I’m an incredibly fussy eater. I used to be a lot worse (to the point where my parents considered the fact I might have a food phobia) but over time I’ve managed to knock some sense into myself. I still have my moments (I believe carrots are the root of all evil, and mashed potato makes me heave) but I’m much better than I was. Now, when I look at a menu in a restaurant I can choose based on what I fancy, not on what I will actually eat.
So when I saw Keris had posted a list of 100 interesting foods, listing for each whether she’d tried them or not, I decided it would be good to steal it and fill it out myself, to see how much I really have changed.
Enjoy. Or click the red ‘X’. Your call. It’s a bit long…
1. Steak tartare – No. I’ve had salmon tartare though. It was amazing.
2. Crocodile – Yes, tailmeat tastes and looks like chicken breast. Seriously.
3. Black pudding – Never been able to bring myself to try it, even thought my flatmate cooked it sometimes and it always smelled nice.
4. PB&J sandwich – Afraid peanut butter is one of those things I still despise.
5. Aloo gobi – Yeah, not keen on the cauliflower in it though. Sag Aloo on the other hand is absolutely amazing.
6. Hot dog from a street cart – Yes. In London after a boozy night out. I’m lucky to still be alive, I reckon. Dirty, dirty dirty.
7. Epoisses – Nope, don’t really eat cheese.
8. Black truffle – Alas, no.
9. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes – Oh yes! Jojo and I had pineapple wine in Australia. My dad used to make Elderberry wine when I was a kid, too. It was legendary.
10. Steamed Pork Buns – Yep! At various buffets in Vegas, where I learned it’s easy to get these very, very wrong.
11. Pistachio ice cream – I think I must have tried it at some point, but I can’t recall.
12. Heirloom tomatoes – Don’t think they’re popular in the UK. Tomatoes are one of my favourite foods though, so I’m keen to try.
13. Fresh wild berries – I grew up in the country. We picked blackberries, elderberries, damsons, strawberries, you name it.
14. Foie gras – No. I was offered it once on French exchange by the father of the family, who laughed raucously at me when I said no.
15. Rice and beans – Yeah. Not keen.
16. Brawn – Nope.
17. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper – Do you dare me?
18. Dulce de leche – Yep, had it on desserts in restaurants before. Yums.
19. Oysters – You know, I haven’t. I would though.
20. Baklava – Hell yes! I adore it.
21. Bagna cauda – Never tried it, but I want to, having stolen Keris’s Google-fu: “The dish, which is served and consumed in a manner similar to fondue, is made with garlic, anchovies, olive oil, butter, and in some parts of the region cream.”
22. Wasabi peas – I’ve got some on my desk as we speak. They’re a bit strong though, and may have to be passed on to Susi.
23. Clam chowder – Nope. One of my fussy food things was hating anything that was white / creamy. Obviously this was hell. I’d try it now but I’m not fussed to be honest.
24. Salted lassi – No, I hate milk. See above.
25. Sauerkraut – Yes, in Germany. Ewww.
26. Root beer float – Nope but my mom used to make the UK equivalent, the coke float. I was never keen.
27. Cognac with a fat cigar – Nah.
17923 28. Devonshire Tea – Of course!
29. Vodka jelly – Oh God. Millennium eve. I was 16 and my friend had made some using cheap vodka that cost 80p a bottle in Bulgaria. Enough said.
30. Gumbo – Yes, but not the proper authentic stuff.
31. Oxtail – No NO NO.
32. Curried goat – Well, I’ve not had the traditional dish. But I reckon at some point I’ve eaten goat in a curry, yep.
33. Whole insects – I got chocolate covered ants in a press goodie bag once. I dared everyone else to eat them instead of trying them myself.
34. Phaal – Never had the guts. The strongest I’ll go is a vindaloo, and even then I don’t enjoy it.
35. Goat’s milk – In the form of halloumi only.
36. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more – No, I’m not a whisky drinker.
37. Fugu – Nope, that’s the pufferfish that might kill you, isn’t it? I’m not eating food that might kill me. At least not knowingly.
38. Chicken tikka masala – Oh, about once a month.
39. Eel – Don’t think I have.
40. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut – I work in fashion. What do you think?
41. Sea urchin – Not eaten it. Seen my dad tweezing at the bits embedded in someone’s foot, though. Nice.
42. Prickly pear – Nope.
43. Umeboshi – Nope.
44. Abalone – Oh my God. These were everywhere in Chinatown in Sydney and we had no idea what the hell they were. Now I do, and I’m still not convinced. I do eat all seafood and shellfish though, so never say never.
45. Paneer – I’ve had it cooked into things, but never on its own.
46. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal – No I always have chicken things.
47. Spätzle – No.
48. Dirty gin martini – Yeah, and I didn’t like it. Give me a Mojito instead.
49. Beer above 8% ABV – I don’t really drink beer. But we did try a few random ones in Bruges. For all I know one could have been above 8% but I think I would have known.
50. Poutine – Nope. Sounds absolutely rank, but you never know until you try I suppose. I won’t be trying it though. Just gimme my chips and mayo instead.
51. Carob chips – Yeah, mom used to give us carob as kids instead of chocolate quite a lot. This could be why I love cheap chocolate as much as the good stuff now.
52. S’mores – Tell me where I can get one in the UK, and I will.
53. Sweetbreads – Sorry to be predictable, but EWWWW, no. I saw someone cooking them recently and the dish looked great but I still couldn’t get over the fact it was yukky, smelly offal.
54. Kaolin – Isn’t that white clay?!
55. Currywurst – No, but I remember having to say it a lot in German lessons at school. I’d imagine it’s just like having chip shop curry sauce over a saveloy, right? Then again, not done that either.
56. Durian – I’d sort of love to try it, just to say I’ve eaten the stinky fruit, but so far, nope.
57. Frogs’ legs – No, but I would.
58. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake – Churros, yes. Nom nom nom.
59. Haggis – No. Don’t want to either.
60. Fried plantain – LOVED this. Jojo made me have it at breakfast in Vegas after she’d tried it in Barbados. WOW is all I can say.
61. Chitterlings, or andouillette – No, no never will.
62. Gazpacho – I’ve had virgin bloody mary soup, which is almost the same thing, right?
63. Caviar and blini – Yes. I was amazed I actually liked caviar. I obviously have expensive taste.
64. Louche absinthe – Only absinthe I’ve had was in a cocktail at trailer happiness. Oh, and the shot on New Year’s Eve out of a bottle that had been sneaked into a pub. Not by me, may I add.
65. Gjetost, or brunost – Nope, not a cheese person.
66. Roadkill – No. And it doesn’t appeal, for obvious reasons.
67. Baijiu – Sounds good (*cough*) but no.
68. Hostess Fruit Pie – Nope.
69. Snail – I really would try them, but so far I’ve not had the chance.
70. Lapsang souchong – I don’t really drink tea.
71. Bellini – Yes, many times. I make them myself (get the peach juice from Lidl, fact fans)
72. Tom yum – Yeah, yummy.
73. Eggs Benedict – Had them on Monday, actually. So gorgeous.
74. Pocky – Keep thinking I should, since they’re so kitschy. But I bet it’s a letdown.
75. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant – No, but I’d love to.
76. Kobe beef – Possibly. I had a bit of beef at Nobu, and it wouldn’t surprise me if it was Kobe.
77. Hare – No, I’m not keen on rabbit so it’s never appealed.
78. Goulash – Nope.
79. Flowers – Yeah, sugared ones on cakes and stuff.
80. Horse – Well, not to my knowledge but you never know what goes into a takeaway.
81. Criollo chocolate – What’s this, a chocolate I’ve not tried?
382. Spam – Yeah, as a kid. Wasn’t keen.
83. Soft shell crab – I don’t think I’ve had soft shell, actually.
84. Rose harissa – No, but I’m going to buy some of this. Sounds yum.
85. Catfish – I can’t remember. If it comes from the sea I’ll eat it, though.
86. Mole poblano – Yeah, in mexican restaurants and so on.
87. Bagel and smoked salmon – Yeah, not fussed by it though.
88. Lobster Thermidor – No! I really would like to try it though.
89. Polenta – Yeah.
90. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee – Nope.
91. Snake – Can you eat snake?!
92. Tripe – This is up there with sweetmeats. The one thing in my life I’ve seen my mother spit out. Quite rightly so. Who wants to eat stomach?!
93. Heart – No. See above.
94. Kangaroo – Yes, it was ok, but basically like chewy steak. I preferred the crocodile.
95. Civet coffee (Kopi Luwak) – The coffee that’s already been through a squirrel or something (thanks Keris). No, I don’t drink coffee either.
96. Shark – On my list.
97. Chicken feet – No, I’ll stick to the rest of the bird, thanks.
98. Tequila worms – Not had the worm. Had plenty of tequila though.
99. Moussec – I go to a lot of parties that serve champagne. It’s quite possible I’ve had this. Who knows.
100. Any egg other than chicken – don’t think so…maybe duck at some point?
