Foodists

50 Things To Eat Before You Die

As my second post to In The Kitchen, I thought I’d use the BBC’s Reader Poll of 50 Things To Eat Before You Die as a way to introduce myself.

I scored 44/50. Not bad, but I still need to try Moreton Bay Bugs, Kangaroo, Guinea pig, Barramundi, Australian meat pie and Durian fruit.

Note: I’ve left the links to BBC in so you can figure out what each item is (or at least how the BBC define them).

Prepare for oversharing… but you should know that if I’m sharing I’m hoping you’ll spill the beans too.

1. Fresh fish – straight from the river into the pan, one of my favourite childhood breakfasts.
2. Lobster – I grew up in the Maritimes. In the early 1900s lobster was considered cheap food in most maritime provinces.
3. Steak – I may be from the east, but my folks are from the prairies and a good steak was celebration food.
4. Thai food – one of my current favourites, though I’m not sure an entire cuisine should count here. I’m sure we could come up with 50 must-try foods in most cuisines.
5. Chinese food – my first-ever solid food
6. Ice cream – I’ll get this over with now, my favourite flavour is vanilla. Even a crappy vanilla ice cream is pretty good, and a good vanilla ice cream is heavenly.
7. Pizza – we make the best BBQ pizza with hot sopressata, gorgonzola & roasted red peppers.
8. Crab
9. Curry – I’ve even had Crab Curry.
10. Prawns – I was surprised at the time to find out that Prawns are NOT a fancy name for shrimp.
11. Moreton Bay Bugs
12. Clam chowder – well I did grow up on the East Coast
13. Barbecues – actually I’ve eaten “barbecue”, “barbecues” are a little hard on the teeth.
14. Pancakes – & flapjacks & griddle cakes & johnny cakes & crepes
15. Pasta
16. Mussels – fresh dug and steamed on the beach.
17. Cheesecake – but never in New York
18. Lamb – we raised sheep.  Buy me a beer and ask me to tell you the Rosemary story some time.
19. Cream tea – once, in Amsterdam with all my exs. Surreal.
20. Alligator – a couple of times a food shows, I found it a little rubbery.
21. Oysters – Oh ya!
22. Kangaroo
23. Chocolate – Is there any one who has experienced a North American Easter who hasn’t had chocolate?!?
24. Sandwiches
25. Greek food– with the Danforth so close, it would be an embarrasment if I hadn’t. Opa!
26. Burgers – on 3 continents so far.
27. Mexican food – I’m a big fan of mole & chipotle.
28. Squid– caught fresh in the Atlantic Ocean.
29. American diner breakfast – with and without grits
30. Salmon
31. Venison – most recently in a Venison stew my dad made. Yum!
32. Guinea pig – can I count wild boar?
33. Shark – but oddly I don’t remember it well.
34. Sushi – I dislike uni. Does that make me a bad person?
35. Paella – on a seaside patio in Barcelona.
36. Barramundi
37. Reindeer – but I’ve had kudu, elk, moose, and many other relatives.
38. Kebab – meat on a stick – yum!
39. Scallops
40. Australian meat pie – but tortiere is a regular addition to the New Year’s feast and I make a mean Easter Bunny Pie.
41. Mango– purchased from a street vendor in South Africa, where they jest that the best way to eat them is naked in the tub. At least I think they were jesting.
42. Durian fruit – I get teased about this regularly.
43. Octopus – one of my favourite dim sum dishes is baby octopus in curry sauce.
44. Ribs – I like mine wet, sweet and finger-lickin’.
45. Roast beef – rare and thinly sliced please.
46. Tapas – while sipping red wine in a taverna outside the Gaudi museum.
47. Jerk chicken/pork – with fresh-brewed ginger beer.
48. Haggis– Robbie Burns Day would’na complete witho’t it.
49. Caviar
50. Cornish pasty

So what’s your score?