Friday, May 18, 2012

100 Foods to Eat Before You Die


I came across this post on the the blog of the stylish Ms. Tiffany of Makes Me Blush. I warned her in the comments section that I was stealing this. Apparently, this was on Facebook, but my food nerd friends missed it! :) 

Here's a list of 100 things that you should try to eat before you die. I was surprised by a few items on this because I just thought that most people would have eaten these items already, but maybe that's the small food snob in me?

However, the overachieving blogger in me has added some links in case you might not know what something is. In some cases, I just assumed that most people would know a particular item.

How many of these items have you eaten? Mine are in bold, and my final number is below.


1. Abalone

2. Absinthe - I've actually had this in a mixed drink, so I'm going to count this one.

3. Alligator - Err? Big props if you've had this.

4. Baba Ghanoush - Yumm...not as good as my favorite Meditteranean spread, hummus.

5. Bagel and lox - If I haven't had this, then I should turn in my New Yorker card. Seriously.

6. Baklava

7. Barbecue Ribs - Are there people who eat meat who haven't had ribs? If so, my people, we must mount a crusade, so that all meat eaters have had the chance to eat ribs. I'm not kidding.

8. Bellini - Yes, please!

9. Bird's Nest Soup - Whoa...not sure I'd eat that.

10. Biscuits and gravy

11. Black pudding - There's an Antiguan version of this called rice pudding. Same difference. Plus, I've eaten similar in Bali and in Argentina (that's coming up).

12. Black truffle

13. Borscht

14. Calamari

15. Carp

16. Caviar - Not my favorite

17. Cheese Fondue

18. Chicken & Waffles - I went to Roscoe's in L.A., and I ended up sitting next to the blonde kid from 7th Heaven.

19. Chicken Tikka Masala - I'm not having Indian food for a few months. :(

20. Chile Relleno

21. Chitterlings/Chitlins - I need to try these, I guess.

22. Churros - I have a post about churros coming up soon.

23. Clam Chowder - I'm married to someone from New England (although I tried it before meeting him, I've had the best chowders with Husband J). There's no way I can avoid eating this.

24. Cognac - Pass the Courvoisier (That was my party jam back in my party 20's. I love that song)!

25. Crabcake

26. Crickets - Really?! People eat these?

27. Currywurst

28. Dandelion wine -?!

29. Dulce de leche - Oh, yes. You can't leave Argentina without having had this. Best crepe ever coming up in a post.

30. Durian - :( Maybe I've been avoiding the smell?

31. Eel

32. Eggs Benedict

33. Fish Tacos

34. Foie Gras - Yes, I'm horrible for eating foie gras.

35. Fresh Spring Rolls (Is this supposed to be Summer Rolls?)

36. Fried Catfish

37. Fried Green Tomatoes

38. Fried Plaintain - I'd have to give up my Caribbean Person Card, if I haven't had this.

39. Frito Pie - I had to look this up. Interesting idea.

40. Frog's Legs

41. Fugu (Pufferfish) - Voluntarily eating poison? Hmm...

42. Funnel Cake

43. Gazpacho - I didn't learn to love this until a few years ago.

44. Goat - I love curry goat (another Caribbean dish).

45. Goat's Milk - I don't think cheese counts, so I'll have to look for this.

46. Goulash

47. Gumbo

48. Haggis - Husband J wants to go to Scotland, so maybe soon?

49. Head cheese

50. Heirloom Tomatoes - I can't wait for late in the summer when these are in season!

51. Honeycomb

52. Hostess Fruit Pie - Used to be a staple in my packed school lunch back in the day

53. Huevos Rancheros

54. Jerk Chicken - Again, my Caribbean Person Card would need to be forfeited. Here's some good jerk chicken I reviewed on the blog.

55. Kangaroo

56. Key Lime Pie - Not a big fan, actually

57. Kobe Beef

58. Lassi - This almost messed up my stomach while in India. More on that.....I usually like mango lassi.

59. Lobster

60. Mimosa

61. Moon Pie - I'm blanking about whether I've had this, so I'm going to say no.

62. Morel Mushrooms

63. Nettle Tea

64. Octopus

65. Oxtail Soup - I've had Oxtail but not in soup. Does that count? Half Point

66. Paella - It's hard to find well-made paella.

67. Paneer - No more paneer for awhile....I'm paneer-ed out from India.

68. Pastrami on Rye - NYer-ness is at stake here.

69. Pavlova - I tend not to like meringue...

70. Phaal - When I get over my Indian food overload, I may have to try this.

71. Philly Cheesesteak

72. Pho - I don't eat enough of this.

73. Pineapple Cottage Cheese - I haven't eaten cottage cheese in years.

74. Pistachio Ice Cream

75. Po' Boy

76. Pocky

77. Polenta

78. Prickly Pear - does having it a margarita count? Half Point.

79. Rabbit Stew - I've had rabbit but not in a stew. I'll give myself a half point.

80. Raw Oysters - With a little cocktail sauce or mignonette.......oh, yeah....

81. Root Beer Float - maybe once? I'm not really into root beer.

82. S'Mores

83. Sauerkraut

84. Sea Urchin - I'm blanking on whether I've had this, so I'm going to say no. I feel like I should have had this.

85. Shark

86. Snail - Escargot, mai ouis!

87. Snake

88. Soft Shell Crab - They were in season last month. In an upcoming post.

89. Som Tam (Green Papaya Salad)

90. Spaetzle - Not really a fan

91. Spam - Blanking...I feel like I would really remember if I've had this. I feel like it was part of a dish I've had, but I'm not sure.

92. Squirrel - I might have to pass....

93. Steak Tartare - Raw meat...I don't know about that.

94. Sweet Potato Fries

95. Sweetbreads

96. Tom Yum - I need to do another Thai restaurant review.

97. Umeboshi

98. Venison - I try to forget it's deer/antelope. :(

99. Wasabi Peas

100. Zucchini Flowers - I'm blanking on this, so another no.

69.5 out of 100 (including my half points). I feel like I could have gotten a few more points, if I could actually remember things. That's what happens when you reach my age. :)

Are any of these foods on your "No way" list of eating items? 


 Post your number in the comments section!

Happy Weekend!


13 comments:

Lauren said...

I think I'm at 39 or 40, it's hard to remember if I've had some of these.

Erin said...

Great post! I got 71.5. I agree that some of these items surprise me. But then I think "Well, what if I grew up in some suburb or small town lacking in, say, diversity?" I'll admit that I tried a lot of these things as an adult.

Goat's milk - you can get at Whole Foods and probably a farmer's market.

Dandelion wine - my mom knew some old school Italians back in the day who made it :)

Crickets - I haven't eaten but maybe try them in a taco (popular in some parts of Mexico).

Ghenet Myrthil said...

I just had to mention...I just tried alligator last week! My husband and I had it in New Orleans. It was fried in a sauce. It was tasty but not mind-blowing or anything.

Allie @ Everyday Adventures said...

I've tried fried alligator before — it really does have the same texture as fried chicken and a very similar taste too. Get it as an appetizer at a good seafood restaurant sometime!
I've eaten 35 on this list!

Dead Flowers said...

Duuude, alligator is amazing. I had it fried in NOLA and I still dream about that dish sometimes.

Dead Flowers said...

My number is 49. I need to get cracking on this list! Though like you I think I'll skip the squirrel...

BigAppleNosh said...

86! I haven't tried cricket, and I'm ok with that :)

Laura @Travelocafe said...

Oh, this post can be expanded into book that could become very successful, a real bestseller. Maybe you should try writing it and publishing it. :)

Grace said...

I love this post (and copied you on my blog, thanks for the idea)! My number is 47 which isn't very good. Got to get eating!

TheThreeLLLs said...

I'm at 52.5 out of 100. Man @BigAppleNosh is on a roll! :)

Chitlins - Have them at a restaurant. You would probably get turned off if you tried to cook them yourself (the smell before they are cooked is bad). They taste so good. Used to eat this at least once a year as a kid.

Alligator - I had it fried and like the commentor above said, it does taste like chicken.

Sugar said...

Feeling good, I think I am at 70. The craziest thing I have ever eaten was Fried Salamander on a stick in Japan- good thing I was pretty druck! Does that count as snake? Then I am at 71.

Unknown said...

I've been avoiding this on Facebook, but since I like you so much I"ll play along. I got about 50 and since I am such an unadventurous eater, I'm surprised it was that high. As for my NO WAY list: alligator, snake, squirrel, etc., etc., etc.

Ekua said...

Haha, some of the ones you've questioned the most, I've tried. I guess I haven't exactly eaten crocodile, but I've had crocodile and it was delicious. Also tried crickets in Oaxaca and Mexico City and durian in Thailand. Most things aren't that bad once you get past the visual or scent aspect ;)

 

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