Unique flavor combinations

July 1, 2009 3:39 PM

Ridiculous and rad combinations of 2 or 3 flavors. The weirder the better.

I would like some ideas of flavors or spices that provide an interesting counterpoint to each other, but that are not well known. Mild examples that spring to mind: chocolate and chili, mint and strawberry, peanut butter and pickles. Even if 9 out of 10 people dislike it, but you really love it, I’d try it.

posted by tr0ubley to food & drink (159 comments total)

Diet Coke and milk (50/50 mix)
Pepperoni and pineapple
posted by carmicha at 3:42 PM on July 1

French fries and mayonnaise. Or, if you can find it, Dutch fritessaus.
posted by Paragon at 3:43 PM on July 1

Not that weird, but when ever people see me do it they get confused. 2/3rds Barq's Rootbeer 1/3rd Coke.

It's delicious! I find it doesn't work as well with other rootbeers, diets, or Pepsi.
posted by Arbac at 3:45 PM on July 1

Gummi and Chocolate. Seriously, those chocolate covered gummibears are like crack.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 3:46 PM on July 1 [1 favorite has favorites]

Cherry slurpee/slushy and cinnamon
Soft-serve/frosty and french fries
Applesauce and Peeps
posted by aswego at 3:46 PM on July 1

Popcorn and Sour patch kids

Peanut Butter and Brown Sugar Sandwiches

Peanut butter and Maple syrup on ma pancakes

Nacho's and sauerkraut

Berry Kool-Aid soaked Pickles

Cayenne and Mango slices

I don't know how weird any of those are but they sure taste good.
posted by Gravitus at 3:47 PM on July 1

Cheddar cheese and apple pie
or on the other end of the spectrum...
foie gras and peanut brittle
posted by egeanin at 3:47 PM on July 1

Citrus and mint.
posted by box at 3:47 PM on July 1

oh, and honey and pickle sandwiches
posted by egeanin at 3:47 PM on July 1

Maple -n- Bacon (only tried in lollipop form)
Bacon -n- Dark Chocolate
posted by crenquis at 3:48 PM on July 1

Garlic and artichoke.
posted by box at 3:48 PM on July 1

Melon and prosciutto doesn't look like it could ever work! But it does.
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 3:50 PM on July 1

Peanut butter and hot sauce sandwiches
posted by ian1977 at 3:50 PM on July 1 [1 favorite has favorites]

french fries and blue cheese dressing.
posted by jerseygirl at 3:50 PM on July 1 [1 favorite has favorites]

Citrus and mint.

That's a mojito!
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 3:51 PM on July 1

3/4 sprite + 1/4 lemonade + chipotle

super sharp cheddar cheese + apple

2nding melon and prosciutto
posted by sperose at 3:52 PM on July 1

grape soda and Absolut Peppar

shortening and sugar (hey, I was 13 and hungry and its actually pretty tasty)

balsamic vinegar grilled onions and plain pancakes with sour cream
posted by ian1977 at 3:55 PM on July 1

Honey with ham
Honey with cheese
Honey with potato chips
posted by Memo at 3:56 PM on July 1

fruit (slices or jam) and blue cheese
posted by aimedwander at 3:57 PM on July 1

Related. And somewhere in that thread there's a link to a blog post that is exactly this question, with like fifty million answers.

Oh, here it is.
posted by rabbitrabbit at 3:58 PM on July 1

Strawberries and balsamic vinegar. Or strawberries and black pepper.
posted by holgate at 3:58 PM on July 1 [2 favorites has favorites]

Raspberry and sage, like a slice of bread made with lots of sage and then spread with raspberry preserves.
posted by foooooogasm at 4:00 PM on July 1 [1 favorite has favorites]

Back in the day before I gave up my right to beer, mixing a Pabst Blue Ribbon with Milwaukee's Best or Carling Black Label was guaranteed to forget your troubles.
posted by netbros at 4:00 PM on July 1

peanut butter & chocolate & cheese-its
posted by anti social order at 4:03 PM on July 1

There was a question on here a while ago from a guy asking if he could patent or somehow protect his unique sandwich recipe. There was more to it, but the basic combination was avocado and honey mustard. I tried it, it was pretty good.
posted by losvedir at 4:03 PM on July 1

I'm all about mint chocolate chip ice cream and green olives. Girlfriends have refused to kiss me over it.

Incidentally, this reminds me of Wilfrid Sellars's Incompatible Food Triad.
posted by mllrstvn at 4:05 PM on July 1 [1 favorite has favorites]

I don't know if its weird, but any tomatillo-avacado mix is yummy.
posted by cestmoi15 at 4:05 PM on July 1

A shot of whiskey with several drops of Tabasco in it. First the delicious whiskey burn travels down your gullet then the delicious Tabasco burn travels up it.
posted by TheOnlyCoolTim at 4:05 PM on July 1

Cauliflower + cocoa powder. Also, basil + chocolate, rosemary + chocolate, and thyme + chocolate.
posted by soleiluna at 4:06 PM on July 1

a spoonful of peanut butter dipped in orange juice.
posted by thinkingwoman at 4:07 PM on July 1

Horseradish and mustard.
posted by box at 4:07 PM on July 1

Orange, chocolate

Chicory, chocolate

Chinese 5-spice, chocolate

Tarragon, blueberry

Maple syrup, almond butter (sandwiches)

Thai chili paste, soy sauce

Harissa, almond
posted by foooooogasm at 4:08 PM on July 1

Raw onions and honey on toasted whole wheat bread.
brie cheese with polski ogorkie pickles and fresh french bread.
peanut butter and barbeque sauce.
posted by Billegible at 4:08 PM on July 1

Cayenne, mint and watermelon.
posted by nebulawindphone at 4:10 PM on July 1

balsamic vinegar on vanilla ice cream.
posted by GuyZero at 4:11 PM on July 1

balsamic vinegar, sugar, and cherries (macerated cherries)

dipping rice crispies in salt (from the old thread)

graham crackers, cream cheese, and slices of banana

green tea and a touch of sugar (warning, sacrilege)
posted by Ghidorah at 4:11 PM on July 1

Husband is a big fan of dipping pizza crust in soda (like coke or pepsi, not sprite), the only weird thing I can think I eat is popcorn and salsa con queso.
posted by katers890 at 4:12 PM on July 1

clam broth and tomato juice.

since the thread seems to not be getting deletd
posted by GuyZero at 4:13 PM on July 1

Another similar previous thread.

Garlic and orange. Nothing better than washing down a very garlicky meal with a glass of orange juice.

Also, you may want to check out The Flavor Bible, which lists literally thousands of suggested flavor combinations. Some of them well-known and obvious, but many not. I just got it recently and have already enjoyed "trout and sage" and "green beans and black olives" as unexpectedly good flavor combinations, among others.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 4:13 PM on July 1

Rosemary and feta.
posted by box at 4:15 PM on July 1

Tarragon also goes beautifully with strawberries. One of the best desserts I ever had was strawberry ice layered with coconut cream and fresh tarragon.
posted by scody at 4:15 PM on July 1 [2 favorites has favorites]

Here are a few molecular gastronomy food pairing links:

kymos.org explains the reasons that some of these pairing work.

Heston Blumenthal from the Fat Duck Restaurant lists some of his flavor pairings.

Bernard Lahousse has put together a website of possible flavor pairings based on flavor components.

A quick search for 'flavor combinations' on Google will give you a long list of unique foods combinations.
posted by calumet43 at 4:16 PM on July 1 [1 favorite has favorites]

Black coffee with lemon
posted by ttyn at 4:18 PM on July 1

You might like some of the combinations here. Their naga (curry) chocolate is especially good.

If you google any restaurant known for innovative tasting menus (french laundry, for instance), you'll find all the unique flavor combinations you could ever want.
posted by necessitas at 4:22 PM on July 1

you already somewhat mentioned it but my favorite sandwich as a kid was a peanutbutter-pickle-and-cheese sandwich (crunchy pbutter, hamburger dill pickle, cheddar/american cheese)

mmmm.... it might be time for a sammich!

but a true taste sensation was the digestif this one Ethiopian restaurant in Seattle used to serve up:

- one icy-chilled shot of some kind of anise liqueur
- one dark roast coffee bean submerged therein
- lit on fire
- flames for a few moments, then is blown out
- now, quickly toss down the shot, but careful to catch the bean, &
- crunch the bean!

icy cold + flaming hot + dark roast + anise = eyes now wide open!
posted by jammy at 4:31 PM on July 1 [2 favorites has favorites]

Grilled chicken dipped in melted chocolate. Mmmm.
posted by infinityjinx at 4:34 PM on July 1

mango and avocado

sweet potato and chipotle

garlic butter and strawberry jam (this one was on accident, but oh so good I've done it on purpose a few times since)
posted by zinfandel at 4:35 PM on July 1

Coffee and tea.
posted by mdonley at 4:36 PM on July 1

Almond or pistachio and rose

Strawberry and pink pepper

Apricot and chipotle
posted by showbiz_liz at 4:39 PM on July 1

Using salt & vinegar chips to scoop chocolate icecream from a paddle pop / popsicle/ icrecream on a stick. It is awesome, and convenient.
posted by b33j at 4:39 PM on July 1 [1 favorite has favorites]

Salt (ammonium chloride, to be exact) and Black Licorice.

Chocolate and bacon.
posted by spinifex23 at 4:39 PM on July 1

Mango with chili powder.
posted by Jon-o at 4:39 PM on July 1

My youth was misspent eating peanut butter and tuna fish sandwiches. I've...lost...the taste for that as an adult but was pretty keen on it for a while.
posted by Neofelis at 4:42 PM on July 1

Roast chicken, aged gouda and mashed banana toasted sandwich with plenty of garlic and salt.
posted by ninazer0 at 4:44 PM on July 1

Popcorn and Sour patch kids

Popcorn and Peanut M&Ms

I discovered a great combo by accident at work: Calistoga Spring Water and Splenda.
The Splenda fizzes up the water and when that's done the combo beats 7Up IMO.
posted by @troy at 4:45 PM on July 1

just had peanut butter curry ice cream at a shop in sf - yum!
posted by cranberryskies at 4:45 PM on July 1

Pickles and orange juice was one of my favorite snacks as a wee one.
posted by The corpse in the library at 4:45 PM on July 1

also, regular Cheerios and the EAS vanilla whey protein powder . . . tastes something like frosted cheerios.
posted by @troy at 4:48 PM on July 1

- Chocolate with earl grey tea (e.g. steep the tea in hot cream, then strain and pour over chocolate shavings, stir until melty, chill until harder, form into truffles)
- apples+mushrooms+onions+arugula
- fresh pineapple and honey (bonus if you grill the pineapple first)
- pretty much any stone fruit, plus almond
posted by vytae at 4:49 PM on July 1 [1 favorite has favorites]

Maybe not obscure enough for you, but: corn, lime, chili powder, Parmesan, and mayo.
posted by The corpse in the library at 4:49 PM on July 1

Pernod, mustard, dill

Yam, ginger

Yogurt, ginger

Apple, pork

Asparagus, soy sauce

Asparagus, honey mustard

Cucumber, vinegar, sugar

Mango, plantain

Cabbage, soy sauce, thai chili

Tomato, vodka, basil, creme

Clove, molasses, chocolate
posted by foooooogasm at 4:50 PM on July 1

cottage cheese and apple butter

my father swears by fresh vidalia onion, chunks and salted, on saltines, washed down with milk.
posted by namewithoutwords at 4:54 PM on July 1

I've always eaten my grilled cheese sandwiches with ketchup, ever since I was a kid. Seems perfectly natural to me, but everyone I tell about that goes "Eeew!"
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 4:54 PM on July 1

By the way, a lot of people don't know this: Vanilla + Cinnamon oil + Citrus oil, when mixed properly, yields Cola flavor. That's what cola is.

Vanilla + Wintergreen -> Root Beer
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 4:56 PM on July 1 [11 favorites has favorites]

Balsamic vinegar & strawberries (toss sliced strawberries in a frying pan with balsamic vinegar, and brown sugar until the tang goes away and add one or two twists of black pepper - let it get syrupy and toss over good vanilla ice-cream)

Blue Cheese and a sweet white wine.
posted by bitdamaged at 4:57 PM on July 1 [1 favorite has favorites]

Garlic pepper tabasco blended with mayonnaise. You wouldn't believe how good this tastes on shrimp!
posted by aquafortis at 4:59 PM on July 1

Horseradish and orange marmalade, spread on soda bread. I had this as a breakfast appetizer once and LOVED it! On first taste, however, it's almost too bizarre... but it's delicious.
posted by 2oh1 at 5:00 PM on July 1

Ham & Peanut Butter
posted by The World Famous at 5:07 PM on July 1

Vegemite and mustard pickles - Taste sensation!

Peanut butter, grated carrot + a few raisins on fresh white bread.
posted by jcm at 5:15 PM on July 1

Wasabi and cheese. Real wasabi, though. And real cheese.
posted by Paragon at 5:16 PM on July 1

Mozzarella and Dulce De Batata

Ice cold lemonade instead of hot water in Yerba Mate
posted by The World Famous at 5:19 PM on July 1

Strawberry and green tea is my go-to combo at the ice cream shop.

Speaking of ice cream, this honey lavender habanero ice cream was some of the best I ever had.
posted by aparrish at 5:29 PM on July 1 [1 favorite has favorites]

hot sauce and mint. like, put hot sauce on altoids. i can't remember what the hot sauce was, though.
posted by rmd1023 at 5:30 PM on July 1

strawberries and cucumbers are delicious together in a salad!
posted by supermedusa at 5:32 PM on July 1

My father was very fond of peanut butter and mayonnaise sandwiches. Ate them every day.
posted by Thorzdad at 5:32 PM on July 1

PEANUT BUTTER AND KALAMATA OLIVES!!
Despite the insistence of my wife to the contrary, this IS GOOD.
posted by crazylegs at 5:34 PM on July 1

I'm a fan of Jager and pineapple juice served very cold. It'll warm you up on a cold morning.

We also used to do Walla Walla Sweet Onions sautéed with golden raisins for a side with steaks. Super tasty.
posted by Uncle at 5:41 PM on July 1

watermelon and some fresh bread
spicy cajun peanuts and baby carots
posted by pyro979 at 5:52 PM on July 1

Cheese and brown sugar. Think pastas.
posted by idiotfactory at 5:53 PM on July 1

Clam dip with BBQ chips, yum.
posted by Grlnxtdr at 5:55 PM on July 1

Cream cheese and ketchup sandwiches.
posted by Quietgal at 5:59 PM on July 1

Roast, candied garlic in ice cream - I've only ever had this at Garlics of London and it was awesome.
posted by scruss at 6:04 PM on July 1

mango and sriracha
posted by amme at 6:04 PM on July 1 [1 favorite has favorites]

graham crackers and lemonade
posted by spinturtle at 6:06 PM on July 1

Coke + chocolate ice cream

peanut butter, strawberry jam, & mayo
posted by belladonna at 6:08 PM on July 1

Strawberries and fresh basil.

Pear, cheese and balsamic vinegar.

Beetroot, mint and fetta

Cheddar and apple.
posted by girlgenius at 6:10 PM on July 1

Watermelon and feta (actually a classic Greek flavor combo)
Pretzels and candy corn
posted by jeoc at 6:13 PM on July 1

coffee and beer

peanut butter and tomato soup (just mix in a few spoonfulls of pb while it's warming up on the stove)

popular in India: lemonade or limeade with salt and pepper
posted by bookish at 6:14 PM on July 1

Brush teeth (mint), then drink scotch.
posted by orme at 6:21 PM on July 1

chocolate chips dunked in orange juice.

but also agree on sour patch kids w/ popcorn and cheezits dunked in peanut butter.
posted by mittenbex at 6:31 PM on July 1

A guy I work with just loves a big IPA (like Racer 5) and an avocado. I guess it's not too weird, but he says he eats it everyday.
posted by lizjohn at 6:33 PM on July 1

apple + cheese
apple + salty crackers
french fries + vanilla ice cream
pickles + chocolate milk
hot sauce + lime juice + salt, on the rim of your margarita glass
sour cream + sugar + strawberries
strawberry jam + unseasoned cooked chicken breast (kind of like cranberry sauce on turkey)
ketchup + mayo
grilled apple+ grilled onion slices + cinnamon sprinkled on top
avocado + hardboiled egg whites + salt + lemon juice, mmmm so delicious, eat slices of those with the salt and lemon juice, or put into a sandwich

That's the list of things I eat that makes people go "ew Kate, you're weird." Well, except for the hot sauce+salt thing - that makes people say that I make magical margaritas.
posted by KateHasQuestions at 6:44 PM on July 1

Also, put baby spinach (or kale or other greens) into smoothies. I'm not a fan but a friend loves it.
posted by KateHasQuestions at 6:45 PM on July 1

Peanut butter and horseradish on crackers
posted by Raybun at 6:46 PM on July 1

fries + tarter sauce
buttery rolls dipped in ketchup
posted by sporaticgenius at 6:47 PM on July 1

I like to pour maple syrup on meusli before adding milk. Also, strawberries and avocadoes, sliced and chilled, are heaven.
posted by Marisa Stole the Precious Thing at 7:18 PM on July 1

PB&J&M = Peanut Butter + Jam/Jelly + Mustard = Yum! It gives the classic a tang that's produced more than one green-eggs-and-ham moments with my friends.
posted by funkiwan at 7:24 PM on July 1

Banana and hazelnut.
posted by box at 7:25 PM on July 1

popcorn sprinkled with brewer's yeast, garlic powder, grated parmesan, and salt. Melted butter is optional, but delicious.
posted by Multicellular Exothermic at 7:26 PM on July 1

i love chicken soup and vanilla ice cream - scoop some ice cream, just so, then scoop chicken soup- eat!

honey and salt on bread.
posted by beccaj at 7:29 PM on July 1

brush teeth, then drink Guinness
posted by Multicellular Exothermic at 7:29 PM on July 1

Chicken nuggets dipped in whipped cream.
posted by The Pusher Robot at 7:37 PM on July 1

Big Mac with hot chocolate fudge sauce inside. Tastes almost exactly like a standard Big Mac, but the looks on the faces of the counter staff when they see you actually eating the thing are just priceless. I've actually been asked to leave a McD's just for requesting this.
posted by flabdablet at 7:39 PM on July 1

Tiger ice cream is a combination of orange and licorice ice creams. It's awesome.
posted by furtive at 7:40 PM on July 1

dip french fries in a chocolate milk shake. burger king works best for the fast food version

popcorn and black pepper
posted by Ghidorah at 7:49 PM on July 1

There's a running series on several food blogs called TGRWT (they go really well together). The combinations are based on chemical similarities, as opposed to one person's opinion. This link is where it was started.
posted by O9scar at 8:06 PM on July 1

Maple Syrup and Cholula.
posted by phaedon at 9:09 PM on July 1

Cottage cheese + tabasco, or sometimes cream cheese (eg, on a bagel) + tabasco. Obviously only good if you like the hot taste of tabasco sauce. (I am addicted to it.)
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 9:10 PM on July 1

starfruit, pear, ginger, white pepper in a pie.

bologna and peanut butter (courtesy a three year old girl)
posted by brevator at 9:22 PM on July 1

Rice crispies and soft-boiled eggs. If you like soaking up egg yolks in your toast, this is a whole bowl full of it. If that grosses you out, so will this. My great-grandfather "invented" this, and it's my son's favorite breakfast (and mine, too).
posted by dylanjames at 9:23 PM on July 1

I like my peanut butter sandwiches with bacon bits.

(who new peanut butter was such a ubiquitous medium?)
posted by Eumachia L F at 9:45 PM on July 1

Horseradish and apple sauce.

dip french fries in a chocolate milk shake. burger king works best for the fast food version

French fries and a Frosty at Wendy's is better...
posted by torquemaniac at 9:57 PM on July 1

Hot Damn 100 mixed with pineapple juice at about 1:1 is so goddamn delicious and I don't know why.
posted by Pope Guilty at 10:22 PM on July 1

chocolate and cinnamon
posted by 5_13_23_42_69_666 at 11:01 PM on July 1

cheese and vegemite

also

cheese and banana sandwich
posted by compound eye at 11:04 PM on July 1

You people are all sick!
but as a kid, I liked coke and white rice. Take a swig of coke, leave it in your mouth, then eat rice.
posted by carpyful at 11:07 PM on July 1

add some cumin to your spinach
posted by ouke at 1:15 AM on July 2

Lemonade and ice tea, a la Arnold Palmer

I think this is common but everytime I order it in front of new people they think I'm crazy.
posted by like_neon at 3:11 AM on July 2

caramelized onions and tuna fish
nutmeg and garlic (in potatoes, eggs, etc.)
cream cheese and salami
blue cheese and pears
orange, onion, and cilantro
Worcestershire sauce and mayonnaise
posted by A Terrible Llama at 3:15 AM on July 2

Marmite + marmalade on buttered toast. I tried this based on the similarity of the names. Marmite on first, then marmalade. Truly wonderful, as it turns out.
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 3:34 AM on July 2

Tuna Salad (mayo, onion, celery etc.) and BBQ beans: mixed. Served with pumpernickel bread.
posted by HoldFast at 3:34 AM on July 2

My god, Metafilter, you are weird.

That said:

peanut butter and bacon sandwiches (which has surprisingly few fans among people I know.)
Old Bay seasoning on fried eggs.
Honey or brown sugar on a halved grapefruit, warmed up in the microwave.
Lime juice sprinkled on "salt & pepper" flavor potato chips, a recipe I had to invent after I stopped being able to find these anywhere.
posted by emelenjr at 4:38 AM on July 2

Blocks of sharp cheddar cheese covered in real peanut butter (not the processed, sugared kind). I've seen peanut butter cheese cracker sandwiches before so this seemed like the next logical step. It's a flavor explosion.
posted by seppyk at 6:59 AM on July 2

Old Bay seasoning on fried eggs.

I'll do you one better. Melt a pat of butter on low heat and add a bit of garam masala to cook until it's all nice and fragrant. Then turn up the heat and fry eggs in it.
posted by nebulawindphone at 7:26 AM on July 2 [1 favorite has favorites]

Flaky pastry and pork. I can't eat my sister-in-law's pork turnovers (my tongue touches the pastry, gets me subconsciously ready for whatever kind of sweet fruit filling is inside, then recoils at finding savory seasoned meat) but her family and my friends love them.
posted by roystgnr at 7:49 AM on July 2

Not ridiculous, rad, or weird: Cheerios mixed with Raisin Bran. It's tasty, with a nice combination of textures.
posted by Multicellular Exothermic at 8:05 AM on July 2

A friend of mine swears by lemon wedges dipped in soy sauce as a snack.
posted by Kattiara17 at 8:33 AM on July 2

summer sausage and peanut butter
posted by codefinger at 9:08 AM on July 2

My staff pick at the ice cream store I work at is coffee oreo and peanut butter sauce. I'd like to add that most of this stuff sounds pretty far out there to me, and I'm not usually a concoction maker, but this combo was heeeeeavenly.
posted by Muffpub at 9:27 AM on July 2

A friend of mine told me that he tried topping vanilla ice cream with bacon bits, and it tasted great.
posted by Chocolate Pickle at 10:21 AM on July 2

Nice thin slices of cucumber with thin slices of banana. Good combination of tastes and textures.
posted by mdoar at 10:23 AM on July 2

I've always been a fan of Lox (or smoked salmon) with cream cheese on Cinnamon Toast. It's a leap of faith the first time you try it, but it's just the classic salty/sweet combination.
posted by indiebass at 10:59 AM on July 2

Cream cheese with pimento green olives. In a sandwich, preferably.
posted by emyd at 11:01 AM on July 2

nebulawindphone, that sounds incredible. I just happen to have some garam masala on hand, too.
posted by emelenjr at 11:16 AM on July 2

1. cheddar, apple and sauerkraut (try them, layered, in a quesadilla; trust me)

2. saltines, crunched up in a glass of milk, eaten with a spoon
posted by mabelstreet at 1:10 PM on July 2

White Chocolate, Fennel, Pink Peppercorns
posted by chill at 2:06 PM on July 2

tr0ubley: thanks for asking this question - this thread is *awesome*
posted by jammy at 2:46 PM on July 2

Cheese pizza and sriracha.
posted by box at 6:39 PM on July 2

If you cook white asparagus in bacon, you get something that tastes and smells a lot like peanuts. Seriously, I am peanut-allergic and the smell was almost making me feel sick.
posted by Earl the Polliwog at 7:07 PM on July 2

Peanut butter and bacon with mango chutney on raisin toast.

I read it in a James Beard book and it's fantastic.
posted by holdenjordahl at 9:57 PM on July 2

Salt and caramel (or salted caramels).
posted by foooooogasm at 10:13 AM on July 3

The one true combination of french fries & ice cream involves McDonalds.

Vanilla ice cream + salted peanuts + dried coconut
posted by divabat at 8:26 PM on July 3

a scrape of Marmite, with peanut butter on toast - it's like a saltier, more savoury version of peanut butter.
posted by iona at 5:00 AM on July 4

Sea salt and olive oil.
posted by box at 7:16 AM on July 4

For more delicious ideas (and photos!) from two amazing chefs: ideas in food.
posted by judith at 10:44 AM on July 4

My favorite pizza joint in my hometown has awesome New-York-style pizza and equally awesome homemade chunky bleu cheese dressing.

I often dip my pizza (or just the crusts) in the dressing. People think I'm weird, but I hardly care. It's so damn good.
posted by ixohoxi at 3:23 PM on July 4

There's a German restaurant by my house that does Cola Weiss which is basically 1/3 cola (in this case Pepsi) and 2/3 Hefe-Weisse (in this case Franziskaner). Delicious!!!
posted by Kimberly at 2:46 PM on July 6

Unless I missed it, we forgot peanut butter and hamburger. At a restaurant at Purdue, they call it the "Duane Purvis".

YUM.
posted by po822000 at 6:54 AM on July 7

Adding to this list:

• dip french fries in a chocolate milk shake. burger king works best for the fast food version
• French fries and a Frosty at Wendy's is better...

• French fries dipped in McDonald's hot fudge sundae

+

roasted chicken dipped occasionally in a mixture of tomato ketchup and Worcestershire sauce
posted by pleasebekind at 9:07 AM on July 7

potato chips + dill pickle

cumin + just about anything

sriracha + corn on the cob
posted by ohyouknow at 4:27 PM on July 8

Another good one I remembered today is marmalade and cayenne pepper, on buttered toast.
posted by nebulawindphone at 8:11 AM on July 9

-Vanilla and black pepper, especially in homemade ice cream (thanks Orangette!)
-That Mexican cheese, lime, and black pepper "sauce" slathered on grilled corn on the cob. Apparently you can buy the mayonnaise-y, lime-y sauce at Wal-Mart or something premade.
-Rosemary and cayenne/chile, coated on nuts with brown sugar or rubbed with into pork
-Meat/savory flavors and tart-sweet fruit or nuts. Beef plum stew, chicken with apricots and/or apples, mole-like Persian sweet stews like fesen joon, roasted sausages with red grapes, brats with sauteed apples and cream, etc. Spruces up the flavors in hearty comfort food dinner entrees and is a nod to old-world Eastern flavor profiles.
-Apples with licorice-like flavors (got this from the recent piece in Cook's Illustrated on chopped salads; one was an apple and fennel combo)
-Honeydew melon and fresh mint
-Not sure how unique it is as a combo, but rhubarb and any sweet creamy accompaniment--think fresh rhubarb, vanilla ice cream, mascarpone, etc--is wonderful, especially if you bake the rhubarb beforehand and drizzle it with its own sugary syrup
posted by ifjuly at 3:35 PM on July 10

this thread is BLOWING UP, but I still want to join in the fun:

a slice of american cheese and a banana, made famous by mister rogers and hilariously featured on mcsweeney's "reviews of new foods"

fry an egg with good amount of butter and salt, sprinkle with a little nutmeg

chocolate cokes (ie. pour chocolate syrup in coke and stir, one of my dad's standard childhood soda fountain orders

spam musubi: white rice and a slice of spam (pan fried, sometimes with a little teriyaki or soy sauce) wrapped in nori like a giant sushi roll
posted by dahliachewswell at 3:37 PM on July 10

Great sandwich combo: peanut butter, crisp bacon, thin slices of a sweet-tart apple.

My uncle used to eat chocolate chip cookies with baby dills sandwiched between them... surprisingly good!
posted by amarie at 6:33 PM on July 10

Sprinkle cinnamon on the cut side of a grapefruit half and microwave it for 1 minute. Awesome.
posted by amarie at 6:36 PM on July 10

Nobody's mentioned it yet? Minced up radishes + butter, on any kind of toasty bread.
posted by peagood at 6:25 PM on July 13

And I'm back, because I just remembered (and had) peanut butter spread on celery with chopped dried apricots, sprinkled with a little salt.
posted by peagood at 1:01 PM on July 14

* Mango and chili powder (as mentioned above), but also with lime and salt. Divine.
* Avocado and basalmic vinegar.
* 50/50 honey and olive oil. Dip really pillowy, doughy bread in this. Yum.
* Next time you're having sushi, taste a bit of pickled ginger. Then take a sip of a good Japanese beer. This wonderful, smooth and slightly sweet sensation will roll over your tongue - I haven't figured out what's behind this reaction, but it's one of my favorite combinations.
posted by jennak at 11:08 AM on July 16 [1 favorite has favorites]

Basil & bacon (on a BLT) have a very interesting harmony together.
posted by soleilMia at 1:58 PM on July 29