The Omnivore’s Hundred

The idea: cross out everything you wouldn't eat, and bold everything you have eaten.

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
- Most recently, the borscht at the Bozeman Co-Op after a rainy night of camping. Served hot.
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
- aka 'Why cook aloo gobi, when you can Bend It Like Beckham'
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
- Only a tiny amount, shaved atop Michelangelo's Truffle Risotto in Salt Lake City
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
- Most recently, pear wine.
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
- Handmade gelato can't compete with Hagen Daaz
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
- Lots of options here, most notably fields of wild blackberries on the coast of California.
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
- From a road side stand in Costa Rica, served plain or with a side of chicken fillet.
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
- Most recently, from The Bakery in downtown Salt Lake, and from the Living Traditions Festival there before.
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
- Snowbird Resort's Octoberfest
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
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
- Abalone risotto in Monterey, California
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
- Again, Octoberfest
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV
- And made it that way.
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
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
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill (no, but Ann has)
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
- Most recently, at a thriving Thai place in Lava Hot Springs, Idaho. Not the typical destination for authentic Thai food, but good nonetheless.
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
- Late season nasturtiums from the garden
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

A total of 51. Not too bad for living in the intermountain west for my entire life. Next to track down: Lapsang souchong

Pepper Crusted Ahi Tuna

A pretty simple recipe. First, stick a skillet on the stove until it is super hot. Rub a small amount of salt and a large amount of cracked pepper all over a good chunk of fresh ahi tuna. Add several tablespoons of sesame oil to the hot skillet, and drop the fish steak. Cook until you can't stand the smoke and you get hungry, about 3-4 minutes per side depending on how thick the cut is, and how tasty (i.e. raw) you want your fish.

Remove from the heat, and cover tightly. Quickly add soy sauce and cooking sherry in a 1 to 3 ratio to the skillet, which will bubble tremendously. Toss in some chopped green onions and cook until the sauce is thickened (only a matter of minutes if the pan is hot). Drain the sauce on the fish and serve immediately with roasted yams, broccoli, and radicchio. Enjoy.