So interesting about the super taster/average/low taster phenomenon! Radicchio, endive, etc. Hm. Salads must be fraught territory for you.

Re: touching: I don't dislike touching or textures so much as I'm just perpetually overstimulated, I suppose. Keeping noises down and contact with people and things relatively rare helps with that. That said, I'm also a big believer in hugging friends and relatives, so I do it anyways. :) M.