Food that Scares Me

Well, I thought this would be as good as place as any to fill you all in on the foods that I'm really afraid to cook with. This fear is pretty much unfounded, and basically is just the result of growing up in a house where we never cooked these things. But, as I get older and more adventurous in the kitchen, I'm trying to leave my fears behind and embrace recipes without any trepidation. So, here's the list of the foods that scare me, or in other words, if I see these on an ingredient list, I'm moving on to something else:

• Whipping Cream - I don't understand how this works or what I'm supposed to do with it.
• Avocados - I know I like these, but I've never bought one.
• Leeks - I just tried my first recipe with these this week and they were less scary in person.
• Soy Milk - Milk from a bean? I'm already confused.
• Chick Peas - I think I've been scarred by bad salad bar experiences.
• Orange or Lemon Zest - Doesn't this require a special tool? If so, enough said.

So fellow bloggers, are there any foods that scare you in the kitchen, and have you been able to overcome your fears? I would love to hear your strategies!