As usual, I am late to the playing field. Sometimes I just don’t want to play. Sometimes I initially don’t want to play but then I see it everywhere and feel left out and then cave in out of peer pressure. If internet people you’ve never met or spoken to count as peers who can pressure you.
So, I imagine if you are familiar with the popular blogs of the food world you’ve seen this. The Omnivore’s Hundred. 100 items that every omnivore should eat at least once in their lifetime. My caveat is that I will play, but I will not feel guilty for outright dismissing some items. Here are the instructions, if you’d like to play along and haven’t already.
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 at http://www.threedogkitchen.com linking to your results. But you really don’t have to.
The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:
1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile – no, but I’ve seen it fried quite often.
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 – it was a cart in Alaska and it was a reindeer hot dog at that!
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes – Colorado is full of this stuff.
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras – hate me if you wish, but my reaction is just, meh.
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese – uh, no. No, thank you.
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper – again, no. Because I am not INSANE.
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi – not a fan, I prefer the sweet ones.
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O – ah, Jello shots; what fond memories you bring back, ha!
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects – no, but I used to by cricket lollipops to give people for fun.
43. Phaal – curry made with Scotch Bonnet peppers? Please see #26.
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more – we tasted a lot of scotch in Scotland. I’m sure at least one of them was crazy expensive.
46. Fugu – why? So I can say I cheated death to eat a raw fish that just tastes like raw fish?
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi – love this stuff!
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 – yuck.
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian – not into foods that smell bad, sorry.
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis – I actually like haggis, served nicely along the neeps and tatties.
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe – only because it’s expensive. I have had Absente.
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill – why would I do this? If I was stranded alongside a road, I’d rather chew on grass.
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail – Cruise ships always offer this at least once. The garlic butter rocks.
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 – does Kobe chuck roast count?
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate – I don’t even know where to find this.
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab – my first experience was a grilled one and I didn’t get the nice crunchy shell, boo.
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta – I have recently learned how dead simple this is to make. Crazy.
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake – I’ve seen these fried nuggets, too, just haven’t tried it.
In response to the numerous questions his list raised, Andrew published an FAQ explaining the how, the why, and the wherefore.
I don’t think I did too poorly. I think I’ve eaten some interesting foods that didn’t make the list and I feel no shame in my lack of desire for some that did.
Three Dog Kitchen 