I was never a picky eater growing up. But I had friends who would turn up their noses at the mention of tuna salad. They seemed to only respond to chicken nuggets or tenders , white rice, and buttered noodles. It was bleak. I always thought that as New Yorkers who are surrounded by different cultures, we should be a tad more adventurous. Their weak palates disappointed me, and my family struggled to inspire open-mindedness. It recently occurred to me, however, that we were using the wrong tacti…