My reason for disliking this dish as a child was more about what it lacked than what it delivered — it wasn't savory enough to be lasagna or sweet enough for dessert, so why bother eating it? I do, however, remember the first few times I watched my mother prepare kugel — the thrill of all those noodles, and the seductive smell of cinnamon and butter as it baked, which only set the stage for my letdown when I tasted this bland noodle square on my plate.