Saturday, April 28, 2007

 

GOURMET OR GOURMAND

The other day there was a program on TV - BBC Prime to be exact - which was called "50 Things To Eat Before You Die". I thought - oh, great - I'll discover all kinds of things I haven't eaten yet. Wrong - there were only eight items I haven't eaten - most of them because I haven't yet been to the countries where they are indigenous. I starred the ones I never ate. The comments are mine.

The items were chosen by consensus but I don't know who the respondents were or how they were picked. In any event - the foods were a big surprise to me, mostly because they are so ordinary that I can't imagine going through life without them.

50-Cornish Pasties - satisfying
49-Caviar - love the taste and the feel of those little eggs bursting in my mouth
48-Haggis - not nearly as terrible as one would think
47-* Jerk Chicken
46-Tapas - the most wonderful bits to eat in Spain while drinking a glass of sherry
45-Roast Beef - and Yorkshire Pudding at Sunday lunch in England
44-Ribs - juicy ones at the Black Steer in Motza near Jerusalem
43-Octopus - prefer calamari
42-* Durian
41-Mango - the best fruit ever, especially if you are in India when they are in season
40-* Meat Pie - from a particular place in Sydney, Australia
39-Scallops - lightly cooked with the roe attached - try it on skewers alternating with bacon
38-Kebabs - Doner Kebab in Turkey, any kebab in Israel
37-* Reindeer
36-* Silver Baramundi - a fish from Australia
35-Paella - wonderful when made well with lots of seafood, hold the chicken
34-Sushi - one of my favorites - especially yellowtail with scallions and salmon skin rolls
33-Shark - absolutely delicious on a barbecue
32-* Guinea Pig - from South America
31-Venison - love it with lingonberry jam and pureed chestnuts
30-Salmon - fresh, moist, slightly undercooked
29-American Diner Breakfast - eggs, bacon, sausages, hash browns, toast, coffee
28-Squid - or calamari - fried, especially in Greece on an Island
27-Fajitas/Chicken Mole - tied for 27th place
26-Hamburgers - the real thing (not Burger King or McDonalds) juicy, rare, with all the fixin's
25-Snails - and do sop up the garlic butter with good bread
24-Sandwiches - no soggy packaged breads please - thick with interesting fillings
23-Chocolate - like Leonides, Daskalides, Teuscher - the good ones only
22-* Kangaroo
21-Oysters - fresh, icy cold with just a squeeze of lemon - no bottled red sauce
20-Alligator - not my favorite
19-Cream Tea - with scones and clotted cream and strawberry preserves - divine
18-Lamb - lovely and pink and delicate
17-Cheesecake - the old-fashioned kind from long-ago Lindy's in New York
16-Mussels - "moules frites" and ice cold white wine at Chez Leon in Brussels with Fred
15-Pasta - any and all - just not that glop in cans
14-Pancakes - how do you lilke that? Something I don't like to eat!!
13-Barbecue - anything and everything tastes better done on the grill
12-Clam Chowder - Creamy "New England" - not "Manhattan" - big difference
11-* Morton Bay Bugs - shellfish
10-Prawns - the best ones I had were at the Bay of Bengal in Southern India at "The Wharf"
9-Curry - delicious - but you know I like India
8-Crabs - boiled crab dinner in Maryland, the legs at "Joe's Stone Crab" in Miami
7-Pizza - none of those awful toppings. Just tomato, cheese and (sometimes) pepperoni
6-Ice Cream - real vanilla, mint-chocolate chip, coffee and pistachio
5-Chinese Food - I'm Jewish, aren't I? Sunday night in New York without chinese food?
4-Thai Food - the sohpisticate's Chinese Food
3-Steak - for me, skirt steak or T-Bone - very rare
2-Lobster - steamed or boiled - with just a bit of melted butter
1-Fresh Fish - now, there's a surprise - who would've thought that would be #1

And this list doesn't even begin to note my personal favorites. But that's for another time.

Yalla, Bye.

Rena





Comments:
Now I am hungry! I have had the Jerk Chicken, the best is Jamaican! And I have had LOTS of Guinea pig. It tastes fine , not great, but OK.
 
you sat with a pencil and wrote them down??? get a grip girl...great fun this morning talk to you soon...go visit my blog and answer the questions...your fans as well as mine will love hearing them...toodles
 
I've had several of these foods, though not nearly all. I am quite a picky eater, I guess. I just like normal. Mango is delicious...I live in Venezuela and it is the best fruit, that's for sure. I grew up in Peru, where guinea pig (called cuy there) is very popular. Sorry...I never could think of eating a rat... Pizza with chicken breast and fresh tomatoes and cilantro is delicious!
 
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