In Defense of ... Broccoli

Tonight, many people are writing about Barack Obama's Oval Office speech.

And tomorrow, I am sure, so will I. I've got a pretty good idea what I want to say. I'm just not in the mood to say it tonight.

I've been on Facebook this evening. My goddaughter, who lives about 800 miles away from me, is in the hospital. They're trying to relieve some kind of air pocket in her chest. Anyway, she's been posting updates and all sorts of stuff — apparently via the text function of her cell phone.

Funny, I thought people weren't allowed to use cell phones in hospitals. I guess I was wrong. Or maybe I'm not up to date on technological advances, but something must have changed because she's been posting updates and photos from her room and all sorts of stuff. Tomorrow is her son's third birthday, and the family is planning to bring the party (complete with cake and, I assume, the child's birthday presents) to her hospital room. I expect to see pictures of that posted tomorrow.

But, anyway, her half–brother paid her a visit today. And the two of them were talking about some broccoli that they shared and how good it was.

I responded that one seldom sees the words good and broccoli in the same sentence.

That's something I've never understood. I mean, I know a lot of people don't like broccoli. When he was president, George H.W. Bush spoke about how his mother forced him to eat broccoli and he hated it.

Since then, I've become more and more aware of all the people who really don't like broccoli. Bush's declaration was like an epiphany for the broccoli haters, and they emerged from their closets.

And I found that kind of response baffling.

Because my mother used to serve broccoli with a cheddar cheese/jalapeno sauce that was outrageously good. I loved it.

Actually, I've never thought that broccoli had much of a distinctive flavor to which people could object.

So I'm asking for your input.

Do you like broccoli? If you don't, what is it about broccoli that you don't like?