Mhays wrote:It's an odd bit of movie to have affected me so, but I never want to be that kind of American, no matter where I am; to me, that means I need to learn as much as I can about food whenever I have a chance - if I don't like something, at least I can say so with experience, but I've yet to meet a food I can't somehow choke down. Of course, the upside is that I've met many a food that's become a friend for life...

I have hosted plenty of Europeans who come here with their list of "American foods" they will not eat. In the 1980's, I had a group of Chinese businessmen visit me to negotiate a contract. They would eat nothing but Chinese food. Food prejudice (for lack of a better term) crosses all cultures and is not exclusive to Americans. We are actually quite broad minded on what we eat because of our melting pot culture.

Give ourselves hugs!

Regards,

kanin wrote:38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O

i think more of you have had this than you realize...jello-shots!

i_like_cereal wrote:

kanin wrote:38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O

i think more of you have had this than you realize...jello-shots!

I know I never have had one.

Regards,

Pie Lady wrote:Is blue crab more difficult to crack than any other crab? I guess all I've had is Snow.

Directions for eating blue crab. I think they're worth it, when I can get them, but they are small and troublesome to get the meat from. Banging with the mallet is part of the fun!

Lobster beginners might want to start by ordering lobster tail. That's easy to eat, and if you like the flavor, you can learn to eat a whole lobster next.


I can't think of any routinely available food I haven't tried, and I've tasted many exotic dishes as well. The only food I ever turned down a chance to sample was beondegi, and if I could have tried a small portion under other circumstances, I would have.

riddlemay wrote:I'm ambivalent. I'm enjoying reading everybody's lists (and roadkill stories!), but another part of me wants to say to the guy that made the list, "Who the hell are you to say I'm not well-rounded if I haven't eaten these foods!?!?!?" It's like that "cultural literacy" book that came out in the nineties, which said you couldn't consider yourself an acceptable member of society without a passing familiarity with the checklist. I know it's all in fun (and the guy himself doesn't mean his list to be taken too seriously), but the grumpy curmudgeon inside me is getting rubbed the wrong way.

I often get annoyed at people who seem to believe that what they eat -- whether it's a "healthful" diet, only gourmet meals, no fast food or food from chains or whatever -- makes them somehow morally superior to others, so I know what you mean. I don't think that having an adventuresome palate makes me better than anyone else. It's something I've cultivated, partly for fun, and partly because I've had to. The work that I do puts me in a lot of situations where other people choose my meals or I can't select the items I most enjoy. So it's a case of "love the one you're with."

Also, I got lucky in genetics, so I'm not hypersensitive to strong flavors. I've never come across a food I hated so much I had to wipe my mouth out with a towel. I'm guessing that many of those who have pronounced negative reactions to specific foods are supertasters.


I've tried 96 or 97 percent of the "Omnivore's" list, and I've liked most of them. As I've mentioned before, when I don't like some food, I usually figure I haven't found a good version of it.

While I don't necessarily go out of my way to buy or order foods I'm not fond of, I'm almost always willing to taste a small portion if opportunity offers, if only so that I can learn to distinguish between a well-made version and a not-so-good one. I have tried many foods I didn't care for at first bite multiple times, sometimes learning to like them better. Olives and oysters fall into that list.

Among the things on the Omnivore's list that I have sampled:

2. Nettle tea
We made this when I was a kid at summer camp. Pane Caldo off the Mag Mile often does lovely dishes made with nettles and other weeds.

5. Crocodile
I've had this a few times, most recently at Walt Disney World, I think. It tastes like alligator.

36. Cognac with a fat cigar
I had to go to a cigar dinner once. The cognac was necessary to cover up the taste of the cigar. Upon returning home, I took all my clothes off on the back porch and left them there. Ugh!

41. Curried goat
They do a terrific Nepali version at the Himalayan in Niles. I've had it twice in the last few weeks. It's always on the lunch buffet.

63. Kaolin
Kaolin's an ingredient in porcelain, so I guess I've swallowed it, along with red clay -- not exactly on purpose, but because I spent portions of my youth doing ceramics, and the clay got everywhere.

68. Haggis
I like Pennsylvania Dutch pig stomach better.

73. Louche absinthe
I got to try a homemade, bootleg version before it was legal in the U.S. That was much harsher and herbier than the legal imports, which remind me of Good 'n Plenty.

75. Roadkill
I have not only eaten roadkill, I have eaten roadkilled ostrich.


These are all of the "Omnivore's" list I have not tried:
43. Phaal
46. Fugu
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
93. Rose harissa

I attempted to try fugu in Tokyo but it only seemed to be available at all-fugu restaurants at prices beyond my budget. You couldn't just have a fugu appetizer or something, and although we were prepared to hazard blowfish poisoning, I was unable to convince my traveling companion to risk a very costly meal all made with a substance he might not like. We went out for Kobe beef instead.

Two Michelin stars have been the height of my degustations at restaurants actually rated in the red guide, which only covers four cities in the United States. The originator of the "Omnivore's Hundred" is in the U.K., where it's a lot easier to reach Michelin-rated restaurants. If AAA five-diamond or Mobile five-star restaurants were to be considered equivalent, then I've done that one, too. I'd be delighted to try the tasting menu at an actual Michelin three-star place if somebody would like to treat me.

I would certainly have tried phaal and rose harissa if I'd ever come across them. Anyone know where to get them in Chicago? (I've had regular harissa, of course, but Google doesn't turn up even a U.S. mail-order source of the rose-petal version. How different is it? Can you taste the roses?)

Binko wrote:Oh, and if anyone's curious about gjetost, it's pretty easy to find across the border in Wisconsin. I think it's rather lovely--sort of what you would get by crossing a mild semi-soft cheese with plain (non-chocolate) fudge. Is there anyone here who has gjetost? I don't think I've ever found it in Chicago.

Eat those words!

I found a packet at Strack and Van Til's last night. As a courtesy to the board, I bought it with intentions to bring to the picnic to allow others to check this off their life list, too.

Regards,

LAZ wrote:

Pie Lady wrote:Is blue crab more difficult to crack than any other crab? I guess all I've had is Snow.

Directions for eating blue crab. I think they're worth it, when I can get them, but they are small and troublesome to get the meat from. Banging with the mallet is part of the fun!

We'll have to agree to disagree here Every crab eater has an opinion on the "right" way to eat a blue crab, and this description wrong, even if it does come from a Maryland-based magazine.

Saveur does it right, though it would be nice if they offered pictures to illustate each step. This site offers a video and some grainy pics.

The advantage of leaving the claws on until the end is that you then get a "lollipop" of backfin meat attached to each claw, which makes it easier to get to the backfin meat.

I find this a rather weak list, built on certain false assumptions (that everyone drinks tea enough to have had it in many forms, and that a certain form of youthful drinking is also the norm; I think avoiding drinks like jello shots is the sign of cultivation and curiosity in drinking). I would rather see one built on the basics of a range of world cuisines. Nevertheless, lists exist on the internet to start discussions and get us to keep score, so here's mine:

2. Nettle tea
5. Crocodile (I should give myself this for alligator-- I have NEVER seen crocodile served, where alligator is by no means uncommon)
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
30. Bagna cauda
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
43. Phaal
46. Fugu
52. Umeboshi
57. Dirty gin martini
59. Poutine
63. Kaolin (probably but who knows; no one chooses to eat food additives)
65. Durian
68. Haggis
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
89. Horse
93. Rose harissa

Mike G wrote:26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
52. Umeboshi
89. Horse

Mike,

You are even more intrepid than you realize, add three more to your list. You have had raw scotch bonnet in the cole slaw I make for BBQ's, umeboshi in the form of Musubi w/umeboshi (Pickled plum) at Sunshine Cafe. As to horse..........remember that BBQ I had with the sweet tasting meat......

Musubi w/umeboshi (Pickled plum)


Enjoy,
Gary

If only I hadn't missed the day you were serving high tea with crocodile head cheese!

Thanks, I wondered about the umeboshi, but couldn't come up with a precise memory. Which is why you should always photograph your food.

And didn't someone bring a type of baijiu to a Mandarin Kitchen dinner a few years ago? Not sure if you were there or not, Mike.

EDIT:
Yes, I've had baijiu and so did many LTHers at this dinner. (See photo of bottle 3/4ths of the way down the page). Doesn't look like you were there, Mike.

Best,
M

Right, I'm counting alligator for crocodile, just because it's the American species - if the list originates in the UK, they have access we wouldn't. There's a lot of other stuff that I'm counting as an additive, for instance I've had a Durian smoothie but not Duran straight-up (though I did say I'd bring one to the picnic this year, didn't I......?)

eatchicago wrote:And didn't someone bring a type of baijiu to a Mandarin Kitchen dinner a few years ago? Not sure if you were there or not, Mike.

Yes, El Panzone, tasted like paint thinner, but not as smooth.

El Panzone w/Mou Tai Chiew

G Wiv wrote:Yes, El Panzone, tasted like paint thinner, but not as smooth.

Yes, but I thought the paint-thinner flavor had a note of lychee.

Cathy2 wrote:I did a bit of amateur taxidermy some years ago. I came across a road kill pheasant, which I carefully extracted from its' feathers. I then called a taxidermist* who kindly explained how to prepare the carcass.

For your next roadkill adventure: Home Taxidermy for Pleasure and Profit

OK- (possibly silly) roadkill question - if you hit a deer with your car, do you have to have a hunting license to legally butcher and eat it? Frankly, if the deer is more injured than me and my car, I don't see the issue...the IDNR hunting regulations booklet is too big of a file to download for that particular tidbit of information.

That being said, apparently local deer are at risk for a variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob called chronic wasting disease; you can have your venison testedfor it if you don't mind keeping it frozen for six weeks, and have no plans for the head...

Mhays wrote:That being said, apparently local deer are at risk for a variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob called chronic wasting disease...

That'd be one of my hangups with eating roadkill (the other one being, of course, that I have no idea how to "clean and dress" an actual animal so that I'm not frying up its bowels, or something).

Mhays wrote:OK- (possibly silly) roadkill question - if you hit a deer with your car, do you have to have a hunting license to legally butcher and eat it? Frankly, if the deer is more injured than me and my car, I don't see the issue...the IDNR hunting regulations booklet is too big of a file to download for that particular tidbit of information.

That being said, apparently local deer are at risk for a variant of Creutzfeldt-Jakob called chronic wasting disease; you can have your venison testedfor it if you don't mind keeping it frozen for six weeks, and have no plans for the head...

I don't know if this is still happening today ...

A local police department kept lists of people interested in roadkill deer, which is not an infrequent occurance. You had first pick of the roadkill unless someone arrived on the scene ahead of you.

My organic chemistry teacher encountered a fresh roadkill deer on his way to work. A practical man, he stopped to lift the deer onto his truck for a return trip home to dress it. He said there is no limits on roadkill, though there are restrictions on when and where you hunt them. Of course, inquire with Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and your local police department first.

Years ago, I kept suggesting to the DNR to have a class on dressing animals. I have only done it on chickens. I was told if you, "Do it right," if you don't pierce a membrane the entire body cavity can be pulled in one motion from a deer. It wouldn't surprise me if there were youtube.com clips demonstrating this. There also seems to be informal information on where to get it butchered, though that may be a DIY job, too.

If freezing for six weeks is a non-issue and you send the head out for a trophy, then what the heck! (If you do this, call me. I will be happy to figure this whole process out with you.)

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:Years ago, I kept suggesting to the DNR to have a class on dressing animals.

That was a good suggestion, and they should have listened to you. I have a feeling that if I attempted to do it, it would give whole new meaning to the phrase "fry up a mess of vittles."

C2, if I hit a deer, you'll be my first call !

I can't imagine that eviscerating a deer is all that different from a fish, just bigger - near as I can figure, everything is conveniently packaged in the belly and chest cavity. After all, these organs' job in life is to keep all the viscera separate from muscle tissue, anyway. It's also probably the one and only shot you get at butchering something yourself, though I'd hate the idea of ruining venison the way I've ruined fish.

While I have never field-dressed a road-killed deer, I have hunted them with success for about 30 years now and have field-dressed probably 25 deer all told. I imagine the condition of a road-killed deer could be similar to a gut-shot deer, something most hunters try very yard to avoid for both humane and sanitary reasons. However, all is not lost in either case.

One may remove the entire viscera "in one piece," in a manner of speaking, with care and practice but if the animal was struck broadside there is probably going to be a lot of internal damage. That being said, getting the animal opened up and cooling off ASAP is the first priority. Once the viscera is removed, use a garden hose to thoroughly rinse the body cavity and prop it open with a stick or dowel of suitable size and strength. If you have access to a walk-in cooler it is a good idea to age the meat for a few days before processing. If you are processing yourself, simply remove any meat that looks suspect. A professional processor will do that anyway.

I'm downstate and we don't (yet) have to worry about CWD (chronic wasting disease) but there are a few counties in northern Illinois where it's an issue.

Davooda

I haven't had a fresh beet until today. Boy, are they bland.

Pie Lady wrote:I haven't had a fresh beet until today. Boy, are they bland.

Give them another try, and buy them from a different source or buy a different variety. Last week I bought a bunch of red beets at Treasure Island and the next day bought what I call candy-cane beets (pink & white striped) at Whole Foods. I made my favorite roast beet salad and was amazed at the difference in flavors between the two (which I often combine in salads). The red beets were the blandest beets I've had in ages, whereas the candy canes were terrifically flavorful. If I'd only had reds in there, I probably could have adjusted the seasoning enough to make it palatable, but because I'd combined them, the candy canes would have been overseasoned.

I did just try them plain, then in a salad with poppyseed dressing. But now I know they're NOT hideous - just the pickled ones turn me off - so I'll put them in a lot more dishes. Thanks for the tips!

I've never had a milkshake.

Say what? Okay go out today and get yourself one, you have NO idea what you are missing.

Shaggywillis wrote:

I've never had a milkshake.

Say what? Okay go out today and get yourself one, you have NO idea what you are missing.

I agree! It's a necessary rite of passage! Although the malt is the shake's superior brother. You've had a malt...right?

hmmm vanilla malts