One year, for my Grandpa Shaw's birthday, we surprised him with his family coming up for a visit in Michigan. At the time, my grandparents lived in the Lodge, a large rustic house surrounded by woods. One of the biggest memories from that trip was the food. The quantity was great, and with the Shaws in the kitchen, so was the quality.
Once during our stay, for dinner, my aunt and uncle from California made bratwursts. The dinner was good, but I didn't eat much. It might have been the quality of the sausages, which did taste a little strange as I chewed. But also, my appetite wasn't normal. Nonetheless, I finished my meal like everyone else and continued to partake in the family activities.
I woke up that night with the sickening feeling of acidic ascension in my throat. Swinging aside the blankets, I leapt from my bed with a single goal: find the toilet. Thankfully, the bathroom was right outside the door, and I rushed in. Dropping to my knees, I emptied my agitated stomach of the second-rate bratwursts I had eaten for dinner. I was sick for the next few days.
After that experience, I hated bratwursts. Even without trying them, I knew that I couldn't stomach them, and I was repulsed at even the sight of the sausages. A couple of years later, I took a bite to see if I had perhaps gotten over my disgust. Upon putting the bratwurst into my mouth, my stomach flipped, and I gagged. I managed to swallow it, but was all the more convinced I would never eat them again.
I was wrong. Entering my teenage years, I tasted my Grandma Felten's bratwursts and realized my stomach could handle them. The second-rate bratwursts that had started my revulsion couldn't compare to the classic, meaty pork sausages which my Wisconsin-native Grandpa Felten delights in. Nowadays, bratwursts are one of my favorite dishes.
Brussels sprouts, on the other hand, are a different story.
Bratwursts
Ha ha. This is a Funny story Isaac. Iām still not a bratwurst fan though. š
I woke up that night with the sickening feeling of acidic ascension in my throat. I love this line.