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 (shown below)

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 (shown 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 (shown below)

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. Taramosalata
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