The Omnivore's Hundred

The blogosphere has been buzzing about a list posted by Andrew Wheeler at Very Good Taste, a UK food blog. It includes 100 foods that he thinks "every good omnivore should have tried at least once in their life." There are 37 items I have not experienced, so apparently I have some work to do.

To check a few more items off my list, it looks like a trip to the cheese monger will be on the agenda for Saturday, and bagna cauda may be on the menu at our house soon (sorry A, I can't leave the anchovies out of this one).

Here are the suggested guidelines for the game:

• Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
• Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
• Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
• Optional extra: Post a comment at Very Good Taste linking to your results.

My Version of the VGT Omnivore's Hundred:

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue (Christmas Eve is not complete without this)
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 (one is probably enough)
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 (maybe on the next trip to the UK)
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper (I'm a baby about spicy things)
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 (I've finally gotten over my hatred of this)
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O (not sure I want to admit this one)
39. Gumbo
    
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk (but yes, if cheese counts)
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu (doesn't seem worth the risk)
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone (maybe if the supply is controlled)
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine (but Quebec is on the short list of places to visit)
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin (this doesn't qualify as a food to me)
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 (more likely now that it's easier to get)
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill (no thanks)
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie (the middle school snack bar was not known for its cuisine)
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong (a staple at our office)
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant (maybe if I get a raise!)
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse (the American in me is showing)
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam (that real food problem again)
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