • Trev
      November 1, 2020

      Lol, I love prawns. I’m glad you like the sprouts, thank you ????

  • Rosaliene Bacchus
    November 1, 2020

    As a kid, I didn’t like eating vegetables, but that changed when I grew older and wiser about such things. As to the “Devil’s testicles,” I’ve added them to my diet here in the USA. Like you, my sons don’t like them for the same reason 🙂

    • Trev
      November 1, 2020

      Thank you, Rosaliene. I can understand your sons not liking them, but I’m pleased to hear you have added them to the diet. 🙂

  • Libby
    November 2, 2020

    I quite like sprouts – or at least I did. I’ve never heard them called that before; quite off-putting!

    • Trev
      November 2, 2020

      Sorry, I didn’t mean to put you off. You should still eat them, but thank you for your comment. 🙂

  • Invisibly Me
    November 2, 2020

    Your friend’s description was very apt – I love it!! I’ve never understood how people can eat The Devil’s Testicles, they’re just wrong on so many levels. Now, give me a gigantic bowl of Bird’s Eye Petit Pois & I’m a happy camper.x

    • Trev
      November 2, 2020

      I’m with you there Caz. Thank you. 🙂

  • bekitschig
    November 3, 2020

    Brussells Sprouts are the worst. PERIOD!!! Shivers, uarghhh …

  • Crystal Byers
    November 3, 2020

    So interesting about taste receptors and vegetable chemicals. And I thought it was all in the preparation.

    • Trev
      November 3, 2020

      Well, I’m pleased you’ve learned something today. Thank you, Crystal ????

  • willedare
    November 4, 2020

    I am a little bit surprised that you are OK with cabbage but not OK with brussel sprouts since they are vegetable cousins. Now I will go and read the article you linked to in your blog post and learn more… Thank you for this playful and informative blog post!

    • Trev
      November 4, 2020

      Thank you. I agree, it does seem a little strange, but there you are. Thank you ????

  • Olivia
    November 7, 2020

    I am now going to start referring to sprouts as devils testicles so thank you for that ???? I do like them though!

    • Trev
      November 7, 2020

      Thank you, Olivia. I hope you continue to enjoy them. ????

  • dessertflower5
    November 8, 2020

    HAhAH quite the tittle. HAHA i too hate sprouts.:)

    • Trev
      November 8, 2020

      Thank you, I’m glad I’m not alone ????

  • KINDNESS WISDOM
    November 9, 2020

    Hello Trevor has back again been lost in the wildness????????

    • Trev
      November 9, 2020

      Welcome back ????

  • KINDNESS WISDOM
    November 10, 2020

    The brilliant story once again ????

    • Trev
      November 10, 2020

      Thank you, Kindness. ????

  • Efrona Mor
    November 10, 2020

    It’s okay not to like all veggies.. I used to teach teach a class called seeing the dark side of vegetables, and the funnest part was how children wouldn’t touch them until they learned how to cook them, was interesting to see how kids adapted to eating things they never liked when cooked in dishes they might not suspect had that vegetable. Was fun,.,,

    • Trev
      November 10, 2020

      Thank you, Efrona. Sounds fun, the dark side of vegetables. ????

  • AppophiaM
    November 11, 2020

    ???????? “make me gag”, hilarious post

    • Trev
      November 11, 2020

      Thank you ????

  • Devil’s testicles I will be referring to those when hubby tries to get me to eat some with Christmas Dinner lol

    • Trev
      December 14, 2020

      ????????I’m glad I have found a good use for my blog post. Merry Christmas ????

  • Trishikh
    February 21, 2021

    Food and our tastes really tend to differ from place to place. The ‘Devil’s Testicles’ is perhaps an everyday food in many regions of India, specially the Bengalis eat it all the time. They prepare it even with shrimps. I personally do not like it so much. Thanks for sharing this thought, it made me think a lot about food difference.

  • rhubarbsrowe
    February 25, 2021

    hahahaha, classic!

    • Trev
      February 28, 2021

      Thank you ????