In a Japanese class in college, we once had a conversation about disgusting foods. By American standards, we were all adventurous eaters. But there were still some Japanese food items, like natto, that we just couldn’t stomach.

But what about American foods, we wanted know. Weren’t there foods that our native-Japanese professor thought were repulsive?

Yes, he told us, grimacing at the thought. Bagels. The taste, the texture. As gross as it gets.