Sunday, August 17, 2008

Playing With Food (Kind Of)

Came across this list of a hundred things that all omnivores should try in their lifetime, compiled by Andrew Wheeler at Very Good Taste. This comes from a British website, so, some of the names might be unfamiliar to you (they were to me). If you care to, follow his instructions, which I have also pasted here. If you don't have a blog, or whatever, feel free to respond in some way in the comments section. I know you can do it!

Anything that you think should be on this list?

Here’s what I want you to do:
1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment here.

The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

Fifty-five of this hundred for your Central Standard omnivore, and, I can honestly say, I would probably try everything on this list given the chance. Even the ones with names that I have never heard of. Except maybe the chitterlings...and the insects...and the horse. Then again, make me an offer.

3 comments:

AMVB said...

This is an interesting list! I may try to paste my own list a little later when I have some patience. In the meantime, I have a few reactions to your list.

First, I'm very surprised that you've never had gazpacho or aloo gobi. = good.

I'll be intrusive with my opinionated self in prioritizing foods you MUST try: pho and mole. Both are amazing.

We've had pho here in DC (you want to be particular about the cut of meat you request), and as vegetarians P and I have created our own delicious recipe we make at home. It is *the best thing* I eat when I am sick. And it's good at other times too. It's one of my favorite foods.

I just had mole for the first time when we were in LA in July. The restaurant across the street from our hotel had an amazing mole, and either P or I had the mole when we ate there for lunch - every day.

Why aren't Utz potato chips on here?! I would also add a true Philly cheese steak, okra, morels, stuffing with gravy, risotto, Israelli couscous, Nutella, Emmi plain yogurt, and stuffed zucchini blossoms. Of those, morels would be an absolute must to add to the list. At the risk of incurring a $3 charge, I find them very sensual.

It's dinner time here, so perhaps I'll come back atchoo with my own list later on.

Great post!

Anon AMVB

AMVB said...

A couple other thoughts:

It's hard enough to find a one-Michelin-star-rated restaurant. A three-star? Where can I find one and how many months' salary do I need to save to try a tasting menu there? Oy. Surely it would be damned good - though likely would not include a lot of vegetarian options.

In figuring out what some of the foods are on the list, I have to question the Britishish and pretentious (in breadth) influences. Black pudding? Come on. I'd like to see a list generated by someone from a culture celebrated for their good food!

Not gonna paste the list here in the comments section - too much html to make things bold and the like. But I think I've said enough already.

Anon AMVB

comoprozac said...

I counted 68 that I've tasted. My list will be up after work is over. It will be here instead of here.