The Associated Press

LOS ANGELES - We all know what we like to eat, but it's fun to find out what makes other people's mouths water, too.

You'd guess that Italian food and chocolate are strong favorites - but how do folk feel about kiwis and sausages?

"How America Eats 2003" in Bon Appetit magazine's March issue dishes up answers from a wide sampling.

The results of its sixth annual reader survey reveals insights into what the magazine describes as "the hearts, minds - and stomachs - of America."

Yes, Italian is the cuisine most home cooks choose. But ice cream leads the list of most-desired food treats, with chocolate second. Kiwis and sausages are clearly unwanted, in the "yuck" categories.

Confidence characterizes home cooks. Sixty-four percent rate themselves almost as good as professionals; over 90 percent would try cooking almost anything once; three-quarters had people come over for a meal within the last year and pulled out all the stops, many making a recipe that needed new equipment.

Who would be your favorite guest? Julia Child comes first, followed by chefs Emeril Lagasse and Mario Batali.

When dining out, Italian is tops again, preferably in Italy itself, in Tuscany.

Back to real life: The most comforting comfort food of all for most Americans is pasta - but that definitely doesn't include macaroni and cheese.