The Slice: Some treats don’t pass the smell test

My wife and I have been married for almost 30 years.

So you might think she would be used to me by now.

Alas, that is not always the case. At least in one category, she still finds reason to regard me with disbelieving amazement.

You see, some of my gustatory preferences appall her.

I won’t detail the anguished faces made and emphatic exclamations uttered. But trust me when I tell you she expresses her feelings quite clearly.

To be fair, my wife does not have any problem with me eating food she doesn’t like. She wants me to be happy.

It’s the smell of a few of my favorites that gets to her.

In our household, “It’s coming out of your pores!” is not a compliment.

I won’t go over the whole list. But a couple of treats stand out.

Certain kinds of hummus and salsa create, I’m told, a lingering horror breath.

I think garlic is the issue. Apparently the aroma is strong – gag and take-the-lord’s-name-in-vain strong.

Me? I think the garlic gives the hummus and salsa a nice kick. I have been outvoted, however, 1 to 1.

My wife has encouraged me to consume copious quantities of the offending brands when she goes to Michigan to visit her mother and sister. “Have all you want,” she likes to say.

Anyway, this wouldn’t really be an issue except I occasionally try new varieties. Sometimes these foods are consumed without prompting frank feedback.

Other times, well, let’s just say “WHAT is that stink?” is not a question for which there is a reliably placating answer.

Surely I am not alone. I’m not trying to start trouble, but I would love it if you would help me prove that.

Please tell your story and take a selfie of you eating a food item that challenges the delicate sensory tolerance of a loved one. Then send both to The Slice before the end of this month.

I’ll share a few submissions as we get closer to Valentine’s Day.

Warm-up question: News about the two Albertsons stores closing prompts me to ask. Have you been around here long enough to remember when plans for the Albertsons to go in at 37th and Grand caused concern about traffic and safety re: Jefferson Elementary (former location) across the street?

Today’s Slice question: Photos of what nonrelatives are displayed in your home?

Write The Slice at P. O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210; call (509) 459-5470; email pault@spokesman.com. Sports isn’t necessarily the first thing that comes to mind when men of a certain age hear a reference to someone’s “draft number.”