Desperately Seeking Crab

Here’s a chance for a little interactivity for all the bloggers out there. Below is a list of 100 things that Andrew Wheeler, co-contributor of Very Good Taste blog in the UK thinks that 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.

Here’s what 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.

I was surprised that I am only missing 24 items – not bad for someone who isn’t an offal or “strongly tasting meat” fan.  I think my multi-cultural upbringing and friends helped me to eat many of these things. The mixture of foods are quite interesting – from the gourmet and ridiculously luxurious to the more mundane and downright strange.  It was fun taking this quiz.  Tell me what you would eat or not and whether you have a good story for any food items here!

♥ Indicates that I LOVE it!

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding (just not a fan of offal)
7. Cheese fondue ♥
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho ♥ (have been known to search far and wide for a bowl – even in Paris)
13. PB&J (Peanut Butter & Jelly) sandwich (I really hate these – too sweet)
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart ♥ (with extra relish!)
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle ♥
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns ♥ (especially the Shanghainese ones)
20. Pistachio ice cream ♥ (my favourite!)
21. Heirloom tomatoes ♥
22. Fresh wild berries ♥
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper (why?!)
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters ♥
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas (my dear friend Bill’s favourite!)
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl ♥
33. Salted lassi (I always get the sweet plain one but not tasted the salted yet!)
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float ♥
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O ♥ (made them for my 4th of July party here)
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail ♥ (Chinese-style Oxtail soup is a childhood favourite!)
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects (ate it at the end of my entymology class at UCD)
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu (intriguing but not sure I’d risk it)
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut ♥ (has to be hot!)
50. Sea urchin (not a big fan)
51. Prickly pear (taste so…unexciting)
52. Umeboshi – great with some green tea to soothe an upset tummy
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal (yes, I will admit that I occasionally like a fast food meal)
56. Spaetzle ♥
57. Dirty gin martini ♥
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine (looks intriguing but probably couldn’t eat a whole plate)
60. Carob chips (don’t like the texture)
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin (Clay?? But why?!)
64. Currywurst
65. Durian (there are many varieties. I ate one from Borneo that didn’t stink and was bright orange)
66. Frogs’ legs (I really want to though!)
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 (I would if I was lost in the Outback and was desperate)
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie (ate them as a kid, tastes too artificial to me now)
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini ♥
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky (Love the one with lots of almonds)
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant (most recently at the Fat Duck in Bray)
85. Kobe beef (Real Kobe beef from Kobe, Japan? No, haven’t had the $$$. Wagyu “Kobe” grown outside of Japan but marketed as Kobe – YES, many times.  I wouldn’t be surprised if many people say yes because they ate Wagyu)
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers (overrated)
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate (I’m not sure…I have had so many great chocolate and it could’ve been one of them)
91. Spam (I’m from Hawaii…every respectful Hawaiian eats Spam)
92. Soft shell crab ♥
93. Rose harissa (I’ve had harissa but I’m unsure what rose harissa is)
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano ♥ (this Mexican co-worker of mine used to sell his mother’s mole, it was the best!)
96. Bagel and lox (with capers and thinly sliced red onions please)
97. Lobster Thermidor (it’s ok but I like my lobster less complicated)
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake