Strange Food Pairings to Love

By Kelly Senyei, Epicurious

Photos: Gourmet/Romulo A. Yanes

For as long as I can remember, pizza has always been enjoyed with a side of sweet pickles. It wasn't until a few years ago that I realized my favorite food pairing wasn't a common one, but rather a salty-sweet combination adored by my mom, who passed the taste preference on to her three children. To this day, if I'm eating pizza, I'm eating sweet pickles, regardless of how many stares each bite attracts.

I know we all have strange food combos that we adore, whether that means publicly admitting to them or privately enjoying them. And so I asked my fellow editors around the Epicurious office if they'd share their favorite less-than-common food combinations, which include:

• tuna salad and ketchup
• peanut butter and cheddar cheese
• egg sandwich and jam
• ham and cream cheese
• Brie cheese and milk chocolate
• ketchup and macaroni and cheese
• French fries and ranch dressing

For some, it's that irresistible mashup of salty and sweet. For others, it's a characteristic crunch accompanied by a creamy counterpart. To each his own, I say.

What's your favorite strange food pairing?

More from Epicurious:

5 Common Recipe Mistakes
Best Burger Recipes
Make a Better Roast Chicken
Easy Family Dinners
25 Sandwich Makeovers
How to Eat Your Spring Veggies