musings of an epicurean… » on life, food, and random thoughts

So I saw this list circulating on and off through various blogs and foodie circles. Sadly when I went through the list, I’m shocked at some of the random stuff on here. SERIOUSLY!? McDonald’s!? And a PB&J sandwich?! Dude… there was just an article on how Duchess Kate wouldn’t touch peanut butter when they were sampling stuff being sent to starving orphans. So apparently starving orphans are eating peanut butter… and yet PB&J made this list. I don’t get it. Oh and pho!? Dude… who HASN’T eaten pho!?

Oh and roadkill. That’s just wrong.

1. Venison – Had it in La Jolla years ago when a friend ordered it during a bday celebration. I tasted it… and it was super gamey.
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros – How can I not eat this while living in SD?
4. Steak tartare – Thank you Josh for introducing me to this,
5. Crocodile– We tried it down at the Garlic Festival. It was grilled…and tasted like super chewy chicken.
7. Cheese fondue – Had it @ La Fondue
8. Carp – Buy it live from 99 Ranch and steam it… MMMMmmmm
9. Borscht – Had it at this Russian Tea Room restaurant in SF
10. Baba ghanoush – Not too big of a fan… I’d prefer hummus anyday.
11. Calamari– I love calamari… in any form.
12. Pho – I think Sam and I eat this at least once a week.
13. PB&J sandwich– Seriously?! This is on the list?
14. Aloo gobi – Standard at any of the amazing Indian buffets around here.
15. Hot dog from a street cart– We had Japadog in Vancouver! (And a sampling in NYC)
16. Epoisses – Not a cheese fan AT ALL.
17. Black truffle – Had the oil version and the shaved version.
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grape – MMMmmm… Japanese plum wine…
19. Steamed pork buns – Sooooooo good. Especially the ones from Ippudo NY.
20. Pistachio ice cream– One of my fav flavors!
21. Heirloom tomatoes– Grew up with these in in our backyard garden.
22. Fresh wild berries– We’d go berry picking in Seattle when I was growing up. Nothing like a juicy wild blackberry!
23. Foie gras – LOOOOOVE me some foie gras… *sigh*
24. Rice and beans– Again… seriously!?
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper – Yes… it was very spicy.
27. Dulce de leche – I love dulce de leche ice cream!
28. Oysters– I’ve had them fried, baked, and raw… so far my fav are the tiny sweet juicy ones from Taiwan or Kumamotos from Hog Island, straight from the farm.
29. Baklava– A good version’s hard to find. Some restaurants have them sitting there so they get super soggy.
30. Bagna cauda – Stinking Rose serves up my fav version!
31. Wasabi peas– I’ve had them and I still HATE wasabi.
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl– Of course! And the chef @ Boudin even invited me into make bread with him. 😀
33. Salted lassi – I thought it was sweetened when I got it at the Indian buffet… and it was quite a shock!
34. Sauerkraut– Yup… its delicious with a good Italian sausage.
35. Root beer float– I don’t like them…
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O shot– I think these were the staple at college parties.
39. Gumbo– See Daring Kitchen challenge! I even rendered my own chicken fat!
40. Oxtail– Sam cooks a mean oxtail soup. 😀
41. Curried goat– Not a fan… I got it by accident at the Indian buffet… and it was super gamey. *shudders*
42. Whole insects– I tried a chocolate covered grasshopper in high school.
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk– Yeche!!!!
45. Single malt whisky
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala– Sooooo good…
48. Eel– I <3 Unagi. Nuff said.
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut– I’m not a fan of these. Personally I like Mr. Donut from Taiwan or Shipley’s in the south.
50. Sea urchin – Ahh… Thank you Ruth and James for the fresh caught uni!
51. Prickly pear – I had a prickly pear salad in SD a while ago. Don’t really remember it…
52. Umeboshi – Yum!! They’re good made into tea also.
53. Abalone – Standard at any Chinese banquet…
54. Paneer –  Saag paneer… delicious!
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal– I remember back in the day when the Big Macs had that cardboard circling it.
56. Spaetzle – MMMmmmm…!
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV-
59. Poutine – OMG I LOVE poutine!! I found Poutine Flavored Lays in Canada a few years ago…
60. Carob chips – weird…
61. S’mores – Camping isn’t camping unless smores are involved.
62. Sweetbreads – apparently they’re really popular out here in SF… I see them on tasting menus all the time.
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst – Yup… there was a currywurst truck here at work awhile ago.
65. Durian – I actually don’t mind the smell and taste.
66. Frogs’ legs – We fooled my Japanese godsister into eating this… afterwards we told her she had Keroppi…
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake– OMG. Delicious.
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain– Soooo good!
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette – I’m Taiwanese. We’re known for stuffing sticky rice in chitterlings. And it is AMAZING.
71. Gazpacho – Cold soup is weird.
72. Caviar and blini – Caviar yes. Blini. No.
73. Louche absinthe – We used to serve absinthe on the airplane!
74. Gjetost, or brunost – Eh? Que es?
75. Roadkill- Three letters. Double-you-tee-eff.
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie – No, my health conscious mother wouldn’t let me eat that. Now as an adult, it doesn’t look the least bit appealing.
78. Snail – it wasn’t very good… strangely chewy and with a funky taste.
79. Lapsang souchong – My granduncle took me on this tea tasting adventure on one of my trips back to Taiwan.
80. Bellini– Delicious!
81. Tom yum – Two of my favorites… spicy and sour!
82. Eggs Benedict – not a fan since I hate yolks.
83. Pocky – My favorite is the crunchy chocolate or strawberry ones!
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant – I ate at French Laundry before Michelin Stars were awarded in the states….
85. Kobe beef – OMG IT WAS SO GOOD!!!
86. Hare – I’m assuming that rabbit counts…
87. Goulash– I’m pretty sure I’ve had goulash at some point in my life.
88. Flowers– Extraordinary Desserts decorates their cakes BEAUTIFULLY. I’ve tried a few of their edible flowers. Thankfully their cakes are better than the flowers otherwise the gardeners would put them out of business.
89. Horse
90. Criollo – Okay… so I googled this and found out that it’s Cuban cuisine? If it is, then yes. If not, please enlighten me on what Criollo is.
91. Spam – Random pig parts in a brick form. I don’t understand the appeal of it.
92. Soft shell crab – LOVE!!!
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish– I’m not a fan. It tastes like mud.
95. Mole poblano – NOT a fan.
96. Bagel and lox– Especially good from Ess A Bagel…
97. Lobster Thermidor – Yes please.
98. Polenta – I’ve had it grilled, soft, creamed, etc.
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee
100. Snake – I had fried rattlesnack at the Gilroy Garlic Festival and stewed snake in Taiwan. Tasted like strange rubbery chicken.

I think I’ve had roughly 80% of the list.

What have you eaten?