Very Good Taste - Omnivore's Hundred

I certainly don't claim to be an omnivore, as some of you well know, but I thought this sounded like fun.

It's from the Very Good Taste webpage - you can find the original list here, with links to Wikipedia for the weird dishes (some of them anyway)

Here are the rules you’re supposed to include:

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 here at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.

I couldn't cross out due to my blog's settings, so I used italics instead.

The VGT Omnivore’s Hundred:

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding – I assume that what is meant here is the sausage-thingy served with a full Irish brekkie
7. Cheese fondue – yes, without the cheese, please
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich– never in a million years
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart – in Denmark, where you get great ones
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes – does Kir Royale count?
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream – yes, didn’t like it
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans – although not in New Orleans, unfortunately *sigh*
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
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar
37. Clotted cream tea – I would happily eat scones, but that’s it
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects– On the bike, in the summer, when I’m out of breath and going relatively fast
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
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini
58. Beer above 8% ABV – can’t say as I enjoyed that though
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores – this is where the fondue comes back into the picture – I never did it over an open fire. Loved the PopTarts version too…..
62. Sweetbreads – that is the most misleading name EVER
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst – My Dad continues to introduce us to different sausages of various sizes and flavor during barbeque season, so yeah, I think I’ve tried this, but I can’t remember.
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 – Caviar yes – didn’t like it. Haven’t tried blini but would like to
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill – The insects don’t count because they were all airborne
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie - no idea what this is
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict - why hollandaise sauce? That just ruins it
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers – candied violets count?
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox – Bagel, yes, lox, never
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta - one of these days….
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake – although it probably does taste like chicken

A bit of an eye-opener.....and more....

So, Pia, you've been doing the bike thang for nearly a week now, how does it feel?

Awesome! The trip is quite lovely, actually, and there are no hills!

First there is the stretch through Valby, with Søndermarken (park) on one side, approaching the curious but beautiful old Carlsberg Brewery buildings, and a good morning nod to the elephants either side of the portal.

From there, it's pretty much just a straight road up to Vibenshus Runddel, although it manages to change name several times inbetween. One of these days I am going to count traffic lights.... The ride through Frederiksberg is especially lovely, being so green and leafy.

There are many really nice places to look at enroute and there is a feeling of the city being a very grand, old lady. She feels a lot older and more serene than Dublin does, although Dublin is way older in years. Also, Copenhagen has an easier relationship with her past, she has had plenty of reasons to take good care of it, and it shows when you move through town. The same cannot be said of Dublin.

Here endeth the comparison this time around....

Back On Yer Bike, Missus

I finally got my act together and took the bike to work today. I have been putting it off, because it was soooo easy to just get the train, and be able to wear voluminous skirts and not worry about bike helmet flattened hair and other aspects of appearance. Also, it's had a flat tyre. Since it arrived in town more than two months ago. *ahem*

But! That's been fixed now and this morning I was off at 7am (aiming for an 8am workday start) - I had no idea how long it would take, but I knew there'd be loads of traffic lights and very likely loads of fellow bikers as well, which I have to get used to, being more accustomed to lone biking in Dublin. In Europe - or was it the world? - only Amsterdam is busier bikewise than Copenhagen. Nuff said.

Anyway, I went along at a nice leisurely pace. There were fewer people on the paths (possibly because it's holiday season), the weather was nice and cool - loved it! I had forgotten the joy of exercise and the wind in my face and the freedom of being on the bike. No waiting on buses or trains (although, in this country, I don't really mind because it's never for long anyway and there are always alternative routes to go).

So, this will hopefully become a preferred mode of transportation, and there will be days when the train will be better. It's great to have finally made a start though!

Concert Report: Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band, Parken, Copenhagen 29 June 2008

Bruce is a party. I don't know how he does it! He doesn't need any support bands, he doesn't need fancy theatrics or lights, he just needs a guitar, really. He looks the same as the last couple of times I saw him, which means great. He was grinning a lot and so were the other E Streeters. I loved to see that they were enjoying themselves so much.

There was a surprising lack of Bruuuucing, or maybe I just couldn't hear them. I did my best to start something up, but one lone Bruuucer in the far corner of the stadium isn't really going to make a difference, especially since no one joined me in Bruuucing. Oh well.

The people in the front row sure got their reward for waiting in line to get their spot, he was out there with them a lot. At the end of The Promised Land, Bruce handed his mouth organ to a young boy at the front, and during Hungry Heart he had a little girl singing into his mic. He also took a beer carrier (fits 5 pints) from one end of the front to the other, handing out the pints, taking a sip himself of the last one. Sooo funny! He gathered signs from people with requests for songs too. I don't know if some of those just happened to be on the actual set list, but they did fulfil some of them.

There were two screens on either side of the stage, and I would say if they would release that recording it would make a fantastic concert film. There was one camera angle which I loved in particular - the camera is looking from behind Bruce to capture both him and the crowd - really awesome.
Set List:

Two Hearts
Radio Nowhere
Out In The Street
The Promised Land
Spirit In The Night
Blinded By The Light
Something In The Night
Trapped
Gypsy Biker
Working On The Highway
Hungry Heart
Because The Night
She's The One
Livin' In The Future
Mary's Place
I'm On Fire
Downbound Train
For You
The Rising
Last To Die
Long Walk Home
Badlands

Jungleland
Seven Nights To Rock
Born To Run
Ramrod
Bobby Jean
Dancing In The Dark
American Land

ALL THAT I MIGHT HAVE LEFT BEHIND

Long time, no blog. I've been busy, starting up life again. I'm now settling in quite well in my new job and my new flat, which I just simply adore.

One thing that has surprised me about moving home, is the feeling of being a bit of a stranger in my own country. I still think about and judge some things the way I would in Dublin, and really have to get used to thinking like a Danish person again. Very weird feeling, I can tell you.... But I guess, it's only natural, after 6 years in Ireland.

Anyway, my new flat is turning out quite gorgeous, if I may say so myself. There are only 2 1/2 boxes left to unpack (mostly books, for which there was no room in the book case). Most of my furniture has been sourced from a wide range of relatives, which means that things have a history to them that make them special, regardless of brand, colour or material. I really like that. Makes me feel very much at home.

Then there is the story with the Mystery Box. During unpacking, there were some things that did not turn up, and they have yet to do so. There are no boxes left at my parents' house and it has not found its way to my siblings either, by mistake or something. I cannot for the life of me remember whether I already got rid of the things I am now missing, but it would be the logical explanation. Although why I would throw out perfectly good knives and drinking glasses is beyond me at present. But then again, a whole cardboard box can't just disappear into thin air. Or can it? One of those things that make you go aaargh.... where is the darn thing? Oh well........ I'll either find out or I won't, and that's that!

Otherwise, it's been a gloriously sunny couple of weeks in Denmark now (but we could use some rain soon, the drought is setting in), and I haven't worn a jacket all this week! *gasp*

I haven't been going out much in my spare time - I mostly just chilled out at home, went shopping. I think I just really needed some total down time.