Food List Challenge
Updated at the bottom
I’ve seen this pop up on Facebook and on blogs — a food list challenge of 100 foods that you “need to try before you die.” And I need to pause for a moment and ask… why. Why these foods? I mean, sure, the listmaker thinks they’re great, but other than that fact, what makes these food trying-worthy? And aren’t some of these things only fantastic based on the preparer? I’ve had fantastic paella and I’ve craptastic paella. And that’s sort of the problem with this food bucket list — it isn’t like the 100 books you need to read before you croak, in which the book will be the same for each person. The fabulousness of the food on this list is entirely dependent on where you are eating it.
I personally have no interest of ever putting an animal in my mouth, so it probably won’t surprise you that according to this list, I will miss out on quite a few things in life. But since I have had two of the first five, I thought I’d give it a shot.
1. Abalone: Not a chance
2. Absinthe: Yes! Back when it was still illegal. A friend brought it back from the Czech Republic when he was over there lecturing for a semester. It tasted disgusting and it burned — my stomach felt like it was on fire for a long time afterward.
3. Alligator: Not a chance
4. Baba Ghanoush: Yes, though I don’t really like it.
5. Bagel & Lox: Not a chance
6. Baklava: I’ve had it many times, though I don’t like it (I have a feeling this will be a common refrain for this list)
7. Barbeque Ribs: Not a chance
8. Bellini: Sure – I had one post yoga a few weeks ago.
9. Bird’s Nest Soup: Not a chance
10. Biscuits & Gravy: If vegetarian gravy counts, then of course I’ve had biscuits and gravy.
11. Black Pudding: Not a chance
12. Black Truffle: Black truffle oil? Yes. I’m assuming this is close enough?
13. Borscht: This is one of those things I could eat, and Josh wishes I would eat, but I won’t eat.
14. Calamari: Not a chance
15. Carp: Not a chance
16. Caviar: Not a chance
17. Cheese Fondue: I am absolutely horrified by the idea of cheese fondue. I don’t even think I could stand to be near it much less put it in my mouth.
18. Chicken & Waffles: Not a chance
19. Chicken Tikka Masala: Not a chance
20. Chile Relleno: Not a chance
22. Churros: Yes, the best one I ever had was in Cordova, Spain, near the train station. I’m not a churro fan, but that one was particularly good.
23. Clam Chowder: Not a chance
24. Cognac: Yes.
25. Crab Cakes: Not a chance. Which is so sad since I’m from Maryland. I can shell a crab in minutes and have no problem de-meating them, but I have never put a piece in my mouth.
26. Crickets: ARE YOU KIDDING ME! DOES THIS LISTMAKER WANT TO KILL ME?
27. Currywurst: Not a chance
28. Dandelion Wine: Haven’t ever had it offered to me.
29. Dulce De Leche: Yes, I’ve had it straight as well as in things. Don’t love it, but it’s fine.
30. Durian: One of those things I could try, but why?
31. Eel: Not a chance
32. Eggs Benedict: Yes, I make a vegetarian version that is divine.
33. Fish Tacos: Not a chance
34. Foie Gras: Not a chance
35. Fresh Spring Rolls: Love them.
36. Fried Catfish: Not a chance
37. Fried Green Tomatoes: Yes — many times in many places.
38. Fried Plantain: Huge fan of the plantain.
39. Frito Pie: I had to Google this one. Horrifying!
40. Frogs’ Legs: Not a chance
41. Fugu: Not a chance
42. Funnel Cake: Yes, at fairs and such. But not in many years. I don’t like fried foods.
43. Gazpacho: I am not a fan of cold soups. And I think gazpacho sometimes tastes as if you are eating someone else’s cold vomit.
44. Goat: Not a chance
45. Goat’s milk: I could technically drink this, but I won’t.
46. Goulash: Yes, I make a vegetarian version.
47. Gumbo: I could make a vegetarian version so I could try it, but I won’t.
48. Haggis: Not a chance
49. Head Cheese: Not a chance
50. Heirloom Tomatoes: Yes, dozens of times.
51. Honeycomb: No – I’m not even sure where I would get one to consume.
52. Hostess Fruit Pie: No – and I shudder thinking about anything made by Hostess.
53. Huevos Rancheros: Yes, we eat this all the time.
54. Jerk Chicken: Not a chance
55. Kangaroo: Not a chance
56. Key Lime Pie: I don’t eat pie. I make pie, but I don’t eat pie.
57. Kobe Beef: Not a chance
58. Lassi: I would be willing to try this.
59. Lobster: Not a chance
60. Mimosa: Many times.
61. MoonPie: I fear this is another one of those products made by Hostess or the like.
62. Morel Mushrooms: I’m sure I have, though I can’t think when specifically.
63. Nettle Tea: Have never been offered it.
64. Octopus: Not a chance
65. Oxtail Soup: Not a chance
66. Paella: Yes, I make a great vegetarian version.
67. Paneer: This is one of those things I could technically try… but I won’t.
68. Pastrami on Rye: Not a chance
69. Pavlova: I’ve had this because I’ve made this.
70. Phaal: Not a fan of very spicy foods so I think I’ll skip this one.
71. Philly Cheese Steak: Not a chance
72. Pho: Yes, I love a vegetarian version.
73. Pineapple & Cottage Cheese: Just these words make me shudder, so imagine the convulsions my body would go into if I had to encounter this food face-to-face.
74. Pistachio Ice Cream: Yes, dozens of times.
75. Po’Boy: Not a chance
76. Pocky: No, but I always see it at the food store.
77. Polenta: Yes, I have made some lovely polenta dishes in my life.
78. Prickly Pear: Have never encountered it.
79. Rabbit Stew: Not a chance
80. Raw Oysters: Not a chance
81. Root Beer Float: Dozens of times. I love root beer.
82. S’mores: I had a s’more before I realized that marshmallows contained gelatin. And now that I know, when I see a marshmallow, all I see is sugar-covered animal collagen.
83. Sauerkraut: Something I could try… but I won’t.
84. Sea Urchin: Not a chance
85. Shark: Not a chance
86. Snail: Not a chance
87. Snake: Not a chance
88. Soft Shell Crab: Not a chance
89. Som Tam: I’m not a fan of papaya, so there doesn’t seem a point in putting this in my mouth.
90. Spaetzle: Yes, many know of the Great Spaetzle Incident which is still discussed in our household.
91. Spam: Not a chance
92. Squirrel: Not a chance. Who would cook Simon Liverspot?
93. Steak Tartare: Not a chance
94. Sweet Potato Fries: Yes, I eat sweet potato fries from time to time.
95. Sweetbreads: Not a chance
96. Tom Yum: Yes, this soup was consumed on a very early date with Josh, and it promptly gave me food poisoning. That is how I knew it was love — because he came over while I was still in a state of vomiting.
97. Umeboshi: I’m just not a fan of plums of any sort.
98. Venison: Not a chance
99. Wasabi Peas: Another food I could eat, but I won’t.
100. Zucchini Flowers: There’s a good chance I’ve had them, but I can’t think of what they taste like so I’m not claiming them.
So all in all, I have had 29 out of 100. And enjoyed few of those 29.
How many have you tried? And best story about trying it.
Updated:
It IS a very US-centric list. Biscuits and gravy are commonplace here — I’d be more shocked to find a brunch place that doesn’t serve it. Same with chicken and waffles.
I think the problem with a food list is also what is exotic to you isn’t exotic to others. And vice versa. I’m sure there are plenty of people who think hummus and malawach and tehina are exotic, but they’re totally commonplace items to me I would never put on a 100 foods to eat before you die list.
I think many people could probably do a decent job though of constructing a single list, therefore, throw out 5 items you believe people need to taste before they die and I’ll compile a new list that is a little more varied.
My contributions: setas al ajillo, falafel, root beer, chocolate pots de creme, and potatoes dauphinoise. And feel free to knock any of mine from the list. Three votes of removal I think means automatic kick-off. I’ll move your choices up to the body of the list as soon as I can.
OUR FOOD CHALLENGE LIST OF FOODS TO EAT BEFORE YOU DIE:
- Setas al ajillo
- Falafel
- Birch beer
- Chocolate pots de creme
- Potatoes dauphinoise
- Gado gado
- Chirimoya
- Rambutan
- Carambola (starfruit)
- Guava
- Persimmon
- Mussels
- Sushi
- Quiche
- Roasted garlic (in the husk)
- Bruschetta with fresh summer tomatoes
- Napoleon Cake
- Sauerbraten
- Flourless Chocolate Cake
- Rhubarb Cherry Pie
41 comments
You’re very picky. But then a lot of Americans I know (and like, we’re talking about those I like) are like that. I think it’s me, I like my Americans picky. 🙂
This list seems silly. And it is most probably made up by someone who googled stuff. I’ve had about 60 of the listed items, liked probably 50 of them. The rest did not have a chance yet. Although I might probably not try crickets – insects makes me icky, because they crawl. Bt otherwise I am willing to try.
I grew up in a culture where we eat a lot of stuff without a fuss, and for the rest of the “exotic” items, I was fortunate enough to travel enough to get a chance to try them. I think a lot of the process is in the mind, and having already an idea about what one would or wouldn’t eat defines the limits of the culinary experience. Although I think you are missing out by not trying cheese – cheese is wonderful, as is fish and sea fruit. But everyone knows best for themselves and as long as you are at peace with your choices, you’re golden. 🙂
I was looking through the list the other night and instantly thought of you when I saw crickets!
To me the list was way too americanized and not really exotic at all. I don’t consider myself a very adventuresome eater and I had over 60
I’ve got 54, not too bad. Not to say I like all of them, or would eat them again, but I refuse to say that I don’t like something unless I’ve tried it. (mind, there ARE things I’ll say I have no interest in trying. But I hands-down won’t say I don’t like something unless I’ve eaten it.) Along these lines, you can blame my (crazy set of) grandparents for the calamari and caviar being checked off; they tricked me into eating them (I said I didn’t want to) thinking that if I didn’t know what it was, I’d be okay, because I was just saying I didn’t want them… I dunno. Anyway. They told me it was something else. I gagged, was disgusted, and then they told me what they really were. And then I was pissed.
Not sure what the point of that story is, other than I thought about it as I added those to my list.
What a very strange grouping of food, though. Like others, it seems to me very america-centric, and not actually very foody.
I’ve tried 62 and only really liked around 40 🙂
I’ve also seen this list floating around and you’ve prompted me to tally them up. I’ve had 61 items on the list, although the haggis I tried was vegetarian so maybe it should just be 60. I don’t really eat meat anymore so I haven’t had many of them in many, many years. (Vegetarian haggis smells like cat food, and tastes like what I imagine cat food would taste like. I don’t recommend it!)
I’ve tried 48- but I’m allergic to all things ocean related, and I ain;t eatin’ no crickets!!
I don’t think a foodie made this list. Maybe a former Fear Factor contestant. I would love to see a real foodie list.
I totally challenge you to make another list!
It’s cultural too – “of course” you have had biscuits and gravy, but over here a biscuit is a cookie and gravy is brown and is eaten with roast meat, so they’d never be put together.
I’ve had 42, I think. When I had my first taste of pistachio ice cream, I was at a wedding with my husband’s family, though my husband had to miss it. My FIL and BIL both brought me cake and ice cream (since they knew what a sweet tooth I have and I had mentioned looking forward to dessert). My FIL got up again to bring me a pistachio ice cream cup when I said I’d never tried it. I liked it even though I associate green ice cream with mint, which I won’t try.
I get teary-eyed remembering that wedding as my BIL passed away at the end of the summer. Though that evening was the last time I would see him, it’s mostly a sweet memory because of how caring and attentive he and my FIL were.
You should try durian because it is a lesson in putting oneself in another’s shoes, namely, the shoes of someone who voluntarily eats durian, proclaims it to be wonderful, and goes back for more. If you can understand that, you can probably get your head around most oddities of human nature.
Crickets are not bad. But also not good. Too spikey.
I’ve had 64. I’ve eaten just about everything on the list I’ve actually heard of, and will shortly be googling the others;) I’m the chick who likes to order in foreign places by pointing to menu items in an assured fashion, as if she knows what the items are. There are upsides and downsides.
I have an unopened bottle of absynthe from the Czech republic which has moved with us several times. I keep rediscovering it. At this stage, it can’t possibly live up to the hype.
Bea
Why not paneer?
Have you been a vegetarian since birth?
Also, why don’t you eat pie?
Who made this list is right? Dorian smells like vomit. I would think anything that smells like that has evolved that way to scream DON’T EAT ME at people. My top 100 things to eat before I die would involve a whole lot of chocolate personally and not a bunch of fear factor stuff.
I agree the list is very U.S. centric, & I have to admit, I have no idea what some of these dishes are or how I should count some of the items. E.g. — I’ve certainly had fruit pie, but not by Hostess. I’ve had biscuits (by both British & Deep South definitions, lol), & gravy, but never together. I’ve had lots of bagels, but never with lox. And I’ve had chicken and waffles, but together??! Yikes. Etc. etc. By my best guess, I’ve had somewhere between 20 & 30 items on the list.
I’ve become a much less picky eater, the older I’ve become — although now there are certain foods off limit because I’m either allergic to them or they just don’t agree with me. :p Probably the most exotic thing I’ve ever eaten is escargot. I had it in university. It was OK, although kind of rubbery. I don’t think I’d have it again.
My dad makes homemade borscht, using a homemade stock from a beef bone, and all-fresh vegetables & herbs from his garden, including the dill. Alas, I can’t have it anymore because he uses tomatos in it, but it is delicious. His mother, my grandmother, also made borscht, but sadly, I was too young to appreciate its merits at the time & would never eat it. 🙁
The one item on the list I’d most like to try is lobster. I’ve had lobster meat, but never a whole fresh lobster. I thought our trip to Nova Scotia two years ago was an ideal time to remedy that, and I even knew the exact place I wanted to eat it (the Shore Club in Hubbards), but dh wasn’t interested in going there, & was also paranoid about me having an allergic reaction somewhere far from home where he didn’t know how to get me to the nearest hospital. I regretfully did not order lobster anywhere while we were there (although I made up for it in fish & chips and salmon) ; ) but I won’t make that mistake again twice. ; )
It IS a very US-centric list. Biscuits and gravy are commonplace here — I’d be more shocked to find a brunch place that doesn’t serve it. Same with chicken and waffles.
I think the problem with a food list is also what is exotic to you isn’t exotic to others. And vice versa. I’m sure there are plenty of people who think hummus and malawach and tehina are exotic, but they’re totally commonplace items to me I would never put on a 100 foods to eat before you die list.
I’ve had 36 and didn’t like most of them. My story about one of those foods is Dulce de Leche ice cream, which a frozen food salesmen who comes to my parents’ house calls Douche de Louche 🙂
Apparently, I’m lame. I’ve had about 26. Sure, I’ve had chicken. Sure, I’ve had waffles. But never together. I’m pretty sure I’ve had 4 of your 5 though.
I’m not a very adventurous eater, but I do much better than my parents. I didn’t have Chinese food (aside from my mother’s chop suey, which doesn’t count) until I went to college. I don’t think we ever had spicy food in our household, and I’m still fairly tentative. So, I don’t really have anything to add to your list.
I’ve had 70. My parents made me try a bunch of very weird things when I was young and impressionable. As a foodie, I think this is a pretty odd list (not to mention an odd concept, considering the variation in tastes). But ohhhh, plantains … I need to pick them up again … it’s been too long. We used to get them at a self-service cafeteria in Union City/West New York, because no matter how hard my mom tried, she couldn’t quite get them right.
I would love to see a vegetarian version of this list. 😉
As the others have said, very US centric. Some of the things I’ve never heard of. I lived in Thailand for a year as a student, with a Thai-Chinese family, and consumed a lot of the weirder things from the list there. (ie crickets – yes, too spiky, pretty bland). In fact, my motto was “don’t ask, it’s safer.”
I have to give a shout out though for somdum. It’s made with green papaya, which has a completely different taste and flavour to ripe papaya – it’s more like green mango (and there’s a similar green mango salad) than ripe papaya. (Correction: It SHOULD BE made with green papaya. Any Thai restaurant that serves it with ripe papaya doesn’t know the first thing about Thai cuisine, or doesn’t care). If you love Pho and fresh spring rolls, you will love somdum. (Somdum and sticky rice are in my view the best picnic lunch ever, along with a Thai marinated barbecued chicken (but it’s just as good without the chicken too). http://aseparatelife.wordpress.com/2010/09/21/food-biography-dish-6-khao-neeo-gai-yang-and-somdum/ )
Oh – and I forgot to add I’ve had 62 at least ono the list.
Weird list. I’ve had 24, but half of those were as a child and I would never eat them again (i.e. Spam).
So I have to ask if you’ve even tried a vegetarian version of Frito Pie before knocking it? It’s AWESOME! YUM! I’ve tried all of yours except the first, which I have not a clue what it is. I’ll have to google it.
I gotta say, I’m not a picky eater as I was raised by a father who always pushed new food to try. My father has traveled the world and brought back many recipes for me to try with him and I’ve only had 46 of the things listed above and really liked around 30 of them.
I could never eat shark cause it stems from a fear of sharks. But seafood/shellfish is a personal favorite for me. I live in Cape Breton and fresh off the boat lobster and seafood is so common. Reading this list, I’m reminded that our local lobster season starts up soon, and I love nothing more than getting lobster so fresh that we buy it off the boat as they unload at the dock. We never do anything fancy with it. Just crack it open and dip it in butter. It’s my favorite special yearly treat and every year myself and my father fight over who ate more of them. After we’ve had our share, we cut up the remaining meat and make sandwhiches on fresh bakery made bread. And now, I’m drooling on my keyboard…
If I had to add anything to the list, I would add mussels, sushi and I would substitute clam chowder for seafood chowder cause I just think its so much better with a variety of seafood. Plus, the seafood chowder around here is amazing. I would also second your falafel suggestion.
Though, I gotta say, I would love to try biscuits and gravy. Food network shows always show it and it looks so yummy.
This list reminds me of the guys at the “Chip Shop” who were looking for different things to deep-fry. Hostess products were very popular.
Regarding rootbeer, have you tried birchbeer? I’m a rootbeer lover, so this is one I really recommend.
I’ve had 65 of the foods. Many of which I first tried in the past four years (since I stopped being a vegetarian). Interesting list! I agree, some of the foods aren’t things I would say one needs to try before they die.
Eaten 76 of those foods mentioned, 🙂 but then I went to culinary school so I think I would be disqualified. lol I love the arbitrariness of the list. It seems as if these were made by people who wanted normalcy (biscuits and gravy) next to exotic (durian) next to what most people think is unedible (crickets). However having eaten a huge portion of the inedible items on this list (including snails and crickets) I have to say that the only 2 things on this list I would never eat are pineapple & cottage cheese and Nettle tea. How’s that for ridiculous.
I’ve had 41-42 items, I liked most, but some I won’t be eating again. Some things I would love to try, but haven’t yet.
I think there needs to be more fruits on that list.. Starfruit (aka carambola), guava, etc.
I’ve tried 26, enjoyed 14, but none of them were really all that special. I’m a vegetarian too, though, so more than half are disqualified on that ground, and a number are disqualified for being hostess products.
I don’t like potatoes dauphinoise. Don’t hate them either, but they don’t seem worth the effort to me.
I’d add rambutan to the list (agree with JustHeather about the fruits), and gado-gado.
71 for me. Most in my pre-veg days. Omnivore = me.
I ate a soft-shell crab once on a dare, and I can still remember the awful, awful feeling of it in my mouth. People actually swallow this? I couldn’t. I lost the bet.
I second the votes for birch beer and gado gado additions. And submit chirimoya to add to the fruits. Fun!
Hey!
I’ve eaten 74 of these items…. Including crickets (being from Mexico, it is quite normal to do so)…. I looove trying new stuff and I’ve been blessed with the possibility to travel to many places where I can experiment with food 🙂 i had fun with the list… 🙂
I’ve had around 90 of the items. I had to google a few so I guess by the end of next week I’ll be at 99 (crickets will be the last hold out). I’m a foodie so when I go away from home, I try to eat only local fare. And yes, I’ve had Rocky Mtn Oysters.
There are a few good recipes for a zuccini (or squash) flower. I filled mine with ricotta and lightly fried it. It was sweet and delicate. I’ve never seen it on a menu.
Things on my list (short version) to try: Kopi Luwak, and I guess the last remaining ones on your list. There’s not much I won’t try.
I’ve eaten only 30 on the list. I suppose I’m not a very adventurous eater. I have an uneasy relationship with seafood, so those account for most of my “nopes”. I LOVE snails though. I’d never prepare them myself, but I think everyone should try a well-prepared escargot.
I’ve tried about 40 items on the list. I can’t believe you won’t eat chicken and waffles. They are amazing! 🙂
I’ve eaten 63, absolutely loved about half of those, and there’s only one item that I would explicitly not eat again (sea urchin). Man, I love food! I was vegetarian for half my life, so that’s cut down on some of these items – It’s a pretty meat-centric list. A friend of mine tried to make a similar list for vegetarians. I wonder if I can find that. Ah! Here it is: http://soundsunderwater.blogspot.com/2012/02/list-of-100-vegetarian-foods-you-should.html
One of the things that bugs me about these lists (it’s true for the places to visit and books read lists, too) is that they so often have a note “we think most people have only tried/visited/read [enter insultingly low number here]” It’s just reads to me as obnoxious and terribly judgmental.
The inclusion of honeycomb makes me nostalgic for summer visits to my grandmother’s sister’s house. They raised bees, and we’d always have honeycomb around.
Everyone should try haggis before they die, because if I had to, everyone should. 😉 I’m sure you could make a vegetarian version…if you were insane.
Along with making haggis, I have also made dandelion wine at work. It was absolutely wonderful, and very easy to make if I recall. Basically we picked a gazillion dandelion blossoms, put them in a stoneware crock with some sugar, and let it ferment. It has the most amazing sweet flavor and golden color, it’s like summer in a glass.
I think that the only things that are an absolute must to have before you die is warm, homemade bread and We Like It ice cream. Unfortunately you can only get farm fresh We Like It ice cream here in CT. Take it from me, it is the best ice cream in the Universe.
Many of those just sound icky. Then again I’m a pretty picky eater or so I’ve been told.
Oh my, so many foods I don’t even have a clue what they are lol [but I was never a foodie..]. I will admit at one point just flicking threw to see if I recognize anything, so not sure about the whole list but from what I did read, cheese fondu was my favourite [oh can I tell you that every time I now eat cottage cheese which I love, I think how you posted once that you hate it? (but I still love it :-))] and there was something else (don’t remember..).
I would add quiches to the list, onion quiche, spinach quiche, broccoli quiche, corn quiche etc etc etc.
I would add things like garlic roasted in its husk, bruschetta with fresh summer tomatoes, Napoleon Cake, Sauerbraten, Flourless Chocolate Cake, Rhubarb Cherry Pie
I read this and your other 2 after all in a row and it inspired me to look at my own eatting habits… http://katystuff.wordpress.com/2012/04/11/the-food-list-are-you-a-picky-eater/
I am very late to this conversation, but wanted to throw out this little tidbit on nettle tea. Aparently it has some medicinal effects for seasonal allergies, at least where I live (U.S. Southwest desert). My husband absolutely swears by the stuff, although he’s not a big fan of the taste, so now he takes nettle in capsule form. So, if you struggle with seasonal allergies – hayfever and the like, you might want to check it out some time and make your own judgement.
I heard about this challenge just now, and your blog popped up on google. I scored 63. It wasn’t until I read this list that I realized I’d either never encountered many of the American staples listed or never bothered to eat any of them despite living in Chicago my entire life. I would say the list is not really about eating the food itself, but living the situations where you could have them. Like, you can only eat funnel cake at a fair, so you need to go visit one to eat it. You must go to very specific locations in the US to eat fugu, or travel all the way to Japan. It’s about the experience, not the tastes. Thinking about the places you must go and the people you must meet to complete the list is intriguing!