food

As Kerry told you last week, Catherine at Pink Asparagus tagged us in a food meme. Here are the rules and here's my list.

Here’s a chance for a little interactivity for all the bloggers out there. Below is a list of 100 things that I think every good omnivore should have tried at least once in their life. The list includes fine food, strange food, everyday food and even some pretty bad food - but a good omnivore should really try it all. Don’t worry if you haven’t, mind you; neither have I, though I’ll be sure to work on it.
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 at Very Good Taste linking to your results.

My attempt at the VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:
1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart (only in Chicago)
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl (Best if eaten in San Francisco)
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 (in cheese)
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
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini (my favorite!)
58. Beer above 8% ABV
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
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.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash (Hungarian)
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam (not one I am proud of)
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 (I lived in Kentucky for several years as a child, pretty sure I ate it)

I'll admit, I had to look up several, ok more than several, of the items. I was surprised to find out that I had eaten quite a few things on the list--better than 50%. I guess I am not so squeemish. I used to be known as "the kid who would try anything," not that I want to be famous for that!
We'll invite the following blog friends to try this activity. We tag: Rick, Angie (she already did it, check her's out), Ted, and MaryAnn. Anyone else is welcome to play along. Let us know when you do. We'd love to see what you eat!

Tagged, again...

So, a week or two ago we were tagged by the creative and talented Brandy. The rules of the game are: 1. Link back to the person that tagged you. 2. Post these rules on your blog. 3. Share six unimportant things about yourself. 4. Tag six people at the end of your entry.

Here are the six unimportant things about me...(in no particular order)

1. My favorite color is red.
2. My dining room walls are red.
3. My favorite wine is red (any varietal)
4. I have red lilies blooming in my garden.
5. I have red coffee mugs.
6. My prom dress was red (but I won't share that photo)
   

It's fun to play the game, but since we tagged people a month ago, we will pass on tagging this time. Play along if you'd like. What's your favorite color? How do you encorporate it into your life?

Tag, We're It!

Oh! We were tagged to play a game. Takes me back to elementary school, you know, when they picked teams for Kick Ball, or Red Rover. Sadly, I wasn't very coordinated, and was always picked last! Good thing coordination or kick ball skills didn't count in college.

So, last week we were tagged by the Lovely Kat. She is quite a great lady and sent us this great package a few months ago. Nice to have a friend in Canada.

The rules of the game are:
1. Link back to the person that tagged you.
2. Post these rules on your blog.
3. Share six unimportant things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your entry.

Here are the six unimportant things about me...(in no particular order)

1. I love dishes! I love to collect, look at, and write about all types of dishes. Big ones, small ones, useful ones, and decorative ones. The problem with this collection is that it takes up lots of space.
   
2. I obsess about the details. I want to have each element of what I do relate to a "big picture." When I give a party with a buffet, I make menu cards for all the foods, I will even make a coordinating drink menu if we're serving drinks. Obsessive, maybe a little.
   
3. I dislike exercise. You get hot. You get sweaty. It takes a lot of time, not just the time to exercise, but shower and dress afterward. I do it anyway.
   
4. I am not a big fan of candy. On my list of dislikes: Necco Wafers, licorice (all types), jelly beans, taffy, cotton candy.
   
5. My weakness is chips and salsa, or cheese and crackers. Give me some fine Camembert and baguette any day. (that's why I have to do #3).
   
6. I am nonathletic and uncoordinated. That's why I always got picked last for the Kick Ball team.

That's a bit about me (Rachel). What about you?

Next, you're it, you fabulous ladies in blogland. I choose you for your witty, informational, creative blogs:

Amy
Kim
Kari & Kijsa
Heidi
Mary Ann
Brandy

Playing Tag

Well, we have been tagged, so kindly, by Amy.
Here are the rules of the game: Players, you must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of your middle name. If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had. When you are tagged you need to write your own blog post containing your own middle name game facts. At the end of your blog post, you need to choose one person for each letter of your middle name to tag. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.
My middle name is Marie. So, here goes:

• M - Making Things. I love making things. Arts, crafts, cooking, baking, gardening. You name it. Although now that I have said that, it all sounds a bit too Martha. I like to make things, sometimes I am not as proficient at all of the things I want to do.
• A - Art. I love art. I love going to museums, looking in galleries and shopping in art boutiques. I have lots of art on the walls of my home. I guess I had no choice but to love art with both of my parents art majors and artists themselves.
• R - Reading. I love to read. (an English major and former high school English teacher) Unfortunately, I don't make enough time for it in my life.
• I - Interesting Ideas. I really like coming up with ideas, whether it is a detail for an art project or a children's birthday party, I like to keep things interesting.
• E - Entertaining. I love throwing a party! I know it sounds silly, but I love to have people over for a small dinner or great big bash. I like the planning, the prep work, the details. I don't even mind the clean-up.

Okay, that's me. Now I have to tag some other people. I hope they are in the mood to play along. Forgive me if you're not. So, I will tag my blogland friends: Rick the Palm Springs Savant, Tiffany Jane from Beyond the Vintage Path, and my new friends Heidi from The Wise 5, Lia from Art Junk Girl and Amy from Abundant Curiosities. Kerry will take her turn later this week.

editors note: Amy from Abundant Curiosities was recently tagged, so I will add Brandy from Brandywine Boutique.