How could I resist Amanda’s list of the top 100 foods every omnivore should try? She has a pretty impressive span (see what I mean here). Let’s see how I compare. The foods I have eaten are in bold with a -. The foods I’m discounting for religious purposes have an X. Links take you to a description of the food.

The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:

-1. Venison
X 2. Nettle tea
-3. Huevos rancheros
-4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
-6. Black pudding
-7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
-9. Borscht
-10. Baba ghanoush
-11. Calamari (yes, I tried fish)
-12. Pho
-13. PB&J sandwich
-14. Aloo gobi
-15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
-17. Black truffle
X 18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
-19. Steamed pork buns
-20. Pistachio ice cream
-21. Heirloom tomatoes
-22. Fresh wild berries
-23. Foie gras
-24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
-27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
-29. Baklava
-30. Bagna cauda
-31. Wasabi peas
-32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
-33. Salted lassi
-34. Sauerkraut
-35. Root beer float
X 36. Cognac with a fat cigar
X 37. Clotted cream tea
X 38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
-39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
-44. Goat’s milk
X 45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
-47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
-49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
-51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
-54. Paneer
-55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
-56. Spaetzle
X 57. Dirty gin martini
X 58. Beer above 8% ABV
-59. Poutine
-60. Carob chips
-61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
-65. Durian
-66. Frogs’ legs
-67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
–68. Haggis
-69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
-71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
X 73. Louche absinthe
-74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
X 76. Baijiu
-77. Hostess Fruit Pie
-78. Snail
X 79. Lapsang souchong
X 80. Bellini
-81. Tom yum
-82. Eggs Benedict
-83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
-85. Kobe beef
-86. Hare
-87. Goulash
-88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
-91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
-93. Rose harissa (common in African cooking, so I’m pretty sure I’ve tried it)
-94. Catfish
-95. Mole poblano
-96. Bagel and lox (well, not the lox, but I’ve had my chances so I’m gonna count it)
97. Lobster Thermidor
-98. Polenta
X 99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
–100. Snake

I have eaten 61 items. 13 items are disallowed alcohol, coffee, or tea.12 items are seafood which anyone can tell you I detest. But I’ve actually tried 3 of them. Ha! I beat Amanda’s 59 even with her my fish handicap. I think it helps to have a husband who likes exotic foods. To sum up:

  • 61/100 or 61% total
  • 61/87 or 70% of allowed items
  • 58/75 or 77% of non-seafood, allowed items

Not bad for someone my age I should think!