I have stated many times, in many ways, to many people, that my most disliked foodstuffs are of Italian origin. While I never really cared for it as a youth—I blame too many impoverished meals of cold spaghetti and watery ketchup—I think that as an adult it typically stems from how canned and contrived so much of it tastes to me, especially in this town.
That being said, I do recognize it as an important culinary genre that should be respected and represented, one that every so often finds me desperately searching and seeking an Italian eatery that might be able to rudely awaken this hungry tongue and judgmental soul with a markedly fresh flavor.