The 100

Very Good Taste, a British blogger, created "The Omnivore's 100." It's a fun idea. One hundred items that VGT feels every Omnivore, worth their salt, should try once. I think it's a cool check list, but I also think since it's not all meats, poultry, or fish items, it should be re-named, but that's neither her nor there. Personally, I've had all but nine items on the list: Lobster Thermidor, horse, tasting menu at a three-Micheline-star restaurant, baijiu, roadkill, Louche absinthe, Fugu, Brunost, and whole insects - but I'll get to them (well, maybe all except roadkill?)

In honor of the clever idea, I've made my own list. It's filled with things that everyone should allow themselves  the pleasure of eating. Not all of them are odd, or rare, and I won't be grading you on this, kiddies. Instead, do yourself a favor one day and try something on the list you've never had. There's nothing odd for odd's sake and no status items here (except maybe caviar). These are just things I love that might not be an everyday item... things that ultimately make me a happy foodie.

What I'd love is your additions. What food makes you smile? What's something that everyone should have the pleasure of tasting, even just once? Let me know.

In no particular order:

The Duchess 100

1. Rose water & Orange Blossom water

2. Black licorice tea

3. Manchego 

4. Fiddlehead Ferns (above)

5. Garlic chives

6. Fresh Mozzarella, still warm, from its water bath

7. Sunset Ale (from Key West, Florida)

8. Russian/Iranian Caviar

9. Soft Shell Crabs

10. Pastrami Sandwich from Katz's Deli

11. Fresh corn, picked, boiled, and eaten within 10 minutes

12. Squash Blossoms (pic below)

13. Shad Roe

 14. Smoked mackerel

15. Cold Noodles with Sesame Sauce

16. Avocado's with white onions, lemon, and salt

17. Salt & Pepper Squid (classic Chinese dish)

18. Fresh shrimp, pulled from water, then boiled

19. An original Nathan's hot dog from the original Nathan's on Coney Island

20. Heirloom tomatoes

21. Philly Cheese-steak in Philly

22. BBQ Baby Back ribs

23. A crisp apple, in October, with sharp cheddar cheese

24. Guava paste with cream cheese

25. Raspberries and blackberries off the bush

26. Peking Duck

27. Warm chocolate chip cookie

28. Ricotta cheesecake (aka Italian cheesecake)

29. Bloody Mary

30. Fish & chips in newspaper

31. Hummus with warm pita

32. Root beer float

33. 70% dark chocolate

34. Watermelon sprinkled with salt

35. Pesto

36. Mint Lemonade

37. Coconut rice

38. Brown sugar-baked bacon

39. Chinese broccoli in oyster sauce

40. Fresh pasta

41. Excellent French butter

42. Crusty fresh baguette (especially with said butter)

43. Melt-in-your-mouth Toro (tuna) sushi

44. Cous Cous

45. Pine nuts

46. Fresh Lychee nuts (at bottom)

47. Flan

48. Nocciola (hazelnut) gelato

49. Lobster roll

50. Snow cone / shaved ice with syrup

51. Roasted chestnuts

52. Candied flower petals

53. Turkish/Greek/Cuban Coffee

54. Korean BBQ

55. Excellent Greek Olive Oil

56. Tostones & Maduros

57. Fresh whipped cream

58. Spit roasted pig

59. Skate with capers and brown butter

60. Dim Sum

61. Tart Tatin with creme friache

62. Mussels Mariniere

63. Salty black licorice

64. Persimmons

65. Cadbury Cream Egg

66. Sausages from around the world (Chorizo, Meguez, Chinese dry, etc)

67. Homemade fresh cheese

68. Terry's Chocolate Orange

69. Taramosalta

70. Bubble Tea

71. Baci Chocolate

72. Goi du du

73. Grilled bread

74. Wrapped Amaretti cookies

75. Gravlax

76. Bacalaitos

77. Kirby cucumber

78. White hot chocolate

79. Katsudon

80. Crepe with Nutella

81. Coconut water

82. Warm buttered egg noodles

83. Fresh peas

84. Baked brie

85. Jasmine rice

86. A real Cherry Coke made with syrup

87. Shropshire Blue cheese

88. Warm maple syrup

89. Myer lemon

90. Cipollini onion

91. Salt water taffy

92. Tarragon vinegar

93. Country style pate with cornichon

94. Malbec

95. Grilled blood sausage

96. Lapsang Souchong tea

97. Pan seared foie gras

98. Kettle corn

99. Lemon mint

100. Citrus curds