i wouldn't have grossed me out. . .for me it's not about taste, it's about order (although i do prefer letting food stand on their own- which is why i tend to avoid sauces and dressings, but i will marinate or add rubs, because i want the thing to be flavored, not have something put on top to add to the flavor). i eat the entree first; when i'm done with the entree, i move on to one of the sides, when i'm done with that one, i move to the next side dish and so forth. i know having the food touch each other won't influence the taste (depending on the food), but it's just messy and not in order. i know, it's weird. when i make dinners for friends, i do all this great looking plating and presentation for everyone, and when i sit down to eat what i plated, i tend to take it apart and eat it one at a time. i'm well aware that it makes no sense, but i do it anyway.
believe me, i have my own internal inconsistencies about food. i just sent out an email about a study being done by a professor at duke is looking into how our expectations of what we think something will taste like over-influences what something will actually taste like. when at the same time, i have my own food dislikes and wonder if i'm guilty of doing the same thing, when i am critical of people for avoiding food because of what they think something will taste like.
