Saturday, March 14, 2009

100 Things to Eat Before You Die

Yet another gem from StumbleUpon.

I've had some pretty interesting foods at various times, but I don't know if they'd be considered "must-haves". I'm just reading through the page as I write this post so, I'm not sure what-all's on it yet. Let's see how I do with the list...

100. Venison
Done and Done! Venison fillet Mignon and a lot of venison stew.

99. Nettle Tea

98. Huevos Rancheros

97. Steak Tartare
Never tried this, but I would really like to. So far, the opportunity hasn't arisen, but someday I'll be at a fancy restaurant and I'll see it on the menu. Right now I don't exactly have the funds for a lot of fine dining so, this one'll have to wait.

96. Crocodile
I've never been anywhere that serves crocodile. Supposedly it tastes like a cross between chicken and crab. In that case, I think crocodile green curry over rice would be the way to go. Sounds good, yes?

95. Black Pudding
Yes please! This stuff is amazing! I know, it sounds kind of gross... blood and offal and all, but it's really delicious. I wish it were easier to get over here! I ate it all the time when I was in Ireland, but you hardly ever see it in the supermarkets here.

94. Cheese Fondue
What's not to like?

93. Carp
Yes, though it's been a while.

92. Borscht
I'd like to try making this one day. Just haven't gotten around to it yet.

91. Baba Ghanoush
Yes! This stuff is fantastic! I used to eat it all the time when I was a kid. My parents would get a bowl of baba ghanoush, a bowl of hummus, a package of pitas, and a bunch of raw veggies and we'd make a night of it. My brother and I always devoured the garlicky baba ghanoush and left the hummus relatively untouched. Now I love them both!

90. Calamari
I still order this stuff whenever I get the chance! Calamari == Win!

89. Pho
I love these big, wonderful bowls of soup! There's a Vietnamese restaurant around the corner from where I live. They have pho with two types of beef (rare and well done), tendon, tripe, and meatballs. I'd love to try it sometime. I've never had tripe before (or tendon for that matter!) and I think this would be a great way to try it for the first time.

88. PB&J Sandwich
My mom tried to send these in my lunch a couple of times when I first started school. I never liked them. I'd always ask for a jam sandwich without the peanut butter. Fifteen years later, I give PB&J another shot. Wow! These things are phenomenal! I still can't imagine how I couldn't have liked these as a kid. Nothing like a delicious PB&J sandwich with toasted bread, smooth peanut butter, and grape jelly! 'Though, pretty much any variation is great. Untoasted, crunchy peanut butter, with strawberry jam is also good. It's just not the best.

87. Aloo Gobi
Is good!

86. Hot Dog from a Street Cart
I've had hot dogs from several different street carts. 'Though, I don't know if they're the kind the author of the article is talking about. All my street carts have had grills. He talks about water, so I can only assume he's getting boiled hot dogs. For me, I'd take grilled over boiled any day.
But, I feel I must add, there is something even better. The absolute best hotdogs are steamies from Montreal. These things are amazing. Both the dog and the bun are steamed and delicious and wonderful. You'll never find anything else quite like it.

85. Epoisses
Apparently this is the "king of all cheese". I'll have to keep an eye out for it.

84. Black Truffle

83. Fruit Wine (made from something other than grapes)
I'm not much of a wine drinker. Actually, I'm not much of a drinker period. So, no, I haven't tried this one.

82. Steamed Pork Bun
It's been a good long time but, yes, I've had these.

81. Pistachio Ice Cream
Don't know that I'd put this on my list of foods... but, yes.

80. Heirloom Tomatoes
Yes, several varieties. Most of them home-grown.

79. Fresh Wild Berries
We have a tonne of blackberry bushes growing all over our property back home. We all used to go out and pick them in the summer. Some years we'd get more than we could eat! We'd have them over vanilla ice cream, make lovely pies, freeze them, save them, give them away, or just eat them by the handful.
We've also got a few raspberries and wild strawberries. Real wild strawberries are minuscule, but they are sweet and delicious enough to make up what they lack in size.
I also got to pick and enjoy fresh blueberries while we were in Nova Scotia visiting family. Delicious!

78. Foie Gras
As much as I'd like to try this because it's a delicacy and it's special, I don't know if I could bring myself to do it. Eating meat doesn't bother me in the slightest. I don't mind the idea that another animal has died to feed me. Cruelty, however, is another issue. That, I can't abide. I don't mind if the animal dies, as long as it is killed humanely and doesn't suffer while it lives.
From what I understand of foie gras, the ducks and/or geese are force-fed in order to make the liver extra fatty and tasty. Sounds a little cruel and unusual to me. I don't know... I'll have to look into it more before I make a final call on this one.

77. Rice and Beans
Not much to say about this one but "yes".

76. Head Cheese
As much as this may be interesting, I'd be a little wary of eating any sort of brain matter. Especially since all this nonsense with BSE and whatnot. I mean, I have no problem with eating other organs; liver, stomach, heart, kidneys, etc. I'd just be a little concerned about eating any sort of nervous tissue. If you can guarantee me that it's free of dangerous prions, then sure, I'll give it a whirl. But otherwise, I think not.

75. Raw Scotch Bonnet Pepper
I've had scotch bonnets cooked into other things before. Most notably, my dad's Superbowl chili. Can't say that I've ever tried a raw one by itself though.

74. Dulce de Leche
Tasty!

73. Oysters
I've had clams. I've had mussels. I've had scallops. But I've not had oysters yet.

72. Baklava
So delicious!

71. Bagna Cauda
I've never even heard of this before! It does sound good though. Especially with artichokes!

70. Wasabi Peas
Good as a snack. 'Though, truth be told, I'd rather just put a little wasabi paste on my sushi and enjoy it that way.

69. Clam Chowder in a Sourdough Bowl
I've had clam chowder and I've had sourdough. Does that count?

68. Salted Lassi
Sounds... interesting.

67. Sauerkraut
Love this stuff! Eat it straight out of the jar as a snack! Hot, cold, fried with onions and peppers, on hotdogs, with sausages, in Reuben sandwiches... I could go on!

66. Root Beer Float
Check!

65. Cognac with a Fat Cigar
Never had either of these. Can't say that it holds much appeal for me.

64. Clotted Cream Tea
I've had clotted cream, just not in my tea. Actually putting clotted cream in tea seems like a terrible waste! Of cream and of tea! You have to understand that proper clotted cream is going to be at least 55% fat and will be thick enough to spread with a knife. It really would be like splashing a big old pat of butter into your tea!
I maintain that the best way to have clotted cream is spread generously over warm scones with a bit of jam.
To. Die. For.

63. Vodka Jelly
Tried it once. It was alright. Meh.

62. Gumbo
I've had it, 'though not nearly often enough in my opinion.

61. Oxtail
My dad makes the best oxtail soup! Mmmm...

60. Curried Goat
Saw it on the menu and couldn't resist.

59. Whole Insects
Haven't gotten around to it yet, 'though I wouldn't mind trying fried grasshoppers or chocolate-covered ants at some point. I might get a little squeamish at live maggots though, I dunno.

58. Phaal
Haven't tried this, but I want to! Hottest curry out there? Yes please!

57. Goat's Milk
I've had loads of cheese made from goat's milk, but I've never tried the milk itself.

56. Single Malt Whiskey
Tried it. Not a fan.

55. Fugu
It's on my list. Has been for a while. It's not exactly an everyday item though. Especially not over here.

54. Chicken Tikka Masala
Definitely good.

53. Eel
Smoked eel (unagi) sushi is my absolute favourite!

52. Krispy Kreme Original Glazed Donut
You know what? Everyone goes nuts over these donuts. They're not that great. I mean, they're not bad. They're just nothing special.
Now, what is great is a fresh, warm, homemade donut.
The only other donuts that could compare were from a street cart on O'Connell Street in Dublin. She made them right there, in front of you. You told her whether you wanted them dipped in chocolate or just tossed in sugar. You got them in a paper bag, with a napkin; still warm. They were the most delicious, melt-in-your-mouth donuts you could ever hope for! I once bought half a dozen of them and proceeded to go home and eat them all in one, guilty sitting. Those were truly the best donuts money could buy!

51. Sea Urchin
I'll try it one day... maybe.

50. Prickly Pear
These show up as a specialty item in the grocery stores 'round here every now and again.

So, that's 30 out of 50. Now on to the second half!

49. Umeboshi

48. Abalone

47. Paneer
My love of cheese extends to this wonderful little gem as well.

46. McDonald's Big Mac Meal
Unfortunately, yes.

45. Spaetzle
Don't think I've run across this one yet.

44. Dirty Gin Martini
Never had any martinis, dirty or otherwise.

43. Beer above 8% ABV
I think I've had some that was 10%. I've definitely had 7.5%, which, if I'm not mistaken, is still relatively strong for a beer. As previously mentioned though, I'm not a big drinker. I generally dislike both beer and wine, with very few exceptions.

42. Poutine
Yes! But if you want proper poutine you have to go to Quebec. I've had it other places and it's just not the same.
Don't let them try to tell you that any old cheese will due. (Poutine with grated cheese is alright, but it just doesn't compare to the real thing.) The cheese curds should be fresh. They should be fairly salty. And preferably white and unpasteurized.
Mmmm... heart attack on a plate.

41. Carob chips
Not as similar to chocolate as I thought they would be.

40. S'mores
It's been ages but, yes.

39. Sweetbreads
I always thought sweetbreads and head cheese were the same thing. Apparently I was wrong. I was feeling a little iffy on the headcheese, but these sound quite good. Sweetbreads I would try sometime.

38. Kaolin
The author didn't have many details on this one beyond the fact that it is edible clay of some description. I have actually heard of this before, I just couldn't remember what it was called. Anyway, suffice it to say, I haven't tried it. I'd give it a shot if the opportunity ever arose though.

37. Currywurst
Why am I only hearing about this now? This sounds good! I think I may have to try to make this one sometime. Sounds easy enough; sausage, ketchup, curry paste, curry powder... maybe a few other spices.

36. Durian
I wouldn't go out an buy it on my own. But I'd eat it if someone else offered it to me.

35. Frog's Legs
Had these as part of a seafood platter in Montreal. Tasty. Kind of like a cross between chicken and fish.

34. Beignets, Churros, Elephant Ears, or Funnel Cake
I've yet to try churros, but the rest I've had.

33. Haggis
No, but I've been dying to try it for ages!

32. Fried Plantain
Deep fried, shallow fried, spiced, and plain!

31. Chitterlings
Well, I've never had chitterlings on their own, but I have had them in the form of sausage casings.

30. Gazpacho
The author calls this a "bread soup" but, as far as I know, it's more of a cold tomato soup. Either way, I've never had it.

29. Caviar and Blini
I've had the (red) caviar, just not the blini.

28. Louche Absinthe
No, though my parents do have the absinthe, the special slotted spoon, and the instructions for making the drink.

27. Gjetost
Never tried it, but it's cheese, so I'll probably like it.

26. Roadkill
No. Not as far as I know anyway.

25. Baijui
Another no.

24. Hostess Fruit Pie

23. Snail
I've had the traditional escargots with garlic butter as well as a strange-looking snail that came on the side of my plate at a restaurant in Italy.

22. Lapsang Souchong
Never tried this particular type of tea, though I've had many others.

21. Bellini

20. Tom Yum
Came shortly after my first experience with pho.

19. Eggs Benedict
I make these for myself for breakfast whenever I'm feeling like a bit of a treat.

18. Pocky
Yes, in many different flavours.

17. Tasting Menu at a Tree-Michelin-Star Restaurant
Can't say I've ever done this one.

16. Kobe Beef
Maybe someday...

15. Hare
I'm lucky enough to have a neighbour who raises rabbits to eat. I've made my own hassenpfeffer at home and also tried rabbit souvlaki in a restaurant.

14. Goulash
One of the Hungarian travelers I met in Dublin made me a wonderful goulash while we were both staying in the same hostel.

13. Flower
I made my own pickled dandelion buds when I was a kid as well as candied apple blossoms.

12. Horse
Never had it, but I wouldn't be opposed to trying it sometime.

11. Criollo
Apparently I need to go to Peru for this one. Hey, I'm all for that!

10. Spam
Yes, and I've also had Klik (the Canadian version of Spam)!

9. Soft-shell Crab
I've seen one at a beach, just never eaten one.

8. Rose Harissa
From what I can tell, this is expensive chili sauce.

7. Catfish
We used to have catfish all the time in my house. My brother loved it!

6. Mole Poblano
I'm not entirely certain that I've had this specific variety. But I've definitely had mole.

5. Bagel and lox
Didn't like it at first, but the combination has grown on me over time.

4. Lobster Thermidor
Never tried it, but it sounds lovely!

3. Polenta
I've got a recipe that I've been meaning to try out. Just haven't quite gotten around to it yet.

2. Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee
Not much of a coffee drinker so... no.

1. Snake
I was hoping that snake would make an appearance on this list. I got to try a piece of deep-fried rattlesnake when I was in Texas with my family. It was good. Lots of cartilage, not a lot of meat, but that's okay. It was still tasty!

So, the count stands at 53 out of 100. (I think. Honestly, I'm a little tired and this post is long, it's entirely possible that I've miscounted.) Not bad, I guess.

No comments: