The Omnivore’s Hundred

This is a fun little exercise going through the blog world. Listed below is 100 things every omnivore needs to or should have tried in their life. The list includes strange food, fine food, everyday food and some downright gross food. Although I haven't tried it all, I'm working on it. If you don't recognize everything in the list, Wikipedia has the answers.

Here's what you should do:
1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.4) Optional extra: Post a comment here at http://www.verygoodtaste.co.uk/ (original posting) linking to your results.

The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:
1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros (breakfast of choice)
4. Steak tartare (yum!)
5. Crocodile (this I would definitely try)
6. Black pudding (I'm leaving this as a maybe)
7. Cheese fondue (on my list)
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho (I've had the best Pho in San Francisco. It was awesome!)
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle (does truffle oil count?)
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes (I've got a bunch waiting to be eaten at home!)
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras (not really a fan)
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters (delish!)
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu (this would be a culinary adventure)
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone (thanks to all the divers out there!)
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads (didn't like the foi gras, probably won't like this, but its worth a try)
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 (how have I not had this!)
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant (trying to get reservations to the French Laundry so I can cross this off of my list)
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate (this is a maybe)
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab (is the season over?)
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox (loves it!)
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

How many have you tried? I'm at 60!

Vegetables- not just for poor people

This is a little late in coming, but over the Fourth of July weekend, Tyler, myself and a couple of friends headed to the Marin County Fair. This fair was supposed to be the greenest county fair around. We did the typical rounds; checked out the pig races

Hobnobbed with Storm Troopers

Took freaky pictures of clowns

And joined a CSA. Welcome home , indeed. I'm a freak for vegetables and have wanted to join a CSA for awhile. CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community-supported_agriculture is a way to get local, organic and in season fruits and vegetables. This big draw with this one is they deliver right to your door. We pay a really reasonable amount each month and end up with about 10 1/2 lbs of produce with each delivery. It's also been an awesome opportunity to try new things that I have never thought to pick up at the grocery store or farmers market.

This box included peaches, pattypan squash, heirloom tomatoes, lemon cucumbers, eggplants, peppers, basil, chery tomatoes, and regular cucumbers. If you are interested in getting involved and are in the Bay Area, check out Farm Fresh to You (www.farmfreshtoyou.com)

North Shore, here we come!

Off to Tahoe! Hopefully we'll have a view as nice as last time. (Pictures courtesy of my hot boyfriend)

Batter up

After a crazy weekend, T and I decided to have a quiet night in last night. I had gone to the farmers market on Sunday morning and picked up a bag of squash blossoms.

I've been wanting to cook these babies for awhile, but since they are so perishable, I haven't been able to track them down until now. They were $3/bag at the market.

Stuffed Squash Blossom Recipe

Stuffing

3 oz. goat cheese

3 oz. cream cheese

1 Tbs fresh herbs, chopped ( I used basil from our CSA)

salt & pepper to taste

Batter

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup corn meal

celery salt

black pepper

8-10 squash blossoms

1 egg, beaten

1 Tbs milk

vegetable oil for frying

grated parm to garnish

Gently swish the blossoms in cool water to clean. Remove any bugs and the stamen.

Combine the cheeses, herbs & salt and pepper until blended. Fill the blossoms with about 2 tsps of the filling. Its best if you let this get to room temp to handle easier. Refrigerate while preparing batter.

In a heavy skillet, heat the oil to about 375 degrees. I added about 2 inches of oil on med-high.

Combine the flour, corn meal, celery salt and pepper in a shallow container. In a seperate bowl, mix the egg and milk.

Carefully dip the blossom into the egg then cover with the flour mixture. Add to skillet. Cook only a few at a time so as not to crowd the skillet. Remove when browned on all sides. Drain on paper towels.

Sprinkle with parmesan cheese to taste.

I ate these standing up at the counter with a slice of sourdough bread. T also cooked up some fried green tomatoes that I got at the Farmers Market. They were perfectly cooked and went really well with some Spanish white T picked up CostPlus.