Worst Tasting Substance

In my life, there are few things that I have ever had problems ingesting. However, as I have a pretty bad cough, I took a cough syrup. I am used to the sweet, alcohol based liquid.

However, my wife brought me a new bottle of Buckley's Cough Mixture. It smells like Ben-Gay and honestly, it must taste much like it. It was hard to gag the stuff down. What a horrible substance.

I just hope it works because I do not know if I can try it a couple more times.

People often seem to recommend Buckley's syrup solely based on the awful taste: "it tastes so bad, it's gotta be effective."

I think I'll take a pass on the Buckley's, as I have a hard enough time with green-flavored Nyquil. That flavor is a vile blend of licorice and brimstone, and was surely forged in hell, or at least in a process involving a full moon and some type of ceremonial altar made of bones.

Well, unless the Buckley's proves especially effective for you...then I might just consider holding my nose & choking it down next time I'm sick.

I tried it once. Can you say, "pine tree burbs"? Ugh. never again.

Hi,

The classic flavoring of Listerine makes me gag.

I once tasted fish oil found in the drug cabinet. I was quite young, I don't know if it really was meant to taste that bad or was it rancid. No worry, because I will never knowingly try it again.

My parents were big fans of VapuRub. They swipe some under my nose, I'd run to the bathroom to wipe it off.

Clearly my family held in high regard 'medicine' that smelled or tasted bad, too.

Regards,

My grandmother seemed to favor a teaspoon of whiskey for me, even at 5. Hot water with lemon and whiskey works also. I guess the idea is to numb your brain into forgetting about a cold.

LikestoEatout wrote:My grandmother seemed to favor a teaspoon of whiskey for me, even at 5. Hot water with lemon and whiskey works also. I guess the idea is to numb your brain into forgetting about a cold.

Those were called Hot Toddy in my house. I think some sugar must have been in there, because I did finish it.

Regards,

Khaopaat wrote:I think I'll take a pass on the Buckley's, as I have a hard enough time with green-flavored Nyquil. That flavor is a vile blend of licorice and brimstone, and was surely forged in hell, or at least in a process involving a full moon and some type of ceremonial altar made of bones.

The very thought of Nyquil makes the gorge rise in my throat. When forced to drink it, I swallow it right above the bathroom sink, so I can immediately rinse and brush to ameliorate the foulness somewhat.

The day I discovered Nyquil liquigels was a good one for me.

Two horrible recollections from my childhood that seem to fit this category:
Cod Liver Oil Capsules
They must have had poorly made capsules in the old days because I remember the frequency with which these exploded in my mouth with that funky, oily taste.
Waterbury's Compound
This was some kind of tonic that my parents must have heard was good for growing children. I still remember my mother chasing around the yard after me, bottle and spoon in hand, determined to give me my daily dose. I can't recall the specific taste, but "disgusting" and "horrible" seem to be accurate descriptors.

My parents also subscribed to the idea that brandy was the answer to everything - Courvoisier it was for cuts, colds, sore throats, headaches, fevers etc. etc.

I agree that there must have been some belief ingrained in parents of that day that strong and potent tasting/smelling things were the way to protect their kids.

I hate 'tussin.* I heard tell that my great-grandmother would *swallow* a lump of Vick's Vaporub to remedy a chest cold, even though Vick's warns you not to do so. That was one tough lady.

*Anyone remember Chris Rock's standup about 'tussin and how his parents thought it cured everything? "Got cancer on your leg?" "Get out the 'tussin!"

aschie30 wrote:*Anyone remember Chris Rock's standup about 'tussin and how his parents thought it cured everything? "Got cancer on your leg?" "Get out the 'tussin!"

"If you run out of it, put some water in the jar, shake it up, mo' 'tussin!"

worst tasting substance?

natto

I'll ditto natto. Nasty, nasty stuff. I had to use it during a recent cookbook project and the two recipes containing that stuff were the only two in the book I didn't like. And it's not just the taste - it's the combination of how it affects all the senses: taste, smell, mouthfeel.

I'm positive Malort, Chicago's native wormwood liqueur is the worst-tasting substance I've had in recent memory. The first wash of this stuff on your tongue is face-scrunching bitter, but not so immediately vile that you want to spit it out. For a split second, you might even think, "What's the big fuss about? People are such weenies. It's not that bad."

It's the lingering, never-ending finish that loiters on the back of your tongue, even after other cocktails follow, that makes you regret drinking it...for several hours.

elakin wrote:worst tasting substance?

natto

Yes - Natto is pretty horrible stuff, although some japanese friends just love it. The Marmite of Japan.

But what sets natto apart is not just the organically potent rancid taste, but also the general look of the stuff. It reminds me of the primordial goo dripping off the extra terrestrial beast in Alien - at least the really ripe fully fermented natto covered with that bubbly slime. So at least you go into natto knowing that something is wrong.

jlawrence01 wrote:In my life, there are few things that I have ever had problems ingesting. However, as I have a pretty bad cough, I took a cough syrup. I am used to the sweet, alcohol based liquid.

However, my wife brought me a new bottle of Buckley's Cough Mixture. It smells like Ben-Gay and honestly, it must taste much like it. It was hard to gag the stuff down. What a horrible substance.

I just hope it works because I do not know if I can try it a couple more times.

Jesus! That stuff is wicked! I think it works by scaring whatever ails you out of your body.

Suzy Creamcheese wrote:

Khaopaat wrote:I think I'll take a pass on the Buckley's, as I have a hard enough time with green-flavored Nyquil. That flavor is a vile blend of licorice and brimstone, and was surely forged in hell, or at least in a process involving a full moon and some type of ceremonial altar made of bones.

The very thought of Nyquil makes the gorge rise in my throat. When forced to drink it, I swallow it right above the bathroom sink, so I can immediately rinse and brush to ameliorate the foulness somewhat.

The day I discovered Nyquil liquigels was a good one for me.

Just reading about someone attempting to take Nyquil makes my stomach hurt....people swear by it but the thought of trying to even get it pass my lips is too much to deal with.

elakin wrote:worst tasting substance?

natto

I was gonna say this! Every few years I think to myself, I'm older and my palate is more mature so I give it a try and every few years I regret it.

The taste I had of limburger a few weeks back I will not forget. Or forgive.

The only cough syrup I bother with usually is codeine...
There used to be one called honey cough that wasn't half bad if it wasn't bad enough to go to the doctor and I was out of the Rx stuff. (which I hoard).

As to nasty food, I know others like it, but for me it's durian fruit- the taste of rotting onions and burned matches that even chocolate has a hard time erasing.

I also remember hating sea urchin sushi, but it's been many years and maybe one day I'll get brave enough to try it again.

I do on the other hand love raw oysters, clams, and evrey other kind of caviar topped sushi....go figure...

I always thought feeding kids cod liver oil was a torture method handed down by Singapore mothers... Glad to see I wasn't alone!

My mom prefered Scott's Emulsion Cod Liver Oil. The label will live long in my memory...



And I believe this is my first exposure to false advertising... "Without the slightest repugnance"? Riiiight...

CrazyC wrote:I always thought feeding kids cod liver oil was a torture method handed down by Singapore mothers... Glad to see I wasn't alone!

My mom prefered Scott's Emulsion Cod Liver Oil. The label will live long in my memory...



And I believe this is my first exposure to false advertising... "Without the slightest repugnance"? Riiiight...

It's "Almost as palatable as milk. . . "

To be fair, the add says that it isn't repugnant to your stomach. You just have to find a way to get it to your stomach without having it come in contact with your tongue!

Natto? Natto? Are you guys on the right site? Enjoy your chicken tenders.

JeffB wrote:Natto? Natto? Are you guys on the right site? Enjoy your chicken tenders.

As long as said chicken tenders aren't covered in a wad of sticky, glue-like goo and don't smell like feet

I was reminded of a close second to the indescribable horror of Nyquil today when I passed by a young woman telling her friend, "And that's the first and LAST time I ever drink Jagermeister!"

Which I have heard plenty of times, and even said myself, after being induced to drink a shot on my 21st birthday party. Thirteen years later and I can still taste it

It's funny how much some of this is a matter of taste. I find myself reading and thinking, "That's not so bad." I like natto very much, and Marmite and Vegemite. On the other hand, I can't stand liver or most other guts (other than foie gras), and don't even like dark chicken meat much, as it tastes livery. While the OP's cough medicine doesn't sound particularly lovely, I don't have much problem with Nyquil.

Also amusing, in addition to differences, is shared experience. My grandmother, too, would swallow Vick's VapoRub. My mom didn't put it under my nose, but she rubbed it on my chest. The single worst medicine ever forced on me was Phillips Milk of Magnesia. I couldn't even keep it down.

Cough medicine, however, is a very happy memory -- bourbon, honey, and lemon juice. My dad made it for me. No hot water, as it wasn't supposed to be a beverage. But boy, did I look forward to having a cough. And bourbon is still my favorite spirit.

Khaopaat wrote:

JeffB wrote:Natto? Natto? Are you guys on the right site? Enjoy your chicken tenders.

As long as said chicken tenders aren't covered in a wad of sticky, glue-like goo and don't smell like feet

Yes. Ask for the honey mustard or ranch instead of blue cheese. That stuff's sticky and stinky. YUCK-O

I have to confess that after three or four days of using the Buckley's Cough Mixture, you get used to the taste. It helps to swallow immediately and to place it toward the back of the tongue.

My general therapy for the bi-annual or less head cold is zinc losanges at first sign, claritin to keep the sinuses open, and the cough syrup du jour to stop the hacking cough.

Oh yeah, I forgot to add zinc lozenges to the list of things I can't stand the taste of-
I'd rather have the cold!
PLUS they change the taste of EVERYTHING else you eat to AWFUL!

I have a problem with Cream of Mushroom soup.

About ten years ago, I had my wisdom teeth removed and the next day I made some soup, well let's say that the clots loosened in my mouth so the taste of the soup and blood made me nautious. Too bad, it used to be my favorite, but mentally I can't get past that one moment.