The Omnivore's One Hundred

By Paul on August 20, 2008 9:43 AM | 2 Comments

From Andrew Wheeler:

Here’s a chance for a little interactivity for all the bloggers out there. Below is a list of 100 things that I think every good omnivore should have tried at least once in their life. The list includes fine food, strange food, everyday food and even some pretty bad food - but a good omnivore should really try it all. Don’t worry if you haven’t, mind you; neither have I, though I’ll be sure to work on it. Don’t worry if you don’t recognise everything in the hundred, either; Wikipedia has the answers.
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 at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.

  1. Venison
  2. Nettle tea
  3. Huevos rancheros
  4. Steak tartare (surprising, I know, but never quite got around to it. Plus, let's face it, it's not easy to find a restaurant in the US that will serve raw beef)
  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 (fruit brandy, yes, but...)
  19. Steamed pork buns (LOOOOOVE)
  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 (not a big root beer fan--that's my brother)
  36. Cognac with a fat cigar (I'll give the cancer stick a pass)
  37. Clotted cream tea
  38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O (Not sure why this is on the list, but I'll check it off)
  39. Gumbo
  40. Oxtail
  41. Curried goat
  42. Whole insects (this was inadvertent)
  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 (deep-fried dough is a good thing)
  68. Haggis
  69. Fried plantain
  70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
  71. Gazpacho (this is actually a maybe, but I don't recall exactly, so it's off the list)
  72. Caviar and blini
  73. Louche absinthe
  74. Gjetost, or brunost
  75. Roadkill (seriously, I can understand 'kill what you eat, but this might be taking it too far)
  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 (technically rabbit, but close enough, I say)
  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 (I say what's wrong with regular lobster?)
  98. Polenta
  99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
  100. Snake (arguably covered by the eel entry)
57/100. Not bad, but not great, either. Looks like there are some surprising omissions here. Time to get to work....

(Originally found at Chocolate & Zucchini)

UPDATED: Now with annotations. Plus I would have put chicken feet on the list.

Categories:

2 Comments

martin | August 20, 2008 11:09 AM | Reply

Amusing challenge. I'm at least at 77/100, although eight of those I'm fairly sure I've had but no longer remember much about. Given my Scottish background and interest in booze and, it's peculiar that—to my knowledge—I've never had haggis, nettle tea or Baijiu, and I'm not actually 100% sure I've ever stooped to eating vodka jelly. (If I did, it was some time in college.) Technically, I've never had a Big Mac Meal—nor will I ever—although I have sampled everything that goes into one. Otherwise, I'm going to pass on the cigar, and I'd probably be pretty picky about sampling "roadkill" (depends on what it is and what condition it's in). I loathe insects, so that would be a challenge. Otherwise, this is all that's left:

Carp - probably have had it, but unsure

Bagna cauda - I'd probably enjoy this

Phaal - I love Indian food; will look out for this

Fugu - I expect to be disappointed (or dead)

Poutine - sounds ok

Kaolin - still a mystery to me

Durian - sounds interesting

Chitterlings, or andouillette - haven't had it yet, at least not precisely

Gjetost, or brunost - probably had it, but don't specifically remember it

Pocky - sounds ok

Horse - not sure I've had it

Criollo chocolate - probably had it, but will look out for it

Rose harissa - I've had a lot of harissa, but not necessary Rose harissa

Lobster Thermidor - don't think I've had it yet

Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee - unsure I've ever tried it

Snake - I think I've eaten it, but unsure

rabow | August 20, 2008 10:07 PM | Reply

You've had snake and umeboshi before.

Snake soup is that thick soup you have in winter at restaurants that you add chrysanthemum petals to.

And umeboshi is one of those sickeningly bitter and oversweetened Chinese candies. You may not remember eating it after having the ginger version as a kid.

Leave a comment