Very Nearly 100 Foodstuffs

Oh, hello! Been a while, eh? I know. Sorry, I'm losing my blog mojo, but I'm also running around a little headless chicken trying to get our house put together and making sure French Fry has everything he needs before he gets here. Do you know he could be here in as little as six weeks??? This past weekend we put together the armoire and filled it, so our bedroom is officially done. This coming weekend we'll tackle French Fry's room. I also did an inventory of clothes that we already have and find that we're sorely lacking in newborn - three month clothes. We'll pick up some more hand-me-downs this weekend and then, DARN, I'll have to go shopping for cute baby clothes. Boo hoo.

So here's a meme that Ms. Mac did this weekend that I thought was kind of fun, so I thought I'd have a go as well. Here are very nearly 100 different types of food. I'll comment on them, and you tell me what I'm missing/that I'm crazy/what you wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole, etc.


1. Steak tartare- I sincerely have no desire to try this. My parents and my sister had/have no problem tasting raw meat, especially when mixing it up for meatballs or something, but it just makes me do the heebie jeebie dance just thinking about it.

5. Crocodile- (Numbers 2,3 & 4 appear to be missing, I wonder what they were?!) No, but I see alligator isn't on this list and I can say I've had gator tail. There was a place in St. Augustine that offered fried gator tail that wasn't bad. No, it doesn't taste like chicken.

6. Black pudding- Isn't this sausages with cooked blood or something? Pass.

7. PB&J sandwich- Only every day for lunch in elementary school. Well, very nearly every day. Other sandwiches made by Mom included bologna & cheese and liverwurst. My sister got pimento cheese sandwiches but I couldn't (and still can't) stand the stuff.

14. Aloo gobi- I had to look this up. I like curry but I'm not a big fan of cauliflower. Maybe the curry makes the cauliflower edible?

15. Hot dog from a street cart- Surely I have? Maybe even in New York? I would be more surprised if I haven't.

16. Epoisses- Had to look this up, too. I haven't avoided it or anything but it doesn't ring a bell. Goodness knows I love my stinky cheese! It's unpasteurized so maybe I'll try it after French Fry gets here.

17. Black truffle- Given that it's so expensive I don't think so.

18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes- Thinking back to the crap we drank as poor freshmen in college, probably.

19. Steamed Pork Buns- To my American brain this sounds like a pork sandwich or something, but no. I don't know, I may have tried it on a Chinese buffet or something, it's not something I would avoid.

20. Pistachio ice cream- It's only my favorite!

21. Heirloom tomatoes- I have enjoyed many different varieties of tomatoes, especially beefsteak tomatoes that my Dad grew. If I've had heirloom tomatoes, I guess enough fuss wasn't made as I don't remember them specifically.

22. Fresh wild berries- I don't know enough about safe berries in the woods but goodness knows I've had more than my share of blueberries that grow in the patch on Grandma's farm.

23. Foie gras- I am really excited that I will be able to eat foie gras for Christmas this year. Also, my favorite dish at my favorite restaurant in Troyes serves a foie gras pasta dish that is silky smooth like buttah. 'Nuff said.

24. Rice and beans- Black or red beans? Doesn't matter, love them both.

25. Brawn- Had to look this up. Kind of wish I hadn't. (It's head cheese, by the way)

26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper- Ah no, I like my taste buds, thanks.

27. Dulce de leche- Surely I have but I don't remember a specific occassion.

28. Oysters- I've had them raw once - and that was enough! I love them roasted over a big fire outside with plenty of hot sauce and beer. Good times!

29. Baklava- Ah, this makes me think of the huge Greek festival in Greenville where you can buy baklava so rich you can only have two bites at a time! Yum.

30. Bagna cauda- No but it sounds delish!

31. Wasabi peas- Are these the dry ones you eat like a snack? If so, yes, good stuff!

32. Clam chowder- Yep. I'm not a big clam person though, I prefer a chicken chowder instead.

33. Salted lassi- Seems kind of weird but I'd try it.

34. Sauerkraut- Hate hate HATE sauerkraut. And anything cabbage-like. But I really don't like sauerkraut.

35. Root beer float- YUM. Wish I had some root beer right now, I'd totally make one. And since Stéph is the only Frenchman I know that likes root beer, I'd make one for him, too.

36. Cognac with a fat cigar– Somehow I've let this slip by me... (note heavy sarcasm)

37. Devonshire Tea- I haven't had it but I really, really would like to.

38. Vodka jelly- I'm thinking this is what we called Jello shots? Heh. Once or twice.

39. Gumbo- Yes ma'am, I have!

40. Oxtail- Wow. I seriously had to look this up to see if it means the actual tail. It does. Next!

41. Curried goat- I'm not a big goat fan but I'd try it (again, curry makes many things better!)

42. Whole insects- Um, not on purpose.

43. Phaal- Apparently this is mega-hot curry. Eep.

44. Goat’s milk- I love goat cheese - I make a toasted chevre salad almost once a week - but I've never had a tall cold glass of goat's milk.

45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more- No but I wouldn't turn it down!

46. Fugu- Good grief. I don't even like sushi so this would truly be a long shot.

47. Chicken tikka masala- This was the only thing I was brave enough to order at the Indian restaurant in Greenville, but only because I wasn't very adventurous at the time. But man, they had the best spiced ice tea I have ever had in my life.

48. Eel- No thank you!

49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut- Duh.

50. Sea urchin- Pass!

51. Prickly pear- I've heard this is good but really seedy. I don't really like the seedy fruits myself but I'd try it.

52. Umeboshi- No but I would try it.

53. Abalone- Am kind of scared of it.

54. Paneer- no but it sounds interesting, I would try it (yep, had to look it up)

55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal- I've never once in my life eaten a Big Mac, let alone the meal. I've probably had everything else on the menu, however.

56. Spätzle- I don't think so but goodness knows I love pasta/bready/starchy things!

57. Dirty gin martini- I cannot stand gin!

58. Beer above 8% ABV- Now that I live in Europe I can say "yes I have" with confidence!

59. Poutine- WOW that looks evil! I've never had cheese curds, I guess knowing whether I like them would tip me either way.

60. Carob chips- Considering they show up in trail mixes a lot, I'm going to have to say I've tried them but I've never deliberately sought them out. I do like me a good trail mix.

61. S’mores- Yum!!! I've already shown Stéph the glory of roasting marshmellows, perhaps one day I'll up the ante with s'mores.

62. Sweetbreads- Whey are they... never mind. No thank you!

63. Kaolin- This is clay... ? Are you insinuating that I'm having a Pica problem?

64. Currywurst- Not a big fan of sausage but again with the curry!

65. Durian- Never tried it (never had the opportunity, more like)

66. Frogs’ legs- Hell. No.

67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake- Yikes, I think I've had all of them! Maybe not churros. But they're all nearly the same thing!

68. Haggis- I just don't think I could do it.

69. Fried plantain- No but I've heard they're tasty.

70. Chitterlings, or andouillette- Andouillette is a specialty of Troyes and if Stéph won't eat them, I won't go near them!

71. Gazpacho- At one of the schools we visited in Spain, all the children get a glass with their lunch and we got to have a glass. It was really good!

72. Caviar and blini- I've never had the really fancy stuff but I've had roe so I could probably choke it down.

73. Louche absinthe- Never tried absinthe but I wouldn't turn it away.

74. Gjetost, or brunost- No, but it sounds good.

75. Roadkill- Look I know I'm from the south and stuff....

76. Baijiu- This looks to be some kind of Chinese Everclear. Yikes.

77. Hostess Fruit Pie- Heh. Once or twice.

78. Snail- I LOVE escargot and I'm not afraid to say so!

79. Lapsang souchong- No but it sounds tasty.

80. Bellini- Yum. Surely I have?

81. Tom yum- I'm not sure. I've only had Thai once or twice and I don't remember what I had, apart from the coconut soup which was divine.

82. Eggs Benedict- I never understood what the big deal was about this dish. I don't like poached eggs so I don't see me ordering this anytime soon.

83. Pocky- I've never had pocky from Japan but there's a snack available in France that is pretty much the same thing and it's pretty tasty.

84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant- That would be nice!

85. Kobe beef- Again, one day, I hope!

86. Hare- The first time I had it was on a date and he kept telling me I was eating Thumper. We didn't last very long. I've had it a few times since moving here, as my MIL makes it every once in a while. I don't think I could buy a rabbit and prepare it myself.

87. Goulash- Right up my alley but I don't think Stéph would like it. He's not a big stew fan.

88. Flowers- Just seems weird.

89. Horse- I was happy to learn that Stéph had never had it and I wouldn't be expected to cook it. There is a horse meat shop around the corner and they only sell horse, whether it's prepared as steaks or sausages. No thanks!

90. Criollo chocolate- apparently this is mega-rare chocolate. I'm sure I couldn't afford it!

91. Spam- I'm sure I've had canned meat at some point in my life, but I don't remember. It wasn't exactly a staple in my home growing up.

92. Soft shell crab- I've never ordered crab that was still in the shell, so I don't know.

93. Rose harissa- I've never had the rose variety, but we do love our harissa, both in a tube or in a powder. It is absolutely necessary in eating couscous (mmmmmmmmmm couscous).

94. Catfish- Yep. Wouldn't touch it unless it's fried, though.

95. Mole poblano- Oh my freaking god I miss Mexican food! I very rarely ordered mole sauce, though.

96. Bagel and smoked salmon- Otherwise known as bagel and lox, my mother's favorite breakfast ever. When she could find lox in the grocery store it was an event! We would sometimes even get bagels in from New York. *sigh* Bagels....

97. Lobster Thermidor- I hate lobster. Go ahead and mock.

98. Polenta- Funnily enough, I just used polenta (semoule de mais, cornmeal) to make my cornbread last week. I've never made it by itself, though.

99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee- I'm not really a coffee snob, so probably not.

100. Snake- Of all the odd things I've tried, snake was not one of them. I wonder if it tastes like gator tail...