Food fun

I was fortunate enough to have been born to parents who were extremely experimental in the kitchen. Especially Dad. They both encouraged me to always try everything...at least once. As a kid, I'd occasionally kick up a fuss about trying something new, but I was never a picky eater. Obviously. (ahem) I've always been thankful, though, that they did push me to try new things.

Dad loved to poke around in the imported section of grocery stores, gathering up all kinds of unusual spices, odd condiments and unpronounceable foods. I've inherited his love of foodsploration, too.

In that vein, I swiped this meme from

Elisson

. I've never heard of some of the things but thankfully, he's provided a definition for each and every one. Though it's a pretty diverse list, there are a few things that don't appear on it that I think should...like Rocky Mountain Oysters. heh Oh, and I've added an asterisk beside the things that I have tried.

100 Things You Should Eat Before You Die

*100. Venison - Good gawd. I grew up in the country. Dad was a hunter. 'Nuff said.

99. Nettle tea - I've stepped in plenty of 'em...but never had 'em in tea.

*98. Huevos rancheros

*97. Steak tartare - I fear no salmonella. heh

96. Crocodile - Loooove deep fried alligator tail. Can't imagine croc would taste any different.

95. Black pudding

*94. Cheese fondue

*93. Carp - I'm a river rat from waaaay back. Carp was a staple.

*92. Borscht

*91. Baba ghanoush

*90. Calamari

*88. PB&J sandwich

87. Aloo gobi

*86. Hot dog from a street cart

85. Époisses

84. Black truffle

*83. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes

82. Steamed pork buns

*81. Pistachio ice cream

*80. Heirloom tomatoes

*79. Fresh wild berries

*78. Foie gras

*77. Rice and beans

*76. Brawn, or head cheese - I didn't say I liked it.

75. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper - I like spicy. I don't care much for volcano.

*74. Dulce de leche - This was the very first thing my home ec teacher taught us to make. And, no...she wasn't Hispanic.

*73. Oysters - Loooove me some oysters. Every which way. Raw. Fried. Smoked. In stew.

*72. Baklava - I used to work with a doc from Chicago who'd bring us fresh, homemade Baklava from his Greek gramma. Oooooo!

*71. Bagna cauda - It's to die for. Literally.

70. Wasabi peas

*69. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl

68. Salted lassi

*67. Sauerkraut

*66. Root beer float

65. Cognac with a fat cigar

64. Clotted cream tea - I'm not sure I wanna try anything with the word "clot" in it.

*63. Vodka jelly/Jell-O shot - Mmmhmmm.

*62. Gumbo - I make a mean pot o'gumbo, if I do say so myself.

*61. Oxtail - As in oxtail soup, anyway.

60. Curried goat

59. Whole insects - If I was starvin, then maybe. But not unless I hafta.

58. Phaal

*57. Goat’s milk

*56. Single malt whisky

55. Fugu - And fugu you, too.

54. Chicken tikka masala

*53. Eel

*52. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut

51. Sea urchin

*50. Prickly pear - Thanks to dear ole Dad when he was in his "Euell Gibbons" phase.

49. Umeboshi

48. Abalone

47. Paneer

*46. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal - Though why this would make a list like this, I'll never know.

*45. Spaetzle

44. Dirty gin martini

43. Beer above 8% ABV

42. Poutine

*41. Carob chips - But I'll have real chocolate, please.

*40. S’mores

*39. Sweetbreads - We had these fairly often when I was a kid, but was never a big fan.

38. Kaolin

37. Currywurst

36. Durian - Thanks to Andrew Zimmern and Anthony Bourdain...no thanks.

*35. Frogs’ legs - Tastes like a cross between chicken and shrimp.

*34. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake

33. Haggis - It sounds horrific...but I'd try it. Once.

32. Fried plantain

*31. Chitterlings, or andouillette - Fresh chittlins? Yea!

*30. Gazpacho

*29. Caviar and blini

28. Louche absinthe - A bottle of absinthe is on my Christmas Wish List.

27. Gjetost, or brunost

26. Roadkill - I had barbecued raccoon once. Not sure where it came from. heh

25. Baijiu

*24. Hostess Fruit Pie

*23. Snails

*22. Lapsang souchong

21. Bellini

20. Tom yum

*19. Eggs Benedict

*18. Pocky

17. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant

16. Kobe beef

*15. Hare - I assume wild rabbit is close enough?

*14. Goulash

*13. Flowers - Nasturtiums in salad. Sugared violets. Deep fried squash and/or pumpkin blossims.

12. Horse

11. Criollo

*10. Spam

9. Soft shell crab

8. Rose harissa

*7. Catfish - Like carp...it was a staple.

6. Mole poblano

*5. Bagel and lox

*4. Lobster Thermidor - Lotsa lobster - no thermidor.

*3. Polenta - Ziggy looooves it.

2. Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee

*1. Snake - Fried rattlesnake tastes sorta like fried 'gator.

Hmmmm....56. Looks like I need to expand my horizons a bit more, eh?